CameronJ Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 1 minute ago, dave_bass5 said: This is how I was with my P34. Straight out the box i loved the action, even though it was a bit higher than i normal go for. Not sure what the strings were, they all had brass ends, and were not Elixirs, but they felt good. But then i changed strings and mucked it all up lol. I asked about the stock strings over on Talkbass and was told they’re D’Addario EXL Nickels. If and when I change strings I’ll be sticking a set of the exact same ones on again. I think there’s something in the action being just a touch higher than normal for me , plus the strings being nice and malleable under the fingers. Makes the bass very fun and responsive to play. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 (edited) Agree about the playability, but the strings on mine weren’t EXL’s, at least not the normal type as they didnt have the colour ball ends. Ive been using these for years, and they just felt different (better) They are advertised as coming with them, but i have a feeling there is some reason mine didnt, especially considering the low price. Edited July 6, 2019 by dave_bass5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 2 hours ago, dave_bass5 said: Agree about the playability, but the strings on mine weren’t EXL’s, at least not the normal type as they didnt have the colour ball ends. Ive been using these for years, and they just felt different (better) They are advertised as coming with them, but i have a feeling there is some reason mine didnt, especially considering the low price. Hmm. Curious. And the annoying part is how difficult it’ll be to work out what strings they are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 11 minutes ago, CameronJ said: Hmm. Curious. And the annoying part is how difficult it’ll be to work out what strings they are We never can. They are in the bin now. I can say that the pro steels are pretty much the same, although they have the coloured ball ends. The bass was quite a bit cheaper than everywhere else, so I’m guessing it might have been a return that someone had changed strings on before returning it. just a guess though. It wasnt sold as a return or demo though, but it is perfect condition so I’m not complaining. I just believe is a price is too good to be true then it generally is. The EB Slinky’s that i first put on were ok, but they have a .105 E and I’m now using .100, so that might be why i didn’t get on with them. Again, ive only recently started using .100’s but i love how the feel. Ive only just started using these stirring, but i love the tone and feel of them. I tend to destroy stings quite quickly (he seems the original strings being thrown) due to my pick playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 I’ve recently started coming round to the joys of lighter gauge strings myself. Definitely learned that I have zero love for a .130 B string. It’s like tugging on an umbilical cord. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 6, 2019 Author Share Posted July 6, 2019 2 minutes ago, CameronJ said: ...It’s like tugging on an umbilical cord. And you know that exactly, how? 🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 5 minutes ago, CameronJ said: I’ve recently started coming round to the joys of lighter gauge strings myself. Definitely learned that I have zero love for a .130 B string. It’s like tugging on an umbilical cord. Its just the E ive dropped in size, and so far i love it. On my 425 and Sire V7 i have a .130 B, but still a .100 E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 4 minutes ago, Al Krow said: And you know that exactly, how? 🤣 I was anchored to my mother’s womb by a .130 gauge B string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 6, 2019 Author Share Posted July 6, 2019 Just now, CameronJ said: I was anchored to my mother’s womb by a .130 gauge B string. Haha. Ok that explains a few things... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 Hm. Just looked up the gauges on a 5 string set of EXL-170s and apparently the B is indeed a .130 it definitely doesn’t feel like it! Unless the sets which ship with the new BBs are custom gauges? Not impossible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 2 minutes ago, CameronJ said: Hm. Just looked up the gauges on a 5 string set of EXL-170s and apparently the B is indeed a .130 it definitely doesn’t feel like it! Unless the sets which ship with the new BBs are custom gauges? Not impossible... Well Yamaha do mention that the strings are as above, so I’d be surprised if they do have a custom set on them. Since i posted this motoring I think ive got the ultimate set up for me and this bass now. I just cant stop playing it. 2.25mm on the E and .013 neck relief. No buzz unless i really dig in, and only on the E string, ive found I’m playing a bit lighter with this bass anyway, so its all good.....more than good in fact. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 I hear you there. I’ve spent much of the evening playing mine and, like you, I only get buzz when I’m actively digging in for that sound. Doesn’t take much effort as it just responds so well. I just bought a set of Maruszczyk Nickels as I really loved the feel of them on a bass I played a couple of days ago. I may need to get some EXLs and compare them on the Dingwall when I get it back from The Gallery. They’re both reasonably priced string sets but I could see this becoming an expensive rabbit hole if I keep digging... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 6, 2019 Share Posted July 6, 2019 Yep, and playing along to some music I cant even hear the buzz. I feel the bass has so much punch that it doesn’t need me digging unless I want a more cranky tone, but even then its not too noticeable. There are so many brands of string ive never tried, but I’m happy enough with the cheaper brands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 10 hours ago, CameronJ said: Hm. Just looked up the gauges on a 5 string set of EXL-170s and apparently the B is indeed a .130 it definitely doesn’t feel like it! Unless the sets which ship with the new BBs are custom gauges? Not impossible... The last set of EXL220s I bought for my 5-string Bass Collection, were supplied by Strings Direct as a 4-string set of EXL220 plus a single 0.125 B string, so I think it's definitely possible to match a 4-string set of EXL170s with a lighter B. The code for the B is XLB125. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moos3h Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Interesting - I LOVE the strings that came fitted to my BB735a (now sadly for sale) and had been wondering what they were so I can grab a set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 7, 2019 Author Share Posted July 7, 2019 My BB P35 came with D'Addario EXL170-5 nickels 45 to 130 guage. They're excellent and not outrageous in terms of price (around £25) - highly recommend. I'll certainly be sticking with them for my Yammy BBs and Ibby SRs (fretted). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 You can get them in packs of 2 quite cheap as well. A fellow convert here, after trying all sorts on my BB415 only to get a 1025X and realise I liked those stock strings more than anything else I’d tried! Still have to try those NYXLs, I have a 4 string set so just need to obtain a low B! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 7, 2019 Author Share Posted July 7, 2019 13 minutes ago, dannybuoy said: You can get them in packs of 2 quite cheap as well. A fellow convert here, after trying all sorts on my BB415 only to get a 1025X and realise I liked those stock strings more than anything else I’d tried! ... Where from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 https://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/product/dand-addario-exl170-5tp-twin-pack-45-130 2 packs for £40! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CameronJ Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 35 minutes ago, dannybuoy said: https://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/product/dand-addario-exl170-5tp-twin-pack-45-130 2 packs for £40! Bloody hell. 5 string sets as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 I like the balanced tension sets they do. I used to buy a 4 string set and a .125 separately. Not the cheapest way of doing it though. The reason Ive switched to the Pro steels is because I seem to kill strings quite quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 7, 2019 Author Share Posted July 7, 2019 (edited) 51 minutes ago, dave_bass5 said: I like the balanced tension sets they do. I used to buy a 4 string set and a .125 separately. Not the cheapest way of doing it though. The reason Ive switched to the Pro steels is because I seem to kill strings quite quickly. The flip side with steels, being harder than nickel, is that you're going to get greater fret and fret board wear, so it's a bit of a trade off. Having said that, the bespoke KS steels on my KS do sound fantastic! Edited July 7, 2019 by Al Krow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Hokay, sooooo after a dalliance with a 1024X, which proved to be too heavy and too big in the neck department, I've got hold of a 414VW, and for what I need, it's much, much better: lighter, slimmer neck, and a P-pup as good as anything I've heard. The J-pup is nice, too, but this being me it'll never get used... 🙂 I might change the tuners for some Hipshot Ultralights, and if a bridge comes up the BBOT is getting replaced, but other than that I'm a happy chap. Oh, and possibly a brass nut...but it doesn't really need it; that's just me GASing for tweaks... 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted July 8, 2019 Author Share Posted July 8, 2019 Something like this, right?! Luverly! And has the MHS (see earlier post on previous page for list of 3 letter abbreviations!) common to the 414 series. Can't really go wrong with vintage white IMO, other than thinking that VW is much more associated with a cheating diesel German car maker...😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Yup, just like that, tho with a lighter, much browner board. I've some wood dye I was thinking of darkening it with, but it may do as it is. The VW was the main deal, as it's gonna be a one-gig bass, for a 30-year reunion of an originals band I was (and now am again) in. I had a VW 3000A back then, and this is close enough. The Boardwalk, Manchester, 1989...I had a better back, back then... 😀 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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