Suggest strings for my SFII

saemola

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Hello fellas,

I have a 90s SFII with stock pickups.
I’ve had D’Addario Chromes on for a few years, but I’m not in love with them.
I find that in order to get a thumpy sound I need an insanely high action... and it’s still not as thumpy as I’d like.

What I’m looking for is something darker than the chromes, more thumpy (think Paul McCartney, though that might be too extreme of a sound for a SF), possibly with less tension than Chromes medium scale cause with a high action they are kinda heavy, but that doesn’t roll under your fingers like some flats do cause it gives me the creeps.

I know there are hundreds of different flats models out there so I’d really appreciate your input on this!
By the way, it doesn’t have to be flats. I’m pointed towards that direction cause the that’s the idea of sound I’m after and because most taper I’ve heard were too bland whereas I’m looking for something gnarly, with character, but I’m open to suggestions!

This could be a good example of sound I’m chasing: https://g.co/kgs/CAo4a8
 

saemola

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Thank you mav.
I hear they have a pretty disomogeneous E string. Do you not find that to be the case?
I also seem to recall people mentioning them having a pretty high tension. What are your thoughts on that? Maybe I’m confusing them with some other strings.
 

mavuser

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in my experience low tension. and the tone is what a Starfire/Bisonic should sound like. I know yours has humbuckers, but u mention "thumpy" and so id say go for the TI flats for that Phil/Starfire tone if that is what you're after. the D'adarrio chrome flats medium scale sound great with humbuckers but imo they need to be changed at some point, they do go dull, but they do last a while. I believe Mgod on this forum has posted TI rounds as well as TI flats either/or. Im far from a professional and don't really like playing rounds.
 

saemola

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Interesting. I’m very curious to try those and the Pyramids. I’m definitely looking for a dead kind of tone. Not sure what you mean by dead on the D’Addarios as I find them way too bright. Maybe you mean another kind of dead.
Thanks!
 

Happy Face

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NOt sure what you meant about the E string being disomogeneous. But if you think the 105 is too fat, you can find a so-called Hofner set which has a 95 E string.

Pyramids have a bit more tension.
 

saemola

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What I meant was, I read some sets of TI come with an E string with a different sound than the rest of the set. Maybe it’s just an internet legend. :D
Walrus, aren’t XLs round wound strings? What do you mean by a wound third?
 

Minnesota Flats

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Well, I was going to recommend Chromes til I finished reading your OP. I use them on my SFs and also use a pre-amp to to broaden the tonal range. But if you dislike the feel as well as the sound of Chromes, I guess that's out.
 

saemola

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Something about the Chromes feels sterile to me. Too much high end, not enough mid range thump.
I love their feel under my fingers as in textures, but I find the tension too high since I like to keep a high action on my bass.
 

fronobulax

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What I meant was, I read some sets of TI come with an E string with a different sound than the rest of the set. Maybe it’s just an internet legend. :D
Walrus, aren’t XLs round wound strings? What do you mean by a wound third?

Walrus confused the Starfire II bass with the Starfire II guitar, I'll bet.
 

JimmyD

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in my experience low tension. and the tone is what a Starfire/Bisonic should sound like. I know yours has humbuckers, but u mention "thumpy" and so id say go for the TI flats for that Phil/Starfire tone if that is what you're after. the D'adarrio chrome flats medium scale sound great with humbuckers but imo they need to be changed at some point, they do go dull, but they do last a while. I believe Mgod on this forum has posted TI rounds as well as TI flats either/or. Im far from a professional and don't really like playing rounds.

I've got TI flats on 3 of my basses.....they're the bomb.
 

saemola

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Walrus confused the Starfire II bass with the Starfire II guitar, I'll bet.

Ah, that makes sense now.

Thanks for you input everybody.
Anyone here had the chance to try both TI and Pyramids on their SF and could give their opinion on the difference in tone and feel?
Looks like it boils down to these two sets for the majority of people.
Again, I’m looking for something with much lower tension than the Chromes, with a thumpier and darker tone (which, according to this article, both seem to achieve), though I would love their silky feel and the fact hat they don’t “roll” under your fingers.
 
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