Roundwounds nickel or stainless

[markman]

Is there any easy way to tell if my roundwounds are nickel or stainless?

[hawkhuff]

I don't believ there is. I have looked at both and there seems to be no apparent difference.

 

The only way to know is to go by the label.

[Fran da Man]

To me SS stay more or less a "shinier" or brighter silver color than a nickel will; nickel tends to get a dull look to them.

Another way to kindda tell is to just fret them without plucking while plugged in, SS have a sharp click sound when contacting the frets, nickel sounds softer.

The ridges (windings) on the string itself are more pronounced on SS, just slide your finger up and down on a string (it's best to compare them both side by side till you know what you're feeling for). Playing them also feels different under your fingers.

Not much help i know, maybe someone else has some surefire ways.

[Fran da Man]

Originally posted by markman I have a Dean Razor Standard Bass with roundwounds. I actualy like the bass alot, but I don't like the tone of the strings. It sounds like a detuned guitar to me. I was thinking about putting a set of flatwounds on it. Do you think it would make much of a difference?

Flats vs. rounds will definately sound different, more of a boomy thump with flats, no chime in them. What sound are you looking for?

[markman]

The only song I can think of right now is "The Lemon Song" by Led Zepplin

[rikshaw]

nickel strings make me bleed. that and my fingers have a really bad metallic smell after i play them.

[rikshaw]

stainless strings are much brighter.