Noob String Primer Survey

[brewgoodbeer]

Honestly tried to search this but there were not hits for bass strings. Need to get new strings for an old bass, and I do not have experience with bass string brands. What are you using? Brand, gauge, flat or round, on what kind of bass. Thanks

[bassman1956]

First, some questions:

What do you like in tone, and in feel?

Deeper tone? Muddy? Brite with lots of harmonics? Something in between? For what kind of music?

What do you like in a feel? Flat and smooth, rounds, something in between? What about tension?

 

Just some thoughts. It would be nice if a "string primer" would make it to the FAQ's some day.

[Perfessor]

I've used Rotosound Jazz Flats for 40+ years.

[brewgoodbeer]

 

It would be nice if a "string primer" would make it to the FAQ's some day.

 

 

Yeah that would have helped a ton. The bass in question in p-bass copy. Looking for a nice deep tone, but not muddy. May get to a somewhat of a brighter tone, but always with a strong fundemental. Have never played flats and don't know how the feel is different. Also I do not use a pick or slap. I will be playing mostly classic rock, and maybe some of what used to be call fusion. Just looking to see what is being used for which application.

 

Thanks

[bassman1956]

I would say flats. Rotosound RS77's are a standard for this. They are nickel, and not very brite in tone, last forever. SS flats are briter yet, and many companies have what they refer to as "brite flats" of some sort or another.

 

Another option are ground-wound, which are round wounds that are ground flat, or pressure-wounds, which are rounds that the wire is squished flatter during the winding process. Both offer an in-between sound, although the aspects differ.

 

Edit:

My bad, RS-77's are monel.

War-to-brite materials are monel, then nickel, then SS.

Some companies have alloys that float in between those choices.

[brewgoodbeer]

I think that I agree with Bassman1956 and am narrowing my thought to flats. The question remains which ones.

 

D'addario

EBC81 - Chrome flats

EBT92 - Nylon tapewound flats (Anyone use these)

ENR71 - Nickel Half flats or ground flats.

 

Rotosound

RS77 - Flats

RS88 - Trubass nylon flats. The gauge is pretty heavy though. .065-.135

 

Thanks

[bassman1956]

I use the ENR71 - Nickel Half flats or ground flats on several of my basses. Love 'em! The nylon are a breed unto themselves, sort of like a cross between upright gut strings and dead flats. Great for vintage tone, but, have another quality to them as well, that 'gut' quality.

[Cortfan]

I use GHS brite flats on my Cort P/J for the last 12 years. Fender flats on my '73 Musicmaster bass since it was new. .45-1.05 and .45-1.00 or something really close to that. I only change strings when they break, or about every 15 years. I had Rotosound flats one time. GC put them on because they were out of GHS. I made them change them out before I left the store. I just did not like the sound at all. ymmv

[Darkstorm]

Rotosound swing 66 have been my main strings since the mid 1970's. Tried others but allways came back to rotosound swing66 for superior sound. I have recently started useing the DR neon bass strings(Oct 2010) and am very impressed. The only strings that Ive liked as well as to rotosounds

[Tolka]

 

I would say flats.

 

 

So would I. The ones I would recommend are TI (Thomastik/Infeld) jazz flats. As flats go, they are brighter than most. They are expensive, but worth it IMO, plus like all flats they last for years. However, they are very low tension, which does not suit everyone.

[Jazzneck]

Ditto on the Rotos and Thomastiks...never found anything as good. Both are punchy lower tension strings with very good consistency even as they get worn. Just IMO of course.

 

Tim

[L-1329]

Yeah that would have helped a ton. The bass in question in p-bass copy. Looking for a nice deep tone, but not muddy. May get to a somewhat of a brighter tone, but always with a strong fundemental. Have never played flats and don't know how the feel is different. Also I do not use a pick or slap. I will be playing mostly classic rock, and maybe some of what used to be call fusion. Just looking to see what is being used for which application. Thanks

 

I don't think the guys recommending flats read this post of yours.

 

I totally disagree with flats for what you are describing. I would be looking at something like DR Nickel Lowriders personally, especially with a P-bass and fingerstyle classic rock. Flats for you would be nothing but a mud fest unless you were playing with a pick. Try a set of nickel rounds first and see what you think, and for that DR is always a good choice.

[Tolka]

I don't think the guys recommending flats read this post of yours. I totally disagree with flats for what you are describing. I would be looking at something like DR Nickel Lowriders personally, especially with a P-bass and fingerstyle classic rock. Flats for you would be nothing but a mud fest unless you were playing with a pick. Try a set of nickel rounds first and see what you think, and for that DR is always a good choice.

 

The part which prompted me to recommend flats was the "I will be playing mostly classic rock" part. Why ? Because about 90% of classic rock was played using flats.

[bassandgolf]

I play a lot of classic rock and have moved from flats to stainless rounds - at first I used DR Hibeams, but now use Foderas exclusively - love the low B

 

Jim

[Tolka]

As with all threads asking what strings to use, the person ends up having to experiment for him/herself. Of course rounds will sound good with classic rock, as equally will flats. It is all a matter of personal taste.

[t3ch]

Classic rock with flats... yuck.

[Tolka]

It is all a matter of personal taste.

 

 

 

Macca did alright using them.

[t3ch]

I can see how you might record with flats where you can make it heard, but I can't imagine playing with flats live in a rock setting if you intend to be heard. In all fairness I haven't tried that specifically; only tried with my originals band which is a little more distorted. So maybe I'm wrong. Maybe flats are my favorite for classic rock. All I know for sure is...

 

Partyin partyin, YEAH, partyin partyin, YEAH, fun fun fun, looking forward to the weekend

[Tolka]

but I can't imagine playing with flats live in a rock setting if you intend to be heard.

 

That's not the fault of the flats, but the fault of your band members. Tell them to drop the volume a bit. :poke:

[Jersey Jack]

Can I divert this thread a bit? I too am a noob and I'm very uncertain about strings. I have a P Bass and my genre is alt.country, roots, Americana, etc. I'd like the bass to sound as close to an upright as possible. What would be best for me?

[t3ch]

You'll want flats. Bear in mind your electric isn't going to sound like an upright no matter what you do. With some flats and basic eq'ing you can get an uprightish thump though.

[RSBro]

Flats come after Friday, followed by halfwounds.

 

just fyfi.

[Tolka]

 

You'll want flats. Bear in mind your electric isn't going to sound like an upright no matter what you do. With some flats and basic eq'ing you can get an uprightish thump though.

 

 

I agree.

[Jersey Jack]

Flats come after Friday, followed by halfwounds. just fyfi.

 

How long do you have to hang around here before someone tells you what this means?

 

I assume that fyFi is NOT a typo.

[One Bad Monkey]

 

You'll want flats. Bear in mind your electric isn't going to sound like an upright no matter what you do. With some flats and basic eq'ing you can get an uprightish thump though.

 

 

I'd also go so far as to use your thumb when playing, so you get some more meat contacting the strings for a little bigger sound. Palm mute it a little and you'll have some fine results.