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John Myung Bongo 4

What kind of strings are you using?

D

Dan T.

New member
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Messages
4
Location
Minneapolis
For the longest time I've been a huge fan of Dean Markley Blue Steels, but since I got my Stingray I haven't been that into them. I think they are maybe just a little too bright and don't have enough low end.

What are you guys using? I'm looking for something new and am up for some suggestions. Looking for a good solid rock string, lots of boom but not muddy and has some punch. and go....

Thanks.
 
My StingRay 5 Fretless and my Bongo 5 are both strung with Ernie Ball Regular Slinky's (Green Pack). They sound nice and bright but have lots of fat bottom.;)
 
Oh Yeah
Welcome Newbie! I'm just about 200 miles south of you (between Fort Dodge & Humboldt, IA). Glad to have another midwesterner here!;)
 
I love TI Powerbass strings on my Bongo. They are my favorite roundwound when I am looking for that "roundwound sound."

I also dig the Jazz Rounds, but they are a bit more mellow.
 
DR Black Beauties on my SR5 at the moment. If they came with a .130 B, I'd buy them again, but since they don't I'll probably go with DR Bootzillas next time. Either that or some DR Lo-Riders.
 
RothSR5 said:
DR Black Beauties on my SR5 at the moment. If they came with a .130 B, I'd buy them again, but since they don't I'll probably go with DR Bootzillas next time. Either that or some DR Lo-Riders.
Click to expand...

nice one!!
where do you get the black beauties ..
they are pretty expensive .. does it worth it though?
for quality or its' better to go elixir?
 
spectorbassguy said:
Oh Yeah
Welcome Newbie! I'm just about 200 miles south of you (between Fort Dodge & Humboldt, IA). Glad to have another midwesterner here!;)
Click to expand...

ahh thanks for the kind words man i love being a midwesterner, yeah i've been a lurker around here for a while but just recently purchased my own music man so now i feel the need to pipe up, thanks everyone else for the feedback, let's keep it going! - DanT.
 
I've got DR Hi-Beams Extra Lites on my bass. They're very easy to play and are awesome with bends! :)
 
I am in love with Markley's SR-2000s. The exposed core over the saddles makes a huge difference (with exposed core you have to reset the bass - but IMO it is worth it) - a well rounded tone with tons of sustain!!!!!!
 
RothSR5 said:
DR Black Beauties on my SR5 at the moment. If they came with a .130 B, I'd buy them again, but since they don't I'll probably go with DR Bootzillas next time. Either that or some DR Lo-Riders.
Click to expand...

How often do you change your DR's? I tried my first pair on my bass - and I noticed after about 3 weeks they're pretty dull sounding. Have you exp'd this?
 
johans said:
nice one!!
where do you get the black beauties ..
they are pretty expensive .. does it worth it though?
for quality or its' better to go elixir?
Click to expand...

My local music store carries all kinds of quality stuff, including DR strings. I was one of the first people to buy a 5-string set for my bass after they got the Black Beauties in stock, so I got a good deal on the first set if I promised to come back and tell them how the strings worked out. I'm very happy with the Black Beauties, except for that whimpy .125 B. They don't have the same crisp highs as the Elixirs, and that's fine with me. They also bring out a lot more of the mids, and sound very punchy. The coating makes for great contact with the fingers, even at the end of a 4 hour band rehearsal when the sweat is dripping. The only drawback with this is that if play on a cool environment, like an outdoor gig, your fingrers tend to stick to the strings. I found it hard to play even 8ths because of this, but for riffing it was great. The color wears off after some time, and even faster if you play with a pick, but the coating itself stays on for a very long time. I put on my set on March 11th, and the coating is still there. They sound a little duller now, but not as much as uncoated strings would. They also produce less fret noise, and are easier on the skin of your fingertips then stainless steel stings, which is what I prefer if I don't use coated. All in all I like 'em better then Elixirs, and they actually cost less. :D
IMO they are definitly worth it.
 
cgworkman said:
How often do you change your DR's? I tried my first pair on my bass - and I noticed after about 3 weeks they're pretty dull sounding. Have you exp'd this?
Click to expand...

Haven't changed them yet, and I put this set on March 11th. They do sound duller now, but not as much as uncoated strings would. I wipe down the strings after use, and also clean my hands before playing. They are not at the "so dull I can't get any dynamics from my bass" point yet. I still have decent tone, and I think I'm keeping them for another month. Of course, I have exams at school right now, so there is no gigging or rehearsals. :D
 
Strings & Things

Stingray5 = DR Hi-Beams (.120-.040)

Comment: Always on the eternal hunt for THE string. I prefer stainless steel; nickel strings are too "spoingy" for me and I don't like the overtones. I like these, though the tension's a little loose. Will probably the next biggest gauge next time.

Stingray fretless = TI Jazz Flats (.100-.043)

Comment: I don't know why people like to use rounds on fretless basses. My SR4 fretless can transform from thumping 'Ray to a mini-upright simply by plucking the strings away from the pickup and close to the neck. And they feel SOOO nice. TI strings are sssssssssssssexy!
 
I had TI Flats on my fretless Stingray 4 and have no idea why anyone would play anything else. (For the record, I am a crappy fretless player and no longer have that bass or the two fretless Stingray fivers I thought I could play - at first.)

LaBella Deep Talking Flats on the desert gold Bongo 4.
LaBella Deep Talking Flats on the Custom Shop Jazz.
Slinkys on the natural Stingray 4.

Everything else has Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats!

I did have Fat Beams on the Bongo 5 for a while and liked the novelty of rounds for a bit, but that wore off and I like it much better with the TIs.
 
Re: Strings & Things

Stingraymund said:
Stingray5 = DR Hi-Beams (.120-.040)

Comment: I don't know why people like to use rounds on fretless basses. My SR4 fretless can transform from thumping 'Ray to a mini-upright simply by plucking the strings away from the pickup and close to the neck. And they feel SOOO nice. TI strings are sssssssssssssexy!
Click to expand...

I may have to try flats on my SR5 fretless. A good friend of mine recommended E-B regular slinky's and that's what I've had on it since I bought it.
 
RothSR5 said:
Haven't changed them yet, and I put this set on March 11th. They do sound duller now, but not as much as uncoated strings would. I wipe down the strings after use, and also clean my hands before playing. They are not at the "so dull I can't get any dynamics from my bass" point yet. I still have decent tone, and I think I'm keeping them for another month. Of course, I have exams at school right now, so there is no gigging or rehearsals. :D
Click to expand...

huuuuuummmmm - i always wash my hands before playing but these were the fastest dying strings i've ever used. within 3 weeks they sound like rubber bands...

i'll give a new set one more try...
 
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