Obviously, a cheap bass is not going to come with Rotosounds :) If you strings have lasted 9 months, then they must be a fairly good brand. Hurrah for you dealer! Well, down to the nuts-and-bolts. String gauge is a matter of personal playing preferences. With lighter gauges, that have a low E of maybe 0.095; the strings tend to 'flap' and 'buzz' all over the fretboard. The only way out of this would be to tighten the truss ros about a quarter turn (to straighten the neck) and then raise the action of the strings. Don't do this if you have no experience, take it to a qualified guitar tech.

With heavier strings, say with a 0.105 low E, playing is a tad more 'painful.' The strings seem to 'fight' you and it's harder to get them to make a sound. However, the reward is a 'tighter' tone and less 'flapping' and 'buzz.' You get what you suffer for :). Another consideration id roundwounds vs. flatwounds. Overall, roundwounds give you a snappier and brighter tones. Flatwounds, especially those wrapped in nylon tape, are easy on the fingers; but can never make you sound upfront or aggressive. They're more suitable for mellow jazz or slow blues. Roundwounds, with the right tone settings and technique, can cop a flatwound 'feel' and sound, but not vice-versa.

Yet another consideration is nickel-plated vs. steel. Steel-plated strings are more resistant to rust, and retain their tone much longer that nickel-plated ones. They also sound better after boiling :). Here in hot, humid Malaysia, we've found that the best strings for your money are stainless-steel plated ones. With the sky-high price of strings here, one tends to choose a brand that lasts the longest. Ernie Balls are a good choice; and the worst are DiAddarios; which rust easily.

Be ready to spend a few bucks experimenting with different string gauges, brands and bass setups. In the end, you'll find a combination that works for the style of music you play. C ya :)

Really people, STOP REVIVING ANCIENT THREADS! Read the freaking date of the last post !!!

Thanks bub, was thinking about doing the side by side thing really but a middle gauge would be the safest bet. I thought about getting the thickest gauge but I thought twice just because of how hectic it would be on my fingers for a few weeks if I have the lightest- i'd rather not get bloody all over it (B).