Do Thomastik Rounds Growl or what?

[Modern Growl]

This tread is specificly for Thomastik's.
I've done EXTENSIVE research on TB, and I've found some people say TI Rounds (Superalloys and Powerbass) are some of the smoothest sounding strings they've heard. I've also read some post's where people say its a nice growly strings.
Whats the deal? I guess its just due to how some interpret growl.
IMO growl is a very Prominent, hightly destinctive, high character low end, low mid and mid. Do Thomastik's deliver this? Do Thomastics have a growly bottom end?

[fretlessrock]

So much of the way a bass sounds has to do with electronics and setup that it is hard to say that one string is growlier than another. At least it is hard for me to say

But the Powerbass strings are pretty agressive sounding, not clanky/trebly. The SuperAlloy strings are a little darker but still have a lot of punch and they seem to me to just keep sounding better as they age (like the TI Jazz Flats). Actually, every TI string that I have played, including spirocores on URB, have this trait. They are made for the long haul. If you change strings every week or two because you want that zingy sound, save your money and buy cheaper strings. Or send me the barely broken in TI sets!

So if I wanted TIs with the mst growl, and I didn't have the bass in front of me to play and set up, I'd say that the Powerbass strings are the way to go. YMMV.

[Modern Growl]

fender jazz w/ lindy fralins, true single coil fralins.
alder/rosewood, all passive. low action.

[DavePlaysBass]

Originally Posted by fretlessrock

The SuperAlloy strings are a little darker but still have a lot of punch and they seem to me to just keep sounding better as they age (like the TI Jazz Flats). Actually, every TI string that I have played, including spirocores on URB, have this trait. They are made for the long haul. .

Curious what style of music you play with the Super Alloys and what kind of milage you are getting from them?

I have been looking for a roundwound that I like as much as TI flats. I do not slap much but I do like to pop the G string and flats just do not have the pop. I almost ordered a 5 string set of Super Alloys but at $40 I was scared off. But if they last...

Dave

[fretlessrock]

I'm using the SuperAlloy set on my Zon Sonus 5 fretless, playing music that spans jazz and more agressive styles. They have a more live sound than the JFs but not as much as the Zon strings. To my ears they are the best balanced rounds I have used.

I used to swear by the TI JAzz Rounds on my Turner fretless and I have a Moses-necked fretless 4 that was strung with JRs also. They do have that very low tension/gauge and some basses might sound a little unbalanced because of the very small G. The SuperAlloys are a little bigger, a little darker, a little more suited to my style and preference for feel.

As for mileage on the SuperAlloys, all I know is that I have had them on the Zon for a few months and they aren't going anywhere. I just wipe them down after I play and they keep feeling good and sounding good.

[fretlessrock]

Originally Posted by Modern Growl

fender jazz w/ lindy fralins,
true single coil fralins. alder/rosewood, all passive.
low action.

Back to why some folks find a string like the PowerBass sets to be smooth: it is all relative. All the TI sets seem to me to have an even sound that could be called smooth. They don't have that massive high freq overtone chatter that a lot of strings have. TI made its name in orchestral strings and I think that the reliance on generating a very strong fundamental carries through all of their products. So even in the Powerbass sets where they are more agressive sounding they won't sound like a set of stainless rounds from Rotosound or Markley, or even DR. If the fundamental is the "cake" and the overtones are the "icing", you get a lot more cake than icing with TIs.

I play a passive Read Model J with Bart Classic Bass pickups and it is ash w/ rosewood board. I've also owned about 7 or 8 J basses which were almost all alder w/ rosewood. So I am familiar with passive J basses, just not with what your desired result is. I currently string the Read with TI Jazz Flats, but if I wanted more growl then I would switch to SuperAlloys. If I wanted even more I would move up to the Powerbass set.

So I hope that helps some. Outside of the occasional set of strings I get on a bass that I buy, or something specialty like a Zon piccolo set that I have, I have been playing nothing but TIs for a few years.