String Question

[spongebob]

Daft question here, so please bear with me...

I've always used Rotosound stainless on my Rickenbacker 4003, no problem.

However, I've recently acquired another, and have been reading about the negative effects of using stainless because of fret wear, as oppose to nickel.

What is the general take on this? Am I right to worry?

If anyone has any suggestions...please help!

Also, I need a string that is chrome-coloured on the ends - whatever the type - the red Rotosound ends really clash with the head of a midnight blue Ric!

I did have some Warwick yellow labels - perfect colour on the ends (!) - but they lacked the depth of the Rotosounds.

Hopefully someone can help......

[spinynorman]

I've heard the same argument for roundwounds being worse for fret wear than flats. Yet I've bought several 1970s vintage basses, all strung with rounds, and no signs of excessive wear. The only wear I have seen is of the fretboard itself. So, I don't claim any great expertise, but it just seems to me these issues must only show up with very heavy use over a long period of time.

I have a set of Fender 7250s which have black silks. They're nickel rounds, sound good to me, and not expensive.

[~tl]

I prefer the sound and feel of nickel wound strings, so tend to use them anyway. Elites don't have any wrapping, are cheap, last well and I've always been happy with them. Worth a shot...

[BigBadBassman]

Ernie Ball Slinkies - nickel and no coloured wrap.

Tim

[spongebob]

Thanks guys.

I've bought a set of Rotosound nickels to try (they have, apparantly, blue stitching on the end) so there shouldn't clash with the blue headstock.

If all goes well, I'll switch my other bass to nickel as well - but with a red headstock, I'll try some Ernie's or Elites as suggested above.

Thanks to all!

[Mr. Foxen]

Been thinking of a new bass player phrase for situations involving the whole wear on your bass debate; 'What would Jaco do?', he'd play rounds on his fretless cause it sounds good, then go and forget which side of the stage his tech was waiting to catch his bass and throw it over the amps on the wrong one. Your doing well to play enough to wear something out.