[Variant]

Originally Posted by Shawn

Next SS.Org gathering we have, I gots to try that thing out. I'd keep the stock strings on there if it were mine, but that's just me. If I were to drop the F# down, i'd get a thicker string for that.

You have to... the stock .065, while fine IMHO, is about as light as you'd ever want to get with a note that low. The D'addario .080 feels about the same down a step, you just need to develop a picking style around that... but it's not just about the .080 at E1 on the eighter, it's about the .195 at E0 on the bass.

[Krunch]

Originally Posted by Variant

You have to... the stock .065, while fine IMHO, is about as light as you'd ever want to get with a note that low. The D'addario .080 feels about the same down a step, you just need to develop a picking style around that... but it's not just about the .080 at E1 on the eighter, it's about the .195 at E0 on the bass.

Yep, that's what I was thinking of when I set mine up. I wanted to have my 8 string 1 step down to E. I tried the SIT strings, but the exposed core sounded like absolute shit on my bass. The wound part of the string started about an inch off the bridge, and dampened all the vibrations, so I switched to a taper wound 175, and that one sounded a lot better in F than it did in E, so I tuned my 8 up to F to match.

[zimbloth]

Originally Posted by keithb

Slight hijack:

You seem to have paid a lot more attention to strings than I have. I love the way EB strings sound/feel for like 2 days, then you're right - they go to hell. Any suggestions about which other brands I should try that offer reasonably matched tensions and longer life?

D'Addarios, DRs and SIT strings last a fairly good amount of time, but the fact of the matter is, all non-Elixirs start to die out after a week or so. That goes for Blue Steels too.

[Variant]

Originally Posted by Krunch

Yep, that's what I was thinking of when I set mine up. I wanted to have my 8 string 1 step down to E. I tried the SIT strings, but the exposed core sounded like absolute shit on my bass. The wound part of the string started about an inch off the bridge, and dampened all the vibrations, so I switched to a taper wound 175, and that one sounded a lot better in F than it did in E, so I tuned my 8 up to F to match.

Which company is the taperwound .175 from?. I've gotten a pretty good sound out of the SIT .195 and .165 strings, you just can't really go above the 12th fret without getting that signature rattle that exposed core strings give you. Unfotunately when you tune this low, there aren't many options so you make due with what's available.

[Krunch]

Originally Posted by Variant

Which company is the taperwound .175 from?. I've gotten a pretty good sound out of the SIT .195 and .165 strings, you just can't really go above the 12th fret without getting that signature rattle that exposed core strings give you. Unfotunately when you tune this low, there aren't many options so you make due with what's available.

Definitely. The 175 is from the Warwick Dark Lord set. I don't know if my pickups are really made to work well with these super low frequencies, and even the 175 sounds weaker than the other strings, but it's much much better than the exposed core string.

[Variant]

Originally Posted by Krunch

Definitely. The 175 is from the Warwick Dark Lord set. I don't know if my pickups are really made to work well with these super low frequencies, and even the 175 sounds weaker than the other strings, but it's much much better than the exposed core string.

Well, that's what the exposed core is about in the first place, super big strings at super low tunings need a high string excursion (movement from center) to create a suitably powerful and defined fundemental.

The pickups on the Dark Lord should be designed to handle the low F# I'd imagine... but perhaps that was overlooked to some extent too. The Bariolini's on my Conklin are great so far as that is concered, very balanced across the range and desinged to work with the subcontra strings. I only wish they were a little less noisy.

[zimbloth]

Why are we talking about .175 bass strings again?

[Krunch]

Originally Posted by Variant

Well, that's what the exposed core is about in the first place, super big strings at super low tunings need a high string excursion (movement from center) to create a suitably powerful and defined fundemental.

The pickups on the Dark Lord should be designed to handle the low F# I'd imagine... but perhaps that was overlooked to some extent too. The Bariolini's on my Conklin are great so far as that is concered, very balanced across the range and desinged to work with the subcontra strings. I only wish they were a little less noisy.

I don't have a Dark Lord bass, I'm just using those strings. I have an Ibanez SR1006NTE that I got for a steal. It's got Bartolinis but they don't have as much power on the F string as the others. It works, but I have to pump the active EQ and use the neckside pickup.

If the windings actually started right after the core crossed the bridge, the SITs would probably be fine. But the dramatic change in mass an inch away from the bridge seemed to dampen the waves. It ended up a dull, metallic clunk sound. I'm no physics expert but I can say without a doubt that the Warwick string sounds 5x better on my bass than the SIT.

Sorry if we got off topic there. It's almost related, really!

[Variant]

Why are we talking about .175 bass strings again?

Cuz' if you gots a badass ERG, you needs a badass ERB to rumble underneith it.

I don't have a Dark Lord bass, I'm just using those strings. I have an Ibanez SR1006NTE that I got for a steal. It's got Bartolinis but they don't have as much power on the F string as the others. It works, but I have to pump the active EQ and use the neckside pickup.

I actually prefer a 50/50% blend of the two pups, and my sound is almost too loud! I have to back down on the signal chain volume so as not to clip. The Barts and preamp combo on the Dickens is obviously diffrerent from the Ibby. Personally, I've never tried a taperwound string that big... you're making me want to. Unfortunately, I don't think the .175 will do E0 on a 34"... can't hurt to try though.

[skinhead]

Chris try a 0.11 6 strings pack, for the 7th a 0.65 and a 0.75 for the 8th.

I think that it would be awesome with that scale.