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Bass String Selection

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Submitted by ThirdBird on Sun, 08/07/2011 - 18:14

I have a Dean Razor j-bass with active pickups.

What strings should I use to get a warm, smooth, and punchy tone, perhaps something similar to 70's reggae or soul music.

I know my bass is not a good starting point, but what kind of strings would steer me in the right direction? Thick flatwounds?

The bass is rather trebly and hissy, which is annoying, and I often find myself rolling down the highs.

Any help? Thanks!

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BobRogers

On strings, my favorite brand is TI Jazz flats, but they've become incredibly expensive. I hardly ever change flats, so the cost gets spread over a long time, but it's a heck of a price for an experiment. I've tried LaBella. Good, but I liked the TI better. The D'Addario are close to the LaBella in style and are relatively inexpensive.

ThirdBird, post: 374978 wrote: I get what you meant about the phase flip. What about manually very slightly adjusting the actual time of the tracks forward or back a hair?

That's what I'd recommend, but probably not necessary if you are close micing. We're talking about the time it takes sound to go 2".

Tue, 08/09/2011 - 12:00 Permalink
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Davedog

TI's. Yes. Thomastiks for those who dont know and yes they are very expensive. But they only get better with age and they have the correct tension for all strings in a given set.

Short story: Years ago I bought a cheap 5 string bass from my friend who owns a high-end guitar shop. It was something he really (at the time) didnt want on display in his place. Its an older Kort. Kinda Fendery....bolt-on neck...cutaway...block bridge....contoured body. Anyway it played ok so I gave him $75 bucks for it. I put a set of Thomastik 5 string med heavy gauge strings on it. They were $70. It sounds great recorded and it aint the bass.

My 'favorite' flat wounds are the Fender Stainless Steels. Cheap and they sound like an old Fender bass should. I use em on my Fretless Jazz.

Tue, 08/09/2011 - 21:12 Permalink