Circle K strings...

[kugelspot]

I'm really curious about these strings. Going to try them out after I'm done with my Optima Golds. I really love how many gauges they come in. Been wanting to string a 6er F#-G for a long time, and now there's actually a company that makes a set for that.

BTW, knuckle_head, would you be willing to make a custom set for me? October Guitars are making a John Gallagher sig bass. Its an 8 string (octave type, not single string type) with a trem. I want to get one, but I'm worried about strings. I want to use strings that are calibrated so that octave string stay in tune with the root when you use the trem. Currently only one company makes such a set, a Japanese company called Tune, who charge almost $100 per set (and they're nickel too so they'll be dead in 2 weeks).

Here are the gauges:
.036 .058 .075 .095
.016 .024 .030 .038

So could you make that? How much would it cost? This is all hypothetical for now, the bass hasn't even been released yet, but I want to figure out stuff like that before I take the plunge.

[knuckle_head]

Damn - another hole in an otherwise perfect plan.



As for cost, it'll end up being twice the price of a standard 4 string set. It won't be precisely those gauges as I'm doing intervals that are different than most other manufacturers, but yes I can get you there.

[ourworldisgrey]

Wow, did I actually see a .200 set? I might buy that just to have proof that a string that big excists!

[knuckle_head]

Originally Posted by ourworldisgrey

Wow, did I actually see a .200 set? I might buy that just to have proof that a string that big excists!

.200 is as big as I go for now, but you can get 'em bigger from other folks.

[BluesBrian]

Originally Posted by HogieWan

I'd love to see some thicker gauged flats!

yep!

[Joe Smithberger]

I am trying a balanced .136 set on my P5 at the moment. They are very consistent in tension and sound. For rounds the D and G really speak well. However, I am hoping a little of the zing starts to wear off soon.

I also agree, a balanced set of flats with tapers at the bridge would be amazing.

[Joe Smithberger]

These have been on a couple of weeks now. I like them a lot.

[kaiser_sosea]

So i got my set of .106 Standard Balanced strings about a week or so ago but have been waiting to share my thoughts until I could play them @ rehearsal which was last night. First I must note that I have been playing GHS Precision Flats (mediums) which were pretty high tension (my complaint). When I got the strings they came loosely coiled in a FedEx box and stretch or hang completely as you pull them out (dig the packaging). So I string up the bass and notice right off the bat the huge difference in tension, I tuned it up which took longer than normal because the lower tension was throwing me off, once I got it tuned gave it a truss rod adjustment and set to the side for things to settle in. Gave it a few more adjustments over the next couple days which makes sense because i really had to tighten up the truss when I put the flats on. Sunday comes and the action is perfect and I'm off to rehearsal. These are definitely more zingy then flats (duh) but that's all i have to directly compare to. But they don't have that new SS clanky ****** sound. And where these strings really really won me over was the feel. I can not praise enough how great these strings feel and how comfortable they are to play. I love that all the strings have a consistent feel and tension and after playing for 5 hours still no hand fatigue. I found myself being able to easily cop lines and runs that I had all but forgotten playing the flats, it was just amazing and the feel alone made the string change/cost worth it. Now to the tone, I love a flatwound tone as I've reported before and so when I was noodling before practice I thought these may be too bright for my liking but once the band started jamming I realized that these strings played and sounded like they were pre-broken in. Saves that 2 week period of practice and gigs when you are just not happy with your tone. I dialed the tone knob back a bit to compensate for brightness and these strings were just perfect in the mix, thumpy low end with a full mid presence and a nice smooth top end. I was in tonal bliss last night and I'm pretty sure Circle K has a lifelong customer. Thanks for the great communication/customer service and the amazing strings, I am very pleased which should be evident as I never take the time to review anything.

[knuckle_head]

Which set?

I'll get replacements out to you. PM me as the site is down for database management.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by tacoman

Thanks Skip. Who knows. Could have been a freak accident, who knows

Could be a lot of different things, what string broke (gauge and pitch). Where along the string did it break? That bass was disassembled for a bit while the neck was off being epoxied (neck looks awesome BTW!)... did you have another set installed since putting it back together?

Skip and C3 have always been in the top tier of Customer Service, had you tried emailing them before bumping a 4 month inactive thread to report that one broke?

[darkstorm]

39+ inch scale basses, no interest here. Circle K does sound like a quick stop type gasoline and snacks store name. 16 gauges and no 45-100 sets? No interest. Posts Ive seen for circle K string promotion havent given any info about why they think theyre better then daddario, dean markley, rotosound, ghs, etc etc name brands. Main reason for their presence on forum seems to be free advertising. With no reason given for why should buy theres over someone elses. No comparrison of tone, build etc to regular name brands. Perhaps circle k is the SX/Rondo music of string world?

[knuckle_head]

Just for you, darkstorm;

Lower – Better – Circle K Strings

Lower
Circle K Strings are designed specifically to expand and push downward the tuning of electric bass guitars.

These are not guitar strings made bigger – they are bass strings made better. They are made in a greater variety of gauges to provide a solid foundation for greater exploration of the depths of bass tunings.

String sets are available that enable tunings as low as an octave beneath standard E, with enough choices to address the comfort and sensitivities of any contemporary bassist. In the near future, strings will be made available to extend tunings even lower – to an octave below low B.

Better
No other manufacturer makes strings like we do.

We are the only manufacturer that offers a two-wrap E string. In larger diameters, we make three wrap strings up to .182”. There are two important benefits to this; the fewer wraps of wire a string has, the fuller the sound they will produce, and it lets strings of even extraordinary gauge match tonally from one string to the next. Finally, fewer layers result in a more flexible string. These structural advantages provide more harmonic content and a more comfortable playing experience.

Our hybrid sets are a unique combination of nickel and steel – not quite as bright as steels and not as ‘scooped’ as nickels. This method of construction gives our strings a tonality that shifts less over time and lasts longer.

Circle K’s are wound straight and packaged straight. The greatest compromise to a string’s structural integrity and playable life is coiling and packaging them in the traditional manner. At Circle K, all strings are stored uncoiled from the moment of manufacture.* For shipping purposes only the strings are loosely coiled, and we recommend our customers store them uncoiled as well.

Tension between strings within sets seems to have been established with the acceptance of round wound strings and not considered since then – until now. Circle K makes available Traditional and Balanced Tension sets, as well as Drop Tuned and – available very soon – 5ths sets. Innovators are the future of bass, and innovation is the foundation of this company. To that end we provide choices that no other manufacturer can or does. In addition to sets that accommodate four string to twelve string players, there are three scale lengths to choose from; Standard (34” to 35”), Medium (36” to 37”), and Long (39” to 40”).

Circle K Strings
Circle K’s commitment to product excellence is borne of 60 years of combined experience. In addition to string development, design and production, our history also includes machine design and development and musical instrument design and production. You can expect a great deal from these strings – because a great deal went into their creation.

[john turner]

just fyi, that "tacoman" nub is a repeat account troll who thinks he's clever by using an annonymizer to get around his repeated bans.

i would not take -anything- he says seriously, the dude's basted in bong water. he does provide a great deal of entertainment on the help desk, though, alternately pleading for us to let him back on the site and flaming/trolling us for not being able to catch his annonymized sockpuppets. drugs are bad, m'mkay?

[purpletornado]

Thanks for the info KH.

[steelhead2]

i didn't shlog thru the last few pages of posts,i've visited your site i'd love to go phat!`new rock' rules around these parts and i'm all for it,,but i'm fretless and,,,a flatwould guy(yeah i know,, i purposely mispled that)whoever the heck posted `flatwould convert' or somthing like that a year ago(confessions of a flatwould convert?) is why i logged in and joined

so,,,halfrounds,flats=?

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by darkstorm

Posts Ive seen for circle K string promotion havent given any info about why they think theyre better then daddario, dean markley, rotosound, ghs, etc etc name brands. Main reason for their presence on forum seems to be free advertising. With no reason given for why should buy theres over someone elses. No comparrison of tone, build etc to regular name brands.

I'm a stainless steel round player for the most part for the last 25+ years. Rotos, Smiths, GHS, DR, SIT, D'Addario, LaBella... I've tried nickel quite a few times and couldn't get past the deadness or the slimy feeling to my hands. There is something in a good nickel string tone wise that I've often longed for in my steels, but that 'little bit' is no where near as important as the over all tone and feel of a good stainless steel to me.

I've got 2 sets of CircleK strings (one on my fretted 7 and the other on my fretless 6) and feel they have all the properties I demand in a steel yet have that 'little bit' I've noticed comes from nickel rounds.

[Joe Smithberger]

Just an update for the Fender players. I tried the .142 Balanced set on my P5 just for grins and found that I really liked the heavier gage on the E thru G strings. However, for my touch, the .136 B works better with this set. Coincidentally this is the same gages as the .136 Traditional set. For the P5, these work perfectly. Possibly the results would be different for a J style bass.

I have owned a Dingwall Afterburner 5, a Stingray 5, a Carvin LB75, a Yamaha 5, and a few others and this bass with these strings plays with more consistent tone (B thru G) than anything I have ever owned. I wish I would have found these when I still had the Musicman. It may have saved me a few bass purchases.

[darkstorm]

Knuckle head...> Thank you. Thats very informative and yes that does provide a source of good solutions for strings not otherwise available for those who do lots of downtuning. The blending of nickel and steal also sounds very useful.

[jtc_hunter]

Just got done playing my first set of Circle K string. Balanced Standard .142 set. I am very impressed. These strings are very well made and I love the voicing. It is hard to describe. Very present and defined, but not harsh or too piano-like. Very easy on the fingers too.

[BassmanAK]

BIG kudos on these strings!
Put a .142 Balanced set on my Modulus last week, and I have been quite impressed.
This particular bass has a great 'B' to begin with, but putting on that .142 was the real kicker. Now I have consistent, even tone all over the neck, no string to string volume issues, and less hand fatigue...
I'm a convert to this whole "Balanced Tension" thing.
Keep it up Skip, you're really on to something here.