String poll

[Bob Rogers]

OK guys and gals, we've talked about this before, but let's put it together in one place.

Tell us the strings you are using, what bass, what type of music? Reviews of strings you have rejected are welcome too.

Right now I'm using TI flats on both my P-bass and Fretless J-bass. Playing mostly R&B gospel and 60's R&R. I like the sharkskin texture and the soft feel and the tone.

I've used D'Addario flats and they are a good string as well.

I bought a set of LaBella Jamerson flats, but I couldn't use them on my AS P-bass because it is thru-the-body. (Gotta get me one of those swings-both-ways bridges). Put them on my righty knock off tele bass and everyone likes them.

I've used Rotosound and D'Addario rounds. I like the Rotos slightly better, but if I was slappin' I might use the D'Addarios and change more often. I'm building a J-bass just for a slap/lead sound (Sherwood green with a Leapord PG).

I used a set of Danno rounds and really disliked them.

[Tim Armstrong]

I have TI Jazz Flats on my modified Tokai '57 P-bass (Voodoo pickups, Warmoth Tele Bass neck). I used to use GHS Bass Boomers on earlier basses, but the flatwounds are really making me happy!

Oh, and I once used a set of Dano rounds and hated them too!

Cheers, Tim

Different styles, different basses, different strings.

G&L L-2000, GHS Boomers, for rock/country/funk/r&b. (Although I've had flats on there before, I went back to the Boomers because they sound so good when they're new. The fabled "low strings on a piano.")

G&L L-2000 fretless, TI Jazz Flats, for jazz/rock/fusion. Really sings.

Godin Acoustibass fretless, black nylon tape wound, for jazz. (I think they're Fenders.) This can sound so close to an upright it's scary.

I used to try out all kinds of strings, and I should probably experiment more with all the new products available, but I've gotten pretty stuck in my ways with the Boomers and TIs. Rotosound has always been good, of course, and I know I've used D'Addarios, LaBella, Fender, yada yada yada. I just can't remember what I thought of them, it was so long ago. {/geezer mode} -- CS

[fenderslaper]

62 P-bass-Carvin flats - Good old school thump for 50's/60's music

68 Paisley Tele - Carvin flats - Same reason, slightly different sound

68 Jazz bass - Carvin round wounds - Great for that 70's/80's sound

P frankenfretless - Carvin tape wound - I think these are really great strings for a fretless. Great sound and good definition

78 Tele bass - Carvin round wounds - This bass has a humbucker and a scpb pick up, and is my favorite slap bass

Travis Bean - Carvin round wounds - Another really great slap style bass, but at 12 lbs. is to heavy to gig with for more than a couple of sets.

In the 70's I used nothing but Rotosound Swing Bass.
By 1980 they had worn the frets off of my Jazz bass, which at the time was my only bass. Had Scott Lentz refret it, and bought some more basses to spread the playing time around. When I need to buy strings next time, I will go to half rounds, or ground wounds on the basses that have rounds on them now. I will probably go with flats on the Jazz,because I'm playing in a 60's type band currently, and could use another bass in the rotation.

[Dennis_UK]

When playing standard Precisions, I started off with Rotosound Swing bass RS66s, and am still happy with them. But my favourite all-time strings, used on both fretted and fretless, were what used to be called RS505 Superwounds, also Rotosound strings. They were half round, so didn't cause so much wear, and were also core contact only over the bridge. The sustain was amazing! I found that they still do them, or similar, as RS99 'piano-wound'. If I ever get a post-'57 style Pbass again, I'm going to be trying them.
As for now, well here in the UK, I've as yet been unable to get any strings to properly fit string-through basses. I've currently got on a set of extra-long scale RS66s, but the speaking length of the low E is around the tuning post, which is a) not a good thing for the string and b) so much string around the post that it gears up the tuner to be very coarse. I dare'n't cut the end down, as it might unravel the whole thing what with the wrong bit of the string being around the post. So next string change, it's back to Fender 8250s, which sound great, but are a bit heavy for me, and they only sell them (here at least) in one gauge. *sigh*

[fenderslaper]

Dennis_UK

Have you ever tried Carvin strings? They are made for string thru body. You can mail order from their website.
http://www.carvin.com/index.html

[Oster]

I like D'Addario rounds and I put 'em on my Godin Freeway 4 Bass. Said Bass has a convertible bridge (string-through or top-load; I always string through) and a P/J Pickup scheme. I play folk/rock/R&B/country, mainly fingerstyle.

[brock29609]

I strongly recommend GHS Pressurewound strings for any pick players who want the liveliness and bite of rounds, without the tinny twang that rounds give when picked. They're also great for fingerstyle players who want flatwound-like fretwear (or lack of). The also have great output. Don't know why, but they're louder than any other string I've tried.

I've tried the SIT pressurewounds and they sound tinny like a round. Haven't yet tried the Rotosound pressurewounds.

[slauson slim]

Pyramid Gold Flats on '64 P and '70 T basses. TI flats on a MIM Jazz w/ DiMarzio Ultra Jazz p-ups.

Used to use RS66 Rotos (had a set on the P for about 7-8 years) but have come to prefer the sound and feel of flats.

Loved the old How Superbass Strings - just the core passed over the bridge piece. Great on a P - really came to life and cut through a band.

[4mal]

Active J with Badass II and Duncan's D'Addario Half rounds. Nice high end. Not too ringy (my main complaint with RotoSound), has a soft feel. Best string on that bass yet.

Passive J with Duncan's. Fender Flats. Thump! and seem to get better with age. I like that string a lot and have used them on several basses over the years. Farily stiff. Strong fundamental, not very 'ringy'. Great blues,R&B and 'roots rock' string. These sounded particularly good on my old GnL L-1000.

Passive J, fretless also with Duncans. D'Addario Chromes. Beautiful overtones, very woody sounding. Soft string tension. My favorite string of all time for fretless.

Passive MIM-J 5 string. D'addario XL's. I think I'm still searching there. Nice balanced tone, I'd like a bit more tension on the 'B'. My 5 doesn't get much use. That one might go to the 'Bay at some point.

Tacoma CB-10 - haven't found it yet... currently Fender Nylon tape wounds. Only just OK. This one is fretted and while it's a really fun instrument to play, it requires a very light touch. That cut's down on the acoustic volume and makes it a more difficult instrument to record.

I think I'm going to take this one to fretless. FretlessRock at TB and The DudePit, uses a one and seems to get very nice results.

In spite of my *****in' about it, the CB10 is a really fun instrument to play and it get's a lot of playing time. The body is big enough that you have to wrap yourself arouns it and you really feel all that wood working when you play. It has a beautiful tone when you aren't yanking the string's in search of max volume ... it's a keeper although an imperfect one.

[jbpf]

Ernie Ball Super Slinky. I've used them for so long that I'm almost afraid to use anything else. They don't last as long, but you get such an unbelievable sound out of 'em that it's hard not to buy another pack when the time comes. I guess they're kind of like cigarettes for me.