A little advice regarding strings please

[chilievans]

Hello peeps. I'm not a very experienced player and I'm looking for some new strings. The problem I have is the sheer volume of choice is quite overwhelming. Make, model, gauge, material = a lot of choice. Any advive on what I should put on my ibanez sr500?

[mybass]

[quote name='chilievans' post='997989' date='Oct 23 2010, 01:17 PM']Hello peeps. I'm not a very experienced player and I'm looking for some new strings. The problem I have is the sheer volume of choice is quite overwhelming. Make, model, gauge, material = a lot of choice. Any advive on what I should put on my ibanez sr500?[/quote]

Cheap to expensive, steel to nickel wound etc. It is a minefeield. Then finding the right gauge. Well, you are going to have to do a bit of spending
to suss the best for you and your particular bass.
Maybe you can add some more info and explain to Basschatters your amp specs, preference of music as there might be someone in Basschat with
a similar bass and amplification who plays similar music to you who can help.
It might be easier for you to cross reference then.

On my ash body fretless bass and Fender Roscoe Beck fretted I use Galli Nickel wound ( they call them "Rock Stars"!) and they last a real decent time.
If your bass has a denser wood, Bubinga or Wenge for instance, maybe a through neck construction, this wood has a lot of mid range "support" to the sound
so you may find another string would suit better.
\

[niceguyhomer]

You'll get a hundred different answers to this one but I'll start it off;

For cheapish / nice feel / nice tone but don't last terribly long strings - Ernie Ball Slinkys

First choice strings but expensive - DR Sunbeams

Flats - Labella Deep Talkin' Light or TI Jazz flats (expensive)

Status Hotwires are excellent strings for the money too.

[bubinga5]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='998004' date='Oct 23 2010, 01:30 PM']You'll get a hundred different answers to this one but I'll start it off;

For cheapish / nice feel / nice tone but don't last terribly long strings - Ernie Ball Slinkys

First choice strings but expensive - DR Sunbeams

Flats - Labella Deep Talkin' Light or TI Jazz flats (expensive)

Status Hotwires are excellent strings for the money too.[/quote]

all you really need to know is this

1. gauge.... most common is 40 - 100 or 50 - 105..there so many variations on this you will have to experiment....

2. Type.... (Roundwound/Flatwounds) Rounds are the most common...there are variations (halfwounds etc) but find out about them later...

Stainless Steel/Bright sounding strings

Nickel/Not as bright. tend to have a bit more punch

3. Make.... (Ok this is subjective but the most common are.)

Rotosounds
Elites
Diaddario
Warwick
DR's
Ernie Ball (Music Man)

There is so much to look into with strings to get a certain tone but this may give you a general idea.....

Edited October 23, 2010 by bubinga5

[Ou7shined]

broad sweeping statements warning

steels = prominent mid-top end - can feel "hard" on your fingers - brightness last longer... frets wont
nickle = good all-rounder - smooth on your fingers - brightness fades sooner than steels
round wounds = standard use broad tone
flat wounds = whumpy old school mid drop tone suits P bass and reduces fretboard wear on fretless
semi rounds = halfway house between flat and round - retains flats feel (although some feel sticky) but keeps upper mids of the rounds
coated strings = black magic voodoo

[noelk27]

[quote name='chilievans' post='997989' date='Oct 23 2010, 01:17 PM']Any advive on what I should put on my ibanez sr500?[/quote]
The string that suits your playing style.

To work that out, tell us the type of music you play, tell us any music where you like the bass sound, tells us what strings are currently on your Sound Gear, and tell us why you do and don't like about those strings. Up until we start answering those points ignore every recommendation as to brand, type, gauge, etc, that's given, because every string opinion is totally subjective.

Edited October 23, 2010 by noelk27

[mcnach]

It will depend on what style you want to play etc...

But I'd say that I love the sound of the Rotosound Nexus, the black coated ones, on my SR400. They feel great, sound very snappy but not ultra bright. I get a great slap tone out them, but also great fingerstyle. I love those.

Before I had favoured Rotosound SM77 flatwounds on that bass. Very thumpy, yet bright enough.

Two very different tones.

[Mr. Foxen]

Hard to go wrong with Daddarios, except spelling and saying it. Good strings and cheap.

[Lozz196]

Check out yr fave bassists, and see if theres a common string that they all seem to use.

For me, all my faves use Rotosound Roundwounds, so I checked them out, and even tho I`ve tried many different brands, Rotos get my vote.

[paul h]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='998135' date='Oct 23 2010, 03:15 PM']Hard to go wrong with Daddarios, except spelling and saying it. Good strings and cheap.[/quote]

+1

I love D'Addario nickels. Currently using EXL 220s on my main bass. I went through a lot of the usual suspects many years ago but have never turned back since using D'Addario.

I like using steels on P style basses and Roberts Growlers off the bay are great and less than a tenner!

[Wylie]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='998135' date='Oct 23 2010, 10:15 AM']Hard to go wrong with Daddarios, except spelling and saying it. Good strings and cheap.[/quote]


Plus one.

Also GHS Precision Flatwounds. Not expensive, great mellow sound.