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Strings are an interesting one for me. I only play precisions so I went on a long journey through flats because people on Talkbass told me to I had some success with D'adarrio chromes for a while there, like labella and Sadowsky flats, fucking hated Thomastiks and then just got myself a set of mild sounding nickel rounds and realized the whole "roll your tone knob back, use flats and you'll become James Jamerson" thing didn't work for me. I've heard a few of those very vocal vintage TB guys on links since.....it doesn't work for them either....I use Rotosound nickels at the moment. They sound shit for 2-3 hours and then they wear in and sound great.

On expensive basses - when I was single and had disposable income, I dropped $4k on an Alleva Coppolo precision. I got caught up in the thinking it would be like a great vintage Fender with modern hardware and stability. It turned out to be like a great standard American Fender with a nicer finish. Still can't believe I justified the spend or the wait. It was easily my dumbest bass purchase. Knowing what I know now, I'd have Ben Lindsey build me two basses, see the both arrive ten months ahead of Alleva builds and know they smoke them as instruments anyway. Talkbass hype really does slow down build timeframes and raise prices it seems.

Well-broken in strings are the shit. Finding ones that sound decent when new and then age beautifully, AND are available at most music stores, took me some time. But I am pretty comfortable now with the Dean Markley "Blue Steel: line. I have also used the Will Lee signatures which are a little better, but much harder to find.

On expensive basses - I got my Sukop 5 second-hand, which was the only way I could have afforded it. Bought from this guy: http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/kingmenow/ - good dude, did me right. Anyway yeah these suckers are 4 to 6 G's new, and if I had the money and had to replace my bass, I'd gladly spend it. It's no good getting caught up in how much the thing costs because some amazing instruments are made for a grand or less. There is no standard for a dollar-to-quality ratio. Just find something that plays well and suits you, and figure out how to afford it.

CKS strings are the shiznit. But I prefer a bright tone out of my Warwick. I dig most is the balanced tension and the improved playability of a proper gauge; especially being tuned down a whole step. They are good answer to the two piece bridge setup; that requires taperwound strings. String selection in this town blows. So I'm happy to have been able to find a string that fits all my criteria. I've had the same set on my bass for over 6 months and they still sound amazing.

H18 wrote:Well-broken in strings are the shit. Finding ones that sound decent when new and then age beautifully, AND are available at most music stores, took me some time. But I am pretty comfortable now with the Dean Markley "Blue Steel: line. I have also used the Will Lee signatures which are a little better, but much harder to find.

On expensive basses - I got my Sukop 5 second-hand, which was the only way I could have afforded it. Bought from this guy: http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/kingmenow/ - good dude, did me right. Anyway yeah these suckers are 4 to 6 G's new, and if I had the money and had to replace my bass, I'd gladly spend it. It's no good getting caught up in how much the thing costs because some amazing instruments are made for a grand or less. There is no standard for a dollar-to-quality ratio. Just find something that plays well and suits you, and figure out how to afford it.

Blue Steels were my go-to main strings for a period of about 4-5 years of gigging every weekend with one of my bands. They had this brilliance and character that definitely lasted a long time.
Only thing with them was they were eating the frets of my main giggers and they occasionally could be very harsh on the top end if not EQ'd properly.


Sukop basses are fucking awesome. I've wanted one forever but never saw a used one with the specs/wood combo I wanted. Got any pics of yours?

You can sukop me any day, excane.

I actually forgot about Sukop basses until now. They certainly make some fine specimens.

For strings I'm all about Circle K balanced sets. It feels weird now to play a bass that doesn't have a balanced set on it. The lower strings are too floppy and the higher strings are too tight.

As for expensive basses, a Wal is the only one I could ever see dropping that sort of coin on. Maybe one day if I have a few grand laying around, I'll treat myself to one. Between that and my Ric, I'd be totally set for basses for life.

I love Circle K, but all of the strings I've had from them were for lower tunings. I have yet to buy a set for standard.

Agreed on both counts.
For roundwounds, I'm never going back to anybody but Circle K.
And at 40bux a set I'm never changing strings either.

Me likey the blue steels. I still change them about every 3-4 months or so. Gotta keep em briiiiiiight.

I wanna Clement four string fretless with Pyramid flats on it.

Chankgeez wrote:I wanna Clement four string fretless with Pyramid flats on it.

You have delicious taste.

Josh Pelican wrote:

Chankgeez wrote:I wanna Clement four string fretless with Pyramid flats on it.

You have delicious taste.

Singlecut with some Nordstrand pickups.

I usually don't really like basses like that, but there's something about some of his basses.

excane wrote:Sukop basses are fucking awesome. I've wanted one forever but never saw a used one with the specs/wood combo I wanted. Got any pics of yours?

I took out the Bartolini preamp it comes standard with and made it a passive instrument. I prefer woody tone to hyped boost. I made the pickguard myself, not to protect from picking but to cover the wounds it had on the top from the previous owner whom I can only assume had the gnarliest fingernails on earth and a bad habit of popping sloppily.

I have never heard of that brand until now...I like his headstocks.

Chankgeez wrote:

Josh Pelican wrote:

Chankgeez wrote:I wanna Clement four string fretless with Pyramid flats on it.

You have delicious taste.

Singlecut with some Nordstrand pickups.

Yes, and double yes.

You're perfect. Can I keep you?