Acoustic Electric Bass Strings Recommendations

[mikedm]

Keeping it short - loaned to me a Michael Kelly acoustic elec, fretless 5 string. The strings are dead. Look like bronze or phosfor-bronze wrap. I've had bronze strings before (Ovation bass), I loath the way they feel and they sound too bright for my tastes. Not to mention they get UGLY when they age.
Are there any alternatives? I ask because it appears that a-e bass manufacturers string their basses with nothing else.
 
FYI: uses a Fishman MKAB pre-amp, with Acoustic under saddle pickup. Is that a piezo pup and does it make a diference?
 
(geez, looks like it's my month for annoying string questions)
 
(Message edited by groovelines on September 14, 2006)

[valvil]

Personally, I also hate bronze strings. I think that  manufacturers do it to give you a bit of extra brightness in the (vain) hope that when the instrument is played acoustically you can actually hear it from further than 5 feet away (of course as long as nobody else is playing along). I've put regular bass strings on a/e basses and was much happier with that.
 
Valentino

[bigredbass]

GLines:
 
While talking to a MKelly dealer, the subject of the TI ABG strings came up.  His eyes lit up and he said that they absolutely 'transformed the tone', unquote.  Interesting in that they are a NYLON core (I don't know if they are braonze outer wrap), no doubt a technique migrated from their bowed-instrument strings.
 
A steel (as in magnetic) core would NOT be necessary on a piezo-only instrument.  I don't think that any other ABG strings are made this way (though I could easily be wrong), so these might be worth investigating.  I played them on a Ribbecke Hafling and they felt amazing, sounded fine unplugged.
 
J o e y

[richbass939]

I'm glad this topic came up.  I have a Tacoma Thunderchief that I love the sound of.  I was going to try to get the same string that came on it (some type of bronze string, I believe).  I assumed that regular strings would not really be made for AEB guitars but that may not be true.  Thanks, Valentino.  I'll give it a try.
Rich

[flaxattack]

i have a kelly 5 string
ther bronze strings left residue on my fingers and the sliding sound was a bit loud
i used TI flats powerbass strings instead and like them a lot
they are lighter guage than the regular ti flats

[flaxattack]

i like the fishman on mine

[mikedm]

Thanks, everyone.
 
The nylon core TIs that Joey refers to have a phosfor-bronze wrap.
 
As stated in my other post, I like the TI Jazz Rounds and was thinking why not?, Val's comment I've put regular bass strings on a/e basses and was much happier with that. may push me in that direction. Flats are tempting as well.
 
I'm making an assumption about the MK pup that because it's under the saddle it's piezo.
 
thanks again,
Mike

[mikedm]

bit bullet and put on a set of TI nickle wrapped rounds, local shop was out of flats. sound great, nice attack.