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Closest sounding strings to Roto66s without going dead in 5 minutes?


Painy
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I could really use some suggestions here. I used Rotosound Swing Bass 66s for years and years and anyways loved the sound of them when they were brand new but, as most people seem to find, they would go dead ridiculously quickly (in my case I'd often literally get just one gig).
A couple of years ago I bought a bass that came with D'Addario Prosteels and as they lasted much longer I ended up staying with them since. To be honest though they just don't sound as good to me as my old Rotos used to no matter how long they last.
So suggestions for something as close as possible to a long lasting Rotosound string as possible would be massively appreciated as I can't really afford to spend too much on experimentation (otherwise I'd just go back to the Rotos and replace them more often).
I've been looking at the Dunlop Super Brights as they're really well priced but haven't the faintest idea if that's looking in the right direction or in fact completely the opposite to the way I need to go.

Help!

Edited by Painy
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[quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1486589988' post='3233142']
I like the Dunlop Super Brights steels, nice feel and they definitely stay zingy longer than most others
[/quote]

Would definitely be the Steels I'd go for - Zing is king in my book.

The Prosteels are certainly bright but I find its more of a Ting than a Zing if that makes sense

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On the basis of what I`ve read I`ve tried Prosteels, DR Lo-Riders, Dean Markley Blue Steels and Elites, but Rotos, even with their shorter life span still win. Theres just something in those strings that brings an agression that I just can`t find in any other string. DRs and Elites were nearly there, but not quite.

Edited by Lozz196
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[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1486598075' post='3233240']
On the basis of what I`ve read I`ve tried Prosteels, DR Lo-Riders, Dean Markley Blue Steels and Elites, but Rotos, even with their shorter life span still win. Theres just something in those strings that brings an agression that I just can`t find in any other string. DRs and Elites were nearly there, but not quite.
[/quote]

Rotos are unquestionably my favorite sounding strings when new so I'm with you there Lozz. I'm just looking for the best compromise I can though as I really can't afford to keep changing strings that often - especially as I have 3 basses that get used at every gig!

I did just watch a comparison video on YouTube between Rotos and Lowriders and I did still prefer the Rotos but the Lowriders were definitely pretty close.

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Well it looks like I've now found a good enough deal online on multiple packs of the Rotosounds as to be worth putting up with their shorter life span to get that sound.
I think The DRs would have been a pretty decent substitute to be fair but looks like they would be a fair bit more expensive too.

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Went through Rotosounds early on, same as you. Elites for a bit, D'Addario for a long time, Dunlops for a year (they were great, cheap, but I had a couple of breakages and that won't do at all).

Currently using Elixir Nanowebs on all but one bass (but this will be restrung accordingly) and they're fantastic. They remind me of when I first started playing on Rotos.

OK they're currently around £35 a set, but I had one set on for ten months and only changed them because the E was going a bit deado. The others were fine. I suspect I may go the route of just buying an E next time.

So damn good.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just to update, I have just put a new set of Rotosound 66s on my bass for the first time since switching to D'Addarios in what it turns out was actually nearly 4 years!
Straight away, and despite this being on a completely different bass (was a Warwick now a Precision), that something that's been missing from my sound all this time is back.
The lows are thicker and more rounded and that zing is more of a metallic growl in the high mids than the D'Addarios which I felt are more about the higher end of the treble (like I said before, more of a ting than a zing) so didn't fill out the sound in the same way.

Now to see how they last!

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[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1487514150' post='3240348']
5 mins later...
[/quote]

:lol:

I've been paying £28.50 a (5 string) set from Stringbusters for the Prosteels plus postage and I got 2 sets of the Rotos (again 5 string sets) for £37.00 including postage which is obviously quite a bit cheaper. Hopefully that'll compensate for a shorter life span. Fingers crossed.

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