String Recommendations?

**Kayos** · 03-16-2010, 07:16 AM

Hello everyone, as I was strumming along last evening to Zeppelin my A string snapped-- I've only been playing bass for a bout a year and have never replaced my strings, and to be honest I don't even know what type has been on my bass.

I'd like to try out some EB strings, but don't really have any idea which ones. I understand everyones preferences differ and its pretty much a trial and error thing, but does anyone feel up to making a recommendation?

**Stephen** · 03-18-2010, 02:55 AM

The safe bet would be a set of Super Slinkys (45-65-80-100), because they are the most common and indeed the EBMM factory's choice on most (if not all) new basses when they are being shipped.

I find it's a good idea to start from "common ground" and go explore from there. There are so many choices alone in the Ernie Ball range that starting with a benchmark set really helps to judge all the different strings following that first set.

That being said, prepare for a mild to wild shock: a new set of strings after one year of presumably very dead strings will make your bass bark!

Have fun!

**Kayos** · 03-19-2010, 10:44 AM

The Power Slinkys 110-90-75-55 were the only Ernie Ball strings my local music store had in stock, I like the way they sound, but I'm not too keen just yet on the way they feel. To be honest, I'm a 102lb 5"4 woman, and I have a difficult time using them at the lower frets due to the larger amount of tension.

I had them order some coated strings, some halfwounds and a set of Super Slinkys. My journey for my favorite strings is far from over I can tell lol.

**Stephen** · 03-20-2010, 02:06 AM

Yep, the 55-110 are a bit of a handful, as are most flats in direct comparison to rounds.

When I switched from the 45-100 Super Slinkys to the Group III Flats (same gauges) I found that they actually are pretty much the same in tension, as I didn't have to adjust the neck. But the flats, or in your case the heavy gauge rounds, did feel stiffer to fret which is due to the flat wire having much more contact to the core wire surface.

So I adjusted the neck and bridge to this, in small steps, and ended up with a noticably lower action than I could manage with the rounds, resulting in a nice and comfortably playable neck (again). Something similar might well be the case with your heavier gauge Power Slinkys.

What I am trying to say: heavier gauges/stiffer strings usually need less clearance from the frets. The resulting lower action means less strain to your hands.

Cheers