Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I know it has been done but it has been a while and I am a string freak too. I have three 4003's and one has Labella 760 FL Flats, another with Roto Swing Bass 66's and one with DR Sunbeams. I love them all and they all bring out different characteristics in my basses but all sound like Rics! What are you using and why?

DR Sunbeams are tops. I use them for what I'm guessing are the same reasons you do - they sound amazing and STAY great sounding longer than any string I've used.

I'm being lazy... but what are the sizes of the strings for the DR Sunbeams?

I'm Back on Rotosound Swing bass 66's.I tried a few others, the ones I liked aren't being made anymore (Ric Round Ground) I decided to go back to my old faithfuls.

I used nothing but Rotosound swing 66 roundwounds 45-105, but i found they sounded great for a few days then died down way too much. so i now use Daddario super bright roundwounds 45-105, they sound excellent, they are actually too bright at first but die down, to just a really nice tone.

I usually use the Medium-Lites:

E/105
A/80
D/65
G/45

or the Lites:

E/100
A/80
D/60
G/40

Although I wish the Med-Lites came with a 100 E.

Happy to answer, you lazy bum! It's more interesting to have conversation than resort to Google, anyway. You think YOU'RE lazy - you haven't seen my place lately! And on that note, I should probably fill my tub before I really find myself "in a world of sh*t" post Sandy.

Craig & Scott - do you have a special technique for keeping the Rotos fresh sounding? Like George I find that they sound great for only a day or two then turn drastically. I've even tried boiling them like I do to all my other strings when they get dirty and sound dull, but not even that process revives the Rotos I've used.

Rotos too.

Played a sweaty gig with 'em this afternoon and well, they are pretty much shot now

I don't keep 'em in shape or anything: I use them for band and home practice and a couple of days before a gig I change them for a set of fresh ones.

Mike

I've used Rotos for years too, and yeah, they tend to die pretty quickly if they get oil, sweat and gunk from your hands on 'em. I always try to get my hands clean before I start playing and wipe 'em down afterwards with a clean cotton cloth (but I don't sweat a lot anyway). I've tried boiling 'em and rubbing 'em with alcohol with no real improvement. The only thing I've found that actually helps (but doesn't restore 'em to new) is an industrial degreaser such as tetrachloroethylene (I use regular Brakleen, not the non-chlorinated kind - because I have a few gallons of it around for work on farm equipment and such). But that may not be something everyone wants to be messin' with...

Circle K Balanced tension strings (.106, .079, .059, .043). Nickel/steel hybrid strings (round wound only). I have these on every one of my basses except for my 4002. I can't say enough about these strings!! I use to be a Rotosound fan until I put my first set of Circle K's on my 4003. I've never looked back since.

I know several guys here use them as well.

http://circlekstrings.com/store/index.html

Sepp

As of today (10/28/12) I have TI Jazz Rounds (about three years old or so) on my March '73 4001, TI Jazz Flats (about eight months old) on my Dec '11 4004 Laredo, and D'Addario Chromes (about three years old) on my March '67 330.

I have a set of Fodera Victor Wooten Signature strings I may put on the 4001 when. and more importantly, if, the TI JRs finally start to sound old but they don't seem to be showing any signs of that yet.

I guess I should clarify a bit. What strings depends on which bass. My fretless 4003 currently has LaBella Deep Talkin Flats. The '76 4001 has Roto RL66LD's as do a couple of my other 4003's. My 4004 has D'Addario XL's in 0.055, 0.075, 0.100, & 0.135 tuned BEAD. A couple of the others have the RIC factory strings on 'em.

I've been wanting to try the Circle K's but haven't gotten around to it yet...

Another vote for the Rotosound swing 66, been my favorite brand for 24 years.

An endorsement for an endorsement, Joseph. I'll have to give the Circle-K's a spin. Have you tried the DRs yet?

Right now I have Roto RS 66 LD on my 4003 Jetglo and just put TI JF344 on my 4003 Fireglo and love them both. Two unique sounds.