Ernie Ball Slinky 6 String Bass Guitar Strings Ernie Ball Slinky 6-string Bass Guitar Strings are nickel, roundwound strings that sound great and feel fantastic.
Individual Gauges; .032, .045, .065, .080, .100, .130.
Ernie Ball Strings FAQ
Q: What are the differences between plain, RPS, nickelwound (Slinky), pure nickel (Classic Slinky), stainless steel, phosphor bronze (Slinky Acoustic), 80/20 bronze (Earthwood) and nylon (Ernesto Palla) strings?
A: These are the differences between our strings:
Plain strings (the smaller unwound strings), 3 are included in most electric sets and 2 in most acoustic sets, are a tin-plated steel string offering smooth high notes.
RPS (Reinforced Plain Strings) strings are simply reinforced versions of our standard plain strings. They have a special wrapping of bronze wire with a lock twist at the ball end where breakage most often occurs. Since they also help the string stay in tune, these are especially useful for players using a vintage-style tremolo or just the player who tends to break a lot of plain strings. However, there is no real tone difference when using these strings.
The differences in the various Slinky sets are in the wrapped strings only, and they are as follows:
Nickelwound, which is nickel plating over steel wrap, such as our standard Slinkys?, offer all-around good midrange tone and sound...
Pure Nickel strings offer a smoother, rounder vintage tone, reminiscent of the 60's. Classic Slinkys? are available in this type of wrap.
Stainless Steel is a brighter string for more cutting tones. These are available in the Stainless Steel Slinkys?.
For acoustic guitars, the two most popular types are 80/20 bronze, and Phosphor Bronze. Earthwood 80/20 bronze gives a player a brighter, dynamic sound with lots of clarity.
Earthwood Silk & Steel has a nylon core for the wound strings to add a mellower characteristic to the 80/20 sound. It also lessens the tension, making the guitar easier to play.
Our Slinky Acoustic strings are a phosphor bronze blend string, giving players a warm, rich sound with solid tone while reducing string noise.
Nylon strings are a smooth, rich string, quieter than most other strings (for classical style guitars only.) They are available in our Ernesto Palla Silver & Clear, Silver & Black, and Gold & Black (ball end). Also available in our Earthwood line is Gold & Clear (ball end).
Q: How do your Slinky Stainless Steel bass sets and the Slinky Nickelwound bass sets sound different?
A: Stainless Steel Slinky bass strings give you an overall brighter tone, whereas nickelwound (nickel over steel) Slinky Bass strings will give you a all-around good range of tone with plenty of midrange tones.
Q: I experienced a problem with your strings. What should I do?
A: Here at Ernie Ball we employ strict quality control standards and are committed to producing the highest quality musical instrument strings. Unfortunately there are many factors that can lead to a shorter string life. String attack, pick thickness, and finger oils are just a few factors that contribute to some players breaking more strings than others.
Most strings break around the bridge. If this is happening repeatedly, you might need to replace the saddles. When the string is tightened, the saddle is the point at which the string makes the most contact and has the most tension, and therefore needs special attention. If there are sharp or rough areas on the saddles (which are often difficult to detect), strings are much more susceptible to breakage.
That said, we will gladly send you out a replacement if the string is determined to be defective. Please send the string/s in question to: Ernie Ball Inc, Customer Service, 53-973 Polk Avenue, Coachella, CA 92236. Feel free to contact us for additional help.
STRING CRAZY - HISTORY OF THE ERNIE BALL - MUSIC MAN COMPANY
Ernie Ball is an unlikely executive. He regards profit-and-loss statements as necessary distractions, and he never does market surveys to determine whether products on the drawing board would succeed. He has earned his reputation by following his instincts.
If it feels right, I know it will sell. Over the years, that philosophy helped Ernie turn his company into a worldwide success. The company's products can be found in more than 5,000 music stores throughout the USA, and are exported to 68 countries.
His high standards and no-nonsense approach have attracted the world's greatest guitar players to his products. The list of musicians who have made music using Ernie Ball strings, accessories, or instruments includes: Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Keith Richards and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, Glen Frey, Joe Walsh and Don Felder of The Eagles, Jeff Beck, Albert Lee, Eric Clapton, Steve Morse, B.B. King, Steve Lukather, Carlos Santana, Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, along with members of U2, The Pretenders, AC / DC, and Fleetwood Mac.
The new generation of guitar heroes using Ernie Ball products ensures that the company will play a vital role in the world of music throughout the 90's and into the next century. These players include Metallica, Mike McReady and Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam, Slash of Guns and Roses, Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, as well as members of Live, Collective Soul, 311, Bush, Nine Inch Nails, No Doubt, Smashing Pumpkins, Matchbox 20, Sugar Ray, Reel Big Fish, Social Distortion, Pennywise, Lagwagon, and the Descendents.
In the past 30 years, Custom Gauge, Slinky, and Earthwood guitar strings, Earthwood acoustic basses, Ernie Ball pedals, and Music Man instruments have raised the standards of musicians around the world. All these products share the classic simplicity, solid reliability, elegant function, and fair price that are synonymous with the name Ernie Ball.