Do halfwound/groundwound strings mute mids?

SUNNyday r. · #1 10-18-2006, 01:18 AM

I am interested in strings that will take the bright edge,ever so slightly, off my Warwick Corvette Standard 4. At the same time I want to retain the mid "growl" as well. The Dadarrio half wounds seem interesting but I have heard they lack mid presence. Maybe that is just chatter. I know Warwicks seem to be made for round wound but I am not feeling the piano ring lately. Halfs and flats feel so nice to play too. I know this isn't alot of info to go off of so for the sake of not being a wind bag what are your experiences with the Dads' half wounds? The only other string I was considering were the DR Extra Lifes.

jumbosilverette · #2 10-18-2006, 01:42 AM

I had them on all my basses until recently -- I played a P with Fender 7250s and liked the articulated sound. The Dads are really an interesting compromise between flats and rounds: they hide a fair amount of string noise, so are forgiving with less than perfect attack. Initially they're somewhat bright but mellow out over the course of a few month's play. They're pretty easy on the fingers, not as much as flats but are pretty smooth. I can't answer your question about mids however, as my ears are not so well trained. Good luck.

SUNNyday r. · #3 10-18-2006, 02:05 AM

Well that is a start at least. I found a set I bought last October and used for about a day(heavy gauge to me .50.70.90.110) and took them off for just that reason. I put them back on and am finding them to be enjoyable but still tight from the gauge. I am used to DR Hi Beams. I thought I was trying to make the Warwick match up with strings that didn't compliment it but these might turn the trick in a lighter gauge. Thanks for your input. Do you have any experience with the DR Extra Lifes? Wonder if coating will tame the Warwick and feel smooth too. I know they are supposed to be Hi Beams but that coating must take the "bright" back a notch.

jumbosilverette · #4 10-18-2006, 02:30 AM

That's a heavier gauge than I'm accustomed to also. I think my E was 105.
No experience with the DR's. People around here love 'em. Trying some Rotosound Jazz Bass Flats on a P this weekend. Gaugewise it runs 40,60,80,100.

SUNNyday r. · #5 10-18-2006, 03:17 AM

Thought about those too but I hear they have a high tension and though they are carried locally they only have them .45 to .105 and I would think with their natural high tension that would be more than I would want to deal with. I guess I could order them in the gauge you mentioned. They are supposed to be really bright at first and lose it pretty quick. I would like the brightness to stay and still have the flat feel. I am on a mad string quest as of late but it is an expensive habit!

jumbosilverette · #6 10-18-2006, 11:42 AM

You know if you want to try some cheap flats there's always webstrings. I used them and liked them but they went flat inside a few months and I got tired of the sound.
Finally, a lot of guys like Fender 9050 ML's. They're pretty cheap, about $20.

Lobster11 · #7 10-18-2006, 03:04 PM

Try S.I.T. Silencers. I think they are just the kind of compromise you're looking for. And, as a bonus, they are pretty inexpensive so it'll be a cheap experiment.

SUNNyday r. · #8 10-18-2006, 05:40 PM

Thanks for the input. I have considered the Fenders and setting up a bass with them to get the more traditional "thump" sound just for fun. Are the S.I.T. preasurewound? I'll ahve to see if I can get them local. The Fenders are readily available though.

Dincrest · #9 10-20-2006, 07:25 AM

Yeah, SIT Silencers are pressurewound. I have them on my Corvette Standard and I love the tone. It smooths out the harsh highs while still maintaining that Warwick growl. With the Silencers I can get nice refined smoothness when I play using a lighter touch and some nasty gutpunching doberman growl when I dig in hard. Nice throaty slap tone too. I like the slick feel of the strings too.

They're not expensive either (under $20 at juststrings.com) so you really have nothing to lose. Silencers are IMO the best strings for the price.

lug · #10 10-20-2006, 08:31 AM

I've tried a set of Dean Markleys and have a love/hate relationship with them. The sound is great but I find that they are a lot more "grabby" on the fingertips than any flatwound OR roundwound string I've tried. I haven't tried any other types so I can't say if it's just the DM's or not. Checking their website, I don't think the even make a groundwound or halfround string any more.

Dincrest · #11 10-20-2006, 04:04 PM

Hey lug, what about the fretmasters?

http://www.deanmarkley.com/Strings/B...MasterBa.shtml

(That being said, I'm not a Dean Markley fan. I haven't really found a string by Markley, GHS, or D'Addario that I get along with. I love SITs though. Powerwound, PowerSteel, Silencers- they're all good. DRs kick butt too.)

The Dave · #12 10-20-2006, 04:47 PM

I've been using D'Addario Half Rounds for a few months on my J and they don't lose any mids at all. They're sound fat and feel smooth. They are pretty high tension though. I've got a 45, 65, 80, 100 set and they're substantially tighter than Fender rounds of the same gauge. If I got another set, I'd probably go a little lighter but I really digs 'em!

lug · #13 10-21-2006, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dincrest

Hey lug, what about the fretmasters?

http://www.deanmarkley.com/Strings/B...MasterBa.shtml

(That being said, I'm not a Dean Markley fan. I haven't really found a string by Markley, GHS, or D'Addario that I get along with. I love SITs though. Powerwound, PowerSteel, Silencers- they're all good. DRs kick butt too.)

Don't know, the groundwounds are the only Dean Markley's I've ever bought. Interesting idea, though.

OGUIN · #14 10-21-2006, 07:44 AM

If you are not a fan of D'Addario, you can also use GHS Brite Flats. Very good sting, IMO

SUNNyday r. · #15 10-22-2006, 03:08 AM

Bought the .45-.100 of the Dadarrio halfs and they sound pretty good but the tension is too tight. I just can't get used to it. They are on a Warwick Corvette that had been used to DR Hi Beams.

canopener · #16 10-23-2006, 10:55 PM

The set of D'Addario Halfrounds I tried were just as zingy as every round set I've played.

4Mal · #17 10-23-2006, 11:13 PM

I used DAD half rounds for a long time. Primarily to tame an over the top zingy bass (1pc ash body, badass bridge ...) great body, good mid-detail and restrained high end. I used them in a smooth jazz setting as they really do perform as a perfect mid-step between a full flat and a round.

DR Black Beauties might be an interesting choice. The coasting does reduce high end zing. It's a decent although not fabulous string. Sounds a lot like a worn in Roto swing or maybe GHS Boomer. Nice string feel and cheap my local guy is $25 a set.

The Thomastic Super Alloy is a full on round but they settle in very quickly. About the same settle-in period as a DAD XL. 4 to 6 to 8 hours playing time. The difference is that they settle in to a point and then they hang in for ages. When Iwas playing the XL's I was changing set's monthly, buying 'em from a buddy by the case at something like $12 per set so who cared ?

The TI's aren't cheap at close to $40 a throw but definately my favorite round. Primarily due to the body and civilized high end.

Back to the DAD half round though. They do feel stiff out of the box but break in well. If they are a larger guage than you are used to, a truss rod tweak of an eigth ot a quarter to the right (assuming that righter is tighter...) is in order to maintain your perferred action.

Generally a larger dia. means higher tension. The higher tension lends itself to correspondingly lower action. It's a different feel. I find that when properly setup if I give myself a week or two I'll adjust to the new feel. If the neck can handle the increased tension.

The lower action may reveal some frets that need some minor dressing though.

Passinwind · #18 10-23-2006, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUNNyday r.

Bought the .45-.100 of the Dadarrio halfs and they sound pretty good but the tension is too tight. I just can't get used to it. They are on a Warwick Corvette that had been used to DR Hi Beams.

You can buy thinner sets than the standard ones. I did that when I decided to switch from TI Jazz Flats on one of my fretlesses. The tension is only marginally higher then the TIs if you put together the same gauges. Juststrings has the full array of DAD HR gauges.

SUNNyday r. · #19 10-24-2006, 01:07 AM

I did actually enjoy them but the D and G are out of control on tightness. The Warwick does come alive with the Hi Beams that I put back on. Do you know if I could order the D and G in .60 and .40 would it make a difference in terms of tightness. The E and the A are alright but the other two are carpal tunnel in action! And I ain't gonna "man up" and have lobster claw hands when I am older!

Passinwind · #20 10-24-2006, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SUNNyday r.

I did actually enjoy them but the D and G are out of control on tightness. The Warwick does come alive with the Hi Beams that I put back on. Do you know if I could order the D and G in .60 and .40 would it make a difference in terms of tightness. The E and the A are alright but the other two are carpal tunnel in action! And I ain't gonna "man up" and have lobster claw hands when I am older!

Yeah, it definitely is a noticeable difference. I have the standard 050-105 set on my other fretless (which I've been using for ~30years on that bass), and they are much stiffer. D'Addario is one of the companies that post tensions (or at least used to), check out their website. I tried to put together a set with relatively equal tension from string to string, and similar to the TI JF standard set, and it's worked out really well for me so far. I went 040-055-070-100 with the half rounds. It's actually quite similar to the soft feel of the TIs with this set.