Aggressive Tone with Chromes?

[jufros]

I'm playing an MIJ Ibanez SR800 with an EMG BQC preamp and EMG P/J pickups through a sansamp RBI. I'm looking for an aggressive tone but I want to keep some low-mid thump in there as well. Basically, I think I'm looking for a bright flat that will growl if I crank the mids but still thump away with the kick drum. I have a spare pair of ECB81 Chromes and was wondering how they might sound with my setup?

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by jufros

I'm playing an MIJ Ibanez SR800 with an EMG BQC preamp and EMG P/J pickups through a sansamp RBI. I'm looking for an aggressive tone but I want to keep some low-mid thump in there as well. Basically, I think I'm looking for a bright flat that will growl if I crank the mids but still thump away with the kick drum. I have a spare pair of ECB81 Chromes and was wondering how they might sound with my setup?

I use Chromes with my active 5 string Washburn and I was getting just that kind of growl from the D'Addario Chromes if I really dug in with a pick. If you play with fingers you'd have to EQ more highs in to give them a bit more edge.

Chromes are a pretty bright flat that maintain some bite to them even after they settle in and will certainly keep that low thump, without sounding like a traditional thumpy flat.

You may want to add a bit of distortion or some natural overdrive if you need more growl than that. But for a flat, I think the D'Addario Chromes are the best for what you are looking for, though I'm not familiar with too many other flatwounds to know if other ones will give you that also.

[dnarock]

or you can try a heavyer gadge round wounds ernie ball power slinky's ghs heavy 4 string set quite aggressive

[Double Agent]

If you crank the mids with Chromes, you will get an aggressive tone. At a gig recently, I was trying to cut through without turning up too much louder. I turned my mids, which I usually leave flat, to about 1:30-2:00. The tone reminded me of Steve Harris a lot; loads and loads of growl but still with a solid low end. This was on my Fender with Seymour Duncan Lightnin' Rods, which are Duncan's version of active EMG P/J pickups. They are a little more traditional than EMGs, but they are still very hot. With your pickups and pre, I think you would have no problem getting an aggressive tone with the Chromes.

Steve Harris uses Rotosound 77s, so they will get an aggressive tone too if you are looking for alternatives.