Strings

ricnbacker · Post by **ricnbacker** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:09 pm

I have had 3 basses over a 27 year period.
My P bass which was 11 years old when I got it in 79. I played it for 10 years with the same strings

a few years after I sold that bass, I bought another and changed the strings to Flats and then back to the ones that were on it.

I got my Ric in 2001 and have never changed the Strings. Tonight for the first time I noticed the E sounds a little flat.

obviously I do not have much expeirience with this so I need your input.

I was thinking of ordering strings From Rickenbacker but thought I would ask you guys what strings you all like on your Rics.

I play classic/hard rock.I do not like a dull thud like a P bass. I do not like a lot of Treble either.

Just that nice even mix of bass and treble that makes Rics sound so damn good

Thanks

myfretless · Post by **myfretless** » Wed Aug 23, 2006 2:36 pm

Depending on the strings, you normally want to change them after about 20 hours of playing. After that, they can become "false."

They can stretch in certain areas and not intune perfectly up and down the neck horizontally with each other.

Some string brands are better than others. I am sure you will find lots of opinions as to which strings to use.

The true answer is you should try out different brands and see what sounds, feels, looks you like best.

My mantra: when in doubt, use RIC strings (unless you have had your guitar set up by a luthier for a different gauge of string.

stevefox · Post by **stevefox** » Thu Aug 24, 2006 1:27 am

I found that Medium guage Elites "Stadium Series" Stainless rounds are the best for my 4003. Like you want, not too Bright and they are very even across the whole tonal range. They also alow my intonation to be spot on and also they last for absolute ages, I change mine every six months. I work in a music store and have access to all brands but I always choose these.
Steve

westtexasrickenbacker · Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:46 am

Wow, string changes after 20 hours! That's an expensive proposition.

I just protect the neck and the body and spray the heck out of my strings with dr. stringfellow and clean them with the a cloth after the spray sits on them for awhile. They sound brite again after that and stay in tune well. Especially a quality set of strings. They last months for me if I keep them clean. I play about 5 hours per week and have the dreaded wet hands.

4stringnosing · Post by **4stringnosing** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 6:33 am

Chris, I would highly recommend DR Extra Life coated strings. They last for a heck of a long time (though picks will quickly remove the coating where you are plucking) and deliver great low end. I've been going through just about every brand searching for that elusive "sound" and was impressed with the feel of these strings (a bit too low tension-wise for me and my drop tuning but most people would consider that a plus, I'm sure).

You also can't go wrong with Ric original strings -- great sound and the treble bite mellows out after a few hours to give you a very usable tone for months to come. Only problems with them are price (ouch!) and oddball gauge, which feels like slightly fat guitar strings on the A and D. I'm a fairly big guy and I always buy the biggest gauge available for tone and comfort.

I'm now using DR Bootzillas, which feel very similar to the Extra Lifes but have a different core and give you more of that incredible Ric-specific clang than anything else I've tried. Not appropriate for your requirements but highly recommended for others looking for treble bite.

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:23 am

I have had Ric round wounds on a 4001 now for at least three years and they still sound good, can still get the bite if you want it. I am mainly a flatwound player though and use various brands including Pyramids, TI's and GHS and leave them on for years also. When I was a Rotosound player years ago I tried to change them monthly as they went dead in that amount of time.
P basses do not sound inherently thuddy any more than any other bass, they can actually be very trebly.

ricnbacker · Post by **ricnbacker** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:44 am

Gentlemen, Thank you for the replies.
I have been looking at your suggestions. I see that the Ric string guages are 45-55-75-105.

The brands you have suggested have the A string at 85. it should fit the nut with no problem right?

Steve the Elites look like they are a thinner gauge compared to the others, is that right?

Fred, the DR strings are actually colored black red or blue? I am a finger player so i should be good with the color staying on them.

I dont know maybe I should try something different, maybe with more trebble bite than I am used to.

I like how this guy sounds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfDE-ZvfOwU

just to state it again. i play stuff like led zep, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple,Cream ACDC, Guns and Roses that kind of music as well as some 12 bar blues type stuff

ricnbacker · Post by **ricnbacker** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 12:04 pm

I just checked the Rotosound website. They have sound bits on their site which is pretty cool

I liked the sound of the Swing bass 66 and the piano string design.

what do you guys thing of Rotosounds?

bobcat · Post by **bobcat** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 2:58 pm

Huh. I posted a response to this right after Brad's comment, but apparently it didn't go up for some reason.

My suggestion was to try DR Sunbeams if you want a good mix of treble, bass, and mids. It's a very even-sounding string, and it will be as aggressive or as docile as you want it to be. I'm more of a steel guy (I use Hi-Beams, which are the same as Sunbeams but stainless steel).

The thing I like most about DR strings (besides that they are incredibly versatile) is that they take a really long time to "die". Most strings just sound like crud after a month or so of playing, but DR rounds stay "alive" for a LONG time. I've had my current set of Hi-Beams on since the beginning of June, and, playing at least an hour a day, they sound amazing right now. DR strings "mellow out" rather than die; their tone loses bite over time like regular strings, but they sound progressively "fatter" as well. The difference is most noticeable on the steels, I've found, but it was also there when I used Nickel Lo-Riders. But yeah, I might remove my strings in another two months. Maybe.

Rotosound makes strings that sound absolutely amazing (I used their RS77 flats and RS55 compressed steels), but they have problems with quality control; people often get dead strings out of the package, so it's kind of a hit-or-miss deal. If you do end up getting good strings, they'll sound incredible, and then die after a month or so, just like most other strings.

I'm sure Entwistle is using RS66 strings in that video (they were like, his favorite string ever). They sound very aggressive and bite-y, with lots of treble and high mids. Probably not the world's most versatile string, but it certainly sounds amazing. If you don't want over-the-top treble, though, you might not want them. I liked the RS55 Solo Bass strings because they were a slightly less aggressive version of the RS66's, and they didn't chew up my fingers or my frets. However, they died in 5 weeks, and so I went on a search for other strings that sounded similar and found DR Hi-beams (also compressed steel), and here I am today, with strings that are great sounding AND long-lasting.

I would say test out the DR nickel strings (Sunbeams for low tension, Lo-Riders for high tension), and if you want more aggressive, try the Hi-beams (low tension) or the steel Lo-Riders (high tension). If it helps any, I use Hi-beams and play mostly Rush, Spock's Beard, Deep Purple, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, ELP, King Crimson, Muse, and Elton John.

Edit: Oh, and lots of Yes.

jmh · Post by **jmh** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:18 pm

Bobcat, you're playing the music I wish I could find a band to play! Do you have a band website or any music posted online? I'd enjoy hearing some of the beloved classics.

4stringnosing · Post by **4stringnosing** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 7:18 pm

1. The DR Extra Lifes come in a variety of colours -- more than is actually listed on their rather poorly designed and maintained website. Check here for current offerings: http://www.juststrings.com/drstringselectricbassguitar.html

2. You can use an 85 D string on a stock Ric nut. It's tight but it will fit.

3. I would personally stay away from Rotosounds -- even the nickel ones rip my fingers to shreds and lose their tone very quickly. Most of the pros we hear about that swear by them have unlimited funds and a guitar tech so they can change their strings every show.

syncop8r · Post by **syncop8r** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 11:43 pm

Does anyone else here boil their strings?
I'm sure someone will say its a bad idea.
Keeps 'em bright! (though I like them to dull a little before the next gig)

ricnbacker · Post by **ricnbacker** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 3:22 am

I am probably going to pick up a set of the DR`s since they come so highly recommended.
Are the colors just a personal preference?

I am also going to get a set of the rotosounds just to try.
Probably a set of HI beams as well.

sorry if this stuff seems elementary but as I stated earlier in 27 years I changed stings once! lol

now for I guess the dumbest question.

Is my Ric a long scale bass?

ricnbacker · Post by **ricnbacker** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 3:25 am

Bob,(rictified)

I know what you mean about the P bass not being so thuddy any more. I played a P/J combo recently and was amazed at the treble punch. My 68 never sounded like that!

But the neck still feels like a baseball bat to me, I never was quite comfortable with the Fender neck design

ricnbacker · Post by **ricnbacker** » Sat Aug 26, 2006 3:26 am

Bobcat,

Low tension on the HI beams make for better bending of strings? is the the idea?