Strings for trems?

What are the best strings for trem use. I know lighter strings=greater range, but what else? Stainless or nickel? Model? manufacturer?

I've had equal luck with everything I've tried so far...

i've experienced more ease of use with the trem with lighter gauge strings ... not as stiff.

if staying in tune is an issue, the lighter gauge strings help as well. less friction and bind.

i prefer medium/heavy ss roundwounds allaround (trem or not) and just deal with the two above issues. i lift weights, have a rigourous right arm training regimine and eat my spinach daily so i can grab the trem arm like a superhero and i spend the time for a trem set up to be as correct as it can be so it stays in tune.

From trying about 10, 15 different sets, I can safely say, Thomastic Jazz Rounds, but they are really, really low tension, and the trem only needs two springs. Oh man, I gould get more range than most guitars....... barring Floyds.

Thomastic Jazz Flats are the next best.

With these two sets, there are two major problems, they are expensive, and they can break easily enough, its why I don't use them on my trems now.

Other than them, D'Addario Chromes are good for holding tune, and low action without buzz, and are pretty pliable.

I like my Optima Golds, on my P w/Kahler, but I have them tuned down, because of the high tension.

Everything else I've tried have been fine, but not as good.

What gauge TI Jazz Rounds were you using? How do they and Optimas compare to Rotosound 66s?

E - .089,
A - .068,
D - .051,
G - .043

They are nothing like Rotos, in any way, much softer feeling, and lower tension, almost feel like half rounds, they are particularily smooth. Much less clangy tone. Nickles.....

Optimas, are different too, but closer to Rotos than TI's.
Higher tension, with lighter guages. Better tone(for me), agressive, but again not clangy, feel different, more like steels than nickles, but don't bite into youf fingers like steels do. Fingers don't snag any, so slides feel great. Last really long too, heck I still have the set I got last year, and they sound awesome.

Oh, and for the record, I do like Rotos.

Hey does anyone know where I could get a calibrated 8 string set to use with a trem? I'm thinking about getting that John Gallagher sig, but I don't know where I'd get strings for it. I know TUNE makes some, but theirs cost almost $100, and are nickel, so they'll go dead after 2-3 weeks. I could use a normal 8 string set, but he root and octave strings will change pitch at different rates, so divebombing will sound pretty bad.

I'm obsessing over that bass aren't I?

Never heard of calibrated sets before.

Oh, and I find steels to die much faster than nickles....

I've never heard of calibrated sets, either. And to be honest, I wouldn't expect the strings to drop at an even interval anyways due to the massive difference in tension no matter how calibrated they may be. Besides, I would also expect that the resulting cacophony would sound killer!

I used Rotosound Swing Bass 66's faithfully for years, then I switched to SFARZO strings. I've also had great luck with D'Addario XL's, and also with Dean Markley Blue Steels. I never had good luck with Ernie Ball or GHS, but this latest set of GHS Bassics are holding their tune perfectly. My only complaint is that the E string has gone dead after only a couple of weeks, while the other three are fine.

EricHaven wrote:

I've never heard of calibrated sets, either. And to be honest, I wouldn't expect the strings to drop at an even interval anyways due to the massive difference in tension no matter how calibrated they may be. Besides, I would also expect that the resulting cacophony would sound killer!

Ya I think TUNE are the only company that make them, mostly because they're the only company that make 8 string basses with trems until Johns sig comes out. I don't know about the dissonance. I guess it might be cool for someone like you who has basses that don't make crazy out of tune sounds when you dive bomb, but it will be my only trem equipped bass, so I kinda want to avoid that. Which is what an "8 string trem set" is supposed to do. I've figured out that

based on the root string gauge to octave string gauge ratio from the TUNE strings, the octaves for a 40-100 set should be 16 24 32 40.

Actually Kugelspot, every single time I divebomb, the strings do go out tune relative to each other. So if I were to hold an E chord while dropping the bar, you would hear the strings all go out tune with each other on the way down, then settle back in tune on the way up. This is why the Steinberger TransTrem was/is so cool, because each string has it's own adjustable tension so that even while dropping entire chords, the strings all stay in tune with each other. I believe that the bass trem system on TUNE basses works the same way.

The fact that my tuning does go all over the place doesn't bother me since my tremming is usually quick and dramatic, or just on a single string at a time. And sometimes I will drop the whole thing down, finger a chord, and enjoy the dissonance and rumbling as the strings all return to pitch on the way back up.

^ ya, I know. You guys are misunderstanding me (again... I should try to make myself more clear). I'm not trying to solve that problem, just the dissonance when you dive on one note on an 8 string without having to spend almost $5 a day on strings ($100/21 days per set)

I understood what you meant, and my answer is still the same. I seriously doubt that even a so-called "calibrated" set of strings is going to keep the bass string and it's upper-octave counterpart moving together in tune due to the huge difference in tension. I highlighted the chord issue only as an illustration, but you are still talking about the same thing. And that would be when two strings that are meant to be somehow in tune with one another are moved while using a tremolo. It doesn't matter if it's two strings separated by an octave, a fifth, a third, or whatever.

An E string that is, say, a 105 is not going to travel the same rate as it's upper octave companion gauged at 040, or whatever it happens to be.

I will grant you that I have never done any such experiments on an 8-stringer with a trem, but I do know a thing or two about the behavior of strings based upon their relative tension. So I might be totally wrong, but in my honest opinion, there isn't much you can do to alleviate the problem short of investing in a TransTrem-style system.

Oh, I see what you mean now. I don't know. I think its worth a try, but it might not work out. In a way, it would be nice if it didn't. I wouldn't feel like I needed to buy all those single strings just to make 1 set

I just ordered some new strings for my bass with the Kahler. Before I had on some leftover D'addario nickel half-rounds. I only used them because I had a six string set and I wanted to see how the top four strings would work at standard pitch with the trem. The range you get with them is wonderful, but the tension is just way too low for me (.080 - .030 XP). Soon I'll have a set of single strings I ordered from D'addario. Nickel XLs: .095 .070 .055 .040. I can't wait to see how these will work with the Kahler!

so, basically the lighter strings gauge is better for the tremolo?
right now i use jim dunlop rob trujillo sig 0.45 hope it will work with kahler..

They will.

The thinner gauges are better but the standard gauges usually work ok if they don't bind at your nut.

I have gone back to roto RS66LD's exclusively and they stay in tune fine ... and sound great!

I just bought a set of these:

http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Warwick-Red-label-Stainless-Wound-Medium-Light-5String-Bass-Strings?sku=105021

So far, so good! I wanted to slap on a new set before our premier gig, and these looked like a good deal. I test-drove them during practice, and they worked really well. Like MadMike said, the lighter gauge does seem to make a difference in how they behave on a trem.

Has anyone tried the EB Cobalt Strings with a trem? Their one of my fav strings.

I still keep going back to Roto's. Just can't seem to find any other string that works as well.

EricHaven wrote:

I still keep going back to Roto's. Just can't seem to find any other string that works as well.

and i think most bassists feel that way about the strings they choose. "its the best because it works and its the one i picked." if it aint broke ... right?

just stated differently; i dont pick the rotos for any trem benefit. ss med gauge has no trem benefit over any other stainless roundwound. rotos def have their own feel, chime and tone ... that piano string sound. its what i want and feels right under the fingers.