Rotosound strings
 

Has anyone out there tried Rotosound strings, either Jumbo King or Super Bronze? They do not get anything like as many reviews as D'Addario, Elixir, Martin etc, but this could be because they are not as readily available in the US.
I have used Jumbo King extra lights and Super Bronze extra lights, playing finger style on a vintage guitar, and I like them.
I would welcome any views on these, or any other gauge of Rotosound strings.
Thank you in anticipation.

"Hold your group together with Rotosound Strings!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTcXZlndSuU

:D

I tried Jumbo King strings a few years ago. They sounded OK, nothing special. My notes indicated they went dead quicker than most strings.

Rotosound are excellent strings. They have an old fashioned image and when I see the logo I am reminded of the British pop groups from the sixties (before my time, I started in the seventies) Many times I have steered away from them thinking that the big brands and advancing technology must have left them behind, but that does not seem to be the case and although I use other brands too, I often install Rotosound at string change time. The tone is good, and lasts well plus I dont seem to break the "G" so often. Id recommend trying a set. If it aint broke .....

The Jumbo Kings...
 

Tried a set on my Martin earlier this year and I'm kicking myself that I didn't try them sooner. Rotosound 'Swing Bass' (STEEL roundwound strings) are THE defacto bass strings, so it's reasonable to presume Rotosound can put together a good acoustic string.

Tonally the JK-12 are warm/neutral, in the same ballpark as D'addario's EJ-16 but more bass. I think this is due to being a hybrid light/medium set. I initially did not realize this and had presumed it was a 'regular' 12 gauge light set, but the string tension felt odd, in a good way.

Overall I'm impressed with the tone and feel of the string. String life is what you would expect from an uncoated string. If you like EJ16s. then you will like the Jumbo Kings. I think price (dependent on your geographical location) will determine which is the better buy.

These strings are also presented in a airtight bag containing a silica gel pack.

I use rotosound tru bronze 11 gauge on my 00-28 and it loves them. Really nice feel and settle down quickly to a nice mellow tone which works well for fingerstyle as well as pick work.

You can hear that radio jingle between tracks on the 'Sell Out' album by The Who.

I believe Rotosound supplied bass strings to John Entwhistle... ah, found this

https://i.imgur.com/UgErZa5l.jpg
James How along with John Entwistle (pictured here in 1966 at the Rotosound factory in Blackfen,Kent,England) developed the roundwound bass string as we know it today.

I tried the super bronze SB12’s, the “contact core” strings. I had a dead string right out of the pack. The winding came loose from the core, which basically makes it useless.

My attempts to contact Rotosound, or its US distribution went unanswered. I was just trying to buy a replacement string, still no reply from anybody. I would have tried another set, but when you get zero response, you get zero of my future dollars.

I don't know if the acoustic strings have similar construction, but the Rotosound roundwounds on a bass wear the HE[[ out of the frets. Harder than the frets.

Rotosound makes the the most diverse collection of strings after Labella and D'addario, and if you want to make omelettes, then you're gonna have to break some eggs (or wear some frets)...







...and 'some' don't need frets!



Rotosound STEEL 'Swing Bass', THE tone for the modern bassist (...I should write copy).

I have some custom strings made by Rotosound. They are custom made for Patrick James Eggle (Faith guitars) and he fits them to his custom acoustics.

https://preview.ibb.co/n4F5qJ/IMG-20...-1734494-1.jpg

Bob

Just bought a second set of JK10's. The first set went on my Takamine AN10 not long ago, and the second set just went on my 67 Gibson Hummingbird. I hadn't intended on changing strings on the Hummingbird, but I broke a string and decided it was time to switch em out. In any event, the JK's are my new favorite. Over a few decades I've tried pretty much all the major brands out there, except coated, as they're just not for me. The JK's have an interesting quality about them in that they feel slick under the fingers, more so than other brands, almost as if they were treated or coated, although I haven't read anything that indicates they are. I am very happy with them.

I have tried just about every manufacturer there is and I keep going back to Rotosound Jumbo King 12's phosphor bronze everytime. There is just something about them that brings out the best of my Martin D41. The 80/20 are usually a special order but I can get the PB everyday. Definitely recommend them.

Dan