Battle of the Bass Strings: Nickel vs Stainless Steel Roundwound

I've been using the Signatures on my electric guitars and basses for a while now, and really like them. I've also got a set of Orbiters on one guitar and am enjoying those. I do have a set of Rangers ready to go on my new bass. I'm not worried about fret wear since my basses have stainless steel frets. Foxwoods are on my acoustics, too 😁

Very interesting however I'd have loved to see the addition of nylon strings in the comparison. I think that would be a bit more interesting but since Stringjoy doesn't make nylon strings . . . . . . . .

I have used both sets of these strings on my fretless bass(6 string, tuned BEADGC). That sound of "zingyness" associated with the stainless steel strings lasts quite a while for me. Both sets of strings typically stay in tune for at least 3-4 months, and sometimes longer when the weather is cooler, which is a HUGE deal for me, as I am really concerned about playing in tune. These are my favorite bass strings, period. I was a DR Strings guy for years...and I still like them, but there's something about the sound and feel of both the nickel and steel Stringjoy strings that I prefer now. Thanks to you and Stringjoy for your thoughtful review!
ETA I haven't had any problems with fretboard(ebony) wear with either set of strings, btw.

Good video! My current hypothesis is "dead" stainless strings are the sound I'm looking for. I'm about a year into some DR Hi-Beams on my main bass and they're JUST starting to really break in. I've heard old stainless can be easier on the frets than new stainless, as the part of the string contacting the fret gets "polished up" from playing and becomes a less effective fret-eater...

That grabby/ tacky feel on steel strings makes me want to jump out a window, but I was surprised how much I liked their sound on this video. Maybe my brain was messing with me when I played stainless strings, but I thought they sounded terrible at the time.

Nickel sounds great for a single performance...however when they go dead, they sound awful. Steel strings sound great new AND broken in! IMO

Great job, agree w yr take. I'm nickel all the way, mainly play fretless now and pop, classic rock, blues, jazz. Played steel roundwounds for decades, went flat nickel and it's sweet for how and what I play. I "smoosh" my notes around a lot, FAT featherbed groove is my goal. Rock on!

Great video and comparison, Mr. Conrad!! I often go between nickel and steel on my basses, experiment with how they sound and feel, and then let the bass tell me which it prefers.

Never really understand when people call stainless steel strings "steel" when both strings are steel, with one having a nickel plating on the outer wrap, and the other string having a stainless steel outer wrap. Why not just call them "nickel" and "stainless"?

Love your videos. Always informative. Thanks for posting such great content.

I have to imagine the difference is similar to guitar where the nickel strings retain a sort of worn in sound throughout their life and the steel strings are bright of the bat and stay that way for a defined period then quickly drop off.

I tend to use flats on all my p basses. Rounds of my J basses some with stainless others with nickel. I use nickel for the older type tones and stainless when I need a more modern aggressive tone, I like stainless when I’m using a lot of effects ,

It's a bit weird why people call them both "nickel" and "steel." Both strings are made of steel and both are nickel plated as well. Steel doesn't have enough lubricity to be used bare like that and would slice through your fingers. Stainless strings may give you the impression that the string is tackier because it's harder.

Also the thing on fret wear is not a chance. You will wear your frets faster with stainless. Stainless is harder than regular steel and guess what happens when you rub a harder metal against a softer one? If you have stainless frets then you'd experience the same amount of wear of using nickel plated frets with nickel plated strings.

If strings feel rough to your fingers they’ll wear your frets faster regardless of the material but it’ll be worse with stainless steel.

Wow that p-bass sounds amazing 🙂

I like stainless steel round wounds. They are hard on the frets and fingers, but in my experience I've found they keep their sound longer then nickel.

Stainless sound brighter,...but or not as smooth on the surface of the strings,.....it's like playing with chicken wire.
Some people are allergic to nickel which causes your hands to peel and flake.

For me the steel is louder and brighter but they’re hard on my fingers, I’m going to try the Nickel coated strings, I’m not a hard or dig in type player anyway, I’m kinda light handed. So thank you for the advice.

Liked the commentary but wanted to hear more of the strings.

Try this. Nickel for jazz bass and steel for precision. I find that steel strings evens out the low mids of the precision and gives it punchy lows and bright highs. Whereas jazz bass already sound kind of scooped so you need more mids so it can sing. And you dont need more highs for jazz bass since its already bright as parallel pick ups.
Precision + roto swing66 is the sound for me. Yes it hurt the first time i gigged with steels but sound wise I cant go back.

Stainless steel or nothing. Nickel is garbage no matter what brand.

In my case, I have used both types of strings for a long time, but I personally feel that the Stainless Steel ones are brighter and last longer with shine. In particular, I have used Dunlop (longer lasting) and Ernie Ball (shorter lasting) strings on my P-Bass and my Thunderbird, and they seem noisier with steel, which yes, they are less soft and more opaque, but I prefer a sharper sound... Greetings from Mexico!!

DR Sunbeams (Nickel) ---- Just because..........! 😄

...and I did not hear the most important question - which strings are softer and require less strength to press??

Прекрасный тест и прекрасные выводы! Спасибо, Philip & Stringjoy!

Best video I have found about this topic, thank you so much!

Good advice! Thank you for the video.

I've put 2 stainless on the bass strings, and 3 nickel on the treble strings. I love the combination.

I just need Stringjoy to make Ranger singles available before you lose me to D'Addario or GHS :P

Haha Did I just hear DeeLite, Groove is in the Heart?

Very well made video, thx !

You can't really do a comparison between nickel and steel strings without popping slapping and plucking. That is where you really hear the big difference........

Great Video

You are a thinker sir, which is a rare thing! As a teacher of philosophy, I am impressed by your existential thought process, in so much as that as a reviewer, content producer, influencer, and educator, you are actually being advised by 'your' experience rather than someone else's 'prior' experience, and instead of allowing either your method or your understanding or expectation to preclude you having a personal experience! You pursued the authority of reasoned or defined invocation which can be generalized to others (rather than lazily settling on an artistic or ineffable personal evocation that has no generalizable use to anyone else except those in search of an adoptive ideology). That is educationally additive (rather than just corroborative) and therefore it has value.

In philosophy a things existentialism, its raw 'existence', precedes any attempt to define, refine, or distill it down to an 'essence'. This is called 'essentialism', and it only subordinately proceeds from its prior existence, to 'possibly' become that which we only later assign as...'obligated' attributes. A things existence therefore must be given priority over its essence, and dealt with independent of it. Your recognition that equipment invites, suggest, or encourage a change in play, above and beyond any sonic attributes (if only to those with comparable instrumental facility and musical sophistication), and must therefore be...allowed, is...next level.

so. i like a more "vingate" and warm sound. i play very softly, like, timid. i want the flat steel strings because i want them to last long before a change. if you told to me that the bright and punchy sound of the steel will be gone, im digging it. i might get the dunlop. ahh still cant decide.

I love stainless strings they last longer for sure

"Bright, but not brittle...warm, but not tubby." is the exact phrase that inspired me to order my first set of nickle strings, and i'm sooooo glad I did.

Anyone ever tell you you look like a young Kurt Russel (complimentary)?

I have a set of 5 year old Elixir Stainless Steels on one of my basses. Still sounds slappable, just looks ew.

Round wound stainless stell all the way I tried nickel once thought they sounded like shit.

Very helpful, thank you. I have used both, and I agree 100% with your comments about the differences.

I use steels and put Fast Fret on them. Joyous!

or you could get a good set of strings?

I like my bass to sound like a piano, so SS for me

I use stainless - first, because they last longer - I have sweaty hands...second, I'm so allergic to nickel coated strings, lols

what camera are you using? vid looks amazing

What I heard, and this is I'm sure colored by what I saw in the graphs while you played, is the stainless have a more immediate fall off from the initial attack though not a lack of sustain, and that may explain the relatively lower perception of midrange freqs. But I'm a frelling caveman so what the hell do I know.

TY for covering this.
I plan to get some DR Pure Blues since I have used their stainless steel for a LONG time.

I agree with your assessment. I presonally don't like steel strings. They're too hard on my fingers and don't last as long as Nickel. Nickel seems to last longer. You should try Elixir strings. They don't sond quite as good as Nickel out of the box but it's close and they last a year or more without losing their tone.

I think biggest difference between these 2 sets is the tension,,,,,steel ones are tighter