string guages?

[the unrepentant]

I've not really had much experimenting in different string guages on bass as i don't tend to change them too often, i think i've done it about 3 times in the 2 and a half years i've been playing. My question is, what ernie ball strings, on a MM sub4 would sound best for a flea sort of sound so i can do some slapping, yet at the same time good for heavy rock/metal etc?
cheers

Where's the best place i can buy/order online SR pickguards? bearing in mind i live in the UK, but shipping from the US isn't really a problem.

 

[oli@bass]

What do you have on your bass right now?

Factory set is the Super Slinky roundwounds (nickel). If you'd like to have tighter string feeling, then you'd probably want to try the Regular Slinky set. Or the Hybrid Slinky set, which combines the upper thinner strings of the Super Slinky set with the fatter lower strings of the Regular Slinky set.

However, strings are very much a matter of personal preference. There's no way you can use a certain brand/gauge of strings to certainly emulate the sound of another player. (E.g. would you think that Steve Harris uses flatwound Rotos to get all the metallic sounding treble he has...)

 

[russjm]

+1 for the above.

Me, I use Super Slinkys on all my basses. We do a couple of RHCP songs, and they sound just fine to me.

 

[the unrepentant]

I wouldn't know what strings are on there at the moment as i bought it second hand, but i'll take that into consideration, thanks.

Also the pickguard question still stands, i got a quote off a website and for a black 5 ply ray guard it was £26, that's $50 to you yanks That seems a little steep to me...

 

[Hellboy]

I've not really had much experimenting in different string guages on bass as i don't tend to change them too often, i think i've done it about 3 times in the 2 and a half years i've been playing. My question is, what ernie ball strings, on a MM sub4 would sound best for a flea sort of sound so i can do some slapping, yet at the same time good for heavy rock/metal etc?
cheers

Where's the best place i can buy/order online SR pickguards? bearing in mind i live in the UK, but shipping from the US isn't really a problem.

Strings and string guages are really up to personal preferences and you should mess about abit and find out yourself what you prefer. I personally use roundwound nickel .40 - .95 guage strings on 4-string basses and .40 - 125 on 5-string most often and I tend to put new strings on once a month about depending abit what I´m doing at the moment. I like the "piano bass tone" you get from new strings and I prefer lighter guages cause you´ll get a nice "singing" sound on fretless basses and also for funk/pick playing. But I have bass playing friends that honestly hasn´t changed strings on their intruments ever. One friend has strings on that are well over 25 years old. He owns only one bass and he´s a very etablished bass-player/producer here in Sweden. One other rather established Stingray playing bass-player I know of uses VERY thick strings. .55 (or even .60) - 175 on his 5-string. Something like that. Don´t really remember exactly but around there somewhere. So peoples personal preferences differ alot and that is how it should be. Don´t know what Flea uses and I honestly don´t care. Better to find ones own voice. Much of the sound also depend on what kind of amplifier you use, how you play and actually also what kind of pick you use. One can get a superb rock sound from a Hofner violin bass with flatwounds on with a decent tube amp but you won´t get a very good funk sound. So strings are not the only thing.

Regarding pick guards, you should be able to walk into any music instrument store and ask them to check with the brittish importer what they have in stock. That should be the easiest thing to do.

Sincerely//Jan

 

[Jodizzle]

You might want to check The Bay for anyone selling a used PG. Or ... you can email my buddy Kevin in regards to a good UK dealer if you're looking for something new ..

[email protected]

 

[the unrepentant]

cheers, i only found one black one on the bay at £20 so i might buy it if your mate kevin can't do me a better deal.

 

[kevin]

cheers, i only found one black one on the bay at £20 so i might buy it if your mate kevin can't do me a better deal.

Contact our UK distributor and they will get you set up with pricing/ordering information, here is their info:

Strings & Things Ltd. Unit2, 202-210 Brighton Road,
Shoreham by Sea, West Sussex
P: 44 12 734 40442
F: 44 12 734 40278

-Cheers

 

[the unrepentant]

ah, i sent you an email already, but cheers for that

 

[the unrepentant]

hey, i found a cheap pickguard at my local sound control, i think it was about £16, should be in stock by this time next week hopefully. cheers for the help though guys.