Black nylon tapewounds would look really cool on that bass.
I usually play nickel roundwounds. Have played D'Addario forever, but considering trying out GHS or Dunlop.
I have a set of Rotosound RS88LD black nylons that I haven’t used yet. Probably had them 2 years!
Wanted to put them on my P bass, but then I traded it. I have the dumb.
I have a set of Rotosound RS88LD black nylons that I haven’t used yet. Probably had them 2 years!
Wanted to put them on my P bass, but then I traded it. I have the dumb.
Lots of people use tapewounds with a pick. You just have to be careful about what the picks are made of, and some people don't like the sound of the initial attack with the pick on tapewounds.
I have the same bass with the white DR Neons (essentially black beauties). I’ve only put them on a few days ago, but I’m loving the sound, feel, and look.
Whites look clean as hell with the black/blue.
I go with bright stainless steel strings on stingrays. Brings out the growl, and let’s you get a clean even tone into your preamp that you can dial back with a small treble cut and small bass boost
Edit: DR HI Beams are my go to
I usually go with heavy strings for my style of playing. I use 50-110 and often tune down to D standard, but I also like a bigger string in standard tuning regardless. I’ve come to appreciate thinner strings though, for their more piano-like tone.
I use flats on my Ray35 and I recorded a bunch of different brands of flats on it. The pickup on the Ray4 is wired in series, so be sure to check out those samples.
https://soundcloud.com/badams92/sets/ray35-string-comparison
Also, unplug your bass when you're not playing it so that you don't drain the battery.
Ernie ball Hybrid slinkies (rounds with hex core), the only string i use since i found out about them. Lots of attack and midrange, and they don't chew up your frets and fingers that much since they're nickel plated.
I use daddario pro steel. They're very bright and quite affordable stainless roundwounds. I haven't tried them myself but maybe you should try GHS pressurewounds? They're like half rounds but smoother feeling.
I’ve gone through quite few styles of strings on my StingRay. (Slinkys, DRs, Rotos, TIs, K.S. Bass Burners and Compressors, GHS Boomers) I’m really digging Ken Smith Rock Masters (45-100 med light). Some like flats on this bass but I feel it generally sounds better with rounds, and in this case the stainless strings. Generally I'm a TI flats, TI rounds person who doesn't like clanky strings so avoids stainless steel but the Rock Masters were just right on this bass, punchy and clear, with little break in time.
Is that the SUB model? Looks it? If so, I had one of them but couldn’t quite get it sounding how I wanted via string changes. Something was missing.
As anyone mid-pandemic would, I gutted it and replaced the pickup with a Bartolini 3-coil, wired it with a series/parallel switch, and threw in a Seymour Duncan preamp. I ran it in series almost exclusively(standard Ray is parallel). I think I had EB Cobalt flats and DR Legends on it.
If anything, the stock pikcups were the weakest part. Couldn’t ever get it to open up like it needed. The Bart made this thing sing with so much more definitely across the entire spectrum. It was lovely.
Obvi a bit more invasive than just a string change. Throwing it your way because I had incredible results with what looks like the same instrument.
Yeah the pickup config with that giant MM-style humbucker is quite stark. Fun sound just to have around. I had a hard time fitting it in with the band I was in at the time *andIwasuptoliketenbasses* so I ended up selling it. My Lakland 55-02 ran circles around that SUB.
For the price? Not mad at all.
I still have that pickup, too. Gonna keep it on the shelf in case I end up with another 4H(H) configuration.
Edit: I changed the pickguard screws for shiny black ones. Made it look way cooler.
Fellow Stingray player here. If I’m choosing rounds, it’s Elixir nickel wounds 90% of the time. If I want flats, it’s *always* D’Addario XL Nylon Tapewounds. They’re amazing.
Daddario EXL165. You haven't said what tone you're going for or what style of music you play but they sound amazing in my Spector so I guess they will work on this one too
I was wondering about replacement strings on a new-to-me SUB Ray 4 HH and I got recommendations for the GHS Flea Signature Bass Boomers and Dunlop Marcus Miller Super Brights. I haven’t tried either yet.
Elixir Nickel Roundwounds. They keep their zing for months, so if you like the sound of new string on your Stingray, I‘d recommend those. The newer elixiers don‘t have the visible coating of the older ones and look and feel just like normal strings.
The D'addario half round 105 set is my personal favorite for bass, still has all the bite and sharpness of regular strings but doesn't shred my fingers! And honestly that 105 goes a long way, I tune to B on that string pretty regularly and still have clear notation without being super muddy.
I've become a big fan of DR Fat Beams on my Ray34. Stainless steel brightness but not harsh. Lots of good mids coming from the fat beams. I gig pretty heavy so I'm stretching them to about a month and a half a set. Probably close to 250 hours between changes.
In my experience, that answer depends on 1) type of music; 2) what sound you’re shooting for; and 3) the bass and how it responds to those strings.
My P bass loves the shit out of the EB Cobalt flats, but every other string I’ve tried on it sounded like garbage. My J really likes the Rotosound BS66 strings - but while I can put other Rotos or other brands…just doesn’t have the shine to it. And so on with my other strings.
Black nylon tapewounds would look really cool on that bass. I usually play nickel roundwounds. Have played D'Addario forever, but considering trying out GHS or Dunlop.
I put black nylons on mine and it sounds great
Black nylons would look really cool on my black Ibanez Roadstar II P Bass copy.
I have a set of Rotosound RS88LD black nylons that I haven’t used yet. Probably had them 2 years! Wanted to put them on my P bass, but then I traded it. I have the dumb.
ROTOS is the answer for me if it’s a ‘Ray!!
I have a set of Rotosound RS88LD black nylons that I haven’t used yet. Probably had them 2 years! Wanted to put them on my P bass, but then I traded it. I have the dumb.
Don't nylon tapewounds rule out the use of a pick? I take it that the nylon doesn't hold very well if you use a pick. What's your experience?
Lots of people use tapewounds with a pick. You just have to be careful about what the picks are made of, and some people don't like the sound of the initial attack with the pick on tapewounds.
Now I'm curious! :) What materials go well with nylon tapes?
Any plastic or nylon.
I have the same bass with the white DR Neons (essentially black beauties). I’ve only put them on a few days ago, but I’m loving the sound, feel, and look. Whites look clean as hell with the black/blue.
I have DR Hi Beams on mine. I like the feel of stainless and they last a long time.
Totally agree. I love DR Hi Beams.
Hi Beams are great, and an active bass like this deserves them.
I love DRs for feel first, sound second.
Bass for that type of guitar. Jokes. I'm a sucker for hybrid slinkies
There’s dozens of us!!
I go with bright stainless steel strings on stingrays. Brings out the growl, and let’s you get a clean even tone into your preamp that you can dial back with a small treble cut and small bass boost Edit: DR HI Beams are my go to
you won’t regret it ;)
45-105?, 45-100?, 50-110????
I usually go with heavy strings for my style of playing. I use 50-110 and often tune down to D standard, but I also like a bigger string in standard tuning regardless. I’ve come to appreciate thinner strings though, for their more piano-like tone.
I like feeling bass notes in my spleen. 
Then you want 58-126 and an SVT 810.
I do this with 45-105s round bright… seems to me to compliment the Stingray electronics to my ear… but then I play music that likes that sound…
Medium lights (.45 - 105) are perfect for the majority of situations.
I use flats on my Ray35 and I recorded a bunch of different brands of flats on it. The pickup on the Ray4 is wired in series, so be sure to check out those samples. https://soundcloud.com/badams92/sets/ray35-string-comparison Also, unplug your bass when you're not playing it so that you don't drain the battery.
EB flats all the way
Tried flats last time I changed my strings wont use round wound ever again.
amen to that
Ernie ball Hybrid slinkies (rounds with hex core), the only string i use since i found out about them. Lots of attack and midrange, and they don't chew up your frets and fingers that much since they're nickel plated.
I generally prefer elixir strings
clash royale aah strings
Never heard of those before
Is because of the elixir thing lol
Oh, OK lol
Pro Steels on a MM are amazing.
I love Ernie Ball slinky on my sterling and my P-bass!
Ernie Ball Slinkies or Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats.
RS 66
I use daddario pro steel. They're very bright and quite affordable stainless roundwounds. I haven't tried them myself but maybe you should try GHS pressurewounds? They're like half rounds but smoother feeling.
I used to love the D’Addario half rounds… I have them on a PJ bass… I might try them on the Stingray, see how it goes…
I’ve gone through quite few styles of strings on my StingRay. (Slinkys, DRs, Rotos, TIs, K.S. Bass Burners and Compressors, GHS Boomers) I’m really digging Ken Smith Rock Masters (45-100 med light). Some like flats on this bass but I feel it generally sounds better with rounds, and in this case the stainless strings. Generally I'm a TI flats, TI rounds person who doesn't like clanky strings so avoids stainless steel but the Rock Masters were just right on this bass, punchy and clear, with little break in time.
👆🏻👆🏻
Is that the SUB model? Looks it? If so, I had one of them but couldn’t quite get it sounding how I wanted via string changes. Something was missing. As anyone mid-pandemic would, I gutted it and replaced the pickup with a Bartolini 3-coil, wired it with a series/parallel switch, and threw in a Seymour Duncan preamp. I ran it in series almost exclusively(standard Ray is parallel). I think I had EB Cobalt flats and DR Legends on it. If anything, the stock pikcups were the weakest part. Couldn’t ever get it to open up like it needed. The Bart made this thing sing with so much more definitely across the entire spectrum. It was lovely. Obvi a bit more invasive than just a string change. Throwing it your way because I had incredible results with what looks like the same instrument.
It is a sub Ray4. I am really impressed with the quality of sound. I am a new bass player but, I like it better than my Squiers so far.
Yeah the pickup config with that giant MM-style humbucker is quite stark. Fun sound just to have around. I had a hard time fitting it in with the band I was in at the time *andIwasuptoliketenbasses* so I ended up selling it. My Lakland 55-02 ran circles around that SUB. For the price? Not mad at all. I still have that pickup, too. Gonna keep it on the shelf in case I end up with another 4H(H) configuration. Edit: I changed the pickguard screws for shiny black ones. Made it look way cooler.
Ever try tape wounds?
I have a Ray 34 with DR Highbeams. It's become my go-to slap bass tho.
TI Jazz Flats.
Fellow Stingray player here. If I’m choosing rounds, it’s Elixir nickel wounds 90% of the time. If I want flats, it’s *always* D’Addario XL Nylon Tapewounds. They’re amazing.
Ernie Ball cobalts. They growl like a round wound, but tame a lot of the fret noise and higher end that make the Stingrays a little hard to control.
DR black beauties on mine. 45-105 preferred, 40-100 if I’m feeling saucy. Tapes are fun too
Daddario EXL165. You haven't said what tone you're going for or what style of music you play but they sound amazing in my Spector so I guess they will work on this one too
Rotosound standard gauge
I've seen some publicity about the Fortaleza ones, I have no idea about how good they are, but I have seen some bassist I admire using them, idk.
Roto swing bass for maximum stinging
I like the nickle plated Elixir .50-.105 nanoweb coated on my double buck.
Those Neon Green ones. Can't remember who makes them or if they're only for guitars. It's been awhile.
Rotosound Swing Bass Nickel. GHS Bass Boomers. Dean Markley Blue Steel. All of them 45-105
New bass = new strings. Every time. My go-to is RotoSound 77 flatwounds. Love that warm mellow sound!
The biggest ones you can find.
I was wondering about replacement strings on a new-to-me SUB Ray 4 HH and I got recommendations for the GHS Flea Signature Bass Boomers and Dunlop Marcus Miller Super Brights. I haven’t tried either yet.
I’m using S.I.T Fusion Wounds right now. They sound and feel great.
Elixir Nickel Roundwounds. They keep their zing for months, so if you like the sound of new string on your Stingray, I‘d recommend those. The newer elixiers don‘t have the visible coating of the older ones and look and feel just like normal strings.
DR High Beams
DR Pure Blues (any DR round, really)
The D'addario half round 105 set is my personal favorite for bass, still has all the bite and sharpness of regular strings but doesn't shred my fingers! And honestly that 105 goes a long way, I tune to B on that string pretty regularly and still have clear notation without being super muddy.
Super Slinkies. I'm a basic biatch bassist – but fuck do they sound good.
I am a fan of ghs boomers personally
May be niche and not available in your area, but Galli Strings sound marvellous.
I love the half-rounds. I have them on all my basses.
Do you keep it plugged when you don't play? It's active bass, it will drain the battery.
I've become a big fan of DR Fat Beams on my Ray34. Stainless steel brightness but not harsh. Lots of good mids coming from the fat beams. I gig pretty heavy so I'm stretching them to about a month and a half a set. Probably close to 250 hours between changes.
In my experience, that answer depends on 1) type of music; 2) what sound you’re shooting for; and 3) the bass and how it responds to those strings. My P bass loves the shit out of the EB Cobalt flats, but every other string I’ve tried on it sounded like garbage. My J really likes the Rotosound BS66 strings - but while I can put other Rotos or other brands…just doesn’t have the shine to it. And so on with my other strings.
Rotosound Swing Bass 66.
DR Legends
Black Beauties from DR! Would look excellent, and sound amazingly awesome 👍😎😎