Rotosound on Alembic?

[James Patrick Lykens (bassment)]

Hello all!
 
     I just bought my Alembic a little over a week ago now, a '78 Series 1.  The strings that are on there have been there a while and are pretty dead.  I have been thinking about Rotosound's.  
     I am wondering if there are any other Alembic owners out there who use Rotosound's an their Alembic's and if they sound good.  Excluding Stanley Clarke as an example, lol.

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Hi James,
 
I like Rotosounds....  I like the RS66 alot.  My only problem with them is that they're a little too Gritty for my taste.  They're brutal on frets, and forget about putting them on a fretless...you'll see the sawdust flying while you play!
 
My personal favorite strings (after Alembic strings...of course!) are Dean Markley Blue Steels - (Nickel Plated steels).  Great sound, long lasting, smooth to the touch and quiet.
 
My 2 cents,
 
Rami

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

Rami:
 
Have you ever tried any of the DMarkley 'Will Lee' sets?  I've got a chance to get some CHEEP and I was wondering if they were the same as the 'Blue Steels', or if you had any experience with them?
 
I agree with you totally about the RotoSounds.
 
J o e y

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Hi Joey,
 
No, I never tried the Will Lee set.  But if the Blue Steels quality is any indication, I'm sure they're great.  I think their design is more around Will Lee's custom guage preferences. rather than the actual winding or material that the strings are made from.
 
I personally prefer their nickel plated steels - light guage.

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Hey Guys,
 
Don't mind if I chime in?!?  Joey, I use the SR2000 pretty exclusively on just about all of my basses.  They are pretty lively when it comes to sound but they can be a bit gritty at first.  Not as gritty as Rotos but more so than the Blue Steels Nickels that you use Rami.  Plus, the SR2000 have an exposed core on all the strings with the exception of the lighter strings (.045 and up).  I've been a Dean Markley endorser for almsot ten years now so I've had a chance to try out quite a few of their strings.  I do enjoy the SR2000s a lot.  If you don't like the idea of an exposed core, their SuperRounds are the same as the SR2000s only without the exposed core.
Just my 2 cents worth
 
Peace,
Dino

[John Stefancik (jet_powers)]

I agree with you all about the drawbacks to the Rotosounds. However, I have found I'm always disappointed with other strings and have used the Roto's exclusively for quite some time now. But that's just me...
 
John

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Hey John,
 
I used Rotos for years but then I started to notice that every pack I was buying had at least one bad string in it.  This was years ago though, I'm assuming that they've fixed the problem.
 
Dino

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Hi guys,
 
As I mentioned earlier, I really do like Rotosounds - I grew up with them on all of my Jazz Basses for years - I even like their flats and 707 series.  They have a really clear and powerful sound.  I just don't like the way they squeak and chew up everything they come into contact with.  More modern strings are smoother, quieter and as bright sounding as the old Rotosounds.  If Stanley Clarke used them, I wonder how many refretting jobs he's had done on his poor Bass!

[Joe Schwartz (the_schwartz)]

I always used RS66s on my J Bass, but decided to try a set of DR Hi Beam lights on it after I bought my Elan 5.  The Elan has Elixir Nanoweb (not to be confused with magnetic flux density unit Nanoweber) lights.  I am spoiled by the smooth horizontal (sliding) feel of the Elixirs, though their tone is a little twangier than my ideal.  I like the sound and vertical (pulling and bending) feel of the DRs, especially for slapping.
 
Still, the Elan sounds much bigger and better than the J Bass :-)

[Rami Sourour (rami)]

Aaah that gorgeous Elan....
 
It's in a class by itself....
 
It shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence as a Jazz Bass!
 
Since I got my first Alembic, I never looked at Fender's the same way anymore.

[Michael Delacerda (dela217)]

I have not used Rotosounds for many years.  Lately I have either been using DR Highbeams or Thomastic-Infeld Jazz Flats.  They are the exact opposite of each other!  I am sort of torn.  I'll use the DR's and love them.  Then I get tired of that sound and go to the Jazz Flats.  Then back to the DR's. I am crazy about the way the Jazz Flats feel and that they are low tension.  I like the DR's bottom end and they sort of have their own scooped out midrange built in to the string.  The DR's are also a lower tension than some strings out there too.  I think that the DR Highbeams are a perfect mate for 20th Anniversary electronics - Michael

[Joe Schwartz (the_schwartz)]

Rami,
 
It's kind of like owning a Mercedes and a Chevy.  I also look at Fenders differently now, especially since American-made ones are advertised like luxury items these days.
 
Joe

[James Patrick Lykens (bassment)]

Howdy!
 
Its me again.  This time I was wondering if you all prefer Stainless Steel or Nickel-Plated?
 
                               Peace.    

[Joey Wilson (bigredbass)]

Dino:
 
I DON'T prefer the exposed core, and I have come to prefer nickel to stainless.  So, have YOU ever tried the Will Lees, or do you know which DM string they actually are?
 
I always wondered this about RotoSounds:  They always seemed to lose that 'new-string growl' REALLY fast.  I always wondered if it was because they spent a month crossing the Atlantic, the salt air. . .
 
I've been using the Thomastik Jazz/Wounds and really like the even tone and even feel.  
 
Does anybody but me remember the rumor that after Chris Squire and Geddy Lee put that Rick/RotoSound tone on the map, Rickenbacker had so many refrets under warranty that they brought out the 4003 strictly for round wound strings and they wouldn't honor refrets on 4001s?  Or was that just a rumor?
 
J o e y

[Dino Monoxelos (dean_m)]

Hey Joey,
 
I should clarify!!!  The Will Lees are actually SR2000s.  They are his custom gauge set though, that's why they're referred to as the Will Lee set.  They do say SR2000 Will Lee on the box, and they are the exposed core.  So as you say you don't prefer exposed core, stay away from the Will Lee's.  So sorry for the confusion!!!!
Regarding your question about the Rotos, I do remember asking  the same question about shelf life on them, I was told that by the time they are manufactured, packaged, shipped, received through customs here, distributed to the stores etc, it could be more than 6-7 months by the time you get them on your bass.  
I also remember hearing that the warranty on a 4001 is void if Roundwound strings are used on it, hence the reason for the 4003.  I don't know if it came from Rick or not but I do remember hearing it in one of the stores at the time.