The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: JimmyBond8 on February 06, 2008, 12:24:52 PM
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Hey guys, gals and strange green creatures from the vicinity of Betelgeuse. Just wanted to throw a little love out to ye olde Gibson Forum and ask a question.
Having recently switched from a short-scale to the Thunderbird Studio, I haven't yet had to get strings for it yet. So I thought I'd pose the question of what strings you are using for your Thunderbird (or Thunderbird Studio)? I just restrung it recently with a set of Gibson roundwounds that I found in a bargain bin at a local music store (can't remember the gauge off-hand, I'll try to update that later). But I doubt that I'll be able to find those again. So whats your Thunderbird string poison?
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I like Ken Smith roundwound Light gauge
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Your playing style would (at least for me) really make alot of difference, John's suggestion for Ken Smith is a good one particularly if you play fingerstyle. Playing live I use a fairly stiff pick and want a clankey sound so I use DR 45-105's, which are a little brighter and seem to last about 2 months.
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So far I can't argue with either John or Mark. I like the Smith strings (used to use them on my 76 Bird) and I use the DR Black Beauties in 45-105. I'm a heavy pick player 98% of the time.
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GHS Bass Boomers Heavy (50-115) on my TBird.
Monster Tone.
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On my bird I use D'Addario XL's, light gauge.
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EB Slinky's, usually 100-45.
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Roto Sound 45-105's is the standard by which I compare all others. You'll get that full fat piano string sound in the bottom, then just use the controls for your very own mix. Which, in my choice, is almost full bottom on the bass guitars bass control, and almost full blast on the amps treble and bass controls. Carpets, start rolling!
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I have yet to hear a set of strings that doesn't sound good on a TBird. I've used LaBella Flats, TI Jazz Rounds, Rotosounds, Epiphone :o, D'Addario slow- and regular wound, Elixier coated strings, DR Black Beauties and Lo Riders, GHS Bass Boomers, Warwick Black Label, Status Hex Core and Dean Markley. And a handful of others I've forgotten. They all sounded slightly different with the LaBella Flats and the TI Jazz Rounds obviously the most radical departure from a traditional roundwound sound, but still great in a different way.
I play with a pick and prefer - on a Bird - a medium bright, warm sound which is not yet clanky or piano-ringish.
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I tried TI Jazz Flats on my bird and didn't like it at all. However I took them off and put them on my Rick and they sound great there.
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Never had TI Jazz Flats on a Bird, but I second how good they sound on Rics!
Uwe
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Epiphone :o,
That's what new Gibsons have and they're pretty good.
I use Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys and D'Addario XL's currently on my two birds.
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I'm using TI Rounds on the Holy Crap bass, and they're pretty wicked.
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i used dean markley blue steel . .105 -.045 when i had my thunderbird(89)i thought that sounded pretty good.
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The first thing I do when I get a new bass is toss on a set of Roto Sound RS66LD 45-105. I have been using these for years (30 plus) nothing else sounds right to me. I guess I'm pretty set in my ways but they sound like no other.
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I use the heavy gauge Rotosound flatwounds on my Thunderbird, which means I get to have the unusual silk colorings of Herr Harris' favorite football club.
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I just acquired a TB Studio 5-string last month and had Mike Lull do the set-up - the intonation was way off before and he just transformed it with D'addario Chromes. Esp. the B-string which was "clangy" sounding compared to the other four, with flats on there the B's Fundamental is much clearer.
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I'm going way out on a limb here, probably towards blasphemey ( or at the least, heresy ) While I agree with several others that RotoSound should be the string, I find them so infuriatingly inconsistent that I use F*nd*r stainless in a 45-105 gauge. Strings, like most things musical are sooo subjective that it really does depend on your ears, and touch and how they " feel " . My advice, buy a different set for the next several string changes, eventually you will find the " right " set.
Cheers,
Woo-Hoo! I'm a Jr. member now!
S.
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Woo-Hoo! I'm a Jr. member now!
Of course, your humble administrator can change the post requirements for each level and also the name. :-X
Maybe a newbie will become a Seafoam Green Member, working his way up to Chrome Member....heh heh.
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Of course, your humble administrator can change the post requirements for each level and also the name. :-X
Maybe a newbie will become a Seafoam Green Member, working his way up to Chrome Member....heh heh.
Just remember Seafoam Green is a F*nd*r colour ( with all respect ) but is that poly or nitro?
I'm ducking!! ;)
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Your username is Bass VI and you can't spell out Fender? :P
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Just start newbies out at "EB-0" and work them up to "EB-4L" ? :D
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Just start newbies out at "EB-0" and work them up to "EB-4L" ? :D
Henry J. would probably sue us. ;) And I'm only half-kidding.
Besides, we've got to consider the non-Gibson contingent.
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Your username is Bass VI and you can't spell out Fender? :P
Only out of respect, I'm still a Seafoam Green member! I would change my username to EB-6 if I owned one..........................Hmmmmm.....or built one ;)
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Well what about:
Squier Precision (0 - 50 posts)
Epiphone EB3 (50 - ...etc.)
Fender Jazz
Gibson Thunderbird
Rickenbacker 4005
Warwick Buzzard
Or so.
And on-topic:
I play mostly roundwounds. I only have d'Addario Chromes on the Burns. Is it me or do steel strings feel awful? I like the feel of nickel strings much better. And the sound too.
On my basses mostly fairly cheap d'Addario's or Fender 7250s.
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I don't think anyone's mentioned TI Jazz rounds - I loved those on my TB!
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Newbies should be called "Kalamasuzies".
Uwe