Chromes 5 String?

[Bobby King]

Anyone use D'Addario Chrome flats on a 5 string? How does the B string work out?

Thanks!

[squashedOpossum]

I have a set on my fretless SX Jazz V. The B string is huge, but I deal with it because I like the sound of the other 4. Soundwise, it's OK. Nothing spectacular -- a little on the dead side. I have a set of LaBellas on my fretted SX Jazz V, and they seemed to be much more balanced. Very different sound though. The Chromes seem to have more growl and brightness to me, which seems to accentuate the deadness of the B. I say all this with the prerequisite IMO, IME, YMMV, etc.

[Staccato]

Here's a good mention of them on 4's and Fivers.

[Stanley Pugh]

I had a set for over a year and they were great.
The sound sat well with the rest of the band.

[lowendfriend]

I just went with D'addario Chrome Flats on my Warwick Corvette $$ 5 string when I dumped my bass at a gig and dented the B and E strings badly.

I was playing as I added the strings and my first reaction was to take them off (coming from Sadowsky stainless flats). But I stayed with them awhile now. I must say I enjoy the growlier sound and higher tension, especially on the B.

The chrome B is a little more quiet than a stainless B, but I find that when I plug in my amp or my pocket-rocket amp, the sound is a lot bigger than my normal practice rig.

I find that I can dig in a little more compared to what I'm used to on SS and oddly enough, it seems to give me a bit more steadiness and even confidence as I play them.

[PastorofMuppets]

I love the B string on my set of chromes.

Fresh from the package they are not far removed from rounds on all strings.
after a few weeks they settle in and have a nice flat tone.

[Medford Bassman]

I have a set of Chromes on my MIM Jazz V. I and the band love them. They sit quite well in the mix.

[brendanbassist]

Originally Posted by lowendfriend

...The chrome B is a little more quiet than a stainless B...

I'm pretty sure Chromes are made of stainless steel.

[tmw]

I have sets on my Fender AS J5 and P5.
They sound great to my ear and like previously posted the B string is huge.

[lowendfriend]

My guess would be chromuim alloy of some sort. They seem a little less magnetic than the steels.

[brendanbassist]

Originally Posted by lowendfriend

My guess would be chromuim alloy of some sort. They seem a little less magnetic than the steels.

I don't know for sure. A Chromium alloy would explain the name, I guess. D'Addario's site doesn't say, but they're listed as SS at juststrings:
http://www.juststrings.com/dad-ecb82.html

[TheKingOfPain]

Absolutely great strings. I use them on my Corvette $$ 5er and I love the tension and the gauge (I was a Black Label Medium 45-135 user) and the B string, being a .132, sounds just fine. Oh, they are in fact made of stainless steel, so I really can't compare them with my other favourite set of flats, TI Jazz E-Bass.

[Sundogue]

Best low B I've ever heard. It has clarity and it's very distinct instead of mushy like other B's.

For the heck of it, I swapped out my flats once for some rounds, but I left the Chrome B on it because I have yet to find any other strings with a low B as good as the Chromes.

Of course, I'm a flat lover, but Chromes are by far my favorite string brand and I still have the same set on for over a year and a half now and they still have a pretty bright tone to them.

[DWBass]

Received a bass in trade that has Chromes on them. I've never played flats before. Very smooth feeling and huge sounding. Not as clanky as Rounds. Have to add treble to get decent slap tone but I like the subdued slap tone they give. More Larry Graham-ish sounding.