DR BASS STRINGS | Hi-Beams, Sunbeams, Pure Blues & Lo-Rider

René and Gregor test 4 sets of DR Bass Strings.
DR Strings on Thomann* ► bit.ly/2EgXKQU
Get these on Sweetwater* ► sweetwater.sjv...
Also on Andertons* ► bit.ly/AT_DRSt...
Bass Gear on Reverb* ► reverb.partner...
BASSTHEWORLD MERCH ► bit.ly/3I5fe0O
DR Strings website: www.drstrings....
bassist: René Flächsenhaar
review, production Gregor Fris
The basses in order of appearance:
1. Sandberg California TT4 Masterpiece Swamp Ash / Maple w/ Kloppmann Pickups
2. AV Basses BassTheWorld.com Edition AVPB Bass
3. Adamovic Saturn 4 Custom w/ Holly Top
4. F-Bass VF-P5
*The "check the product" link above is a Thomann affiliate link. If you order something from their website after clicking it, we get a little kickback from Thomann, which supports our channel. If you decide to do that - thank you very much!
This video was sponsored by DR. This fact doesn't influence my opinions or test results. Technically it is considered to be an ad, even if that is not the intended purpose.
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[@BrewerShettles]

Great Video!!! 2:05 3:00 DR HiBeams - 4:02 5:02 DR Pure Blues - 6:03 7:18 DR Sunbeams - 9:00 9:50 DR LoRider

[@KBP4]

WOULD PREFER THAT YOU USED THE SAME BASS to demo all the different types of strings.. Too many variables to be able to hear the differences in detail.

[@johnconlon8635]

The problem with that is that if I’m a p bass with maple neck or a Warwick type of guy and he demos it with a jazz bass with rosewood neck then it would be unfair for not only me but for also a lot of people. So pairing the strings with basses that with his experience feels they pair really well is a good idea and compromise. He’s not only a bass player but also an engineer with a lot experience and his opinion is something I would call an expert opinion.

[@ManCaveStudio]

I was just about to type the same thing. We need to hear as much of the string as possible to make a decision. Too many variables by switching basses make this comparison not as useful :(

[@OfficialMarkZuckerberg]

@@johnconlon8635 i would agree but i also feel like having a controlled constant on the output will help you understand the character of each string type. We all know what a J or P or H's personality is like so if they only play on one type you can apply that knowledge appropriately. the inconsistency of what the "clean tone" sounds like skews that.

[@johnconlon8635]

Chase Danyi yeah but take into account that if you were using one bass and maybe that one bass doesn’t pair up well with some set of strings, a lot of people would say “oh well those strings set didn’t sounded as good as the others” when in reality they sound really good with other type of basses making a disservice to the strong set of strings.

[@woot1404]

I thought the same thing as soon as the second bass appeared on screen. Seems less useful and harder to make a comparison if both the bass AND the strings are changed. There needs to be a constant in a comparison video. Regardless, it was still nice to find a video about their differences.

[@fabianmartin7126]

Thanks for reviewing these strings. To be honest, I believe this would have been a lot more useful if you had the player using the same bass (or the same type of bass, at least), playing similar stuff. Going from playing slap basslines a J bass with X strings to 60s motown on a P on a set of different strings doesn't help a lot. Just a few single lines, as matching as possible, with each string type, on each bass, so it would be easy to realize the impact of the type of string on the bass sound.

[@moonrose1929]

DR HI-BEAM STRINGS 2:02 DR PURE BLUES 4:05 DR SUNBEAMS 6:06 / 7:20 DR LO-RIDER 9:04

[@rodshop5897]

Danke

[@RyanDenley]

I play nickle Lo-Riders exclusively. I tried lots of stings and landed on the High-Beams for a while but I found them to be a bit scooped sounding. When I switched to nickle Lo-Riders I was in love. They just have a presence in the mid range that makes any bass growl more. I would like to give the sunbeams a try sometime too.

[@Cap683]

Ryan Denley I use the nickel Lo Riders because of the midrange presence. I think that the low notes have more weight also.

[@seangunslinger]

This is exactly why I read the comments. I have basses with both Hi Beams and Fat Beams. They sound great, but I'm looking for some mid range growl. I'm ordering some Lo Riders now. Thank you!

[@ObeseChess]

I keep going back to the nickel lo-riders for this reason.

[@Osmonic74]

I have the exact same experience. Just purchased a new bass and it just doesn't feel right without the Lo-Riders.

[@jamiemulchinock2442]

What size Low-Rider gauge is your preference?

[@Askr568]

That's gotta be the most German English I've ever heard

[@Jeronimo.67]

I loved it. I couldn't stop smiling the whole way though. They both have a sense of humour.

[@Idontlikethisever]

Genau..🤣

[@gabrielalbo6911]

As an expat living in Germany I can’t help but smile :) Also, as somebody who speaks English as a second language here, I find myself acquiring a German accent when speaking English over time lol

[@dmon7464]

Love this ! It's very funny to let subtitles trying to translate 🤣

[@Kcducttaper1]

I still have no idea how these strings compare. Different basses with different strings and different playing techniques = ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[@tibayonex4505]

Very good channel but all of his string comparison videos honestly suck

[@MustDote]

Gregor, thank you for recommending the DR Sunbeams for "a 60s Jazz bass with rosewood fingerboard". I'm blown away with the difference. Really detailed. I'm just letting notes ring to enjoy them. It's not just 'new string sound' (I usually find that too bright for a while). Cheers for taking the time to make your vids.

[@zachmetcalf556]

Was looking specifically for a DR bass string comparison video thinking... no way there’s going to be a video just like that. And behold BasstheWorld comes through!! With yet another great format video with exactly what I was looking for. Love you guys.

[@kevinlynch2248]

I’m a huge fan of Dr Strings. I use the nickel Lo-Riders on my Stingray 5 and love them. On my Fender Jazz 4 strings, I started out using the Fat-Beams, then switched to the the Hi-Beams, then within the last year I switched to the stainless Lo-Riders and they are by far my favorite for my Jazz basses. On my Precision Bass I use the Legend flats. After 25 years of playing bass and trying just about every string brand on the market, DR Strings are by far the best strings out there, in my humble opinion

[@kodykindhart5644]

On my jazz I used to love roto 66 but switched to Dunlop mm stainless Then to fender nickel (not pure) and love the mid range on the fender less mud more Grindr and bite

[@kodykindhart5644]

Dr sounded very dark compared on my jazz

[@selladore]

When are we gonna hear you play? :). Always somebody else doing it :D

[@bochafish]

I love DR strings. Fat Beams have been my go to rounds for 10+ years now. I just recenly got a set of DR Legend flats, and I love those too so far.

[@punman5392]

You used different basses with different strings. How am I supposed to tell the strings apart?

[@facedowngaming]

You buy multiple Basses!

[@skyrejartzo]

After a decade of using Ernie Ball strings I decided to give DR strings a try. I’m using a set of Fat Beams on my Squire and man, their sound is beautiful!

[@michaelotten1956]

I put sunbeams on my Fender Jazz bass with rosewood neck. I agree with you. Best strings I have use on this bass.

[@tmmjppsn]

DR Hi Beams are my favorite. Have been using them for 15 years.

[@Bass.Player]

I love the Lo-Rider strings because of the tension on my 34" scale 5 string Basses plus my right hand technique is improved because my fingers don't dig in so much and actually pull the string. For years I would not own a 34" scale 5 because I could not stand the floppy B string until I found these strings, now I own 3. if you want a nice "B" this is your string, not to mention how smooth these strings feel....

[@krytenfivetwothreep2485]

Your comment made me laugh, I nearly bought a 33" scale 6 string a few weeks back. I got one with a 34" scale in the end though, the other one was just too expensive

[@tmmjppsn]

I had them on my Warwick Thumb 5 BO and they were amazing

[@charliemccoy2422]

@@krytenfivetwothreep2485😅

[@Bubinga5]

The best Electric Bass string on the market. Period.

[@hetschhog]

Great feature about my favourite string brand. They are worth each Euro. I play High Beams on my Jazz and Sunbeams on my Stingray to even out the Zing! a bit. However, I would have loved to hear the different string types played on one bass with the same riff (I know... stupid sciece). Again, thanks and Grüße nach Weimar

[@SonicXRage]

You misspelled "dollar".

[@shewh0rn]

Great strings (I'm using Sunbeams on my 5 string) but as has been mentioned... let's say I was trying to perfect a chocolate cake recipe and I wanted to see which chocolate rendered the best results. If I wanted to do that, I'd prepare ONE giant batch of cake mix, minus the chocolate. That one giant batch would get distributed with equal measurements into four separate bowls, and then each different chocolate I was testing would get added (with precisely the same measurements) to its own bowl. I would then bake all four cakes under the exact same heating and cooling conditions. What you did here was to bake four different cakes, each with a different amount of sugar, eggs, flour, etc. in the recipe. It's AWESOME if you like eating cake (and I'd say most of us do) BUT, as an exercise in determining which chocolate yields the best results for a given recipe, it's a completely useless test. This is statistics 101. You have to control your variables and eliminate confounding factors in order to come up with a valid test.

[@ethanlancaster76]

shewh0rn that’s the longest analogy I’ve ever read! And it’s not a comparison but a demo as the title of the video states. Some basses sound better with different types of strings and that’s what is being DEMONSTRATED here. Now go check the cake and see if you can tell the difference in the bowl that you used to mix your chocolate

[@danj8038]

i aint reading all that

[@Bflatest]

I play my bass almost 4 days a week and I put DR FAT BEAMS a YEAR AGO and still right now sounds great

[@mutantbaby1672]

1, I don't know if it's true that they make nothing else. I have a DR strap. 2, DR makes great bass strings but I ran into issues with their guitar strings. 3, The claim that they are long lasting is true. I don't need to change them out for months. Disclosure: I use Lo-rider for fretted and Sunbeams for fretless. I use Slinkies and NYXL too and will experiment with Dunlop Super Bright soon.

[@TritoneJazzCamps]

True. Their site has an Accessories section where they sell their stuff. www.drstrings.com/accessories

[@christopherphinney9585]

Great video. Thanks for the tip about putting Sunbeams and a 60s style jazz bass with rosewood fingerboard which I own. Just put a set on and now can’t put it down.

[@lavadoraautomatica1]

Just put some DR sunbeams on my jazz with Rosewood neck and it's in fact amazing!!!!

[@guymorrison4800]

Another Lo riders comment - they were a huge deal back in the old days when you made 4 track demos on tacsam recorders. Instant class bass. Anyway you’ll get the hang of them .

[@andrewgocken517]

He actually explains the difference between the strings. The string / bass combos they used are accommodating. You know your bass. You should know the style and feel of the way you play. All of that should tell you what string you should try. We didn't used to have videos at all. Trial and error, till you found what you liked.

[@chrischilton8455]

Hi Gregor. I will most certainly take you up on your recommendation to try DR Sunbeams on my Jazz with rosewood fingerboard. Always enjoy your videos.

[@thebassrogue]

i used to put the black beauties from DR in my jaguar, they're amazing. But here in Brazil they cost a small fortune lol

[@pennywiseRJ]

pode crer eu curto a DR mas é dificil de achar e o preço é para lá de 200, voltei a usar GHS e quando o bolso tá muito vazio vou de solez hahahahahaahaha

[@andrewgocken517]

Black Beauties on my fretless. Love them. Thinking about Sunbeams or highness E-C on my 5 string. I've played a lot of strings DR strings are different. In a good way.

[@johnkostelidis8163]

The best bass strings I've ever used.

[@arnlmndza]

On Victor W. He uses PBs, but i think he has special gauges - 35 - 95 something like that. I use the 45-105 and after a year (i purposely didn't change them to experiment a bit), they still have some zong on it. I place the Sunbeams next to the D'A XLs.

[@MichaelRinus]

Sadly I can’t double like - for the beautiful playing :)

[@JS-ue2si]

Great video. I use pure blues almost exclusively b/c they're so versatile like you said. DR is the best.

[@petebjerkelund5088]

Sunbeams on my '74 Ric 4001 are perfect. With two single coils, similar to your Jazz bass suggestion comment. Blues have sounded super funky on my G&L SB-2T. Thanks for this demo (same instrument would be preferred method), still, great hear!

[@carlosgarcia9225]

DR people know what they are doing!

[@Jeff-o-Lee]

No "FAT-BEAMS" review? I love those strings & definitely notice a difference in sound and feel compared to "HI-BEAMS". They have a nice low mid punch to them compared to "HI-BEAMS"

[@markbass354]

I need some high beams , thanks Gregor

[@roboslobonator]

Hey thanks for all the great info! I will definitely be trying out some of their strings, sounds great!

[@TheShirsh]

Great video! I'm using Hi-Beams for ~10 years, you made me really curious about Pure Blues now (on the other hand it could be my preference to p-bass sound).

[@ranch51]

Man, such a great, thorough review, and no wasted information/time - thank you !

[@gutbucket260]

Bought a set of 45-105 DR. Hi-Beams for my 4003 Ric. Once the stock Ric brand strings wear out, they're going on.

[@gregoryelliott8521]

Absolutely great video! Thank you so much for making my make a decision on witch strings to buy..

[@grantkoeller8911]

Why does the 1st jazz bass have no knobs???????

[@marklowe7431]

This was a really good review. I've been using the fat beams for years but never tried the others. Thanks.

[@jurajprsa9633]

Missing the FAT-BEAMS :/

[@basstheworldofficial]

We might do another video with more sets soon

[@silverdroid]

Those were Marcus Miller's old signature strings.

[@mutantbaby1672]

Fat Beams have more growl than Hi-beams. That's all I know.

[@vanyiszabi]

"- How sounds the English on German? - Just like this!" Thats really cool! I like it! :D The review ia also good! Thank you!

[@LiquidDubLover]

Gregor from the past! So much info! Awesome comparison! I love that you gave us examples of bassist that use these different strings in real life 🫠 I know these weren’t part of the side-by-side…but I love my DR Black Beauties! Also have a set of the DR Legend flat wounds waiting to go on my Ibanez 🎸

[@thorstenposer]

Hi! Da ich nichts von verdenglischungen halte, mal in Deutsch: Wie wäre es denn mit noch mehr Saiten-Vergleichen? Oder hast Du da schon mehrere? Auch der Vergleich von mehreren Herstellern wäre doch mal interessant.... Gruß und schöne Ostertage Thorsten

[@ricardolima1598]

Hi!! I have a Cort Rithimic V. What do You think about the Sunbeam for this bass. Thanks. Great what You are doing.

[@basstheworldofficial]

That should be an excellent combination!

[@addisonbassist]

I love DR strings... they are by far my favorite. However, I had to stop playing them because whenever I found a dead string in a pack (happened more than any other string brand I've tried) and called the company, they tried to blame me. Sometimes they were even pretty indignant about it, which is a huge turn-off. I'm a lefty, so I've been working on and setting up my own basses for 30 years now. I was using DR's exclusively for nearly 15 years. I'm well aware of the steps required for proper string installation (right angle bend before the cut, etc), but I was still treated pretty poorly... every time I called. So, as much as I love them, I can't support a company with poor customer service who blames their customers for dead string issues. Cheers.

[@adronge]

We are sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, please email us at [e-mail] and will be happy to help you out.

[@zr2700]

It’s most likely how the strings were installed. Did u crimp and cut the ends before putting them on like it specifies on the packet? They tell you to do this because it saves the core of the string from slipping and prevents dead strings. It’s something to do with round cores. I don’t know if the same thing applies with hex cores though. I did this with both my sunbeams and my pure blues when I installed them and they were perfect! No dead strings or anything

[@joshuaestenssorodonoso-tor4856]

Thanks Gregor!

[@nitsudocsicnarf347]

Pure Blues are my go to. I have a set of their DDT strings I will try next. 2017 Gibson EB 5 String, USA made.

[@leobassii]

Great information! Thank you!

[@cazmirnishi2611]

I love using the DR Lo Riders with a P Bass, so punchy and deep

[@DimaSirchenko]

Thanks for such a useful video review.

[@patrickmurphy9186]

If Abraham Lincoln played the bass guitar....

[@guymorrison4800]

Lo-riders again: they mightn’t be ideal on a p style bass - short on mids and doubling bottoms - I’ve just found this playing solo on a G&L Precision style bass - famous last words they’ll probably work out beautifully. They’d be really good on a Jazz style bass but I don’t know actually . I’ve had a set sitting in the cupboard for years.

[@eyeball226]

Why do you never do any of the playing Gregor?

[@FLefty18]

I’m going to put LoRiders on my Marquess 5 I just ordered.. But I have a punchy, growly Ibanez ATK 4 string that needs a restring. Looking for some Les Claypool slapping. Der Hi-Beams, yah?

[@basstheworldofficial]

Claypool has lots of mids in his sound. I’d try the Sunbeams

[@jonwilson8504]

I'm using DR "Black Beauties" on my Fender Jazz

[@Kataklysme666]

man, if its not on the same bass how can we compare tones ?

[@vdubride]

i am interested in learning some of those basslines...got tabs?

[@PerezBroz-p5o]

What about fat beams? I love them. Are they similar to lo riders?

[@CheckDaClaws]

This might be a silly question, but is that GK amp in the back being used for this recording?

[@basstheworldofficial]

Nope. We’re using amps usually only in specific amp videos

[@davidg.3388]

Why does it seem like Rene's playing Baby Shark on the Adamovic?

[@novamusicgdl]

Hi beams ir low rider , which one si better

[@miket2646]

Wow... different basses are different.

[@Glockenstein0869]

I use the DR Fat Beams- 5 string. Excellent strings....

[@perogrullo1008]

If I use 100 and then I change to 105 this last can bend the neck of the bass?

[@bigmixmax]

Thanks!

[@liohrt]

I've just bought a 5 string version of the pure blues strings that I've installed on my Fender jazz 5 34 inches scale and.. I've got a problem with the low B string: it's too long on the "thick" part of the string (where normally a thinner part appears after the nut, so you can wrap it easily around the tuning machine). So here the string is obviously not wrapped correctly around the tuning machine, it looks like the string is supposed to be for a multiscale instrument or a string through body one.... very annoying since the package is for "long gauge" instruments. Has anyone encountered the same thing? I contacted the online store about it and they told me "It's normal, bye byen have a nice day..."

[@idiotburns]

What about fat beams, where do they sit in the mix?

[@T.d.Mack74]

Think I'm going back to the blues hi beams aren't enough

[@kurthoward9707]

Great review

[@FLefty18]

Will the LoRiders with 130 B String fit on a HB Marquess 5 ?

[@amirbonyadi2611]

Thank You

[@idiotburns]

Handmade strings, DR, Stringjoy and Thomastik Infeld

[@maxjbg]

Mmmh sound like Bass strings to me.. :) so I would buy them.

[@KingPorter]

Why you didn't review the FAT BEAMS?

[@1okanaganguy]

Good presentation, will purchase sunbeams next, what about flats?

[@michaellorenz7177]

DR make flats, they're called Legends flatwaounds.

[@evzzs]

Lo riders tap really well and don’t allow the string to roll/twist when you’re tapping on them or holding down a string.

[@andrewmckenzie956]

Fat beam? Coated series?

[@ThePanchomack]

Great Comparison, cheers

[@pablodelfuego6567]

La Bella low tension are amazing strings too check em out.

[@willb1157]

Thank You.What are you show casing here? because it's not the strings now, is it? A different bass for each string? I would love to try them all - they are very expensive here, but I guess that is what I have to do.

[@jde1780]

Even though this is a long time ago, each set of strings should have been played in three styles Slap, Finger-style, Pick. You can't get a fair sense of what they really sound like without these techniques.

[@williamchaney243]

Having a nickel allergy i was drawn to Dr strings from the start because of their coating

[@jimmyjam5358]

What about the colored ones?

[@UncleRJ]

4:00 "Even if they're months old, they still sound absolutely amazing" Greg not replacing strings exposed. Glenn Fricker's hackled up and on the hunt. Better lock your doors and windows.

[@m9teo]

yo should demo the neons, they seem pretty cool.

[@ethanlancaster76]

They’re terrible!!!

[@aliceholloway3564]

I love the neons they sound great

[@peixecobain]

Starts at 1:50

[@jbaranowski1990]

Which of those strings do you recommend for Ernie Ball Musicman StingRay bass?

[@basstheworldofficial]

Hi Beams or Pure Blues

[@jbaranowski1990]

@@basstheworldofficial thanks :)

[@BlackRootsAcademyOfSoul]

I just installed mine (heavy gauge) on my Status Graphite Custom S2 Classic 5 Strings Headless Bass yesterday. Let me see how that goes 🤞🏿 They sound great if your Bass is drop down tuned like mine is. Robust and tight. Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿❤️

[@whysopanda]

the most stereotypical German i have ever heard ... fucking love it !!! more !!!

[@LFC-Star]

I've DR Neon's and they sound as good now as they did when new.. That was almost 3 yrs ago 2017.. I'm gonna stick with DR I've used Rotosound and D'Addario and both those brands the stings lose their tone after a few playing sessions.. The DR's don't.

[@kennedyjones4039]

Hey Tybok C you ever try boiling your strings? They may be even more impressive than now. I just did so with the Fender strings that came on my PJ I purchased in Oct 2019 and I have to say they sound totally amazing...at least 90% back to original form. Check out vids on KZbin if you want to see how-to and results but all you need to do is bring a pot of water to boil and drop them in (a few drops of dish soap helps separate the crud) then remove with tongs (as they are scalding) then be sure to dry them completely. Remember when taking strings off detune one at a time, wait a few minutes then remove (repeat for all strings) - this will help keep the neck positioned somewhat closely to pre-boil setting.

[@slappadabass135]

Get Down! Get in the choppa!

[@paolozak3014]

6 months ?!? That’s merely the break-in period for flatwounds 😂

[@TheSmooshster]

He doesn't own a jazz bass with a rosewood fingerboard. Must be nice to be able to afford only basses with better tonewoods

[@joshstarkey8883]

I like Hi Beams, I prefer Kalium and D'addario B strings though. The taper might have something to do with it. I wish more bass demos included 5 string. It seems like even when there's one in the thumbnail, the player typically ignores the B and just plays the E - G.

[@mutantbaby1672]

I agree with the D'addario B. NYXL has probably the best tonal definition I have tried. Ed Friedland said he tried just about every B on the market and his favorite is La Bella Hard Rockin' Steel 128 which I can't seem to find around here. I used to use Lo-rider 135 for heavy rock. It's very punchy and there's no floppiness at all but I haven't done a direct comparison with the NYXL on the same bass.

[@joshstarkey8883]

My favorite strings so far are the prosteels, I even have my BEAD bass with a .125 tapered one for a B. While the tension is low, not overly so, and it's very defined and bright. I have their nickel rounds (I forget D'addario's brand name) on my fretless and that's also a nice B. I think I'll have to try Lo Riders on my fretted 5 that had the Hi Beams, or even just a Lo Beam B string if I can get it. I like the Hi Beam E-G fine.

[@mutantbaby1672]

@@joshstarkey8883 Yup, you can get Lo-rider B singles and they are available in taper wound but they are steel so they might eat your fretboard. I only use them on fretted. I use Sunbeams on fretless.

[@joshstarkey8883]

Mutant Baby Yeah It'd be for a fretted bass, I like the nickel just fine on the fretless

[@joshstarkey8883]

Mutant Baby Is there a store or site you recommend? I used to use bassstringsonline but that hasn't reopened yet.

[@grantkoeller8911]

DR pure blues are pure nickel, and Sunbeams are nickel plated.

[@justaridemotovlogs9282]

It’s impossible to tell the difference between the strings with different basses. Please use the same bass, setup, amp, settings, etc so we can actually tell the difference

[@basstheworldofficial]

This is not a comparison video

[@bapt_andthebasses]

@@basstheworldofficial You cannot give adjectives on bass strings without having them in a comparison. The bass characteristics could be acting. So maybe if several people are telling it would have been better to have the same bass played, there's a part of truth :) and need to know!