Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Rotosound Swing Bass RS66 45-105 for the past 20 years,can't imagine using anything else now love the feel & sound of a new set on my 4003.

Depends on the Ric......

4001/4003/4004Cii I prefer GHS Boomers. They are cheap and very bright when new so I'd swap 'em often for bite in my tone.

4004 Laredo/Ci/LK D'Addario Chromes or LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats. Great fundamental and bright enough to give characteristic Ric tone. I'd give the edge to Chromes for slight price advantage and local availability in a pinch.

Dean Markley Blue Steel's on my stock 4003JG. Long lasting, lovely throaty sound.

Same again on my modded 4003MG (1/2" spaced VRI Toaster + a Sergio'd and capped HS) but I'm not convinced they're right for this bass. They seems to lack bottom and sound a bit thin, especially higher up the neck. Might switch to the confusingly named Blue Steel Nickels next time, or possibly DR Fat Beams which are fantastic on my Trace Elliot T-Bass 5 string. I should mention this bass has SD pickups and preamp (J in the neck/ MM at the bridge) rather than the Status Hyperactive J's.

4003 - Dean Markley Fretmaster Groundwounds (Brighter than roundwounds suprisingly--only used for certain songs)
Yamaha BB1200 - Dean Markley Flatwounds (The "perfect" string)
Rest - TI Flats, Labella James Jamersons (Both too bright for me to use in public--Deep Talkin' Bass indeed!?)

In the perfect situation, I'd have two basses but at present I only have one (4001v63). For rounds, I love D'Addario EXL 190 ... but I replace the .040 with a .045. For flats, I love the TIs (344). But lately, I've been hearing a lot of positive feedback with respect to La Bella flats.

DR Sunbeams 100-40

ben_brown wrote:DR Sunbeams 100-40

I like them on my JB

for my Rick I guess I'ld go for Hi-Beams

I've tried others and am back to Rickenbacker nickel roundwound strings, the standard guage: 45-55-75-105

I use a variety of strings:

Fenders (J, P and Musicmaster) and Maton Fretless: D'addario XL groundwounds or GHS brite flats;
Jerry Jones: D'addario Chromes
Mosrite: TI Flats
Rics (4001, 4000, V63): GHS Boomers or D'addario XLs;
Fender VI: Fender roundwounds.

All these strings do a great job of getting the sound I want from each instrument. I find the D'addario XLs and Boomers to be reasonable similar in feel and sound for matched gauges. I used Rotosound Swing bass for about 12 months and loved the sound, but had to have my '71 P-bass refretted, which dampened my enthusiasm a touch.

DR Nickel Lo-Riders and Hi-Beams on my Ricks, and Fender Jazz. D'Addario Chromes on my OLP/MM Sting Ray.

Dali Saturn'Strigs 50-110 (half tone lower tuned)

Like others, I use a variety of strings on different instruments. In my case all my strings are flatwounds ....

4003, Fender P, Nash 51P, Stingray fretless, Stingray: TI Jazz Flats
Fender J, Bongo HH, Bongo HS, Thunderbird: D'Addario Chromes
Steinberger XL2A: Status Flats

I feel that rotosounds are not as nasty on the frets as some like to make out. They are also a softer tension than many strings that are technically a lighter gauge. My preference for my rm1999.
emac.

For my 4001v63, I use D'Addario EXL 190 (.100 .080 .060 .040), but I replace the .040 with a .045

For my Fender Jazz, TI Jazz Flats (344)

Pyramid Flats, TI Flats. Gotta be flats.