Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've recently been using DR Hi-Beam and Sunbeam 40-60-80-100 strings on my 1975 4001. I like the sound and feel of them a lot but I find I have to really concentrate on playing gently to avoid too much fret buzz when playing with pick and 'clacking sounds' when playing with fingers. I'm assuming that the low tension of these strings is contributing to this problem. I like an almost flat neck with lowish action but have to sacrifice both of these to an extent with these strings because of the low tension. I'm thinking of trying D'Addario EXL190 (40-60-80-100) as I believe they are slightly higher in tension than the DR Hi-Beam and Sunbeam strings and that might just help me control the unwanted noises and therefore allow me to relax and play with more feel, just getting that rough edge when I really dig in. But before I buy some I'd like to know just how much more tension the EXL will have in comparison with the DR strings. The truss rods on my bass really struggle to keep the neck straight with higher tension strings and this is why I went to the low tension DRs in the first place. I'm just looking to find a balance between having enough tension to suit my playing style and prefered action/relief without going beyond what my truss rods can handle.

So my question is how do D'Addario EXL compare for tension with the low tension DR Hi-Beam/Sunbeam strings of the same guage, and with DR Lo-Riders (which I found much stiffer), or with Rotosound Swing Bass 66 (which I used to use but caused the ends of my truss rods to bend)? Are they somewhere in between, or as stiff as the Rotosound? Unfortunately DR and Rotosound don't seem to publish the tension of their strings so comparison is difficult. Thanks in advance for any insights...

The clacking sound is the combination of low action, low tension and playing technique. If the action is very low, a little fret buzz might be unavoidable.

rickenbrother wrote:The clacking sound is the combination of low action, low tension and playing technique. If the action is very low, a little fret buzz might be unavoidable.

Thanks for replying. You are absolutely right about all the above. My action isn't currently that low (about 3/32" at 12th fret on E string) and I'm paying close attention to my technique. But I just get the feeling that a slightly higher tension may just make the difference and get me closer to optimum setup and playability for me. That's why I was wondering about the tension of the EXL strings. I never used to have an issue in the past when I used higher tension rotosound strings - except for the fact that they caused problems for the truss rods because the tension was too great.

Currently, most my Rick basses have D'Addario EXL-170 or EPS-170 (.100 - .080 - .065 - .045), the 5 stringers with same set having the added .130 B string. My action is set to a tad under 3/32" from the bottom of the E string to the top of the 12th fret. With all the hard rock/heavy metal bands I've been in, some clacking and a little fret buzz did not really matter. I did have to alter my technique a bit for when The Rickenbrothers performed at SCARF. Fret buzz and string clacking would not have been good in most of those songs. I don't know if changing to a different string tension will help much...maybe. Then you have to setup your bass again.
There are plenty of 4001 basses that hold up well to the Rotosound set. I guess since every piece of wood varies and much also to do with the setup. I think focusing on your right hand technique will help you more than the string tension change.
Ever hear Steve Harris play bass? His string set is high tension and they are flatwounds on a P-bass. Steve makes alot of string clacking sound. It's his aggressive right hand technique, but it's fine for the the band (Iron Maiden) that he is in. But when there is a mellow passage to an Iron Maiden song where Steve has a sweet bass line, he alters his technique so that you don't hear any clacking.

Using D'A EXL ProSteels 45-65-85-105 on my 4003, I have 0 fret buzz and a rather low action. The strings are tight but loud and full-bodied in tone, and really treble-y if you dig in. You can check them out if you want. The nickel versions are about the same tension.

I believe that the D'Addario stainless strings are just a bit softer in tension than their nickel strings, but I would suspect that they would still be a bit more firm than the DR stainless strings. I'd give them a go as they are not too heavy on the pocket..
Eden.

I was using the DR Hi-Beams for a few years, a few years ago.
I have switched back to Rotosound Swing Bass because nothing sounds quite like them.

Thanks for the responses guys. I may try a set of light guage D'addarios and see how it goes. If they turn out to bee too stiff for the rods to deal with then I'll look at some other brands or go back to the DR strings (I do like them) and keep trying to see if I can get that elusive optimum setup with a good balance between feel, playability, action and relief. The relatively weak neck/rods and fairly well worn frets make it difficult but I'm sure I've achieved it before. I'll keep refining my technique too.

2112 wrote:I have switched back to Rotosound Swing Bass because nothing sounds quite like them.

Thus endeth the lesson. Amen!

Eden.

Weemac, is your RM1999 sensitive to the string tension of those rotosounds at all? Mark