Best strings for an Alembic ?

[yanc]

Hello all,  
 
I would like to know what are the best strings for an Alembic.  
 
I play an Alembic Epic 4, I already tried many strings like Rotosound Nylon 65-115, Ernie Ball Cobalt 55-110, Labella Nylon, DR DDT 110 and sunbeams 45-105 ...
 
I tried the Rotosound PSD-99 (like Stanley Clarke) ...
 
 
But I never tried the Alembic Strings CX-3 ...
 
 
 
Are these strings are very good for our basses dans if you had heard a difference between other brand strings ??
 
 
Thank you very much for your advises, experiences

[mario_farufyno]

I don't know if there is such thing, that is simply a matter of taste, IMO. I love the sparkling tone of light steel string sets, but on Alembic I'd rather using Nickels to counteract their naturally more open tone.

[5a_quilt_top]

It really depends upon what sound you're trying to get.
 
The Alembic strings are very high quality, last a long time and feel great. They are very versatile and can accommodate a wide variety of playing styles.
 
I use them on three of my four Alembics (SC Sig Deluxe, Spyder and 5-string Europa).
 
On my fourth, a custom Signature Deluxe, I decided to switch to flat wound DiAddrio Chromes because they  deliver a more of a traditional old school Alembic tone similar to what you hear on recordings where Phil Lesh and Jack Casady  are using Alembic or Alembic-modified basses.
 
I used this bass with these strings for the first time on Monday night for a performance where I was supporting three acoustic guitarists and, IMO, the tone sat in the mix perfectly. It had clarity and definition and did not compete with the acoustic guitars.

[mario_farufyno]

If I recall it well, CX sets are compressed strings, like GHS's pressurewound. Its outer windings are eliptical to lay them somewhere between rounds and flats (feel and tone wise, too). Some feels halfwounds as being too harsh on fingers and prefer that way.

[tubeperson]

I do use the CX strings on some of my Alembics, and the short scale version on my BC Rich Bich's.  Finding them is another story.  I like them, but also like others i.e. half rounds and nickel wounds.  Just what works for me.

[Glynn]

For many years I used Elites Stainless 40 - 100 on my Orion 4 and still think they are great and a good price (about ?16).  I have recently put a set of Skjold (the guitar maker) stainless 40 - 100 on by way of a change and am very pleased with them.  They are ?20 from Bass Direct in UK - I live about 45 mins from there. Stainless are better for me as I have a skin allergy to certain things and don't want to risk Nickel.  I think Rotosound stainless are a bit hard on frets. It is a bit of a minefield as you can waste a lot of money, especially if going for the expensive strings.  Also it is not brilliant for the bass to make drastic changes in gauges so I keep to 40 - 100.  Glynn

[bassilisk]

I'm a string hound and firmly believe that certain basses sound their best with certain strings, whether it's nickel vs steel, flats vs rounds etc.
I've put new strings on a bass and thought they sounded awful. Not being a wastrel I'd take them off, put them on something else and find they sound amazing.
 
I've tried many types and brands on my MK Sig Std over the years and have found that for me, the strings that sounded best overall were the Alembics. I don't use them on anything else and find this pairing is perfect for what I like.

[edwin]

Pyramid Gold! :-)

[sonicus]

I use Pyramid Gold for flat wound strings and Dean Markley XL 40-95 #2670 for round wound strings.   Both are  4 string sets .

[yanc]

Thank you very much for your answers, I notice most of you use light strings (

[bonesrad]

I've messed around with many different strings on my Alembic.  Currently I am most happy with DR Lo-Riders.  Kind of middle of the road price wise and a nice even tone.
 
Bones

[sonofa_lembic]

Hands down for me is D'Addario Prosteels in a 40-100 with a 125 low B if a 5 string.  They are clear, bright, and resonant.  The best low B I have ever heard.  These strings can make a crappy bass sound amazing.  If you want to hear everything an Alembic is capable of, these are truly the best.  *Note: Do not use if you like the sound of 60's Motown mud.

[bigredbass]

I like bigger strings.  
 
I'm currently running D'Addario XL's:  EXL160-5 (50, 75, 85, 105, 135).  I like bigger G's and D's.  It did take a little adjustment coming from a more typical 45-130 set I was using, but no problem after it took a set with the new sizes.
 
I agree with Trevor that the ProSteels are first rate, I just didn't want quite that much bark for myself.  And the great thing about the D'Ad's are that you can often get very good deals on them, harder to do with more specialist brands like Pyramid or Thomastik:  If you change strings a lot, it can be a consideration.
 
On the radar is to try the Gary Willis Custom set from GHS, their Progressives in a 45-135 set.  Time will tell .  . . .
 
I often think I should be like Jimmy Johnson and just use the same strings from now on.  Honestly for me, after a week or two, they all sound the same:  Dead.  
 
J o e y

[bigredbass]

PS, Yanc:  
 
'Best' strings for an Alembic is a VERY subjective thing, like each person's favorite way to cook a steak or their favorite car.  Try different sets, and just settle on what works for YOU.  There isn't an empirically prove-able answer to that.
 
J o e y

[jazzyvee]

My short scale bass came with Elites when i first bought it and i ordered some Alembic strings to replace them with. At the time they were cheaper to buy on-line from the USA than buy them here from the UK distributor so I bought about 4 or 5 packs. I recently changed to D'addario's that bass on PierreYves recommendation and they sound great and are now on all my basses.  i've also tried RCocco on recommendation by FC_Spoiler and whilst they are great i found them quite abrasive on my fingers and by the time the roughness was gone, so had the brightness and of course they weren't cheap  either.
In the past I've tried Fodera and some DR but found they didn't keep their brightness for very long.  
 
Jazzyvee