Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hello All,

I've been going round the subject of rounds or flats in my head for weeks now.

What gauge ROUNDWOUNDS do you all replace the factory strings with? What brands, too? I've had good success on other basses with DR light or medium gauges.

Not a big fan of heavy gauges as I'm always afraid they will damage the neck on any guitar or bass.

I like smooth bass sounds with mids when I want them. I'm not a treble basser! Any input will help!

I've been using Rotosound Swing bass series lately. I use 40 60 80 100. I like 'um alot. Low tension.

Cole

Nevermind, I didn't read the bottom part when you said your not a treble bass player. Of course you could get the nickel versions which are quite warm.

Cole

Thanks for the advice, JC!

I used to use the standard .45 .65 .85 105.

I like the .40 .60 .80 .100, but the D and the G seem a little to light for me. Great for funk though.

I guess thats why I really like the D'Addario XL-170's. They're the best of both worlds. .45 .65 .80 100.

I've been experimenting with the D'Addario Pro-Steels alot lately, they sound great on my Ricks. (same guage).

If your into the "warmer" tones, I would recomend the XL-170 Nickel set.

For the brightest tones, I also like the D'Addario Pro Steels very much. I use the XL-170's .45 .65 .80 .100 gauge.

I also think Dean Markley Blue Steels are great strings for very bright tones, but the D'Addario Pro Steels are priced lower which makes it easier on the wallet when you have several basses to restring.

I also like the the D'Addario Nickel sets for warmer tones..

The RIC bass strings are also very nice.

I use D'Addario XL 220's. Gaugues are:

.40
.60
.75
.95

Thanks all for the input. D'Addarios are popular.

It seems to me that the E string should be a 100 or smaller on RICs. IMO a 105 sounds too fat. What do you guys think?

Cole

Chris Squire uses 45 65 80 105 Rotos on his. That's the sound that I fell in love with.

Another option I've discovered is a string that is round on the inside and flat on the outside. It's not a ground down RW, it's a pressure flattened RW made by S.I.T. and they go for around $18 at Juststrings.com. They have a nice zingy sound and are easy on the frets and fingers.

I would have thought 105s were to fat, too!

Especially for an older 4001, but C. Squire's neck sure is a good one.

Mark, tell more about those pressure flattened round wounds by S.I.T.

Do you get more of a flat wound sound, or is it just easier on the fingers?

These strings do not give you a flatwound sound, they give a lively piano type round wound sound, someone looking for a mellow thumpy FW sound would think these were too bright. I ended up trying these by accident because they were on a bass I bought. I had been a chromes player because of the ease on the fingers, but one thing I noticed were chromes were too slippery, I really liked the way these were easy on my fingers and I got some traction control plus a nice RW type sound.

Traction control is for cars!

Traction control ruins the fun.....