Nickel-/Chromium-/Cobalt- free strings

Gear
1

Hey dear BassBuzzers :hugs:
It’s spring for a new string (what a rhyme):see_no_evil:
I’m allergic to all three metals from the topic. The last time I played on Nickel-Strings I got bleedy (really) fingers. Been playing on Optima Gold strings only since then. But now I wanna get some new sounds from my Bass, and get some new strings. And the gold strings are damn expensive. :woozy_face:

Here comes my question:
Which allergic-friendly strings do you know/play? If you are allergic, too, what is your personal ‘string solution’? Thanks a lot in advance to all replies. :hugs:

Wish y’all the Bass. :hugs:
DLiqacy

2 Likes
2

Hey DLiqacy! :wave:
Wow, that sounds really tough — bleeding fingers is no joke. :grimacing:
I’m not allergic myself, but my sister is allergic to nickel too (luckily, she plays piano… much easier that way! :wink:).
For strings, maybe you could try coated ones — brands like Elixir use a full polymer coating that reduces direct metal contact. Some players with allergies find them much more comfortable.
Another option might be stainless steel strings, but you have to check carefully — some stainless steels still contain a bit of nickel, depending on the grade.
Flatwounds could also be worth a try: smoother surface, maybe less irritation.
And if none of these work, you might want to reach out directly to some string manufacturers — sometimes they can suggest more hypoallergenic options. :sparkles:

Hope you find something that lets you enjoy your bass without worries!
Wish you lots of good vibes and groovy notes! : :notes:

5 Likes
3

Thanks a lot, Laurent! :hugs:
Yeah the coated Elixir Strings look very interesting. I’m gonna look for them.
Thank you :hugs:

2 Likes
4

Good advice from @Laurent_LG - I would also suggest the Elixirs.

As a (new-ish) alternative to Elixirs, there are the DR Dragon Skin + strings (also coated). See more here: Dragon skin strings

Finally - dare I say it - you could try and play with gloves. People play bass with gloves for a number of reasons; there is nothing odious or weak about it :smile:

image
image800×554 38.7 KB

7 Likes
5

@joergkutter thank you very much! :hugs:
I’m gonna try gloves, too. Never heard of Dragon Skin strings :thinking:, I’m gonna look them up. :smiley:

4 Likes
6

I should have thought the obvious string type to try would be stainless steel ones. They shouldn’t impact your allergy. But watch out in case the wrapping is nickel. I know TI jazz both, rounds and flats, have a nickel outer wrap over steel core.

4 Likes
7

DR also makes some color coated strings that sound and feel surprisingly great.

Then again, I’m a giant DR fanboy so there’s that.

1 Like
8

Tapewounds :slight_smile:

1 Like
9

Thanks for the heads-up! I just ordered a pair from Amazon.fr to try them out. 22 € (about $25)) vs. the MSRP on their website of $8 each ($16/pair). At least they’re available and not (yet) affected by a tariff.

2 Likes
10

For some reason, especially the “flesh”-colored ones have become fairly expensive over the last years. In public/videos, I try to wear those, but otherwise I practice also with the black ones, where I found a cheaper option. They don’t last as long, but still come out a bit cheaper :wink:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D8P8RB8R?ref_=ppx_hzod_image_dt_b_fed_asin_title_0_0&th=1

2 Likes
11

Careful ordering strings from Amazon. For some reason, there is a surprisingly huge counterfeit string racket. Most times, the actual manufacturer runs a “sub store” so to speak and it’s best to order from those.

When you get it, really examine the packaging before you open them. While Amazon does zilch to proactively keep counterfeit stuff off their marketplace, they are pretty good at handling the problem after the fact.

12

I was going to say gloves too. Doesn’t take long to get adjusted to them

2 Likes