Bass strings comparison - RotoSound Vs. DR

[@sirioviazzi5616]

0:06 Rotosound Open Strings 1:17 DR Open Strings 0:14 Rotosound Melodic solo 1:25 DR Melodic Solo 0:50 Rotosound Slap 2:00 DR Slap 1:06 Rotosound Pick 2:26 DR Pick

[@pertybass]

Great !! Thanks

[@pillepalle3614]

Thank you. Somebody thought about the audience

[@KB200887]

Rotosounds all the way. I've played them for years and they never let me down!!!

[@lincland3867]

Thanks. Very nicely recorded. I've used Rotosound off and on my whole life, although I've tried DRs several times. I think we non-endorsed players who pay good money for strings have to keep in mind that when an artist endorses a string, he is probably getting them for free. This means he can change his strings as often as he feels like it. And one important aspect of choosing a string is not just how they sound right out of the package, but how do they sound after several weeks, or even months. Many of our favorite players have fantastic tones. They also have techs and crates of strings and can have their favorite bass set up with a new set every night if they choose. I think almost any strings sounds fantastic out of the box. They are bright, true, in tune, even, clear, etc. But as strings die, they change and from the minute you put them on and stretch them out, they are dying. So a true test is not how they sound when they are new, but how do they sound when they are really broken in, beat up, sweated on, and 3/4 of their way through their lifespan? My personal view is that Rotosound gives the best overall "tone", and by tone I mean just a basic great sounding note that works really well with a band live and on recordings in a variety of styles. In addition, the top end click and noise is very appealing. String noise is what a bass player has instead of distortion, so it's an important factor not just something to be avoided. In this demo, when a pick was used, the Rotos won out in my opinion. The top end of the DRs to my ears was an undesirable noise. That said, I love DRs. They are bright, big sounding, have a nice grind, and just demand to be slapped. They have a great popping sound, but every time I've tried them, they didn't last very long, and as they aged, they had undesirable overtones, and the top end sounded a little "cheap" for lack of a better term. Sure if are endorsed by them, or can afford to change them every week, they might be the better choice depending on your style. And I might actually try DRs again on a particular bass I'm shopping strings for, I'm not against them. Just my .02.

[@anthonysullivan6534]

lincland a560

[@phillippasteur3904]

You should never stretch a roundwound string! That's where you are losing some of the brightness. It will take the "zing" right out of them.

[@lawabidingcitizen5153]

@@phillippasteur3904 I have never had problems with stretching them

[@angelalancaster7176]

Yes Maybe Phillip is absolutely correct about not stretching these strings and for the exact reason he stated. Just take him at his word and I’ll bet you will have a better result in the future. ✌🏻

[@lawabidingcitizen5153]

@@angelalancaster7176 I tried it, it just doesn't make the smallest difference ✌️

[@aarondavis4341]

There is NOTHING more soothing than the sound of a p bass :)

[@Toastrodamus]

No matter our differences on the strings, I think we can all agree that's a beautiful sounding bass.

[@scoop6489]

Aaron Davis True, though I still prefer Jazz Basses.

[@Direwoof]

I do prefer active electronic basses because I play hard rock and my punch needs to be heard but I do love my P bass too. My fav bass is an ESP AP-5 PJ bass. It's basically an active PJ bass.

[@aarondavis4341]

@@scoop6489 since I made this comment,jazzes have grown on me,I have 3 a 93 mexi standard,a squier VM 70s and a Glarry 5,love each one for it's little individual specs,to me the P started it all though and that's the tone everyone trysvto emulate,being a jazz fan as you are how many videos have watched where the phrase,SOLO THE FRONT PICKUP AND ROLL THE TONE HALF OFF TO GET THAT P BASS TONE? Actually I'm sure we can agree ALL bases are awesome,as long as we get to play a bass it's all good no matter what it's name or model is👍🤘

[@scoop6489]

@@aarondavis4341 amen

[@woot1404]

Before, I would've said Roto, but the DR's have a slightly warmer sound to them that kinda pleasantly mellows out the bite just a tad. They allow that classic "guttural" P Bass sound to shine through, but allow the lows to blanket the mids so you still get that boomy bass out of it. I liked the DR's a little better. Cool comparison, and really nice playing.

[@pertybass]

Thanks !

[@sabrinacordell6290]

Wow the DR kicked the crap out of Roto

[@Toastrodamus]

The DRs aren't bad at all, but they have a "thinner" sound to my ears, and I think the P bass really demonstrates that. The Rotos have a stronger fundamental.

[@pillepalle3614]

Toastrodamus I heard the same

[@neilcorcoran8469]

Great playing man...rotosound are more old school and have more mids, while the DR's are smoother and more scooped...I like both for different reasons.

[@perrysar6931]

You have the GREATEST precision tone on you tube...........fat yet with a nice grinding top end,LOVE IT!!!!!!

[@pertybass]

Thanks !

[@sethnicholls7861]

Yes, I agree. What amp/combo did you record this video with pleez?

[@tomek9966]

1. Lovely Bass. 2. Great playing. 3 Great tone! on Roto Thanks

[@FL-BEACH-MAN]

I started using Rotosound in the early 70's , they are the best , back then I would take them off the bass very carefully and boil them in water with a few drops of baby oil ,let them dry ,put them back on and they would sound brand new, lifts all the dead skin and dirt out of them. I could do that twice then toss them.

[@josiahcueto3372]

Your bass is beautiful! You got chops for days man!

[@phillippasteur3904]

I am a devout DR Hi Beam user and was a bit surprised by this test. The Rotos are initially brighter, but the Hi Beams are more balanced, string to string. The DRs also win in the slap technique. They sound slightly compressed and even out the peaks when slapping.

[@RelaxedReadz]

My simple eval. Roto- Dark, punchy DR- Brighter It seems most here prefer the DR's, but I love the fullness of the Rotos.

[@Painless50]

Nice demo. They are very close in tone. The Roto's seem just a tad brighter. But I think either string would work well.

[@Silent_Stillness]

Thanks for your video, to me there's no question that for slap DR is considerably more interesting than Rotosound. This being said, as constructive criticism I would highly encourage you if you do comparison videos in the future to simply repeat the same short sequence and alternate repeatedly between the variations that you want to compare (in this case the different strings), this way people's brains can actually grasp the differences in a more obvious manner rather than having to memorize the sound. I had to load your video on two separate tabs and play different sections in quick succession in order to get a better understanding of the differences.

[@handgunner1911]

I have used them all and rotosounds are my favorite.im used to the way they feel and sound.no other bass string sounds like them

[@W4RD1N8ER]

I use the rotosound strings brighter just a touch more they kick the shit outta the stock strings my bass came with. But in this demo either string would be a good choice really close in tone. And props to the bass player sounds bloody awesome man thanks for your video.

[@handgunner1911]

i was a die hard rotosound user for years.i would also try differents strings every now and then.since the last time i posted here i have switched exclusively to dr fat beams.hands down my favorite.they play very well,big sound,quite bendable and better tone versatility.another plus they retain thier sound and playability longer for me.my last 2 sets of rotosounds i picked up they had a couple flat strings right out of package and that bothers me.that shouldnt happen but it did.i wrote to rotosound and recieved no response.finally i did get to talk with them and they acted like i was trying to get free strings or something.i sent strings back with original packaging etc and 3 months later they replaced them.i no longer play thier strings.iwas talking to a rep at dr and told them what happened.dr was very cool sent me 3 sets of strings.fat beams,high beams and low riders.i love the fat beams and low riders.by the way thanks for the vid brother!!!

[@ianboylan1981]

That sucks. I used to use D'addario, but I just never could get to grips with how stiff they were. I broke loads of strings and I put up online that I wasn't happy and wanted to switch brands, and D'addario actually contacted me and gave me 3 full sets of strings and a few single g strings. That's above and beyond, I really wish I liked their strings, as their customer service is top notch. Haven't had any trouble thankfully, since switching to DR and Ernie ball(I prefer dr, but get Ernie ball when I can't get them).

[@LeviChangsMusic]

I always use roto's on my fretless Vox Humana and daddario's on my fleabass but I think im getting a set of Dr strings for my fleabass soon.

[@restojon1]

This is a really interesting conversation, may I add my experience? I was a diehard Rotosound player on bass and D'Addario on guitar. I did have a period of using GHS Boomers on both instruments too but settled back into the abovementioned string "groove". I play a 74 Gibson Grabber bass which is short scale, it's got a very stable "voice" though and the last 2 sets of Rotosounds were dull and stiff as hell! I ended up trying a set of D'Addario on it. Big mistake, nasty nasty things they are. The sound is toppy, paper thin on the lows and they've gone flat as hell in no time at all. Plus they are as abrasive as hell on the frets. I'm now looking at what to replace them with. I've been listening to a lot of Aram Bedrosian recently (check him out, wonderful player) and he uses DR's on his Ritter basses, do I go for the DR's with their celebrity price tag? Do I go back to the tried and tested GHS Boomers and play with my EQ or do I dare revisit the Rotosounds? Has anybody got any suggestions for a bedroom bassist who occasionally does a funky fingerstyle Facebook video for his mates with a bit of slapping and a guilty pleasure of playing Metal?

[@marcodibella3211]

Lo rider are definitely my favourite strings...and you man....turned jammin' into poetry....

[@pertybass]

Mine too, thanks

[@donvape336]

Those rotosounds rock. Love it

[@davidbrown6415]

Tried a few different makes but always come back to Rotosound. Just started using flats again and loving it :)

[@derwinmoss5709]

Great review, and playing! To my ears, the Rotosound have more rawness to their tone. I would think the Rotosound strings would be perfect for hard rock. The DRs sounded a bit more refined, and I think their sound would work in a variety of different styles of music. That's not to say Rotosounds are only good for hard rock. I used them for years in many styles of music. Thanks again for your excellent reviews.

[@SpongeBath_ShitPants]

To me, there isn't all _that_ much of a difference. The one difference I can notice is the Rotosounds tend to have more mids, whereas the DRs seem to have a bit more treble.

[@mthomas73]

Great demonstration, and great playing!

[@averysteck162]

Great demo. Me personally, I'm a DR guy, I like the feel of their strings better than the others. Their flat wounds on my Precision actually sound and feel very nice as well

[@shanechasse2687]

This is a nice comparison I was glad to find it even being 8 years old. I just wanted to mention one thing that people should consider before jumping to grab a set it DR Lo Riders (I have used many different DR string sets they are all great strings). The string tension on the Lo Rider’s is very stiff in comparison to other sets. You will likely need to make a truss rod adjustment to maintain the proper relief. Also, due to the higher tension they can be rough on your fretting hand. I’ve played for over 30 years, liked the sound but not the tension (and I’ve played higher tension flats with no issues). They caused some discomfort in my left hand over time that didn’t go away, so I had to move on from them. I like the Roto’s, always have and suggest the Swing bass nickel set to avoid a fret job which I’ve done after years of stainless steel string wear.

[@pertybass]

Thanks a lot

[@TRJBASS]

I like them both...I like the Roto's sound a little better ...but the DR's seem to last longer and feel a little better to the fingers.

[@manueldjeribi488]

RotoSound à 100%. De Pasto à Geedy Lee, y'a tous les sons dans les Swing Bass 66.

[@pjmuck]

I prefer the DRs. Smoother deeper tone and they won't chew up your fingers. They also last more than 5 minutes. I've used Rotos and my acidic sweat dulls them within 48 hours. Listen to the demos with the tone rolled off at 25%- 0%. The Rotos start to get muddy while the DRs still retain some top clarity and definition.

[@karthurhyer]

Always used Roto rounds on stage, now retired to my den I use DL flats to get a wider "quieter" set of tones.

[@jd2616]

I love this guys clips....skillful to the 10th power....

[@pertybass]

Thanks

[@nicolatopp2288]

Great video! I've only ever used Ernie Ball and DR strings, thinking about trying some RotoSound for my bass. Your video has helped a lot, thanks! :)

[@pertybass]

Thank you

[@Fretless99]

+Nicola Topp I love Rotosounds! I was using Fender strings, or whatever was on sale, WAY back in the day (30 years ago)...then I found out that John Entwistle used Rotosounds; I have tried others, like Dean Markley's Blue Steel, for instance, but I always come back to the Rotosounds :) Great strings!

[@pertybass]

Thanks!

[@frantisca]

Great demo as usual ! The Rotos aren't bad, far from that, but I hear the DR as more precise, whilst sounding rounder. Well, the player does it all ;-) Cheers \m/

[@pertybass]

Thanks brother !

[@elboloalimenticio]

rotosound has the strongest fundamental tone, sound is very defined and strong. I really like them, too bad they are too rough on the fingers.

[@gutbucket260]

Try their "Funk Master" strings. Very nice and easy to play.

[@roberthunt4376]

in my case, I quite like the rough feel on my hand though haha

[@vernsorrelhorse2949]

That's what I thought about them in the beginning but just as with nickel strings your fingers callas to them and that fades within a week or two of hard playing.

[@alfieharries]

Is this a road worn or classic 50s? Cheers, great playing and tone. I like both sets but the DR a string has less punch to my ears whereas the rotos are more balanced

[@pertybass]

It's a MIM classic 50s

[@jojoba619]

RotoSound have a more aggressive tone, especially in the mid-freq range. DR Lo Riders have a more mellow, but full tone. There's a hint of mid-freq aggressive tone, but not as pronounced as the RotoSound strings Although at 0% tone the Rotosounds still retain that mid frequency aggressive tone. I think I'm going to try a set of Rotosounds on my P bass. I've used Lo Riders on a PJ bass and they sound great too. Winner: either string

[@Cake_Doge]

love that bass, the tone with both of the strings and especially the color, goes well with the p body. Is it me or the pickguard is satin colored?

[@pertybass]

Thanks

[@lafemmeparallel]

I liked both strings!

[@pertybass]

Thanks

[@kingnothing2161]

I think the biggest difference is noticeable in the pick playing shoot-out

[@pertybass]

Thanks

[@lummond]

IMO every stainless bass string is "in terms" of Rotosound. When people talk about feel, they're compared to Rotosound. When people talk about brightness, they're talking about how bright they are compared to Rotosound. In this video, Rotosound has a clearer tone by a mile. It would have been cool to hear the comparison with Hi-Beams instead.

[@FRRGC]

Slinkys are nickel, not stainless steel

[@Anonymous-rp4hn]

Dee Vee wrong

[@vincesun2591]

The Drs are better but not by much. Lo Riders sound the best out of all of the drs. Rotos sound good and I always liked them but they chew your frets up bad ! DRs even though they are stainless don't eat frets because they use micro wrap wire. I love all DRs but lo riders are my favorite!!

[@1thess523]

I just picked up an 04 MIM P Bass in Agave Blue and that thing sounds sweet but i just realized the strings are kinda grimy, so I'm looking and what strings are out there. I've used Slinkys and D'addarios' XL i think is what they are called. I haven't seen your channel in a while but seeing it again reminds me of how sweet your bass sounds 👌. Is this the same bass you put that little tone selecter in?

[@pertybass]

Thanks! That’s the same bass with the Stellartone

[@Prince_Sharming]

Just how rough are the rotosounds on your fingers. I've been playing for around 3-4 months on stock strings.

[@Toastrodamus]

Not gonna lie, they can be pretty rough. I have vivid memories of popping my blisters on my fingers and then gluing the skin back on during heavy gigging weeks. Stainless steel is no joke.

[@onzkicg]

Nice demo.. what are you playing at the beginning, those arpeggio sounding licks? Any tabs? Anyway, I got Roto 66 as well on my Jazz bass.. thinking of replacing it with flatwounds out of curiosity on how flatwounds would sound on Jazz bass.

[@pertybass]

Thank's ! All I'm playing are improvisations...

[@TheDavoFloresChannel]

Hi man, Ben Kenney From incubus is a great example of how does a JB sounds strung with flats, I suggest you to try with GHS bright flats.

[@lolkvadim]

The Rotosounds for me. The DRs have a weak fundamental in comparison, the attack on open strings sounds like it's all overtones, less solid. I have Hi Beams on my MIA standard jazz bass after using GHS boomers for a long time, they're (Hi Beams) great for slapping, but I kinda feel like that's all they're good for, they feel floppy (it is a lighter gauge but still), sticky, and unstable, I have to really dig in in order to get a solid punch out of them which causes fret buzz, and the lack of resistance along with the stickiness makes it hard to play fast. It looks and sounds like the Lo Riders in the video share similar attributes with the Hi Beams. I'm impressed with the Rotosounds, they sound and seem pretty solid all around.

[@pertybass]

thank you

[@vicentedorileobarrosbass7037]

Qual é a marca desse baixo?

[@chrisrush2112]

That P sounds great!

[@ryan_the_bass_geek]

What pickups are in that thang!?!? 🔥🔥🔥

[@pertybass]

It's a Coils Boutique, look it up

[@zyxwfish]

Which one plays better 😉

[@pertybass]

for me the DR

[@alskndlaskndal]

Great demo, thanks. Can you give me any tips on how to learn how to slap? I just can't get it. I see people playing and their thumbs aren't moving that fast but they're making a million fast notes, I can't figure out where they're coming from LOL. I can slap my thumb down and make one note but I can't make a string of fast notes like you. How did you learn to do this? Can you give me any tips to practice? Thanks.

[@pertybass]

+Reluctant Dragon I learned with a teacher and practice a lot. There is no other way to learn how to slap. Sorry...

[@alskndlaskndal]

+Pertybass For sure, I know it's all about practice. I guess I just don't know what to practice. I try over and over and I can't get it to sound right. I don't know if I'm holding my thumb right or using the right technique. Well anyway thanks for your comment and the video.

[@garybeazley8071]

+R.D. Dragon....Check out Scotts Bass Lessons here on You Tube. he has some info and pointers on how to position your thumb and so on.

[@1BassJohn]

+Pertybass Good advice :) In this day and age of so much info on youtube, a teacher is still so important, especially when learning technique, because there are things that we need a careful eye on to make sure we are not learning incorrectly... A visual can only give us so much info. Having someone there with you can make the learning a lot more effective, and less chance of developing bad technique :)

[@san5a89]

do you have the mute on the bridge?

[@ChevyDanmark]

As a beginner, I am looking for som good strings that are not too rough on the fingers and sound good. Would my choice be the DR's?

[@pertybass]

+ChevyDanmark Go for the DR

[@gregg4164]

Well any round wound string is going to feel rough on the new player. Once you start too build some callouses it wont really much matter. Suck it up and start practicing.

[@LeviChangsMusic]

My advice: just don't start on daddario's.

[@karthurhyer]

Always have used Rotosound 66's. Like I'm going to tell John Entwistle, Jaco Pastorius, John Paul Jones, and Getty Lee that they're using the wrong strings !!!!

[@keith1r]

karthurhyer JPJ used the 77 flats on his jazz and the 66 steels on his 51 p bass and Alembic

[@Thompsongs]

I bet every one of them would tell you, "try out a few and use what works best for you - not just what you see us using". And *Geddy

[@sirioviazzi5616]

Hi. Great comparison. Were those Rotos steel or nickel?

[@donvape336]

Loved this

[@vladiulian718]

which strings are better rotosound or dr strings

[@pertybass]

I like the DR more

[@notab7626]

My bass is never this quiet, did you have to shield your bass guitar? because I am thinking that’s what my problem is and wish my bass sounded like yours.

[@pertybass]

Take it to a specialist

[@peppe.dr.sound85]

bass direct d.i./sound card or bass d.i. amplifier /cab ? :D

[@pertybass]

bass direct d.i./sound card

[@pertybass]

bass direct sound card

[@dhill05]

You look as if you don't want to play with a pick but are just doing it for the purpose of the video lol

[@pertybass]

I suck with a pick

[@Kompardo]

Pertybass i suck without a pick

[@S2NMoonshine]

nice bass bro..

[@Rachels123]

love that p bass!

[@drury2d8]

How long do the rotosounds last ? And do they wear out the frets ?

[@pertybass]

I don't remmember but much less than the DR's

[@ethanlancaster76]

The better choice by DR for a comparison to the Rotosound 66 would be the hi beams as they are much brighter and have that similar bite. The lo riders have a lot more tension and are much more mellow. Both great strings, just on different ends of the spectrum. Love my Roto’s but they don’t last me more than a gig or a few rehearsals.

[@luckyjinxer]

Personally, having tried Ernie balls, D'addario's, and both the Marcus Millers and the lo riders from DR, but not Rotosounds (local shops don't carry them), out of every thing I've tried, DR's 'feel' the best to my fingers, but their sound is best early in their life. The way strings feel is rather important to me, so the DR's, as a brand, win out. The sound of the lo riders had a nice round low end, and a snappy pop at the top which begs to be slapped. The Millers where a little more poppy, but felt a bit too loose, and the sound is definitely conducive to a particular style, and worked great within the funky jazz realm, but not much else. The worst sounding are the D'addario's, they had almost no fundamental note, and they where extremely tinny sounding in the top end and buzzy. They sound cheap (but do like their Chrome flatwounds, but don't really have anything to compare them to). Ernie Ball's where pretty good, but also somewhat lacked on the fundamental note, but got better after about a week of playing. Probably sounded better for longer than the lo riders.

[@KamiDisturbed]

i felt like completely same pretty much about daddarios and DR. I played lot of DR Hi beams and then i took set of daddario and was like ugh sounds horrible and was dead like in 2 weeks. Then i changed DR Long necks wich was even better because they have taper core. better 5th (Low B) string sound imo if playing 5 strings. But then heres the weird thing. I heard about daddarios new flex steels and man those strings are just beasts! i encourage to try them out. the sound is awesome and the feel too specially (they have special punchback feel for slappin). the only bad thing is the Low B sound because they havent made taper core version yet wich i would love to get hands on if they make one.

[@SpeedyDrawMcGraw]

luckyjinxer Defininately agree about the D'addario's. Although, I think they make the best flatwounds.

[@luckyjinxer]

I love my chromes. I agree on the flatwounds.

[@McDoinky]

ניסית פעם את הרוטוסאונד ב-110?

[@pertybass]

Omer Brand מעל 105 זה עבה לי מדי

[@McDoinky]

Pertybass איך זה מתבטא? אני חושב לנסות את העובי הזה אחרי ה40-95 שיש לי כרגע ותוהה אם שווה את זה

[@pertybass]

Omer Brand אם יש לך, תנסה. המשמעות היא סאונד יותר ״שמן״ ופחות מפוקס.

[@marklowe7431]

DR's brighter, Roto's less tops but nice low mids.

[@pertybass]

Agreed!

[@gregg4164]

I still prefer the Roto sound better.

[@AlphaZarge14]

Dr man . Its sounds great smh

[@jrosner6123]

The rotosounds seem like they have a better fundamental, and you play better on them.

[@flipdry]

Roto sounds better for pick and slap, DR sounds better for fingerstyle IMO

[@pertybass]

Thanks!

[@DannyXHorror]

I want to be as good as you D:

[@pertybass]

:)

[@DannyXHorror]

pertybass any tips? Im at an intermediate level. I want to start doing some solo bass work and I just want to make sure its done right.

[@pertybass]

Just take it slow and play along with easy songs. Don't be attempted to use TABs, learn to use your ears. Good Luck!

[@DannyXHorror]

pertybass Thanks. Will do, I've never tried playing by ear before, but it will probably be a huge asset to my playing once I get it

[@jimmyg5608]

I beg you if you are beginner use tab and also train your ear otherwise you will never make progress

[@haythamkenway1817]

Rotosound wins this one...

[@jrosner6123]

The DR sound louder, and more taut.

[@pertybass]

Thanks

[@Anonymous-rp4hn]

Looks like you have very low action

[@pertybass]

You are right!

[@gregg4164]

He is also using one of the least dynamic basses you could find also. The standard Fender P is as one dimensional as they get.

[@sirioviazzi5616]

It's one of the most neutral and standard basses, that's why it's great for tests. A PJ would have been better tho

[@jkees6751]

Roto's :)

[@sasamarkovic3308]

DR

[@donrice2609]

While it is true that rotosounds have the best sound on bass...they are murder on your frets...they chew thru frets like a metal chewing machine...I now use a string like gh bass boomers that are much easier on the frets...if u play out alot with rotosounds u will soon find u have no frets left

[@keith1r]

Rotosound sounds better

[@S2NMoonshine]

roto for me thx..

[@joshuamcmichael4121]

Rotos

[@pertybass]

Thanks

[@mamothcar1]

any bass string sounds great playing through Markbass amps!!!!

[@pertybass]

+mamothcar1 Actually I'm playing directly to the interfave, no amp at all...

[@babayaga1767]

you need 2 marcbass amps. 1 to shit on and one to cover it up with

[@jospower8802]

roto...:-)