Tuesday, January 7, 2025
BassBass Guitar

All Bass Strings Explained | feat. Julia Hofer | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 78 | Thomann


Which strings should I get? How does stainless steel and nickel plated steel compare?
Do pure nickels sound super warm, or can I use them for every style?
What’s up with flat wounds and coated strings?
Get all your answers and let Julia show you how all bass string types sound in this episode of Guitar Tech Tips!
Enjoy!

Thanks Julia for the awesome playing examples! Check out her videos:

Here’s the full Guitar Tech Tips playlist:

Gear used: https://bit.ly/3EAFYUH
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: http://tho.mn/uadx1
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: http://tho.mn/sonar

Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 Introduction
0:46 1st | Nickel plated steel strings
1:09 Playing | Nickel plated steel
1:52 2nd | Coated strings
2:20 Playing | Coated strings
3:01 3rd | Hardened strings
3:27 Playing | Hardened strings
4:09 4th | Cobalt strings
4:41 Playing | Cobalt strings
5:21 5th | Stainless steel strings
5:45 Playing | Stainless steel strings
6:20 6th | Pure nickel strings
7:05 Playing | Pure nickel strings
7:54 7th | Flat wound strings
8:07 Playing | Flat wound strings
8:48 8th | Half round strings
9:09 Playing | Half round strings
9:48 9th | Gold strings
10:06 Playing | Gold strings
10:46 String gauges
11:50 Outtakes

Webshop: https://www.thomann.de
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thomanninternational
Twitter: @thomann https://twitter.com/thomann
Instagram: @thomann.music https://instagram.com/thomann.music
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/thomannde/

Visit our blogs:
GER: https://www.thomann.de/blog/de/
ENG: https://www.thomann.de/blog/en/
FRA: https://www.thomann.de/blog/fr/
ESP: https://www.thomann.de/blog/es/
ITA: https://www.thomann.de/blog/it/
NED: https://www.thomann.de/blog/nl/
FIN: https://www.thomann.de/blog/fi/

#Bass #Strings #Explained #feat #Julia #Hofer #Guitar #Tech #Tips #Thomann

Originally posted by UCtvgPVBJ_r1vjN4mRuHCbog at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNPmgxZFxWQ

26 thoughts on “All Bass Strings Explained | feat. Julia Hofer | Guitar Tech Tips | Ep. 78 | Thomann

  • Great Video! I don't have a "sound" yet as I am still super amateur. Lots of channels talk about tone and Bas brands, but never really demonstrate the string differences.

    Reply
  • please dont buy the gold strings, they are trash and are a waste of gold that could be better spent on machines to save peoples lives…

    Reply
  • It’s been years since I played bass, but I remember when I would play with any band, I would always play with a Fender P Bass, last bass I owned being a Fender Black Top P Bass, which was an amazing bass and I honestly wish I never sold it, since it’s nearly impossible to find new nowadays. For strings, I use either DR Hi Beams, or Dean Markley Blue Steel, depending on the sound of that particular band. I couldn’t stand Black Beauty strings. While they do sound great out the box, they feel terrible when you wear them in. They were actually painful to play. I tried them 3 times and just couldn’t justify the pain I started feeling over time.

    As for my gauge size, it was always .45, .65, .85, .105. This was due to always turning in E flat and sometimes dropping my E string to C sharp. It worked for me and basically every band I played in. They all agreed to the tuning of at least E flat.

    Great video. Definitely a nostalgia rush for me personally and I liked hearing what different strings offered.

    Reply
  • Now those were quite uncharacteristic flats. Roundiest flats I ever heard?! I might try those. Do they stay that way or were they just brand new?

    Reply
  • I’m a guitar player recently acquired a p bass. Put EB cobalt strings on it. I like the smooth feel of flats. But the sound – nope. I learned here they are scooped midrange and suited for high gain. No wonder I don’t like them! Thanks for the review. Might try DR pure nickel next.

    Reply
  • Most of these sound the same. Differences between materials are minimal. So I guess don't worry about it. Worry about flatwounds vs roundwounds, that was the biggest difference.

    Reply
  • Julia is a great bass player. How long does it take to get that good? I'm taking my first bass lesson this summer and I'm excited.

    Reply
  • For aggressive styles of music ie hardcore, metal, and punk I loved using cobalts. Issues, I noticed they wouldn't last as long as other strings I had used, and from what I remember they were limited in the lengths you can get. So extended range players are a little out of luck.

    Reply
  • As a 'recovered audiophile' and producer, I'm struck how pointlessly similar (despite being pointlessly differentiated too) all these strings sound on expensive headphones. There is nothing to choose between these strings that a twist of a knob at the amp or board would not rectify more completely and more purposefully.

    Of course, most all of them could and 'would' be…attenuated by employ of a P bass instead, wherein they would also be caused to sound pointlessly similar, but at least they would not protest ambitions beyond what a bass player is allowed in terms of its rightful musical entitlement to sonic real-estate in a mix instead of migrating.

    The better endeavour would be to describe the strings' feel! That would better service an improvement of play to match the improved tone come of JUST TURNING A KNOB! A strings 'perceived' tension, flexibility, stability, responsiveness, and uniformity, both up and down and 'across' the strings, would quickly sort them out!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *