String preferences

[ern500evo]

Was chatting to a fellow player recently, and the subject of strings came up. He was puzzled to learn that I use different brands of string on different basses. He uses Elites on all his basses, except for one P bass which has flats on it. It got me wondering, how did you guys settle on a particular strings, did you find a set you liked and stuck with that brand/type, or did you go on a bit of a string trying journey and then decide which ones you like best? I’ve currently got my Yamaha Attitude Ltd strung with Elixirs, my Warwick SS1 strung with DR hi beams, and my Sire V7 jazz is about to get a set of Ernie Ball hybrid slinky stainless steels. I’ve tried a multitude of strings over the years, and with my Sire in particular, I’m still experimenting. What criteria is key for you, is it tone, price, feel, longevity, or a compromise of all the above. I think for me it’s tone and longevity. I like the zing of fresh steel roundwounds, and once they start to lose that, i start to think about replacing them. I think of all the ones I’ve tried, the DR’s and Elixirs seem to tick the boxes. Just to add, I always use 45-105 steel roundwounds. Just curious as to what led you guys to your favourite brands/types of string. 

[fretmeister]

For roundwounds I always come back to D'Addario Prosteels. Every few years I try some others and spend far too much money, and then come back to them. There's just something I like about how they feel and sound.

 

For flats I like some different types. Dunlops are my favourite but I like Ti and EB as well. 

Didn't like the La Bella Low Tension Flats at all. They got very sticky every time I played.

[Geek99]

I just use cheapie Warwick red roundwounds and adagio flats. They do the job 

[BreadBin]

I've posted elsewhere about this - some strings suit some basses better than others. Through trial and error I've ended up with Ernie Ball Regular Slinkies on my main Yamaha 5-string, D'addario NYXL on my 5-string fretless and NYXL on my main 4-string Jazz too. The Yamaha doesn't suit NYXL for some reason.

[ern500evo]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

For roundwounds I always come back to D'Addario Prosteels. Every few years I try some others and spend far too much money, and then come back to them. There's just something I like about how they feel and sound.

 

For flats I like some different types. Dunlops are my favourite but I like Ti and EB as well. 

Didn't like the La Bella Low Tension Flats at all. They got very sticky every time I played.

I like Prosteels too, they have a really nice top end to them. I used them for quite a while, until I found the E string dying really quickly in a couple of sets. Maybe a different batch or two, but it did really put me off. 

[ern500evo]

43 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

I've posted elsewhere about this - some strings suit some basses better than others. Through trial and error I've ended up with Ernie Ball Regular Slinkies on my main Yamaha 5-string, D'addario NYXL on my 5-string fretless and NYXL on my main 4-string Jazz too. The Yamaha doesn't suit NYXL for some reason.

Are all of those strings nickel? What is it you prefer about nickel over steels? 

[ern500evo]

1 hour ago, Geek99 said:

I just use cheapie Warwick red roundwounds and adagio flats. They do the job 

What are the red labels like for longevity? 

[BreadBin]

16 minutes ago, ern500evo said:

Are all of those strings nickel? What is it you prefer about nickel over steels? 

Yes - I like the tone, the feel and that they are softer then the frets! 

[ern500evo]

20 minutes ago, BreadBin said:

Yes - I like the tone, the feel and that they are softer then the frets! 

One of the reasons I stopped using Rotosound steels, they seem to be very harsh on frets! 

[Mudpup]

42 minutes ago, ern500evo said:

What are the red labels like for longevity? 

 

I use these as they are under a tenner a set and I'm a zingy type of guy. I kill strings in about 4/5 gigs tops and these last as well as anything else I've tried for 2 or 3 times the price.

 

Dr Hi Beams or Dunlop Super Brights feel a bit nicer but all I'm going to do is beat the poopie out of them on a Saturday night in a pub - the subtle nuances are lost on me, the crowd and my bandmates so price is key. 

[ern500evo]

8 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

 

I use these as they are under a tenner a set and I'm a zingy type of guy. I kill strings in about 4/5 gigs tops and these last as well as anything else I've tried for 2 or 3 times the price.

 

Dr Hi Beams or Dunlop Super Brights feel a bit nicer but all I'm going to do is beat the poopie out of them on a Saturday night in a pub - the subtle nuances are lost on me, the crowd and my bandmates so price is key. 

Funny you should mention Dunlop Super Brights, I’ve just taken a set off my Sire bass as they were completely dead. Checked my emails to see when I bought them, beginning of September. I’ve used my Yamaha on a couple of gigs since then, so by my reckoning the Dunlops have done 3 gigs and 3 short rehearsals and they are completely shot already. 

[Mudpup]

11 minutes ago, ern500evo said:

Funny you should mention Dunlop Super Brights, I’ve just taken a set off my Sire bass as they were completely dead. Checked my emails to see when I bought them, beginning of September. I’ve used my Yamaha on a couple of gigs since then, so by my reckoning the Dunlops have done 3 gigs and 3 short rehearsals and they are completely shot already. 

 I could get 4 gigs out of a set of stainless ones on average. If it was a real sweaty one it would be 3 gigs i reckon. Try the Warwick Reds from Thomann or Gewar4 Music 

[fretmeister]

1 hour ago, ern500evo said:

I like Prosteels too, they have a really nice top end to them. I used them for quite a while, until I found the E string dying really quickly in a couple of sets. Maybe a different batch or two, but it did really put me off. 

 

I've never had that.

 

I like the top end when they calm down a bit. They are a bit too bright for me out of the packet, but after a rehearsal or 2 the top end is tamed and then they seem to stay constant for a long time.

 

I've tried so many others and always come home that I'm thinking of putting stickers on the back of the headstocks with a "BEHAVE! You'll only waste money" on it!

[ern500evo]

4 minutes ago, Mudpup said:

 I could get 4 gigs out of a set of stainless ones on average. If it was a real sweaty one it would be 3 gigs i reckon. Try the Warwick Reds from Thomann or Gewar4 Music 

I’ll give them a try. Just put a set of EB hybrid slinky stainless steels on, but I’ll add the red labels to my list of strings to try

[Geek99]

1 hour ago, ern500evo said:

What are the red labels like for longevity? 

Not bad at all. No worse than anything else I’ve tried 

for the saving I’ll willingly take slightly shorter life 

[ern500evo]

5 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

 

I've never had that.

 

I like the top end when they calm down a bit. They are a bit too bright for me out of the packet, but after a rehearsal or 2 the top end is tamed and then they seem to stay constant for a long time.

 

I've tried so many others and always come home that I'm thinking of putting stickers on the back of the headstocks with a "BEHAVE! You'll only waste money" on it!

Might have to give them another whirl. Like I said, I’m sure it was maybe just a duff batch. I do like the brightness of Pro Steels, they sound a little bit scooped but that can always be overcome with a little eq tweak. I’ll see how these EB hybrids go and maybe give the Pro’s another try 

[Geek99]

Warwick do yellow label too, which I think are nickel but red label are stainless steel 

Edited October 28, 2022 by Geek99

[Lozz196]

I have Elixir steel rounds on my Precisions & Jazz, currently have Ernie Ball Coated rounds on my Stingray (but they died really quickly so will be getting Elixirs too).

Flats-wise I’ve Dunlops on a Precision.

[Lozz196]

2 hours ago, ern500evo said:

What are the red labels like for longevity? 

I used to use these, I had a very twangy/driven new string sound and would get around 2 months use (8 rehearsals & 8 gigs) from a set.

[Muzz]

Elixirs on everything*, a mix of Nickels and Steels. They last for aaaaaages, and I'm a ham-fisted (mostly) pick player...

 

 

* Other than my acoustic bass, which has D'Addario Flats on, but that's the exception in many ways...

Edited October 28, 2022 by Muzz

[Ed_S]

I first went round the houses trying lots of different electric guitar strings and settled on D'Addario XLs as being the most consistent and reliable. GHS Boomers sounded unappealing, Dean Markley felt unappealing, Ernie Ball stretched for miles before they'd hold in tune, and there were others that I can't recall. D'Addario XLs just went on, stretched in, tuned up, sounded good and lasted well.

 

My first basses were Yamahas which came from the factory with decent but anonymous strings on them which lasted ages because I was only learning, and then Ibanezes which at that time came from the factory with Elixirs on them... so also lasted ages as you'd expect. Consequently, it was a while before I got into buying bass strings, but when I did, I went straight for D'Addario XLs because they were what I played on guitar and I figured they'd be a safe bet. They were, and they're still my favourite go-to string for the majority of basses 20+ years later, though I do also use Dunlop Super-Bright nickels on my USA Jazz as I just like the feel of them on there, what with them being naturally a bit more flexible but the bass being string-through-body.

 

I played Prosteels for a while and liked them but they eat frets, used Rotosound steels when they were cheap and didn't mind them but they eat frets even faster, tried EB Slinky but they didn't seem to last well before sounding dull, tried Elixirs of different coatings but couldn't justify the cost over just changing sets of uncoated strings, tried DRs of different colours but couldn't put up with the DoA rate, and most recently tried Warwick Red nickels as a nod to being economical but they're too rough for my liking.

 

I'm not a great user of flats so I've not gone as far down that road, but Fender 9050 were nice enough, Rotosound Monel were like torture implements, D'Addario Chromes weren't smooth enough, and I've currently got some Galli jazz flats which are very smooth indeed and I'm enjoying the novelty of ...in small doses ...for now!

[jonnybass]

I use different brands/gauges for my basses.  mostly nickel strings thought.

 

On my ACG 5 - Newtone ACG custom set 130-50.  P bass - Newtone 110-50.  Jazz bass Dunlop super brights 105-45, status fretless thomastik infeld flats 100-40, sire v7 5 - Newtone ACG custom set 130-50 (but planning to change these out for lighter gauge nickel strings soon.

 

 

[ern500evo]

2 hours ago, jonnybass said:

I use different brands/gauges for my basses.  mostly nickel strings thought.

 

On my ACG 5 - Newtone ACG custom set 130-50.  P bass - Newtone 110-50.  Jazz bass Dunlop super brights 105-45, status fretless thomastik infeld flats 100-40, sire v7 5 - Newtone ACG custom set 130-50 (but planning to change these out for lighter gauge nickel strings soon.

 

 

I’ve always used steels, but I put a set of Dunlop super bright nickels on my Dingwall just before I sold it. They actually felt quite nice 

[Dan Dare]

On 28/10/2022 at 10:55, fretmeister said:

Didn't like the La Bella Low Tension Flats at all. They got very sticky every time I played.

 

I've found this with a number of string brands. I think the stickiness is due to whatever the manufacturers coat them with to prevent rusting in the packet. Since I started cleaning new strings with meths/alcohol, I've not had a problem.

Edited October 31, 2022 by Dan Dare

[jonnybass]

4 hours ago, ern500evo said:

I’ve always used steels, but I put a set of Dunlop super bright nickels on my Dingwall just before I sold it. They actually felt quite nice 

Agree used steels for about 20 odd years before trying Dunlop nickels really nice feel