Steel Roundwounds. Who knew?

[funkle]

Obviously I am an idiot. But I’ve been playing bass for 25 years and never really understood the fuss about steel roundwounds, until now. 

I’ve been used to nickels all my life. I think I flirted with steels once about 15 years ago, and for some reason decided they weren’t for me.

Just put some D’Addario Pro Steels on my Celinder PJ. It’s a match made in heaven. Where on earth have I been? Much clearer bottom and top, top easily tamed by EQ knob if needed, and the roughness of these Steels isn’t too bad. Incredible thump and punch, beautiful.

You probably had my epiphany already. But damn, I might put these on all my basses now. So good. 

Edited February 14, 2021 by funkle

[mep]

Welcome to the club.

[funkle]

I never realised how much I didn’t like the mids on nickels. How odd. I mean, they have a place, but, I really do prefer the sound of these steels. D’Addario wins my favourite string brand as well. 

[TheGreek]

Love steels - nickels....not so much

[Skybone]

Yup, Stainless Rounds all the way.

Always get patches of white, dead skin whenever I use nickel strings, never get that with stainless. Plus they last longer too.

[nilebodgers]

It’s funny, I have always used rotosound stainless, but I thought I’d try d’addario XL nickels on my p-bass since lots of other people use them.

So far I really don’t like the top end sound, at least from new. They are zingy, but not in a pleasing way. I’ll stick with them until they dull down a bit and see if they improve.

[Lozz196]

I love the feel of nickels, with the most comfortable nickels I`ve found so far being Ernie Ball Super Slinkies,  which die too quickly, and Elixirs. But I just prefer the sound of steels, and am really liking Elixir steels at present.

[walshy]

Nope I have never dabbled with stainless ones, always nickel. I do have a set of DR Hi Beams on the shelf, maybe I should chuck them on a P bass

Edited February 14, 2021 by walshy

[Killed_by_Death]

 

I prefer stainless over NPS (Nickel-Plated Steel).

 

[Jono Bolton]

I've never been a big user of nickels, if I'm not using flats then Pro Steels are my string of choice.

[Killed_by_Death]

 

 

If you want even brighter, try Cobalt.

Cobalt flats sound close to roundwounds & will last forever.

Cobalt rounds are the brightest strings out there.

 

[LeftyJ]

This is interesting! I've been playing nickelplated steel ever since I picked up my first bass, and have never looked at anything else. When I first tried Elixir nanowebs I was sold, and I've pretty much stuck with them until I got my first headless Status and needed double ball strings. I'm now playing their own brand Hotwire double ball strings, which incidentally are Stainless Steel and feel and sound great. I now have two sets of stainless steel Elixirs waiting to be used on two of my regular 5-strings and after reading this thread I might just have to stop waiting 

[funkle]

The biggest problem I’m looking at now is I have 8 basses and might want steels on all of them 😂

Anyone have a good supplier for D’Addario?

[Maude]

On 14/02/2021 at 20:15, walshy said:

Nope I have never dabbled with stainless ones, always nickel. I do have a set of DR Hi Beams on the shelf, maybe I should chuck them on a P bass

Ha ha, that's the closest I've got to steels as well. I also have a pack of Hi Beams in the cupboard waiting. 

[shoulderpet]

Funny to hear all the love for Prosteels, I tried them and couldn't get them off fast enough, I love Roto steels though

[BassAdder60]

Do you suffer from faster fret wear using steels instead of nickel ? I assume they are stainless steel and harder than nickel 

Edited February 19, 2021 by BassAdder27

[funkle]

I think you do suffer faster fret wear. But if I can keep a bass that long, I’ll pay up for the refret. 

[lonestar]

On 15/02/2021 at 07:24, funkle said:

The biggest problem I’m looking at now is I have 8 basses and might want steels on all of them 😂

Anyone have a good supplier for D’Addario?

I understand that Fender branded strings are made by D’addario snd are quite a good price. 

[lonestar]

I’m a big fan of DR Fat beams and buy them direct from the US

[Skybone]

2 hours ago, lonestar said:

I understand that Fender branded strings are made by D’addario snd are quite a good price. 

Unfortunately, Fender don't do Stainless Roundwounds anymore. Damn fine strings they were too.

[shoulderpet]

17 hours ago, Skybone said:

Unfortunately, Fender don't do Stainless Roundwounds anymore. Damn fine strings they were too.

They were great strings, shame they discontinued them

[ezbass]

I’ve just been reading and watching Scott Whitley waxing lyrical about GHS Super Steels. I was always a D’Addario EXL nickel guy, but the last few years I’ve been using EB Cobalt flatwounds pretty much exclusively (LaBella nylons on my Rob Allen). I was put off of SS strings due to the roughness I experienced once or twice (I don’t recall the make/s). Maybe time for a revisit.

[lonestar]

22 hours ago, ezbass said:

I’ve just been reading and watching Scott Whitley waxing lyrical about GHS Super Steels. I was always a D’Addario EXL nickel guy, but the last few years I’ve been using EB Cobalt flatwounds pretty much exclusively (LaBella nylons on my Rob Allen). I was put off of SS strings due to the roughness I experienced once or twice (I don’t recall the make/s). Maybe time for a revisit.

I also really like the DR nickel plated low riders. They’re stiff, bright but feel nicer on the fingers

[Stub Mandrel]

I've always played SS strings. But my Jazz came with Fender nickels on it and they suit it down to the ground.

I find different basses make different music, different strings is part of that.

[lonestar]

56 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I've always played SS strings. But my Jazz came with Fender nickels on it and they suit it down to the ground.

I find different basses make different music, different strings is part of that.

I had those on my FSR mex precision. They are really nice on there too. These I think:

https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/strings-c1/string-sets-c865/bass-guitar-c34/fender-super-bass-7250m-nickel-plated-steel-bass-guitar-strings-45-105-long-scale-p928