musicfiend Posted June 17, 2005 Share Posted June 17, 2005 For as long as I can remember I've been looking for the right set of strings. When I saw a a thread dcr started it kinda irked me, cuz he was looking for something similar and it just reinforced my search that much more. As it stands right now, I've found the bass of my dreams, I've just recently gotten my hands on the amp that gives me the sound in my head, and the cabs I've got emphasize the perfect frequencies of that amp for me. So of course now that I'm so close to that fabled "perfect tone" I'm really crazed by this string thing! Right now I'm using dr hi-beams and its close...but the strings just have too much zing for me and not enough of that juicy, thick flavor I want. I've experimented with flatwounds, but I'm definitely hooked on the presence of rounds. Alex recently mentioned that bootzilla's have served him well in getting that juicy tone! I'd love to try them and I think I will; however, there's a little complication. I recently visited basstasters and checked out the string section looking for that juice. When comparing the hi-beams and bootzilla's...the bootzillas did sound right bootilicous. Then I heard the Labella dep talkin' bass strings...they sounds pretty darn close. So, what do you guys think? Have any f you tried the la bellas, or dr's? Have you found the throbbingest, juiciest, most pumping, throbbalicious string? Do you wanna share Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruiser_dup2 Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 My favorites are the Thomastik-Infeld Powerbass strings. Very big tone, without being harsh (not too zingy). They are pretty heavy strings, though. The four string sets are 47 to 107, if memory serves. Unfortunately, I can't play with them right now-- I tore a ligament on my fretting hand, and had my finger in a splint for six weeks. When I got that off, my fingers were just not strong enough to fret the Powerbass strings, so I put a set of Ernie Ball Super Slinkies on. Gotta work back up to full strength. Bruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jitter Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 If you'd like to have a warmer, less zingy string than DR Hi-Beams you might want to try DR Sunbeams (nickel-plated round wounds). They're not as widespread as Hi-Beams or Lo-Riders, so you might have to order them. I've yet to test LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass strings (this is in fact the next set I'll put on my bass, probably in August), so I can't help you there yet :-) D'Addario EHR 71 (half-round, I think they're called ENR71 now) strings might also be candidates to evaluate. jitter P.S. If you want to hear Sunbeams on a Yamaha RBX 270 I can PM you a short sound sample. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. -- Leonardo da Vinci Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twentyamptwist Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 If you want a bit of a darker sounding roundwound, try Rotosound SwingBass strings. These british handmade strings have real nice tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 18, 2005 Author Share Posted June 18, 2005 I've played those roto's...I actually think they're brighter than dr's. But then again, John Entwistle DID desing them with rotosound. I'm gonna have to shy away from you're offering jitter. I've been making my judgements on one bass running through one pre with no eq on talkbass, I wouldn't want to add any variables. Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twentyamptwist Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 Cool. Strings are so individualistic. You just never know what the right set will be till you try them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 18, 2005 Author Share Posted June 18, 2005 Really true, I'm definitely feeling like my next set will be the labella's. After that I'm gonna try the bootzilla's. Unfortunately, I want to stay with steel rounds. I guess that takes the halfrounds and sunbeams out of the picture. I'm interested in the tension or feel of the powerbass strings. Large diametered strings are one thing, large diametered strings with a high tension(coughjamersonsetcough) are an entity unto themselves. Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 I had the LaBellas on my bass for 3 years. Great strings! More even feel from string to string than the Bootzillas, but less even sound. Deeper boomier E-string, with less growl and clarity. Thinner sounding high strings. Great for drop tuning due to the high tension .110 string. Hard to compare high end because they were so old when then Bootzillas replaced them, but I think they were a bit brighter initially but aged quickly to mellowness and then stayed stable for a very long time. Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 18, 2005 Author Share Posted June 18, 2005 That deinitely complicates my search! I guess the keya t this point is firsthand experimentation Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DONUT Posted June 18, 2005 Share Posted June 18, 2005 I'm using the Elixer Nanowebs. Or is it Polywebs? Whichever has the thinner coating. I find that they take alot of the zing out in a good way. Before that I was using DR Hi Beams and boiling strings after every gig. I keep a set of Elixers on for 2 or 3 months and just wipe 'em down after every gig. Its like a dream. Of course, there expensive. I get them at 5% above cost so I'm lucky. I'd still use them if I didn't have the deal, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 18, 2005 Author Share Posted June 18, 2005 The nanowebs have the thinner coating. When I first strung up a bass with elixers they lasted for a year. The second and third time though, they broke after one month of use each. I thought the tone was OK, but not the holy grail for me. Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 speaking of elixer strings, i was uterly astounded and surprised today when i opened a package expecting a late b-day present from some relative (i had just opened a present that day) and was surprised to see that it contained a pack of elixer bass heavies, amazing, i applied about 2 months ago to the advertisement on the front page, not expecting anything to come, while in reality, elixer actually delivered..... only downside, first off, i literally just put a fresh set on 5 days previously, AND i am purchasing a new bass in less than 1 month, so very weird timing..... But the cool thing is, i have till the end of the year to complete the 2 surveys, which aren't even required, but if i do them, apparently i get a free gift XP, probably a second set......... but hey, what can i say, a free $40 set of strings, i'll take it..... Anywho, what is the tone like on those things (meaning a little more specific then "pretty good")? And also, what about the Dr black beauties? i'm looking for a real heavy set to use on a spector legend 4....... then again, i only looked at them because i want something black... or i might try red devils......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 19, 2005 Author Share Posted June 19, 2005 The elixers sound bright to me, but definitely not as bright as the hi-beams. The mids speak pretty well and have a good character, especially the higher mid frequencies. The bottom was nice and tight, not mind blowing...but nice. The real secret is on how lonf they (may) last. Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 thats too, bad i really am looking for some driving lows, can someon epoint me in the directions of a set that isnt too bright, because when i play bass, i try to stick to the lows, unless its a song that goes all over the place, like the intro to NIB for instance, since i will be playing alot of stuff like that, i still need something that isnt too lacking in highs, mids, or lows, but leans more to the lows side.... again, how are dr black beauties/dr red devils? oh, and can someone link me to the web page of the string testing bass player magazine did, i cant seem to find the page....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 19, 2005 Author Share Posted June 19, 2005 If you're looking for serious lows you gotta do yourself a favor and try out some flatwounds if you haven't yet. At the very least you'll be ably to reevaluate your priorities in tone. At the most you might find the perfect string. Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 one more thing, what exactly is groundwound/pressurewound, i know that groundwound is a round wound string that is, well, ground down so it smooth/semismooth, but i dont know what pressurewound is, or how groundwounds sound.... but i am seriously looking at picking up a set of black beauties for my new bass, and picking up some flats for my old, cheap bass...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruiser_dup2 Posted June 20, 2005 Share Posted June 20, 2005 Originally posted by Dark: one more thing, what exactly is groundwound/pressurewound, Your description how groundwounds are made is correct. Pressurewound strings start out as roundwounds, but instead of grinding off the excess metal, they put them through rollers to compress the metal of the windings, and give them a smoother surface. Kinda like groundwounds, but generally a smoother feel. Bruiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcbn Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I use the DR Red Devils (same as Black Beauties, but RED get it?) on my Streamer. Great sounding strings. I switched to those from GHS Boomers and absolutely love them. They have a nice warm sound. Compared to my P-bass with EB Slinkies, they have absolutely no zing at all. But, the P-Bass with the Slinkies is zing-city. The DR Black Beauties (or Red, or Blue) may suit your needs. I think they have less top end than the High Beams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I used Hi-Beams for years and years, until they just weren't right. Too bright and zingy for the situations where I was using them, and really just too bright for my bass, but I kept using them because I got them free for a while. Lo-Riders did the trick, been using this set for about 6 months so far, still sounding great. Running the amp I use now, it is the sound in my head. Just had to share. Good luck with your search. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 Lo-riders do sound like an interesting option...and now I realize I want to try out bootzillas, labellas, and lo riders...and I still have on set of hi-beams to play though...and the set I have on right now is doing fine. Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 cool, those black beauties/red devils seem like they may work well..... now, to get a job and save up the last 150 i need for that spector legend 4........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I prefer Lo-Riders to the others mentioned because they are stainless, and uncoated, two big selling points to me. Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 And I'll edit Mine so that nothing ever happened Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wraub Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Peace, wraub I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 one more question, does freezing your strigns actually do anything? i read somewhere of a guy who freezes his strings, but what exactly would that do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fonz Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 i quite frankly never understood thomastik strings. i think of it like a $10,000 per night hooker. what can she do that could possibly cost that much? by the time the sound of your strings gets to your amp it's been through so many different layers of things that there's very little of it's own sound left. it's more of a subtle nuance from string to string, albeit an important one, but subtle none the less. to each his own. i'm pretty locked in on slinkies. i bought a set because i was strapped and needed strings badly. they were cheap and one of the few brands that had strings in a guage i liked. then i found out that they rocked. i went from la bellas to d'addarios to several types of dean markleys before trying them out. i recently put a set of d'addarios back on and realized how bright they are. lots of clackety clackety. the slinkies are nice and growly without being too bright. but i like 'em. you hate 'em. Eeeeeehhhhhhhhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicfiend Posted June 21, 2005 Author Share Posted June 21, 2005 For some reason I've never liked the FEEL of slinkies...I guess it's one of those inborn biological senses Hiram Bullock thinks I like the band volume too soft (but he plays guitar). Joe Sample thinks I like it way too loud (but he plays piano). -Marcus Miller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooster6550 Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 FWIW, try Thomastiks -- bold sound, but a little more subdued than some of the others out there, and they have a somewhat "unique" feel. I really liked DR "Bootzillas", too, as well as DR's Marcus Miller set. Really bright when you first "install" 'em, but they mellow out and last a while, especially the Bootzillas. Dean Markley's "Rocco Prestia" set is also a current favorite (depending on the bass). I'd like to try Fodera srings, as well as Alembics. But I'm ever the experimentor, too. . . Best I can say, you gotta try a *bunch* of strings before you settle on a brand or particular set. But, getting there is half the fun, too. . . "When it comes to havin' a good time, nothing beats 'fun'. . ." -- Stefan Johnson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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