Bass players: What string brand/gauge do you use and why?

[grimmbass]

I use mainly D'addario 45-105's (brights). I dig the long life and brightness while maintaining a strong, meaty fundamental. I go for the 105 because of the amount of drop-tuning I find myself doing these days. The 105 gives me a little more tension without losing the clarity of a lighter-gauge set.

Anyone else?

[MeYatch]

I use Ernie Ball Super Slinkies (the pink ones 45-65-80-100) on my jazz and my rick, I switch it up to the regular slinkies (yellow 50-70-85-105) on my drop tuned jazz (Gb, Db, Ab, Db)
There's just something about the Ernie balls that just feel like home to me. To the point where I am uninterested in trying out a new bass without first putting EBs on. I'm not against other string brands, but for some reason they just leave me wanting.
I put stainless steel Ernie Balls on my Jazz bass a few months ago, I ended up hating those.
One negative thing I've heard about the EBs is that they go dead quickly, which is somewhat true, but its really not something I worry about, I don't really think its a huge difference compared to other string brands, we're talking the difference of a couple hours playing time.

I havn't 100% come to a conclusion on what strings to use with my Curbow FL yet. I think I'm going to try a set of the DR black beuties, because I think that will look kickass.
I was using Elixers on my fretless jazz bass, and I was 100% satisfied with those. I'm really just trying the DRs because they will look cooler.

semi on topic:
does anyone have any direct comparison between the coated DR strings and the elixers?

[bassist_25]

I have different strings on all of my basses, but I always find myself going back to Dean Markley Blue Steels. I've said it before here, but they seem to have more sustain than any other string that I've tried. The fundamental slams and the full tonal spectrum of the instrument seems to come out with the DMs. There may be a little bit too much of a high-end snap for some people, but I've always said that it's easier to EQ out something that you don't want than try to EQ in something that isn't there in the first place. My second choice for strings would probably be Ernie Ball.

Currently, I have a set of DR Hi-Beams on my primary bass. I've been using Black Beauties on it for a while. My strings were really losing their focus and high-end snap. Every music store I hit up this week were sold out, and I knew buying a different brand would screw up my intonation. I found a set of Hi-Beams in the same gauge (actually, they were for a six string, so I paid a few extra $ and got a high C), which are pretty much uncoated Black Beauties/Red Devils/etc. I do notice a tonal difference between the coated and uncoated DRs. The Hi-Beams definitely have a more punchy sound, very Ernie Ball-like. When I get a chance, I'm going to have my Carvin setup again for Markleys.

[Big Jimi Cee]

On the Smith I use Warwick Black Label 40-130. A little on the light side but still good tonal quality and life. The drawback with the Warwicks is I have to order on-line as no one seems to carry them. The Rick with exception of when I bought it has had nothing but Rotosounds, either long scale or extra long scale. Go figure a Rick with Rotosounds, I wonder what influncened that?? The P-Lyte usually gets DR's or GHS Bass Boomers, 40-95. What can I say I like light gauge strings probably to much guitar playing in my old age.

[DrumAndDestroy]

ernine ball super slinkies (pink pack). whatever the guages are? that's just what i like.

[stratobastard27]

MeYatch, I'm a regular six stringer, but I LOVE the Elixir Nanowebs! I get 2 or 3 weeks out of them, whereas uncoated D'addarios are my next favorite string, and I'm so insane about string changing I'd change them after about 5 hours playing time. As far as your DR-Elixir shootout goes, I found that the DR's had somewhat of a more "coated" feel than the Elixirs do. I think tonally they are pretty similar, but I disliked the fact that I tore the coating off the DR's in no time from my pick, which I felt caused the string not to resonate properly due the microscopic imbalance. Guitar players, if you wanna try the Elixirs, make sure you get the "Anti Rust" plain steels, otherwise you'll have dead plain strings in the normal amount of time. Just my two cents.

[Banned]

I use mainly D'addario 45-105's (brights). I dig the long life and brightness while maintaining a strong, meaty fundamental.

Same here. I was just recently turned on to these by my cousin-in-law and I doubt I'll ever turn back. I used to use GHS Bass Boomers and had no clue what I was missing.

[RamRod 1]

Due to age and arthitis in my fingers, I built a short scale bass to use as my "weekend workhorse" so my goal on this one was to find the easist strings on my fingers so here's what I got.

Rotosound FM66 Funk Master Bass Strings.
30
50
70
90
Pretty wimpy heh? I still use regular roundwounds on my other basses.

Here's the bass.

[orangekick]

I usually use DR Hi-beam 45-130's on my 5 string. If I have a 4 string, I seem to use Low Riders for some reason.

[CMOR]

I've tried most brands and gauges , but I keep coming back to DR Low Riders. The punch, the attack, the snap...oh my. One thing I've noticed about the DRs is you have play them for a while, and I mean a couple of practices, for them to break in. After that, they're golden for a long time. Maybe it's how I play, mostly finger-style. It took me a long time to clean up my playing style, I used to kill strings pretty quick.
I don't care what anybody says, Boomers changed something in their formula or materials. Orangekick and I were talking about it once. I guess they released a press statement saying they didn't change anything, but if that that many people noticed a change, it had to have heppened.
Elixir Nanowebs were good for me when I played calmer music, but I still had a hard time dropping the cash for a 5-string set, even if it was only 1/3 as often. Since I barely use a pick, the coating lasted a lot longer.

[bassist_25]

I use to use Boomers a lot. I'd really dig them for about two weeks, then their tone would start to go and they'd get this nasally mid-range that I couldn't stand. I haven't used them in about six years.

[Peter Fitzwell]

About 3 years ago, GHS apparently had some quality issues with bass strings. The problem, I believe, has been resolved. However, because of this problem, I switched to Fender nickleplated roundwounds in 45-105. I haven't gone back oto GHS ever since.

The E string is heavy enough for most dropped D tunings, but for anything lower or consistant dropped tunings lower than D, I would recommend a heavier E string.

This is for 4-string players/basses by the way.