Chromes... How Long Until the ZING Wears Off?

::::BASSIST:::: · #1 10-31-2009, 12:16 AM

I just got my new Stambaugh bass yesterday and I've noticed that the tone is exceedingly zingy. I wanted this bass to sound nice and thumpy... thats why I spec'd a mahogany body/ rosewood top and maple/rosewood neck. The pickups are Model Js.

I attribute the zingyness to the Chromes. I already have the orange drop cap cut to 50% and its still zing city.

I have another set of chromes on a different bass and the tone is night and day compared to these.

How long til these strings wear in to a nice thump?

kirkm24 · #2 10-31-2009, 06:57 PM

I'd say 2-3 weeks. After that they'll stay the way they are for a really long time.

ljazz · #3 10-31-2009, 10:31 PM

Listen to the top end in dexplosions clips..... those chromes are 3-4 months old. I don't get it. I'd agree that 2-3 weeks, and you can really feel and hear them starting to wear in. On his clip, they sound fresh out of the pack.

::::BASSIST:::: · #4 10-31-2009, 11:25 PM

Dexplosions clips?

b4nny · #5 10-31-2009, 11:54 PM

In my experience, Chromes do not get thumpy.. maybe if you EQ them that way.

ljazz · #6 11-01-2009, 04:23 AM

Listen to this....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm_4M-nBpCE

Clearly, not a whole lot of twang there. This is the sound I associate with chromes after several weeks.

mongo2 · #7 11-01-2009, 04:38 AM

I just set the tone knob where it sounds right.

fretlessguy · #8 11-01-2009, 05:06 AM

How long it takes to settle in will depend on how often you play them, naturally. If you play them often, then you will see a difference in 4 or 5 weeks. They are, by nature, just a little more twangy than a lot of flats.

Gearhead43 · #9 11-01-2009, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

I attribute the zingyness to the Chromes.

I have another set of chromes on a different bass and the tone is night and day compared to these.

You sure the zingyness isn't just the sound of the new bass?

kirkm24 · #10 11-01-2009, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mongo2

I just set the tone knob where it sounds right.

+1 You can make any string sound thumpy with the right tone knob adjustment.

::::BASSIST:::: · #11 11-01-2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gearhead43

You sure the zingyness isn't just the sound of the new bass?

I dont think so... at least I hope not. I chose the woods and pickups (see first post) to give it a warm, thumpy sound.

::::BASSIST:::: · #12 11-01-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirkm24

+1 You can make any string sound thumpy with the right tone knob adjustment.

I already have the tone knob cut by a little over half. Until they settle in, I'll guess I'll just try to eq out the zing.

GassieBall · #13 11-01-2009, 07:19 PM

Half rounds? Flats?

::::BASSIST:::: · #14 11-01-2009, 07:37 PM

Chromes Flatwounds.

kb9wyz · #15 11-01-2009, 07:43 PM

Yeah. I had to turn down my presence to counteract the zing of new chromes. I didn't think that would have been an issue on a fretless with rosewood board. But it's been a few weeks and that initial face-ripping zing has mellowed nicely.

GassieBall · #16 11-01-2009, 07:45 PM

Zingy flats? Oh dear. Isn't that an oxymoron? That's really puzzling to me that you're not getting the tone closer to what you want, especially with the tone control rolled off.

J. Crawford · #17 11-01-2009, 07:50 PM

MY Chromes have been on my P for about 3 weeks, and on a past bass for about 2 months, and they sound perfect. The sound studio engineer actually just told me my P was the best bass tone he had heard, and I give it to the Chromes.

karter2000 · #18 11-01-2009, 07:51 PM

I found it took me a good month of solid playing to lose the zing.

Gearhead43 · #19 11-01-2009, 08:41 PM

I just did some recording at the studio with Chromes on my P-bass. They sounded perfect in the mix with my tone knob full up, and are about a month old. Good mix of punch and a little top end / high mids played fingerstyle.

This is a Rock n Roll project that sounds like The Faces but a little more rockin, and the flats + P sounds so good in the mix with two guitars, drums, vocals and organ.

Chromes don't sound totally dead and thumpy like some other flats I have tried in the past.

::::BASSIST:::: · #20 11-01-2009, 08:49 PM

Actually, a little zing isnt a bad thing. In the past my tone had virtually no highs, partly because of using Labella FL760s. A little bit of zing will probably help me hear myself better on stage.... but just a little... please!