Alternative to Chromes?

[Earwigger]

I'm looking for an aggressive flatwound string set for my P-bass. It's alder/rosewood with an SPB-3 pickup. I liked the D'Addario Chromes but they went dead pretty quickly. I have it strung with LaBella Deep Talkin flats now, and while they are surely a quality string, they are subdued and mellow, and I'm looking for something with a lot of treble attack (in a flatwound, yes) and a more aggressive sound.

Any suggestions?

[DavePlaysBass]

I like the Fender 7250 Nickel rounds. The warmer 7150 pure nickels are on my to do list.

[bthiemann80]

Originally Posted by DavePlaysBass

I like the Fender 7250 Nickel rounds. The warmer 7150 pure nickels are on my to do list.

+1, on my to do list as well. If you want something that retains a portion of the chrome-ness, try fender flats. They're higher tension, but give a fair bit of highs too.

[KYJazzy]

I dont think flats get much more aggressive than chromes.... next step up I would think are some half-rounds or nylons or something. after that you're lookin at pure nickel.

edit: 7150s are great, a bit rough on the fingers if you aren't a roundwound guy tho.

[Earwigger]

I use DR Lo-Riders on all my other basses, so it's not a matter of comfort. It just have this ideal sound in my mind. I'll tried the Fender flatwounds and was not happy with them, as they sounded rather dead.

I'm unfamiliar with Nylon strings. Soundwise, what should I expect from them?

[sethlow3]

la bella FLEA uses them and he loves it trebly.

rotosound STEVE HARRIS

[Phalex]

I've got GHS Brite Flats on my P with the SPB-3 PUP. They're brighter than a flat, but much mellower than a round. They feel a little funny at first but once you get them broken in they are very nice.

[rickfan63]

Rotosound 77 Jazz Flats might be an option. Ken Smith Slick Rounds, and SIT Silencers might be worth trying as well.

[BellBottomBlues]

Originally Posted by rickfan63

Rotosound 77 Jazz Flats might be an option. Ken Smith Slick Rounds, and SIT Silencers might be worth trying as well.

The Rotos really aren't trebley, but just clanky until you break them in. Then your bass sounds like an upright.

[Frankjohnson]

Fenter 9120 or 7120, nylon wrapped rounds. Feel of a flat, brightness of a round.......last a long time.

these usually fall into the love it or hat it category. Most people that have played my Jaguar, love them.

I used the heavier 9120s to get clean low action. my jazz has chromes on it. At 6 months old, they have matured to "where i want them"

[emblymouse]

I'm real happy with Ken Smith Slicks, they are an ideal balance for me. They sound roundish when you snap them, and buttery when you back off. I just replaced them after 1 year and I was surprised at how little the difference in tone was, they really hold up well. And cheap @ $19 at my local ma+ pa shop. Now I've got them on both my Lakland Scheff and my Jazz. Mine are steel but I think Just Strings has them in Nickel too.
I also got a P bass that came strung w/ Roto 77's. Perfect thump, not bright tho these were well broken in when I got the bass. They have a unique and appealing outer wrap, very slippery!
I'm surprised no one has mentioned TI Flats! Unlike anything else, not bright necessarily, but very alive and sensitive. 'They're not just for fretless anymore...'

[lunarpollen]

I wish there was a nylon-wrapped or coated roundwound Bass VI set available...

[Earwigger]

I'm going to try out some Nylons next! Thanks for the advice guys. I just bought a set of SIT Power Flats Mediums and these are my impressions:

Holy crap these have a LOT of tension.
Not QUITE as bright as Chromes, but close.
A very nice tone, pretty even across the spectrum, with a well-defined low end.

So are nylons just essentially roundwounds with a coating to make them smooth? Or are they different in actual construction?

[rickfan63]

If I remember correctly, the medium Power Flats were 50-105 guage. They do have fairly high tension, close to Roto Flats. The 45-100 guage is somewhat lighter. BTW, the Rotosound flats I used to use were very bright. They stayed that way for quite a while before calming down. That's why I used them, until the price and several sets with duds in them led me to start using D'Addario Chromes. Which IMHO, are every bit as nice sounding, especially on my Ric 4001C64.

[emblymouse]

Originally Posted by Earwigger

So are nylons just essentially roundwounds with a coating to make them smooth? Or are they different in actual construction?

Yes and no. Underneath they are rounds. They are flat wound just like regular nickel or steel flats, but with black nylon tape instead. Mostly effects the attack tone, they do sustain well.