Painy Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 (edited) 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 February 8, 2017 by Painy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I like the Dunlop Super Brights steels, nice feel and they definitely stay zingy longer than most others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted February 8, 2017 Author Share Posted February 8, 2017 [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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LayDownThaFunk Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 DR Lo Rider Steels! They are like Rotos sound wise but are smoother, last longer and just cut through the mix so well. I buy strings from the US via eBay and never get stung for customs. Including postage it normally works out £20 for a set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Look no further than DR Lowriders stainless steel. Really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 (edited) 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 February 8, 2017 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 [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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
project_c Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 +1 on Dean Markley Blue Steels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 DR Lowriders here... as a counterargument to the above, I think they are more aggressive than the Rotos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Rotos to Elite stadium 50-110 and stayed there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelfin Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Dadario NYXL's as reviewed somewhere on here. They gave away free sets for the reviews. http://basschat.co.uk/topic/276770-beta-test-review-daddario-nyxl-bass-strings/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted February 19, 2017 Author Share Posted February 19, 2017 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! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LayDownThaFunk Posted February 19, 2017 Share Posted February 19, 2017 5 mins later... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted February 19, 2017 Author Share Posted February 19, 2017 [quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1487514150' post='3240348'] 5 mins later... [/quote] 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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