Totally agree @howard Howard… This is why it is easier for me to hear the tones and harmonics of different strings when I’m playing through my amp (open - no headset)… Granted, the area’s acoustics will play into the mix, but the difference when I’m playing open amp in an open area using different strings is totally obvious to me… I never realized how much difference strings could make in a live performance until I had the chance to try it out… When I was playing at that open air dive bar on the beach in NC last weekend, the singer was a big Amy Winehouse fan and had that killer voice… Although I am not a fan of Amy Winehouse, the genre is a bit of soulful blues/jazz that I could match the tonal harmonics of the LaBella flats that were on the Fender PJ that they let me use to the music and it just friggin’ worked… Even though I had never heard and Amy Winehouse music before, they’re still pretty simple three chord songs that all I needed to do was play some root/fifth/octaves to in order to make it work at my end… Hell, that gal’s voice was so powerful that me and the guitar player coulda been playing rhythm and bass to “Smoke on the Water” and the crowd wouldn’t have known the difference!!. One powerful voice!!
Damn!! A bit off topic… Anyway, I have to believe that when it comes to “recording”, string choice (might not) make as big of a difference as it does when playing “open amp live”… At least thats where I’m at right now… As such, I will be removing the LaBella flats from my MIM Fender P and putting them on my Fender Squire P that has all of the electronics and PUP’s installed in it from my Fender P. I’ll put my original round wound strings back on my MIM Fender P because I like them on it… Especially with the upgraded electronics and Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder PUP’s that I’ve put into it…
ive been playing only flats and ground wounds for the last 6 weeks or so and i picked up my jazz bass last night with rounds and between them feeling like a cheese grater and the noise… yikes
Just my 2c. If you’re thinking of trying new strings - just try them. It’s just not that hard to change the strings and if you don’t like them - try something else or go back.
I’m on my 4th set in 6 months - The original Ernie Balls that came with the bass (sounded fine) - Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (Nice!) - DR Pink Neons (Looks awesome, sound meh - never got used to the E even after they broke in and tried adjusting pickups and heights every which way) and now a friend gave me MJC Ironworks Stainless Rounds that I’m finding I really like - I did a very slight pickup height adjustment on these stainless strings that made a huge sound difference, so that’s a reminder that your tone is a combo of lots of factors. Anyway - try something new! Maybe you’ll like it! And if you don’t, there’s more to try…
Good call. Pickup height is a super important adjustment that a lot of people miss out on and assume a bass has problems when in fact it’s a user error
Half of the new basses I have bought have had their pickups set to maximum height when I bought them, which is generally a bad plan for many reasons. I’ve also seen “experts” on other sites or on youtube review basses and complain that one string was loud or weak which is a sure symptom that it probably just needs a pup height tweak. I’ve also seen plenty of P pickups screwed totally flat when you can often get much better tone with them angled to follow the neck radius. Etc etc.
I am always happy with a set of Ernie Ball Slinky’s. I tried the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats, and they sounded fine, I just hated the feel playing them.
I have DR strings on 2 basses and I have another set around here somewhere.
They certainly take some getting used to. I much prefer the feel of the coated strings to flats, and at first, I kind of thought of them at TOY strings.
I was watching a video on YouTube by EMG, that was on Geezer Butler and was really about his EMG pickups, but he went over the specs of his Lakland Signature bass, which is basically a black P bass, with Geezer Butler EMG pick ups, AND DR Red Devil coated strings.
He was saying, I really love these strings, not only do they look cool, but the coating is designed to wick the sweat off your fingers. He said something to this effect.
“when you get out on the road, the first few concerts really ruins your fingers, because, when you play to a live audience, you have to play twice as hard, not like when you are just practicing to yourself, or in the studio, you really have to dig in. These strings really help, cuz I used to get blisters all the time in the first week or two of a tour, but now, because the strings pretty much stay dry, I stopped getting blisters once I started playing with these strings.”
So, I gave the strings a 2nd chance, and I find, they really need to be played aggressively if you want to get any sort of growl out of them. If you don’t dig in and play them, they sound a bit thin, IMO.
I have gotten used to them, and CAN play them, I have them on my EBMM Stingray SLO Special, but they are not my favorite. I could see using them if I had to play night after night, a full set however, I can appreciate what he has to say about them and I could certainly give it a try if I ever needed to, which is probably not gonna happen in this lifetime. But never say never I suppose.
BUT
The big point here is the MJC Ironworks. I really want to give them a try, I have heard nothing but good things about them, so next time I order bass strings, I will probably give those a go.
Stainless rounds are very different. The good news is tone-wise they are the anti-flats in every way. The bad news is they may go too far
I gave them a go but they were too bright even for me, which is saying a lot. I liked them better after they mellowed out, but damn. Curious how you will like them. Then again I had them on a very bright sounding bass to begin with too, sort of a two-fisted punch of brightness there.
At some point you should give D’Addario Nickel Rounds a shot. By far my favorite, sort of like the super slinkys but a bit brighter and to me they feel better.
The strings on this cover are Labella RX Stainless Steel Rounds.
I did not consider them bright at all and really like the tone on this bass at least.
Maybe theirs are a bit difrerent.
I listened to their comparison videos for their nickel and stainless RS rounds.
Based on these I simply liked the tone of the SS better and gave them a shot.
Listening again, I get now get the ‘brighter’ part.
Maybe because I have flats on just about everything else I was looking for the other side of the spectrum.
I recently put a set of DR Black Beauties (coated SS rounds) on my Fender PJ. At first I wasn’t sure how I felt about them but after a couple of days they really started to grow on me. Now I’m really liking them.
OK, I’ll throw in a little nugget here (mostly for those who know me and know that I have never played anything but rounds): I have started to use flats!!
Yep, wanted to at least give them a go, and thought they might do well on my fretless, and so I splurged for the Rolls Royce of flats, a set of Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats (5-string set, no less). Half a month’s salary and two week’s worth of postal FU’s later, I put them on… and, wow, they are sounding phenomenal! I think they’ll stay on that bass for a good long time… I have read of people who played them for 10 years (I mean, the same set)!
The feel is something I need to get used to… sticky af, but luckily I am wearing a glove on my fretting hand.
I have their roundwounds too and also love them, but for the roundwounds the gauges are a bit “wimpy”… I’d like to think of them as elegant, but… they are a bit wimpy
So, if you want to invest in some strings that last you a long time, you can’t go wrong with T-Is - amazing strings indeed!
They are amazing indeed!
I just did not like how thin they are compared, and they caused issues with my nut being too wide for a string or two, so for now have moved on.
So I dont have to read close to 400 posts perhaps someone should create a poll flats vs rounds and I am pretty sure it would be deivided just about in half LOL Play what feels right play what you like, practice and enjoy! PS I play rounds on a JBass
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