Mixing strings to even output?

[detracti]

I'm about to change strings on my EBMM 4HH here, and it occurred to me that possibly, using nickel plated for E and A, and using steel strings for G and D would even the output.

I have a set of D'Addario EXL160's here, so I'd take the E and A string out of that pack, and then maybe a take the G and D out of a set of Rotosound steel strings (most damage done by these strings, IME, is to the top two strings anyway).

Has anyone ever tried this. Any other recommendations for higher output strings?

 

[Duarte]

Power slinkies!

 

[Hellboy]

Any other recommendations for higher output strings?

Yes. Use a compressor.

I would personally not mix nickel and stainless on a bass. Different types of strings just don´t sound and feel the same so that would not work for me. That is of course a personal reflection but I´ve tried it accidentally once. I broke a string during a gig and the spare set I had in my gigbag was a stainless set. And I had nickel on the bass. Did not like it at all. Felt and sounded too different. I pay more attention to what spare sets I put in my gigbag these days the very few times I don´t bring two basses.

Better to use slightly thicker guages on the strings you think sound too weak instead of mixing different types of strings. Or use a good compressor.

My two cents...

Sincerely//Jan

 

[Bart B]

Thomastik Infeld are considered to be loudest strings in town,...but, that's only what I've heard..

 

[the unrepentant]

steel strings sound far more zingy, wouldn't sound right. Raise the pickups a little on the treble side... it's fairly simple...

 

[cassius987]

Sometimes I feel like steel is easier to "control" than nickel-plated steel when it comes to the response you want to elicit. It certainly can be "zingy" but it has such a wide range of responses based on your right hand (and left hand) technique. Truthfully I find steel much warmer than nickel when played for warmth. Nickel in general is too plunky for me to get a wide range of tones out of--it only seems good for a handful of sounds compared to steel.

With that in mind I would try not only adjusting your pickup height but also the kind of string and the gauge... but I would *not* mix types. That would drive me insane. I'm already very OCD about the string tension, which is why I mix singles to get the most balanced sets (I really like 45-60-80-105 sets for this reason).

 

[detracti]

At volume, on a set of strings the bottom two sound different than the top two anyway. The low pair are audible, the higher pair are not. And the feel is also different anyway, because I end up plucking the high pair much harder to compensate.

So I don't see either as being an issue.

 

[TheAntMan]

Not sure why this is an issue. Remember what Ernie Ball created? Custom gauge selection!!! Which means you can create your own gauge set by buying individual strings. This can give you the balance you are looking for. You can also adjust the pickup tilt to bring it closer on one end that can also help you balance the sound levels. These are innovations that EB has put at our disposal. I would try those before starting to mix / match alloys. Even so, you can get the gauges in either metal that you want with EB.

--Ant

 

[keko]

detracti, I think You have serious problem with something else in rig (gear) system!

I was in those "crazy" phase over 10 years ago, problematic PA support, bad hall, bad monitoring system on the stage, and old [email protected] bass...etc. (and too much beer too, sometimes )

I tried a "million" combination of brands and string sets...etc., spent lots of money for nothing!

Now I have top bass, whole top gear, and of course more experience..., so I'm telling You, strung Your EBMM bass with some of regular EB strings set in offer, and try to find reason for different level in Your rig "chain", from bass output jack to the speakers!

P.S. ...or maybe should just make a good setup of whole bass...

 

[the unrepentant]

i don't understand these people that complain about the bottom two strings being "not audible" i've never had this problem, and if anything, it's more to do with the way the USER has set up the bass, particularly the pickup, a problem with the USER'S technique or a problem with the USER'S EQing on the amp. Not a problem with the bass.
just my 0.02

 

[oli@bass]

I'll state this again, just for the record: You cannot change the volume of a whole string by any EQ adjustments. Most probably the string to pickup distance is out of whack.

 

[five7]

i'll state this again, just for the record: You cannot change the volume of a whole string by any eq adjustments. Most probably the string to pickup distance is out of whack.

+1

 

[the unrepentant]

I'll state this again, just for the record: You cannot change the volume of a whole string by any EQ adjustments. Most probably the string to pickup distance is out of whack.

i know that, but obviously if you put a boost on certain low end frequencies and cut certain high mid frequencies, of course your E and A strings are going to sound louder then your D and G strings, it's common sense.

 

[oli@bass]

Only if you imply that you are playing lower notes on the lower strings...

 

[the unrepentant]

i don't tend to visit the dusty end of the board on my E or A strings much, i have to say

 

[oli@bass]

LOL!

BTW, I just put a fresh set of Super Slinky's on a fretless... and again I am amazed how nice those sets are. The 100/80/65/45 combination is really a very well balanced and yields a even output from E to G. If the G is too low for you, I'd give a .50 string a try instead of going lighter on the E string.

 

[jaygon]

I'm really glad to see I'm not the only person with this phenomenon...i feel like an idiot, i've messed with the strings and pickup height and the D and G just don't seem to "speak"....i love the bass,but playing full band, the notes disappear...

 

[Jimmyb]

I'm really glad to see I'm not the only person with this phenomenon...i feel like an idiot, i've messed with the strings and pickup height and the D and G just don't seem to "speak"....i love the bass,but playing full band, the notes disappear...

I know what you mean. Just the other day I was playing my Bongo and all of the notes suddenly disappeared. I mean, they were definitely there when I played them, but when I looked around the room, absolutely no sign of them at all. And I even checked down the side of the sofa.

Isn't it weird how Tony Levin doesn't seem to have the same problem.....

 

[detracti]

I finally found the setup that evens out my string-to-string volume,and I can finally hear what I play on the D and G strings!!

It is all in the pickup height adjustment... this looks kind of weird, but it works:::

Neck pickup: E: 9/32", G: 5/32"
Bridge pickup: E: 7/32", G: 4/32"

Problem solved.

 

[nicjimbass]

I was thinking of trying a hybrid stainless/ nickel set, but opposite of what the OP was thinking... nickel on the A, D & G strings, SS on the E and B, as those two strings don't sound nearly as bright or aggressive as the other 3, to my ear. It always seems that the tone of the strings is unbalanced... not the volume... never had a problem with that, but I think if the lower strings could cut a little more, I'd be really happy.

BTW, this is a personal preference issue, not in any way a gripe on EBMM strings or basses, both of which I use nearly exclusively, and love tremendously.