Nickel Plated Vs Stainless Steel Bass Strings

The confusion arises from the fact that some manufacturers don t include the word plated on the labels for their nickel strings.

Nickel plated vs stainless steel bass strings.

Country and rock players might choose nickel plated. The majority of so called nickel strings are actually made of steel and coated with an 8 nickel wash that acts as protection and softens the touch. Nickel strings and stainless steel strings. If i do a stainless set can last a month of 2 3 gigs wk.

They are round wound and are available in 4 or 5 string sets. Chrome and steel strings. Plenty of products advertised as nickel strings however aren t entirely golden era formulations using steel wraps plated with nickel rather than wraps made entirely of nickel. Both terms are referring to the wrap wire of the wound strings in the set.

Stainless steel tonally speaking the opposite of nickel strings stainless steel is clear and bright with clarity throughout the frequency range great for modern sounds. This is getting complicated. Nickel plated steel no surprises nickel plated steel offers a compromise between pure nickel or stainless steel. Oh and then there is pure nickel vs nickel plated.

As others have mentioned stainless steel is harder than nickel steel and often has burrs from the manufacturing wrapping process. Pure nickel is what guitarists used in the 50s so if you like that early rock and roll sound you might like pure nickel. As far as material is concerned we can divide strings into two main categories. An all round option for the bassist who plays a bit.

Also nickel strings are softer and are easier on your frets. In pure nickel guitar strings the wrap wire is well pure nickel. Spector nickel plated steel strings use a tapered string design on the e also the b strings for 5 string set to deliver the maximum tone possible and have an even response across the neck of your electric bass. I always wipe the strings down after playing either with a clean cloth or preferably a blitz cloth.