What's your go to bass/string combo?

[strummer]

EBMM Stingray Special 4. with Elixir 45-100.
Lovely.

Coated strings huh, never understood those myself, in your opinion is the primary reason longevity or tone?

 

[five7]

Oooh, 2 pu Sterling with slinkies, nice. Is that the burst in your avatar? If so, seriously cool!

Yes the Honeyburst HS has cobalt 2736 and the Stealth HH the 2824. Love the sterling pickups and 5 way switch, so many tones.

 

[bovinehost]

If I ever get to your house I will play that bass, and offer to buy it too I think. Might be a good idea to hide some basses...

That one is non-negotiable. I used to think people who were buried with treasured possessions were definitely weird but I may be reconsidering that.

Lately, though, I've been using that Big Al 5H for just about everything. I bring a Bongo, too, because otherwise who would I be? And sometimes I play the Bongo for a set but I really just want my Big Al now. It's weird.

I brought the Emerald Green Sparkle bass to the studio a couple of weeks ago but ended up using the Big AL on everything. Working on Tee's solo record - it's gonna be good.

At home, I do use the Bongos on recordings. I'm the King of Recording One Bass Line 10 Times With Different Basses because I don't have to pay myself for studio time.

 

[danny-79]

So whatever bass you take, it's more or less the same? Convenient, I was a bit like that when I had a lot of Bongo fivers

You would think they all sound the same but don’t, why I don’t know. Guess that’s just part of the magic of it all

 

[Samoht]

Bongo5HH with Dave Larue's custom gauges (40-60-75-95-125) but it's too darn much trouble and $ to put this set together since it doesn't exist in a prepacked set. There's a close 4 set, Extra Slinky (40-60-70-95) and add a single 125, but again, it's not cost effective. Even though Dave's custom gauges feel the best to me, I've since switched to the Green pack Regular Slinky 5 (45-65-80-100-130). I think I'm going to switch to the Green Cobalt pack that I tried a while back because I don't feel as though I get enough play out of a single pack of regular Slinky's. I play 3 hours max each week (practice & 2 church services) on a set and after 2 weeks they sound dull. I remember the Cobalt set seeming to last longer.

I do also love the feel and sound of the Green Cobalt Flatwound 5 set, but I switched back to roundwound because I was just more comfortable and familiar with them.

 

[Chuck M]

My Bongo 5 has TI flats on it and my Bongo 6 has Cobalt rounds. The one that sounds best is the one I have in my hands at any given time. Seriously, they both sound fantastic.

I've said it before and I'll say it again....most instrument manufacturers that also make their own strings make okay strings at best. Many of them make lousy strings. Ernie Ball, on the other hand, makes great sounding strings and they are reasonably priced.

 

[DrMatthewCross]

Ernie Ball, on the other hand, makes great sounding strings and they are reasonably priced.

Slinkies are definitely my favourite rounwound strings, but they should make the regular flats (Group) easier to find (if they still mkae them). Cobalt flats seem the only option available, and I prefer other flats honestly.

 

[danny-79]

Coated strings huh, never understood those myself, in your opinion is the primary reason longevity or tone?

I use coated strings, stainless steel coated (typo in original post)
For me the coating offsets, dampens down the harshness associated with stainless steel strings, plus they feel smooth.
Nickel dulls too quickly for my liking so for me these strings are perfect. Bright consistent tone. The extra life is just a bonus ! Been using them for years now.

I do keep dropping hints to EB to have a think about making coated steels.....
size 105-50 please

 

[five7]

I would like to see some coated ones 40-125 and some cobalt and cobalt flats 40-125.
5 string players need choices too.

 

[PseudoBassPlaye]

I’ve got a set of GHS Boomers on my Stingray 4H right now and I dig the slightly tighter string tension over the EB Slinkys I had on it before (same gauge). What are other brands with tighter string tension?

 

[Fuzzy Dustmite]

Bongo 4H or Big Al 4H, both with 50-105 EB Group II flats.

 

[OldManMusic]

My main player is a Bongo 5HH with Cobalt flats. If I need heavy artillery, then it's my '78 SR 4H with Super Slinkys.

 

[mouth]

My 3 band Stingray with Super Slinky roundwounds for that 90s in your face Stingray tone and my 2 band Stingray with EB Group III flats for that classic, vintage Stingray tone.

 

[danny-79]

Back on topic. If you could only bring ONE... it would be .....

 

[GregP]

EBMM Caprice strung with Hybrid Slinky's. The lighter gauge on the D and G produces this pristine clarity that I love.

 

[KevinM]

25th anniversary 5HH with cobalts.

 

[Mu5icM@n]

My latest acquisition blows me away live and in the studio: a 2000 Sterling 4H string with Cobalt rounds. Absolutely killer in series mode.

 

[Wim Laven]

Bongo 5H w Cobalt Flats feels perfect...

That said, NBD on Saturday. I'll have a 4 string electric again for the first time since 1995...