The difference in sound between the strings

[Desmund Nichols]

Whats the difference in sound between the different models of strings?

[Ken Smith]

Originally Posted by Desmund Nichols

Whats the difference in sound between the different models of strings?

We have 4 basic styles. Stainless steel, Nickle plated steel (aka NPS), Compressors (Nickel Iron alloy aka 'Niron', outer layer is 'compressed' before winding) and Slick Rounds (Nickel Iron alloy aka 'Niron', outer layer is 'ground' before winding).

Stainless is brighter than Nickel in the higher frequencies but Nickel has more mids. The other two are the same metal but made differently. I would rate the brightness in the order listed.

[Jason Mendelson]

Each string has its own feel... The compressors are really easy on your fingers if you do alot of sliding etc... they have a little bit of a smoother feel to them...

Definatly the Stainless Steel strings have a brighter sound.. FOund on Ken Smiths Rock Masters, Slap Masters string sets...

PERSONALLY I feel the brighter before amplification... The more you can work with the sound... With a brighter sound, it is easier to roll off some treble or add some bass then to add brightness to a sound...

I used to play on the compressor's all the time when I was doing alot of "Jazz" style playing... They gave my bass a really punchy sound... I think I have compressors on my Fender Jazz at the moment...

The main strings I use are Rock Masters on my Frettless BSR6EG or Slap Masters on my BMT6EG

[Bob Faulkner]

I use the slick rounds on my BSR4EG fretless. They are extremely easy on the fingers. I have toyed with the idea of trying out the compressors, but my main concern is fingerboard wear. I have over 5 years of playing on that bass now and there is virtually no wear at all from the slicks. How do you guys feel the compressors would compare with the slicks in that regard?

[Jason Mendelson]

On my BSR6EG I barely have any wear from my standard steel strings... You can see some vertical lines from the string vibrating but they are not really worn into the finger board.. I slap bass heavly on it too!

The compresion wound strings do not have the same properties that will eat through a finger board... since the string winding literally has a smooth oval shape, they are very easy on the fingerboard and I wouldnt worry about it at all...

[Jeff Tranauskas]

I use the Slick Wounds on my frettless six (insert name of low end bass here).
The strings make the bass really sing and IMHO are the only string to be used on a frettless.
Previously I used flat wound LaBella's but they are a thing of the past since I "discovered" the Smith Slick Wound string.