Bass Strings...

Cadorman

Cadorman

Ambassador of the Catocaster
Country flag
Okay, as most of you in this section know I am building a Warmoth 4 string J Bass style fretted bass with an Ebony board. It will be passive and use a P Bass style neck pickup and J Bass style bridge pickup. Thinking maybe SD Quarter Pounders. I have never played a bass. I use D'Addario NYXL 10-46 sets on my guitars. What do you guys like on your basses? I don't care about easy on the fingers. Tips have been dead for years. Not looking to become a full time bass player, but mainly for recording purposes.
 
Fender flats-- 98% of my basses have em--

2 have rounds ----- I have (ssshhh) 12 basses
1 has tape wounds (d'addario)
the rest --- FLATS

per the 1/4 pounders-- if you want the same pickup for 18.00 check out the Guitar Madness version ----no-- really---
have them in the Peavey Dyna neck through Unity bass -- usa made bass--- those pups KILL for the $ ( i have Duncan 1/4 pounders in a Squire P-- the tone is almost indistinguishable) -- and that is BOLT neck 50.00 pawn shop Squire VS 300.00 USA MADE NECK THROUGH Peavey -- the tone is so close a MINOR amp knob tweak can dial them in to so close you'd never know
 
eSGEe said:
Fender flats-- 98% of my basses have em--

2 have rounds ----- I have (ssshhh) 12 basses
1 has tape wounds (d'addario)
the rest --- FLATS

per the 1/4 pounders-- if you want the same pickup for 18.00 check out the Guitar Madness version ----no-- really---
have them in the Peavey Dyna neck through Unity bass -- usa made bass--- those pups KILL for the $ ( i have Duncan 1/4 pounders in a Squire P-- the tone is almost indistinguishable) -- and that is BOLT neck 50.00 pawn shop Squire VS 300.00 USA MADE NECK THROUGH Peavey -- the tone is so close a MINOR amp knob tweak can dial them in to so close you'd never know
Click to expand...
I found myself rubbing up against things as I read this....
 
Cadorman said:
Seriously, what's the (tonal?) difference between rounds and flats besides the obvious?
Click to expand...
Rounds put a little more hair/grind in the mix. I just put a set of RotoSound rounds on the six string Peavey. It’s really quite aggressive sounding. I have flats on a Peavey T-45(used to be Adrian’s), and on a cheapie Glarry J bass...smooth feel, and round sound. I have rounds on two other basses too...a Peavey T-40(passive), and a Washburn RB-2002(active)...they’re both monstrously aggressive sounding. I may change the T-40 to flats(to tame it a bit), and the T-45 to rounds(to liven it up a bit)....not sure yet though.
 
what he said--

the rounds give a little more grit and noise really -- for instance if you want to SLAP bass--- forget the flats-- its HARD to slap and POP with flats -- for SMOOTH Pino Palladino type blues ish fast jazz riff stuff--- flats all the way

Rounds are more of a THUNK---- flats are more of a THUD ---sound -- lol


Flea--Nikki Sixx--Billy SHeehan (Rounds)
Pino-- Jamerson--Duck Dunn--(Flats)


I use no pedals-- (Ive tried just not my bag) clean low subsonic BOOM that vibrates walls is my thing like an Upright bass--- with earth shattering POWER-- thats my jam-- ;)
-- I think you should FEEL the bass as much or MORE than you HEAR the bass-- its a groove -- not a sound--



they also have "half wounds"-- tape wounds -- silk wounds--- and MANY other versions---like "coated" (YEs DR strings Im talking about you) I tried em all -- and use Flats---
-- they are Also WAY more expensive than guitar strings so "testing" can get 'spensive!
 
I'm going to revive this thread because I have a 4-string Music Man Stingray bass copy I made in the early 90's and want to give it some TLC.
It is a reasonably faithful copy dimension-wise, I think, with a Bartolini MM pickup and active tone circuitry.

This bass has spent most of it's life in a flight case as I am mainly a 6-string player.
I have no recollection as to what the strings are, but they have been played so little they are basically fresh.
I think they are 50 - 105 at the moment.
But I find them uninspiring under my fingers.
I did have an Ibanez SR500 for a while, and I seem to remember they came fitted Elixirs at the time.
I found that bass to be far more finger friendly, but I don't know if that was the bass itself (it was nice) or if the strings were adding a lot to the equation.

Can anyone recommend a set of strings that would suit a Stingray (gauge and manufacturer).
Is there any love out there for Elixirs?

20200826_174933-1900.jpg
 
I play bass regularly on a variety of musical projects. I am not a 'virtuoso' bassist and cannot lead you to the holy grail.

My 4 string bass is a $60.00 Ibanez import i bought on Craigslist. Its fully shielded from the factory and is quiet under all conditions.

Most importantly, this bass has really good measurements and intonates near perfectly.

I have been playing bass since I was 14 and I am 54 now. After trying a lot of different strings over the years, I have settled on Erie Ball 45/65/85/105's.

I don't like the flatwound strings because I feel like they lack the punch that I want my bass to have with extremely high bass and resonance settings.

These strings have a great feel, hold tune very well and are less than $20.00 a set.

Feel is very subjective, so some experimentation is needed.

All of the bass parts on all of my recordings were done with this cheap, Indonesian Ibanez Bass and the '105' Ernie Ball's.

Hope this helps...
 
Cheers @67plexi and @Robert Herndon.

I am definitely thinking of staying with round wound strings.
Also tending toward steel for no other reason than wanting a fairly bright tone out of the box.
Is there much tonal difference between nickel and steel strings.

And, even though it's only cosmetic, I would prefer a brand that does black silks to match the body and hardware, or just no silk.
 
Cadorman said:
Seriously, what's the (tonal?) difference between rounds and flats besides the obvious?
Click to expand...

I go for rotosound round wound.
It eats the frets for breakfast, and it eviscerates my fingys.
But then it has such a nice shoong, the harmonics jump out all over the place. It's bright, percussive sounding.

But then, you just take 'em off, boil 'em, and dry 'em in the oven....all ready to go again.

Flat wound strings sound more like an upright bass, it has a jazzy / woody sound, subdued not bright.
 
SkyMonkey said:
Cheers @67plexi and @Robert Herndon.

I am definitely thinking of staying with round wound strings.
Also tending toward steel for no other reason than wanting a fairly bright tone out of the box.
Is there much tonal difference between nickel and steel strings.

And, even though it's only cosmetic, I would prefer a brand that does black silks to match the body and hardware, or just no silk.
Click to expand...
if you go black silks --- you get THUD--- flatwound string THUD (ncie if you want that)
if you want black stringsthat go ZING ---(like a round wound) closest ive found
DR Blackbeauties -- look of satin black--- sound ALMOST as bright as any roundwound nickel string
Dont believe me --- believe this Geezer

1601343916087.png
 
So I've ordered some strings.
I decided to go against the advice grain with EB Cobalts.
I spotted a really good deal on Amazon, and at £23.50 they were only a couple of quid more than Nickel Slinky's.
There are some very positive Cobalt reviews on YT and in group tests.
But there are also some tales of woe, concerning Cobalts snapping at the core when tuning up, though 95% of these were with Cobalt Flats.
So I thought I'd take a risk on the brighter Cobalt Slinky's.
I'm not a particularly hard player and I don't tend to sweat much, so I'm thinking Cobalts will retain their brightness for much longer than Nickel Slinky's.

I got a new battery for my calliper to check the gauges of the stings I have now, and they are a bit random.
I measured (approx.) 102 - 82 - 62 - 47.
I don't know the manufacturing tolerances with bass strings, but I figure they are supposed to be a 100 - 45 set.
So I ordered Super Slinky Cobalts (i.e. Pinky Slinky's).

Wish me luck, and I'll report back when they are on.
 
Well they went on OK. No snappage!
I did get worried with the G when it stopped raising pitch for a few turns of the tuning button.
But I suppose the peg windings must have been just tightening.
It's been at least a decade since I last restrung a bass!

TBH I think the strings I just removed were OK as they sounded not too dull in comparison to the Cobalts.
I have kept them.
But the Cobalts are nice and bright, and I prefer the look of having no silks on the ends.
I'll do a full truss rod and bridge setup tomorrow.
I used this vid for advice on changing bass strings.
Cheers guys!

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top