Comparing 8 Different Bass String Brands! Which Is The BEST??

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00:00 - Intro
02:47 - Pick w/Neural DSP VST
04:23 - Pick w/direct audio
06:00 - Finger style w/Neural DSP VST
07:19 - Finger style w/direct audio
08:39 - Slap w/Neural DSP VST
10:00 - Slap w/direct audio
11:18 - Conclusion
Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys:
Amazon: amzn.to/3ikGJ8R
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/DEW0n
Thomann: bit.ly/2G8fEIx
Dunlop Nickel Wound:
Amazon: amzn.to/3i9tp6V
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/rvE4R
Thomann: bit.ly/3ia5413
D'Addario XT:
Amazon: amzn.to/3cEm9yR
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/kn4gN
Thomann: bit.ly/3cvlAHu
Cleartone 6445 EMP Treated:
Amazon: amzn.to/33df4C4
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/aJNRZ
Fender 7250M:
Amazon: amzn.to/3n0MrAg
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/G6bXk
Thomann: bit.ly/2RZ0dVu
GHS Bass Boomers:
Amazon: amzn.to/3396R1Q
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/J3kba
Thomann: bit.ly/2Hz4BsF
Rotosound Swing Bass 66:
Amazon: amzn.to/3cQTt61
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/XP4ya
Thomann: bit.ly/3i5hk2y
DR Hi-Beams:
Amazon: amzn.to/30cQVd6
Sweetwater: imp.i114863.net/BW5EL
Thomann: bit.ly/2S0Xue8
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Gear Used:
Fender Jazz Bass: amzn.to/2BYyRss
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: amzn.to/2i5SZ0g
Mixcraft 8: amzn.to/2jzuAR0
JBL LSR305 Monitors: amzn.to/2Bl9uB1
Canon 70D: amzn.to/2i4AjO8
Audio-Technica AT875R: amzn.to/2RKd7bD
Canon 50mm Lens: amzn.to/2SrXqDd
Canon 24mm Lens: amzn.to/2i32Un3
All links through Amazon, Sweetwater and Thomann are affiliate links. Affiliate links cost you nothing extra in the end but I get a certain percentage of any sales that are processed through them. Thank you very much for the support!

[@patrickhunter]

This took a lot of time and a lot of string winding but I really appreciate y'all watching! I hinted about this video a few weeks back on my Instagram, so if you want more teasers and other cool stuff, follow me over there!🤘 instagram.com/patrickhunter

[@c.i.dangelo4515]

4à1à¹

[@MikeHunt.420]

My hamster is called Patrick

[@bridgefan87]

Should of tried out SIT strings! Love them!

[@bassimprovjams3772]

I've only ever got dr and ernie ball

[@kodykindhart8230]

Put Earnie ball on their basses Fender on fender

[@LaFritePerreGoat]

Can we all take one minute to thanks Patrick, who went trough the pain and blood to change 8 time his strings. More than most of us, bass player will do in one lifetime!

[@00Dusty]

Should change strings every 3 month minimum 😂 it only takes 5 mins but he spent a lot doing 8 in one day

[@SevanStick]

Legend.

[@JsnHgl]

@@00Dusty 5 minutes? You’re a champ.

[@h3iberg456]

if you won't keep those strings, have tools (plier, winder) and done that bass before, its indeed quite fast. you straight up cut strings, clean, insert and tune them. but then, if you gonna keep some strings? add time. dont have tools? add time. never done that bass? add time (an extra care). inserting expensive strings? in an expensive bass? then more extra care lol. Now we easily have a relative time range of 5 minutes to a good half of an hour. Drinking beer with friends? add some huge chunks of time

[@dylancarther9627]

@@00Dusty i change every 2 month

[@fred512]

8 sets of bass strings! He gotta be some tech billionaire

[@JASONvsBOSCO]

😂😂😂

[@curtisbrayfield7707]

I just want him to show how to restring a bass. It's been so long, I don't remember how anymore.

[@russellzauner]

He's not wrong, that shit is NOT free

[@SyntheticFuture]

I just started looking into bass strings and holy F* are those things expensive... I thought it would be along the lines of guitar strings + 15% or something but G* DAMN... If I restring my bass 5 times the strings will have cost me more than the damn bass xD

[@vamountainman2512]

@@SyntheticFuture I feel your pain. Just spent 25$ to fix the output and put 40$ strings on my $160 Peavey Milestone 🤦‍♂️

[@mattrudybass]

Those Fenders surprised me in how good they sound.

[@christophbaumgartner6129]

but not for me ...

[@bobbyphillips7594]

The Fender Strings surprised the hell out of me... A bit bright but definitely good.

[@bobbylight5875]

Agreed the Fenders did sound a bit more special.

[@camilonicolas635]

Agreed. I hear a more growly tone on the Fender strings . Might try them out myself!

[@DigitalSubset]

They sound the best to me but that’s just my preference because my first bass is a squire

[@ianstrickland5280]

The fender strings I think was the only one that had somehwat of a difference, but for me it’s DR all the way

[@POskio66]

I was surprised to hear those too. I thought the Fenders and Rotosound had a bit more midrange presence while the DRs are a bit more focused.

[@Jihadbearzwithgunz]

Yes sir why I've been playing Dr strings for 15+ years sounded almost like a 500hz-800hz bump in eq with the fender strings.

[@ianstrickland5280]

LowMan Josh heck yeah

[@teshikajikatoshikachi4456]

Ian Strickland 100% agree.

[@luisxgonzalez]

DR dimebags for life!!!

[@MrAlejandromazzoni]

I like the focused tone of the Dunlops. Great clarity and definition in the notes

[@timotheeeful]

i noticed that too, didnt know if it was all in my head.

[@IBJ57]

I will live and die with DR. They have never done me wrong and the brightness is fucking mint. Amazing tone for metal.

[@fabiocester6804]

And they last 3x longer than all the rest.

[@TheJimboe11]

I agree. I’ve used nearly all them strings. I’m new to DR Hi Beams and I’m finally 100% happy. Totally transformed my 86 P Bass.

[@WilDBeestMF]

Im with you bro. Hi Beams were my go to for a good decade. But...I discovered Elixir medium-bright and jumped. Similar to Hi's but more musical (imo) and last waaay longer. Worth the extra $20.

[@TheJimboe11]

@@WilDBeestMF hey thanks for the info bro. I will definitely get a set to try out. They must be good if you swapped your HiBeams for them after ten years of using them. Thanks for the info 👍

[@WilDBeestMF]

@@TheJimboe11 I kind of miss the weirdly glassy in a good way quality of the upper register of the Hi's, not going to lie man. Haha. But hey, definitely worth a shot! You may just find the Hi's will always be your thing..

[@EdwardSmith94]

Dude, the Fender and Dunlop strings absolutely blew my mind here. I wasn't prepared for the volume difference, and I really enjoyed the sound of the Fender strings too. Normally an Ernie Ball or Kalium guy myself, but I might be venturing out to try Fender sometime now.

[@jb0281]

Me too, just bought a American fender precision 2 from factory and they have fender strings but I don’t have the info on them but I was extremely surprised by their sound that I didn’t put rotosound. On it.

[@NickCADA]

Rotosound Swing 66 are my personal favourite bass strings.

[@wethepeople1685]

DUDE You and your channel are GREAT I love how humble and honest you are, and all the different basses and things you demo and you can really jam a Bass...

[@MarioSouzaLima]

Amazing how different they sound, didn't expect that much. Thanks for the unprocessed direct sound Patrick, very revealing.

[@allthebass]

I thought this was going to be a terrible but that was a great demo! I have quite a bit of experience with a few of those sets and you captured the characteristics of the strings very well! The playing was very consistent set to set and style to style! This is by far the best bass string demo I’ve ever seen on KZbin! Great work!

[@pCeLobster]

I've used nearly all of these and many others too, and my favorite is the Fenders. People make fun of me but I love them and have them on all my basses. To me they sound best here too. The bassier strings might seem more impressive in a youtube comparison, but the bright midrangeyness of the Fenders works really well in a band. It puts you in your own little space where you can be heard without competing with the kick drum or cymbals. Excess low end in a string does nothing for you. In fact lots of people are running high pass filters now to cut lows and get a better sound in the mix.

[@edbutler3]

I've never played Fender strings, but their brightness really stood out here -- even brighter than Rotosounds. I'm a DR player mainly, but am thinking of trying some Fenders now. A question for you... Are they rough to the touch like Rotosounds?

[@1thess523]

Man I've been looking for fender strings for that reason, I've played fender basses at stores that are strung with their strings and they alway have that fender "twang, clank" i like but I haven't been able to find them for sale and guitar center or sam Ash don't even carry them. I play pop punk and emo (90's vein) and I like that mid range brightness in my sound

[@FingerinUrDaughter]

dont waste your money on expensive strings just to get a little more mid/treble, just turn your mids and treble up a little bit. edit: also, fuck a highpass filter. i use a 21" 4000 watt subwoofer in my bass rig. i ALSO have half a dozen horns on it so its not just bass, but anyone running a highpass is an idiot, and thats why the crowd dosent even know that youre plugged in.

[@MartyWilson100]

I also like Fender bass strings, I think they are very good for metal and punk, their brightness cuts through the mix and naturally gives the agressive sound I want for those genres. For blues, jazz, reggae, soul and Classic rock, I like flatwound strings, I like the bass heavy but warm sound that gives a lot of bottom

[@jazzman0173]

@@edbutler3 no they are the smoothest I've tried !

[@BrianBeamers]

I’m a loyal EB string guy but in this video the Fenders stood out for me!

[@kodykindhart8230]

Yup... been playing roto on my jazz to get that mid bump but find they dull easier and fender are cheaper and last longer and fit a great middle ground between roto and dr... dr are too scooped to me usually I’ve yet to try the Dunlop mm set I have as they are 105 and I’m falling for the 100 🤘🤘🤘

[@mv9787]

I’ve been an EB string guy for a good reason. This video proved me right. Ernie Balls are the best strings for guitar and bass. Only downside is the longevity. They lose treble in a week or two. If you have a gig, put them on 48 hours before. Tried them all EB ftw!

[@modernwarfare2405]

It's great to be able to hear each string in a mix with varying playing styles, really helps find what you're looking for based on what style you/band play from all perspectives. This video is priceless

[@TritoneJazzCamps]

Thanks so much for a very comprehensive overview of these strings. That had to take a long time and I appreciate it.

[@COGSCNY]

I really loved the GHS bass boomers. Nice and smooth.

[@Cap683]

I always get nickle round wounds. I really am not a fan of the hot high end that steel strings and I play with my fingers only i.e. no slapping. My go to are DR Sunbeams.

[@joeseabreeze]

These are the kind of equipment vids that musicians need. Thank you! My two favorites were the Cleartones (surprisingly) and the DRs. I typically go with DR Sunbeams on most of my basses

[@Theospeak1]

Brilliant video, love hearing both the amp tone and the acoustic tone. Perfect way to compare strings.

[@ReverendHellbilly]

I been playing ghs for 40 yrs. The fender strings are my next set to try. Thanks and cheers 🍻🎸👍🏼

[@perryv.d.veekens3649]

For me the Ernie Balls and the Dunlop Super Brights stood out when played with a pick or finger style. Biggest surprise for me were the Fender strings, might have to give them a go when I go shopping for new strings! Awesome vid Patrick, it's really cool to hear these strings played back to back to really discern the minute sound differences.

[@danepaulstewart8464]

KILLER video. SUPER helpful. Probably the BEST bass string comparison video I’ve ever seen. 👍⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️👍

[@stitchmywoundz17]

💯🔥❤️‍🔥🔥

[@georgejeffries3566]

Finger style: the Dunlop nickel wounds stood out for its gritty bottom end. The DR High Beams also stood out for powerful but clear low end. Slap style: The GHS Boomers stood out for its big bottom coupled with a somewhat muted high end. This works well for slapping because you don’t want to overdo the high end.

[@guyviola5359]

For me, since several years, it's Rotosound Swing Bass 66 and nothing else! Thanks anyway for taking the time to make that video Patrick!!!

[@enriquekikzdelapazbichain1126]

Ernie Ball is made for Rock n roll! The gritty gnarly midrange they delivered for the pick style was just unsurpassed

[@derwinmoss9485]

I’ve tried quite a few of these brands over the years. These days I’m wanting more of a low mids punch, and not a lot of high end. I’ve found I prefer nickel plated steel roundwounds. GHS Bass Boomers are my favorites. My overall favorite of all strings are GHS Pressurewounds. Thank you for reviewing all of these different brands of strings. Your comparison is one of the best that I’ve found.

[@Josiah.McGuckin]

Dude- that had to have taken some serious patience. Thank you for putting time and effort into making this happen! On a related note, I tried to keep my listening as "blind" as possible so I didn't have any brand bias, and the Ernie Ball Hybrids got me every time. I've been playing with Ernie Balls almost exclusively since 2010 when I bought my Geddy Lee Signature J Bass, and no matter how many other brands I've tried out (most recently including D'Addario - which are not bad), EBs hit the most points for my playing style.

[@ryanacree]

Super awesome demo! Thank you!

[@jeremygalvin7726]

Thank you for doing this. I have been using GHS for bass (and GHS guitar boomers for a couple years) for at least 20 years and like them a lot. They sound great when they are new and have a great warm tone when broken in. I was curious about the sound of the others, but after hearing them all, I'm going to stick with GHS for now. Thanks for all your hard work!

[@dangiampietro6606]

Very surprised by the video. Here's some of my initial takeaways. 1. the cleartone strings had the most mids, hence the perceived "volume" boost. 2. EB Hybrids and Fender have the most articulation/cut. 3. the GHS was the most rounded or flat on the top. 4. The rest of the strings were pretty similar. Keep up the great stuff Patrick.

[@Yesnikh]

Came here to comment this almost exactly, only adding that the GHS have a sort of naturally scooped EQ to them. I can't imagine what is actually done to those Cleartones to get those weird mids to pop like that.

[@alfredshorterjr4770]

GHS sound more distinctive for slapping.

[@pCeLobster]

This is a really great video. Would love a Volume 2!

[@jiminnorthdallas1227]

Just saw/heard this. Thank you so much for playing the same thing for each brand on each segment!

[@simonwacker6797]

For me the d’addario XT just stay super fresh and lively, than the other strings I’ve played (rotosound, fender, Ernie ball) the swells in the midrange work really well for me in the context of my band and they respond super well dynamically, which is arguably the greatest quality a string can have in my opinion

[@troublebrewing2121]

Yes, I use the NYXL's 45-105. Great tension, sound and last ages. Love em.

[@stuartmansfield1575]

Firstly top work Patrick, I love this sort of test, I was really surprised that the differences were so subtle, or was that the limitations of my Sonus sound system? I would have loved to have seen a visual of the level of the different frequencies each set of string hit. (I know I'm a nerd) Also I imagine the strings would react differently with an active bass. Keep up the good work. Cheers Stu

[@mikealbright2470]

Thanks for taking the time to do this video. I know it took A LOT of time stringing the same bass, recording each string sound, and then putting it all in order! Whew! I'm using Regular Slinkys. 45 to 130 5-string on a custom with EMGX series pickups and they sound great. It's either those or Fender. I was amazed at how close allot of the strings were except the Boomers which almost sounded dead compared to the rest but would probably sound good on a P-Bass?

[@jessejohnson09]

Lots of work to make this video! Thanks for doing it!

[@andrewgrandahl]

Ernie Balls have the most color, and a defined high-mid range that adds a ton of presence to your sound. Love the clarity - they're the best by a mile for me.

[@Bready3000]

Those Dunlops in particular just sounded so aggressive and I love it

[@petermesquita7401]

Thanks, It's good to listen it. Good job man!

[@englejas]

Great demo! I appreciate being able to hear all those different types of strings in one place! Really like the Ernie Balls, Cleartones and Fender strings. I liked to the Rotosounds too. The rest sounded a little more dull to me.

[@sixsentsoldiers]

Holy Shnikes. Hunter has never played Rotosound? Y'all were made for each other.

[@HeretekNC]

I've used Rotosound 66's at .50-.110 for years, and I don't see myself changing, but I will say that the DR's for me sounded really good and I've always personally liked their Drop-tune guitar strings, so I might pop some of those on my other bass to see how I like 'em.

[@donniecastleman5701]

Wow, the Ernie Balls, DR's, and Fenders are my favorites! The EB's have that little high end boost that puts them over the rest when played with a pick. You worked hard on this video, thanks a ton!

[@robertkerr9738]

Great video. Thanks!

[@jdmarino]

This was the best string comparison video I have ever watched. You're playing is so consistent from set to set! Next up: Flatwounds? Tapewounds?

[@EugeneOdnoval]

E-balls, Rotosound and DRs are the most clear and consistent! E's and DR's are my usual choice. Rotosound surprised me, will try them. Thanks for the video!

[@artemi-music]

Thanks a lot for your comparison, it was really helpful 🙏

[@briany.5668]

Thank you for this Patrick...those Fenders really jumped out at me too !

[@derekpierkowski7641]

Thanks, liked the Roto 66 strings best. Guess we gotta wait on the longevity test? Gotta tip for the rest of us poor bass slingers! Get a Tupperware bowl about 6" diameter. Fill a couple inches deep with 91 % isopropyl alcohol. Take yer dirty old strangs off and roll them up. Put them in the bowl, lid it. Sit down, smoke one, put in a movie. And shake the bowl up occasionally. Movies done, dry them off with a clean t-shirt, slap them back on. They'll sound new. Ya can pretty much keep doing this until they break! Bowl of alchohol will last indefinitely. Anyway, have fun!

[@adammartin8026]

What is crazy to me is how with certain styles you don't hear a difference and with others it's blatantly obvious

[@eds6889]

Excellent comparison video. Dunlop user myself. Was impressed with the Fender in this setting.

[@Badong321]

Super helpful man. Thanks!

[@bradferguson9840]

The Cleartones clearly weren't 36% louder.

[@k.h.1587]

"Than a coated string" All the other strings were uncoated. If there was a set of elixers or coated strings from the other companies, then a comparison could be made.

[@Jazzetle]

They got punch, they were louder in my opinion

[@armandhammer8507]

The two best overall strings for that bass I gotta go with the Cleartones or Fenders. They sounded good no matter what style you played and cut through the best

[@paulsimmons5726]

I’ve been using Rotosound RS-66’s since high school, back in the 70’s. The repair guys that used to tweak my 4001 said Chris Squire used Roto’s and that’s all it took! I’ve used Thomastick Infield, JB-344 FW’s, whenever I wanted an upright sort of tone, expensive but worth every penny and they last forever! Great string review, thanks for posting!

[@Odiex27]

This had to take forever to shoot. Thank you for your hard work.

[@lahloonatic]

The harmonics really sing with the DR and that’s why I’ve played them for many years.

[@downsouthgeorgiaboy7660]

I think my favorites were the GHS boomers, the rotosound and the Ernie balls. How about doing a tapewounds comparison video? I’d really like to see that one

[@Peppeblackmetal]

I think GHS sounded the worst, unexpected as they have a pretty good reputation.

[@kkyyee]

ghs sound like old strings to me

[@JoseMendez-ci6zq]

Great job man, thanks

[@flanneljoe7473]

Great comparison, thanks. Been looking into DR. This gives me a path to tread.

[@wideband]

Fenders and Ernie Ball stood out to me, but I know from past experience that I kill a set of Ernie Ball's in like 2 weeks... which is not enough life to me. Currently use D'Addario XT but gonna give a set of Fenders a try.

[@garrydhintz8017]

Never buying ernie ball again for that same reason. And some strings are good sounding when they wear in but not those. Lol

[@paulthelefty]

AFAIK d’Addario makes Fender’s strings...

[@BosworthMcG]

@@garrydhintz8017 yep, I’ve always used D’addarios. Put on my first set of Ernie balls last time just to try for once but was really disappointed. I usually get 6 months out of the D’addarios and the EBs already need replacement after about a month. They also don’t seem as bright, and I feel like the don’t stay in tune as well. Definitely will not buy again . I’m sticking with D’addarios.

[@grantkoeller8911]

Fenders last about usually 2 to 3 years between change......

[@olivernash1751]

@@BosworthMcG my dude you should not be keeping your bass strings on for 6 months straight either way hahahahaha typical bass player

[@sdguss17]

I thought you would talk a bit of the feel of each brand. I think that makes a difference when I choose my strings. I think Ernie & Rotosound are the best with a shoutout to Dunlop, cool video!

[@virgilpopescu9478]

Same to my ears!

[@woot1404]

Great vid. Nice to hear plenty of different types of strings on the same instrument and with the same settings, just to hear differences (thank you for playing the same lick in each segment!). I've been curious about Cleartone strings but never bought them as they were usually more expensive than other types I knew I liked. But I may try some on my Jazz next time I change out strings. Of all the strings played, I think I liked those the most. They're clear and open sounding, but maintain the audible girth you'd want from a bass. As usual, thanks for uploading 🦾

[@martinheath5947]

Thanks for going through all this effort. Must have been laborious to do. The test of a good set of strings is how they sound after a week or even a month or two@

[@xxxjessejamesxxx7058]

Damn those Fenders pack a punch 👊

[@Shankdv8]

Look at moneybags over here spending a whole house mortgage just to test out bass strings!! In all seriousness I liked the Fender and DR set the most

[@larry6686st]

He's going to do bass amps next

[@Masticatius]

I liked the fender,GHS boomers and rotosounds. I appreciate the effort you put in giving us a great sound comparison!

[@larsa89]

Yes!! Thank you! This is exactly the consumer report we need!

[@EversonBernardes]

Dang, the Fender set is *bright* . Piercing, even. Loved Dunlops and D'Addarios. Round sound, pretty good and tight bass, not boomy. GHS had huge bass, but sounded a bit too boomy.

[@Chad_Sandridge75]

For me the Dunlaps is my pick in this test. I've always been a D'addario guy. Both for there tone and lifespan. However there are strings that sound better out of the box but two weeks later that great tone is gone and I'm left with something that doesn't compare to the D'daddarios. That's my only issue with Ernies; they die quickly. Not to a cool vintage tone either; but lifeless. Until then they sound great! I just don't have the $$ replace them constantly. Many commented that Fender had the stand out sound but I have to dissent. Although not my favorite; Cleartone in my opinion had the most unique tone of all.

[@laszloboviz8529]

That is a huge effort to compare eight one this consistently. Many thanks

[@JASONvsBOSCO]

Awesome comparison video man!! I play pretty hard and broke a lot of strings. I have been playing Ernie Ball Hybrids for years simply because they lasted so long. A while back I tried some DR Black Beauties out of curiosity and love them. They sound great, are silky smooth on the fingers, look cool and most importantly have been durable.

[@TheStiefmeister7]

y'all should try ernie ball slinky cobalt flatwounds, most of the tone of a roundwound but oooh so smooth on the fingers

[@lakingscup]

Agree 💯

[@marks9197]

Absolutely. I remember Fluff doing a demo on those strings a while back. I was actually shocked at how the E string sounded.

[@Chad_Sandridge75]

My only issue with Ernies are they seem to die quickly. Not to a cool vintage tone either; but lifeless. Until then they sound great! I just don't have the $$ replace them constantly.

[@FingerinUrDaughter]

ewwww flatwound bass strings? no thank you. i quite enjoy my clangeddy clang. also, cobalt strings are brittle as all hell. enjoy your B snapping in half during installation, wasting 45$

[@TheStiefmeister7]

@@FingerinUrDaughter i have 3 basses with them in different gauges and no breaks, also all 4 strings, so no B to worry about. Also, they are $30...

[@ampthebassplayer]

While I watching this, I had an evil idea. I make a video doing a similar shootout with different strings, but I hide which clip is for which string (String A, String B, etc.). People pick their favorites in the comments and then I later reveal that I didn't in fact even buy new strings and that every clip was the exact set of strings and they had making themselves hear differences that weren't even there. Anyway, here's Wonderwall.

[@stephenleslie9282]

Great idea

[@deblynne9440]

I consistently liked the Ernie Ball and the Fenders. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this video! Other videos play and talk play and talk and you just played them one after another so we could hear the difference side by side, thank you so much!

[@KadeTurner]

Used as many as I could find over the years of playing and recording. Love EB, ended up concluding the DR were the best all round I’ve used 👍🏻

[@Earlzilla]

Fender must have sold a lot of bass strings after this video came out. I had zero expectations from them but they sounded the best by far. Now they are my go to for rounds. Thanks Patrick!

[@abk868s]

Patrick, nice job. I felt that the Ernie Balls had the most zing and clarity of all the roundwounds, and the DRs and Rotosound (you said Rotostring at the beginning😀) came in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. For roundwounds, Ernie Ball wins hands down.

[@brianengquist2110]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but they were all roundwounds, right? Patrick distinguished at the beginning between roundwounds and nickel plated, but that is an erroneous classification as being roundwounds and nickel plated us not mutually exclusive. I believe that what he meant to say was that he was testing all roundwound strings some of which are stainless steel and others which are nickel plated.

[@sheldonfingerman7005]

Great video, especially the fact that you didn't stop and talk about each string between tests -- easy to compare. I thought the Fenders sounded the best.

[@muhammadrinosyahputra2569]

Dunlop / Fender (suprisingly) is the next string that i want to try.. Thanks for this video dude.. Its really help.

[@randelj]

Playing with pick and fingers the ones that stand out for me (according to brightness) are: 1.Ernie Ball 2.Fender 3.DR 4. Rotosound. With slapping: Dunlop, Ernie Ball, DR, Fender and GHS sounded better, without any particular order. Do you still have the Harley Benton Basses? I think they come with Harley Benton strings. It would be interesting to hear about them.

[@toddtiberius]

I think the strings on the HB are 40-100? The whole setup sounds wicked, but so much string clank. Looking for heavier strings.

[@mistamovegas]

First, thank you! This is awesome. Cleartone has to be the worst looking packaging. I wanted to dismiss them because they look so cheesy, but there was a noticeable volume difference. For me though, those Dunlop were very surprising for their tone! I'd funk that set. Fender had such a nice growl with pick though.

[@doug5yuiop]

Thanks for the test. They seemed surprisingly pretty similar. The Ernie Ball and Fender especially had the same kind of sound, more harsh. I like the Dunlops, GHS and Rotos. Classic.

[@keithfeltz2019]

Thanks so much for doing this! I’ve been wanting to switch it up for a while but can never decide. Usually I use DR strings but I was really feeling the Rotos man!

[@travatron4000]

I wanted to hear Patrick's opinion after running the test. I thought the Dunlops were kinda dull except when slapped then they really came alive and sounded great. The Fenders sounded terrible all they way though, thin and harsh. I thought the Slinky's and the DR's sounded the best. The DR's had more mid and a fuller sound. The D'Addarios were pretty neutral as were the RotoSounds but they were a bit brighter. Clear Tone had a noticeable Mid-scoop. The GHS were "Boomy" but muddy except for the slap.

[@TheFreddo222]

The fender strings really surprised me. I should try them out!

[@stevenordstedt2535]

Nicely Done! I like the Fenders the best!

[@sprucefan4379]

I used to have that exact same shirt. I'm sticking with EB's on my jazz. Nice demo.

[@jotun725]

DR Hi-Beams have been my goto for years, but I recently switched to the NYXL strings to try something different. Both get me the clank I'm looking for.

[@gilberttiborjakub9890]

I suppose the Fender has the best price/ vaule ratio: it costs roughly half of the others.

[@yanivyoseph]

AMAZING!!!! Please do a test for 5 stings as well 🙂You're the best!

[@markwarner5554]

I've used almost all of those and keep coming back to DR Hi Beams. They are glorious.

[@webb264]

I liked the DR's the best; Rotosound #2. Fender was the worst.

[@eddievanhalean_8263]

for me i use Warwick reds normally because they are cheap and to me sound really good

[@woot1404]

I was surprised by the Warwick Reds. Got a pack as "case candy" when I bought a used bass a while back, and just left them in my gig bag as a backup. Decided to install them on my Streamer LX one day and was very pleasantly surprised. They sounded great. A little rough on the fingers, but that's not an inhibitor to me. For the price, they're not bad at all.

[@eddievanhalean_8263]

@@woot1404 yeah they aren't as smooth feeling as some other strings and in the uk you can pick up a set for £8 -£10 which to me for the sound they have i dont know any others in that price range that are as good as reds.

[@JVMC_ZR1]

I think I'm going to check them out. I love the Warwick black label, but they're expensive.

[@woot1404]

Juan Marquez For the price you can usually find them at, it wouldn’t hurt to give em a shot.

[@JVMC_ZR1]

@@woot1404 yeah, only problem is I live in America, so I can't get two day shipping on them.

[@Pdrum]

Thanks for the video! DR are the ones I liked the most

[@pol68]

Brilliant idea, great video Patrick!! I mostly played D’addaio’s but recently switched to Optima (gold!) and DR black beauties for my Stingray. DR’s were the best allround strings imo

[@bluerhumba1753]

Rotosound are the cheapest & best value (in uk anyway), don’t hear too much difference between them & Dunlop, D’addario- all sound fine. Surprised at how bad the Ernie Ball & Fenders sound. GHS has a mellow tone, almost flatwoundy but I thought the DRs sounded really great here 👍🏼. Might have to check those out when I win the lottery. Good vid.

[@smirgyjoker2484]

I like ernie ball a lot because it sounds bitey and metallic and it suits my aggressive play style.

[@judeau5320]

Never liked Rotos much due to the feel entirely. Even their flatwounds are a bit rough/sticky on the fingers. They sound great but I can't get behind playing them at all.

[@bluerhumba1753]

Herr Schultz that’s interesting I got a set of D’addario flatwounds & had similar problem- sounded good, didn’t like the way they felt. You’re right, Rotos are a bit rough but I don’t mind funnily

[@bluerhumba1753]

Smirgy Joker Makes sense, I should’ve written they were a bit bright for my tired ears rather than they’re “bad”. Whatever works for you innit?

[@smirgyjoker2484]

@@bluerhumba1753 yes sir! Honestly though ernie balls suck at keeping that bright tone, I might try fenders; they are pretty bright too.

[@facedowngaming]

GHS Boomers I feel like are the best strings in a mix. Out of all the bass strings demoed, I liked the Boomers better with the backing track. Not so much by themselves but those Boomers are meant to be in a band mix !

[@brianengquist2110]

You might be right. The band is an important variable that's missing here. I thought the Boomers sounded great slapped BTW.

[@bartlomiejzakrzewski5195]

Interesting test !

[@carpediemarts705]

Thanks for another strings vid, and with a very consistent play/shooting method and also of course 8 different sets of strings. Your vid surprised me. 6 sets of nickel and 2 sets of stainless and while stainless are famous for brightness, in your video, I really couldn't discern the difference in those two sets. Last October I had a flu and listened to ALL the strings videos in my most of a week in bed. I had the time and the phones and right then a super keen interest. I REALLY wanted some of those EB Cobalts. They have this special midrange bite. I was told by one store owner [activate cheesy voice], "There are only a couple different string factories in the world and what everyone gets are the same strings, just stuck in different bags so you think you're getting something special with a logo. I got 2 packs of Chinese strings in the store, $16 apiece, do you need 4 or 5? I have one baggie of each." While thoroughly understanding the dude was F O S, and having a severe snobbery against junk made in China, I laid out my Hamilton, Lincoln, and Washington and went home to string them on. Well shit, they sounded great. I later got a set of Cobalts for my other bass and decided that Is struck gold. With Nickel and Stainless being the popular two types of strings, the Cobalt are an entirely different beast with higher gain that almost overdrove my amp. Wish you had included them. So back to your vid, one store owner [not the cheesy voiced bser] told me that Fender doesn't make their own strings, but that Dunlop makes them and they are repackaged with that cursive F on the bag. Well those two sounded distinctively brighter in your vid, enough to remind me of this claim. I'm always interested in knowing WHY things work differently. In comments, someone said they liked one sound with more bottom. I would reason they all must have had the bass frequency, but others had the treble frequencies masking out the bass, and of course I want to know why. Flats are famous for not having the treble, and especially for lasting for years if cared for which would spell even less treble overtones. Again, why? String manufacturers have to be one of the highest profit companies in musical instrument gear. They only have to make a single class of product, only a few tools and materials, especially compared to making guitars, fewer steps in turning out completed product, far less training to get factory workers to put out a saleable product, and then in some cases, people throw out their strings after a single show or a couple of weeks! For 6 string, cheaper than two drinks at the bar. Just make more and ship them out!