Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Okay, my Hi-Beams died finally after 6 months. I thought maybe I should try out some other DR strings, just to see what they're like, so I ordered some Nickel Lo-Riders. Got them a couple days ago. They sound amazing.

But . . . the tension is too much. I had to lower the action after I put them on, and it's still too tight. If I drop the action any more, it'll start buzzing. My hand just gets way too tired playing them . . . they feel like the Chromes that I had . . . it's a pity too, because I bet, if I'd gotten Steel Lo-Riders, I would've liked the sound more than the Hi-Beams.

I need to know, does string tension lessen slightly the more you play them? Or is it just the sound of the string that changes? I need to know whether these will become more playable, because if not, I'm gonna order some more Hi-Beams.

Also, would a lighter gauge set of strings have a noticeably different tension? Like, if ordered Steel Lo-Riders in a light gauge (as opposed to medium, which is what I have now), would they feel more like Hi-Beams in regards to tension?

". . . they feel like the Chromes that I had . . ."

The Chromes you had must have been a heavier guage set than the ones I use, which are quite low in tension: 40-55-75-95.

Yeah, you've got super light ones. I had 45-60-85-105 I believe . . . whatever the medium gauge is . . . they were very difficult to play.

Try the Sunbeams. They are nickel plated like the Lo-Riders I use, but are made with a round core instead of a hex core. They will feel more flexible and lighter. For me personally, I've never had a problem with the tension of the nickel Lo-Riders. I use the 45-105 set on my C64 and 4003, and they feel very close to the Chromes on my V63, which are 40-100.

The thing is, though, I want like, the sound of the Hi-Beams but with the low end of the Lo-Riders . . . would the Sunbeams work for that? It seems to me they'd just be Hi-Beams that were less aggressive . . . or do they have improved low-end?

From everything I've seen and read about them, they are basically the same as the nickel Lo-Riders. With the exception that they are on a round core which improves flexibility. I personally don't like stainless steel roundwounds too much. They don't have enough warmth for my liking, plus they are harder on the frets. DR's though are very good about being easy on the frets. I'm very picky about that. But, if you want the sound of the nickel Lo-Riders with less stiffness, the Sunbeams might do the trick. However, if the Hi-Beams work for you, stick with them. It's all a matter of personal preference.

Hey Robert..

Try the Sunbeams! I love them

I finally found a beautiful, harmonically rich, warm, and smooth roundwound that totally rocks..

I've been through sooo many strings that people think I'm nuts(I have a new set of Nickel Lo-Riders and S.S. Lo-Riders sitting in my room doing nothing.. and my guitarist has my barely used Elixers, Daddario XLs, and Ernie Ball Hybrid Slikys at our studio ...and I have been through many, many more!)

I found that the Nickel Lo-Riders feel the same in smoothness to the Sunbeams, but the Sunbeams have less tension, and more harmonic content(great for Tool, Rush, and Yes)

The Sunbeams are the Nickel version of DR's Hi-Beams(roundcore = softer tension), whereas the Nickel Lo-Riders are just the Nickel version of S.S. Lo-Riders(hexcore = more tension)

BTW, my Sunbeams are 10 months old, and still sound nice - they have way more harmonic content than the Hi-Beams...to me, the Hi-Beams just have more toneless clack in the highs than anything else..the nickel makes all the difference between those strings. ..this goes without saying that I also tried Hi-Beams..

The new set of strings I got on my 4001 are pretty awful for roundwounds, the space between each windings really makes them noisy to play- any finger movement sounds like a walrus barking! Clankchris likes the smoothness of the Sunbeams, might that be a good avenue to pursue? Any others I might try?

Try TI Jazz Rounds, or as I prefer, D'Addario Chromes, no finger noise at all and they sound superb on my V63.

I like the Chromes on my V63 too! Excellent statement on the DR's Clankchris! I like a little bounce in the strings, which is why I use the DR nickel Lo-Riders. They have done very well in my C64 and 4003. They are very warm full sounding strings. They don't eat up the frets either. I won't use another brand of roundwound string. My old Jazz Bass needs some new strings to replace the dead flats that were on it. The Sunbeams would be a good fit on it I think.

Yeah, the Lo-Riders sound amazing. I just can't deal with the higher tension . . . I play really hard, and I'm used to the strings "giving" more.

Actually, come to think of it, DR strings, in general, no matter what type or construction, sound brilliant and generally are nice on your fretboard.