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Post subject: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2011 10:54 pm
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I'd like to hear from anyone who has been using Fender bass strings for a while and has just recently bought a new set. I'd like to know if you noticed any differences from your previous set. I'm corresponding with someone via email who bought a sealed package of Fender 7250ML strings and is claiming they had colored retaining balls like D'Addario and don't play or sound the same as the last 7250ML's he purchased.

I told him someone had switched strings on him somewhere, but he insists the package was a sealed package he just bought retail. I thought this was very strange.

Has ANYONE seen anything like this?

Also this package was labeled "MADE IN USA." Sure sounds like D'Addario strings with the colored balls. I think he got cheated maybe.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 12:28 am
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i recently switched (on a warwick) to those new fender nickle-strings (offered by a friendly fender-staff-member at "musikmesse frankfurt"). good thing i must say, bit more of crisp and and pretty nice low end blow on the 5th string. (i traded from warwick red label)
i guess there's nothing wrong with fender-strings, imo 70-90% the sound comes out the fingers and the settings, much lesser outta used gear, -standard equipment assumed...
finally it takes a little trial and error to find the "right" strings for the go.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 3:02 pm
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I've heard word of mouth stating that Fender strings are now outsourced to D'Addario or something, I'm not sure.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 3:05 pm
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it's amazing how an innocent question about gear can derail into public organ-traffic... :mrgreen:

@ brotherdave, perhaps you have to pose the question in a more comprehensive manner :!:


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:25 pm
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Brotherdave, I too noticed that some of the new Fender in the music store have the colored ball ends. I thought Fender went to brand D'a but Fj and I were talking about this awhile back and the colors are different.

No Sabe, both of mine are the same shade of tan ;)

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:33 pm
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That could be it too...you know what tho, that's going to be some quality, consistent quality instead of some of these strings I got last year. Some are good, some are just pure crap...suppose to be stainless steel strings for cryin out loud :evil: :evil:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:01 pm
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The old Fender strings, no consistency. I'm back to using DR HiBeams again. I never had issues with them, just on the pricey end. BTW, D'A are on top of the line (Prestige) Ibanez basses.

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VT Bass
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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 2:05 pm
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I haven't been to GC in 2 months. So I guess they did change 'em. Thanks all! The color scheme might be different but I'm pretty sure the colored balls are probably trademarked or patented or something.

Dang strings cost too much! LOL


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 3:38 am
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BrotherDave - How about sending a PM or EMAIL to Mike Eldred or Mike Lewis about it and report back here in this thread with the answer?

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Wed May 11, 2011 6:06 pm
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Arctic Bass wrote:
If I remember correctly, my new MIA Deluxe Precision had the coloured ball strings when I got it as well. I swapped 'em out right away for D'A Prosteels anyway.


Be careful with the ProSteels. I used them for a couple of changings. After the 4th, I noticed grooves on my frets, even the new bass. It looks like the stainless steel strings dug into the softer nickel frets and scraped them where I bend notes. :evil: I've been playing for 25 years and never experienced anything like this, until I put the ProSteels on my basses. I'm back to nickel now. I use D'Addario 160s and have Fender nylons on my fretless.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 4:04 am
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Yup, something has definitely changed with Fender strings in the last year or so. I've just literally put on a brand new set of Fender 8250M 45-110TW (taperwound E) strings on my American Standard P bass, which has the newer HMV bridge. These are the strings that are supposedly 'stock' with the thru body stringing Fender basses, but they have clearly changed.

A little while back, the 8250Ms you used to be able to get were stated as being round core (better flexibility) with a tapered E string so that they make the bend thru the body better and you get better intonation on the E etc. This all sounds (and was) sensible and the strings worked very well on these USA standard basses.

Now with the pack that I've recently bought there are quite a few differences which you will see in my pics below.

1. No silks at any end of the string (like there used to be).
2. Coloured ball ends on some of the strings.
2. No mention of round-core (and I think these new ones feel like hex-core to me)
3. What happened to the really obvious and substantial taper on the E string? There was plenty of tapered portion on the older strings and it was very thin, giving you great flexibility and excellent sustain, not to mention very good intonation. Now there is a thicker taper, which barely reaches the saddle before the full thickness of the string is there! In fact I had to move my saddle back to get the taper part of string on it (see my pic).

Image

Image

Playability wise although these strings actually sound not too bad, they do feel stiff, especially the E string.

What I would like to know is are these actually the strings that brand new Fender USA models are shipping with, or are they using something else?

Has anybody else had experience of Fender 8250M strings, old and new?

Cheers

Keith


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Post subject: Re: Fender Bass Strings? Has something changed?
Posted: Sat May 14, 2011 4:49 pm
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Update to my new Fender 8250M strings experience. Couldn't get along with these strings. Too stiff! and the E wouldn't intonate properly, unless I moved the saddle further towards the neck and basically off the tapered part of the string. It then sounded 'dead' compared to the other 3 strings. Not impressed with these new 8250M strings. Fender, what are you doing - these just don't work now? The taper isn't long enough, or really thin enough anymore to benefit thru body stringing.

So now I have removed the strings and put Rotosound Swing Bass 66 stainless 45-105s back on which happen to work perfectly (and sound great) on my bass. I only fancied a change to nickels for a while, but I'll forget about that for now and stick to what I know!

Rant over...

...but to those trying out these new 8250M strings - good luck!


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