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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive: 2006 » Archive through September 15, 2006 » Acoustic Electric Bass Strings Recommendations « Previous Next »

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groovelines
Advanced Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 354
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 4:05 pm:   Edit Post

Keeping it short - loaned to me a Michael Kelly acoustic elec, fretless 5 string. The strings are dead. Look like bronze or phosfor-bronze wrap. I've had bronze strings before (Ovation bass), I loath the way they feel and they sound too bright for my tastes. Not to mention they get UGLY when they age.
Are there any alternatives? I ask because it appears that a-e bass manufacturers string their basses with nothing else.

FYI: uses a Fishman MKAB pre-amp, with "Acoustic under saddle pickup". Is that a piezo pup and does it make a diference?

(geez, looks like it's my month for annoying string questions)

(Message edited by groovelines on September 14, 2006)
valvil
Moderator
Username: valvil

Post Number: 948
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 4:20 pm:   Edit Post

Personally, I also hate bronze strings. I think that manufacturers do it to give you a bit of extra brightness in the (vain) hope that when the instrument is played acoustically you can actually hear it from further than 5 feet away (of course as long as nobody else is playing along). I've put regular bass strings on a/e basses and was much happier with that.

Valentino
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 1017
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 4:55 pm:   Edit Post

GLines:

While talking to a MKelly dealer, the subject of the TI ABG strings came up. His eyes lit up and he said that they absolutely 'transformed the tone', unquote. Interesting in that they are a NYLON core (I don't know if they are braonze outer wrap), no doubt a technique migrated from their bowed-instrument strings.

A steel (as in magnetic) core would NOT be necessary on a piezo-only instrument. I don't think that any other ABG strings are made this way (though I could easily be wrong), so these might be worth investigating. I played them on a Ribbecke Hafling and they felt amazing, sounded fine unplugged.

J o e y
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 731
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 6:22 pm:   Edit Post

I'm glad this topic came up. I have a Tacoma Thunderchief that I love the sound of. I was going to try to get the same string that came on it (some type of bronze string, I believe). I assumed that regular strings would not really be made for AEB guitars but that may not be true. Thanks, Valentino. I'll give it a try.
Rich
flaxattack
Senior Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 1239
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 7:19 pm:   Edit Post

i have a kelly 5 string
ther bronze strings left residue on my fingers and the sliding sound was a bit loud
i used TI flats powerbass strings instead and like them a lot
they are lighter guage than the regular ti flats
flaxattack
Senior Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 1240
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Thursday, September 14, 2006 - 7:21 pm:   Edit Post

i like the fishman on mine
groovelines
Advanced Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 355
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 7:04 am:   Edit Post

Thanks, everyone.

The nylon core TIs that Joey refers to have a phosfor-bronze wrap.

As stated in my other post, I like the TI Jazz Rounds and was thinking "why not?", Val's comment "I've put regular bass strings on a/e basses and was much happier with that." may push me in that direction. Flats are tempting as well.

I'm making an assumption about the MK pup that because it's under the saddle it's piezo.

thanks again,
Mike
groovelines
Advanced Member
Username: groovelines

Post Number: 356
Registered: 4-2003
Posted on Friday, September 15, 2006 - 5:27 pm:   Edit Post

bit bullet and put on a set of TI nickle wrapped rounds, local shop was out of flats. sound great, nice attack.

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