My SR5 is Reborn

[nismaniac]

When I first got my SR5 it played well and sounded very good but it still was not setup quite how I like it. Also, I am a "stainless" guy so my first order of business was to get a new set of strings. Since it was a new bass, I thought I would experiment and try some strings I had never used before. I ended up ordering some Rotosound SS RS 665LD 45-65-80-105-130. Initially I liked them but soon noticed that the design and construction of the E and B strings was not very good. It had to do with the construction of the part of the string that winds on the tuning post. It is hard to describe, but I have never seen a string constructed like that before. The E and B sounded nothing like the ADG strings. They were hard to tune and inntonate and were causing a lot of buzz.

I immediately ordered some D'Addario SS prism PSS60-5 45-65-80-100-130. I think this is the exact gauge of the slinkys that come on the bass from the factory. Anyway, these strings are awesome. They have a slightly looser tension that resembles the Slinkys but they are stainless steel which is what I prefer. For anyone that had an issue with the B string on the SR5 not sounding as bright and alive as the other strings, try the Prisms. The B is not 100% the same as the other strings, but it is closer than with any other string I have used and sounds big and bright. I think it also helps that the B string has a taper core.

So after installing the Prisms and running though the set up instructions here: (this should probably be a sticky)Setup thread
this bass is alive and very, very well. I just wanted to share my findings with anyone who may have had these concerns.

 

[Bassplyr]

Thanks for the info! I've heard the DR strings are making good 5-string sets now too.

 

[nismaniac]

Thanks for the info! I've heard the DR strings are making good 5-string sets now too.

I have used DR Hi-Beams on my Lakland and Warwick. They are very good strings that last a long time. They are a little expensive though. Theses D'Addario Prisims come pretty close and are cheaper so you could change them more and not feel like you are wasting money.

 

[basadam]

A couple of years ago I put Ken Smith steels on one my basses. They sounded awesome but the fretwear was immediately visible so I removed them and never used steels again. Is there such a thing as "not-so-harmful-to-your-frets" steels?

 

[dlloyd]

A couple of years ago I put Ken Smith steels on one my basses. They sounded awesome but the fretwear was immediately visible so I removed them and never used steels again. Is there such a thing as "not-so-harmful-to-your-frets" steels?

No.

Stainless steel is by its nature harder than the nickel silver that your frets are constructed from.

 

[dlloyd]

When I first got my SR5 it played well and sounded very good but it still was not setup quite how I like it. Also, I am a "stainless" guy so my first order of business was to get a new set of strings. Since it was a new bass, I thought I would experiment and try some strings I had never used before. I ended up ordering some Rotosound SS RS 665LD 45-65-80-105-130. Initially I liked them but soon noticed that the design and construction of the E and B strings was not very good. It had to do with the construction of the part of the string that winds on the tuning post. It is hard to describe, but I have never seen a string constructed like that before. The E and B sounded nothing like the ADG strings. They were hard to tune and inntonate and were causing a lot of buzz.

I'm guessing you're talking about the bit where the wrap is wound more "loosely" around the core. I don't think that is the source of the problems you encountered.

Did you check the set-up when you switched to the rotosounds?

 

[nismaniac]

Re: Re: My SR5 is Reborn

I'm guessing you're talking about the bit where the wrap is wound more "loosely" around the core. I don't think that is the source of the problems you encountered.

Did you check the set-up when you switched to the rotosounds?

The problem was only on the E and B strings. Since the gauge of these strings is so big, the way they were constructed was that there was an instant and sudden change where the main part of the string met the part that winds on the tuning post. It was like going from a B to a G all of the sudden on the same string. Usually they step down a little bit and still stay slightly bigger on that part of the string than the smaller strings (gd) do. It is hard to describe, I wish I could take a pic. The setup was the same when the Rotosounds were on compared to the Prisms. The gauges were very similar if not identical.

I'm not bashing Roto's, just sharing some observations.

 

[johans]

A couple of years ago I put Ken Smith steels on one my basses. They sounded awesome but the fretwear was immediately visible so I removed them and never used steels again. Is there such a thing as "not-so-harmful-to-your-frets" steels?

hey!
i use KS slap master light and it sounds dreadful
not as low as i want it to be but tight and punchy enough
when you slap ;p