I own 10 bass guitars and use a variety of DR string models on all of them. One of my favorite DR sets is their Sunbeams, which I use on all of my short scale basses. I was looking for something with a coating to try on my 4003 and had read good things about these Black Beauty strings which I discovered are basically coated Sunbeams, just like the other DR coated strings like the Red Devils!Prior to swtitching over to these I had been running with DR Lo-Riders on my 4003 which I also use on my Fender Jazz Basses. Contrary to the nice top end bite I get from these on my 62 and 73 Jazz, I just wasn't getting the classic RIC tone I wanted out of the 4003 with LO-Riders installed, so this is why I decided to give these a try.I had been running with DR Red Devils on my Fender Jaguar and my Gretch DuoJet for a long time so I already knew that these coated DRs have a great tone, reduced fret clatter and easy on the fingers to boot, so I already knew there was a good chance these Black Beauties were going to deliver what I was looking for.After installing them on the 4003 and adjusting the truss rods to account for the reduced string tension compared to the Lo-Riders I was thrilled with the results! These strings have proven to be the perfect match for the Rickenbacker! I am getting that classic 4001/4003 tone in spades and with the added bonus of less string noise when sliding, and much reduced fret clank when playing fast runs up and down the neck.Because these are coated, you need to take care when installing them that you don't just yank the strings through the bridge as you install them, otherwise you risk scraping off the micro-thin coating. When installed properly, you should not have to worry about the coating coming off with normal use. I use a pick most of the time and have not seen any evidence of the coating coming off where the pick contacts the strings, or in any of the most commonly played sections of the fingerboard.Have to take these 1-2 Star reviews on here with a grain of salt based on my own personal experience with these...I have read a few bad reviews on here complaining about the coating coming off or the strings being dead out of the box. I can't comment on the dead string issue, but in terms of the coating coming off, it sure sounds to me like these folks failed to read the instructions about using care during installation. If you just pull these quickly through the bridge holes like normal strings without regard for the coating, there is a very high probability that you will fracture the coating which will eventually result in the coating cracking off the string over time. I have DR coated strings on 6 of my 10 guitars and none of them have ever had a problem with the coating flaking off or the strings going dead prematurely. Two of my guitars have had a set of Red Devils on them for over 14 months and they still sound great even after hundreds of hours in the studio.In conclusion, I have nothing but high praise for these strings and recommend them for anyone looking for a high quality coated string with great tone and feel. The black strings also look really cool against the black JetGlo finish of my 4003!If you are looking for the same string in a different color, check out the Red Devils or the Cool Blue versions! Same string, just a different color coating.

They came way earlier than the date said, but I am glad that they got here to the right address. Great job, Amazon. So far, so good...😎 I have bought them before and must admit that the strings have a "magical" quality about them as compared to my other bass string purchases and so I am trying to experience the "ol' black magic" of these "Black Beauties" bass strings, once again. If you never have experienced them, maybe next time you need a new set of strings, try them out. They have a very unique sound quality that can be hypnotic, and mesmerizing. My bass has never made the sounds that it does when rockin' a set of these "Black Beauties" strings. I recommend them. 😎

Good quality, great soundPlayability is greatWill buy againRecommend 👍

Wow! I've been playing Bass for a very long time, like 40 years. And in all that time I rarely wire up a quartet of strings that sound like this! They are truly the bomb shizzle!! I got the flatwounds by LaBella for the gigs where I need that 70s feel and I bought these for that crisp and bright feel. And oh my does it sound bright!! I Love Drs...

I have played bass for many years and tried a variety of string brands. The black beauties are very attractive and so I have ordered a few sets over the years. The sound is clear and fairly bright at first. They have some notable shortcomings: the black coating can sometimes wear off. Also, that coating doesn’t feel as great as plain strings - your fingers might want to stick instead of sliding. They also die sooner than other brands that I’ve tried. Finally, quality control is an issue - one of my strings in the last set was dead on arrival. Amazon sent a replacement which fixed the issue, but that was the first time I’ve experienced that from any string maker.TLDR: great looking strings, but not the best performance.

I've been using these for years now. I love the feel and look. They also last a lot longer than non-coated strings. They're a little more expensive at first but they'll last and sounds good for months, depending on how much you play. Either way they save you money.

I've been playing for over 25 years and these have been my favorite strings for the past 8 years or so. Strings are definitely a preference thing, so here's why I like them. 1) the coating helps them stay kinda bright and clean for a while, 2) They don't sound too bright though- i prefer a slightly muted sound, but these still have some good high end punch too them, just not too much. 3) The black strings look sexy on any bass. 4) Versatile. I play latin music, jazz, rock, motown, and just whatever funky groove that appeals to me. These strings seem to have a happy balance.

Prompt communicationNice sound

I think I found my strings! I have an Ibanez SR500 4-string bass for almost 15 years now. I play in my church band every week, and I have been looking for strings that feel nice and have a great tone. I used to use the Blue Steel strings on my previous bass (a Yamaha), but the tone and feel were not the same on my Ibanez. Been through so many others (Ernie Ball, D'Addario, etc) but nothing really felt right . Until I bought these Black Beauties. WOW. Beautiful tone on my bass. And I just love the feel of them. They are on the pricey side, but I think well worth it.

Love the BBSs. Tone is great, crisp and bright and the longevity is a big plus. These strings have lasted me a year in the past with only a slight loss of tone. They are a little more expensive than regular strings but it’s definitely worth the investment.

Más que Beauties son unas Bestias. Tienen un sonido claro y firme, tocando notas bajas con los dedos o notas altas con slap el sonido es excelente.He usado otras cuerdas DR y, no sé si sea por el acabado fluorescente, pero se sienten ásperas. Éstas no, estás están suaves desde la primera canción, puedes hacer un slide de más de 12 trastes sin ningún problema.Además son muy elegantes.

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I use these strings mainly on a passive bass, although I have just upgraded the tone capsule on an active bass and that will get a set of these too.When you install them, they are very bright and you can shape a real grind into the tone. Which very much suits the punk and metal that I play. You can take that away with the tone pots, maybe just play with your thumb and get a real deep jazz sound. Naturally, picking at the neck gives you a great sound.I used to buy DR flatwounds for my BEAD bass. I’m not too sure if I’ll go back to flats as these share similar traits, eg with the coating, they are pretty smoothGreat strings for great price.I would prefer a 130 string for the B.