Feelings about Flatwound D'Addario Chromes?

[Decoyx7]

I'm thinking about switching from rounds to flats soon...and I'm looking at these D'Addario Chromes for my Ibanez. They're cheap, and I don't think that it'd be a disaster soundwise, but I've never played with them before and I wouldn't know what they'd sound like exactly.

Essentially...are they good strings? Any problems anyone had with them? If you didn't like them, would you reccomend any other flats?

[Darkstrike]

Depends on what kind of flat sound you're after, but they're mighty strings.

Brighter than most flatwounds, and with strong punchy low mids. A bit lighter in tension than usual flats too.

[Floridabwoy]

Search....


Lighter tension? Rutroh.

[Nikoubis]

They are good strings. If they are not what you are looking for (they are somewhat aggressive sounding for flats, even after they've mellowed out), there are a few more "flavors" of flats to try: GHS, La Bella, TI, Rotosound...

[kraigo]

They're OK, but I prefer GHS Precision Flats. I think the GHS are cheaper, too.

KO

[Craig_S]

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

A bit lighter in tension than usual flats too.

Sorry. This isn't true.

[jmattbassplaya]

Originally Posted by Craig_S

Sorry. This isn't true.

-1

I've found them to be much more akin to rounds than flats - especially the the extra light gauge (40-95). The only other flat I've played that's as low of tension, if not slightly lower, are TI's.

[jmbjandfam]

Originally Posted by Craig_S

Sorry. This isn't true.

Agreed. I have Chromes on one of my basses and I think they have more tension than others, not less.

[Craig_S]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

-1

I've found them to be much more akin to rounds than flats

I found they hurt my fingers because they were so stiff. I like the way they sound.

[Pillgrimm13]

ive got them on 2 basses and love them, that are bright and have good harmonics like a round wound but have that depth and bassy growl of flatts. they were my first d'adarrios i usually use dr but i really liked these.

[Darkstrike]

Out of all the flats I've tried, the only ones lower in tension than Daddarios are TI's.

[mccartneyman]

"Good" is relative -- some love them, others hate them. I agree that they can't be called "low in tension," but they seem less stiff to me than GHS Brite Flats, and I think they are somewhat less bright than Sadowsky flats, which are now my preferred flats. I had Chromes on my 55-94 but found they worked better on my Lakland JO5 with Fralin single coils.

[brendanbassist]

I think chromes are a good gateway into flats. If they're too dark for you, go with some halfwounds or compression wounds. If they're too bright, you can go with some more "traditional" flats like LaBellas.

[BeanzCorp]

Can these be used to achieve a good slap sound?

[wshines1892]

Originally Posted by BeanzCorp

Can these be used to achieve a good slap sound?

Define good slap sound. For a classic, mid rangy slap tone, hells yeah. Shakey Ground by The Temptations is a tune that comes to mind. However, if you want that super scooped tone, they probably aren't for you.

[Muckaluck]

If I could go back 5 years and give myself advise about trying flats for the first time, I would recommend webstrings flats in the medium or heavy guage. These are inexpensive and give an accurate reproduction of the flatwounds of the 50's, 60's and 70's. If you don't like em, then you're out $20.

My problem with chromes is that they take a while to break in and even after that have less fundamental than a traditional flat. I say go big or go home when switching to flats and if you don't like the webstrings big, thumpy feel and sound, go closer back to the middle ground with chromes.

[kasbrey]

Originally Posted by BeanzCorp

Can these be used to achieve a good slap sound?

Peg - bass playalong - YouTube

You decide.

[StrangerDanger]

They sound very close to rounds. If thats what you want then go for them. If you flats that sound like flats then spend a little more and get TI Jazz Flats.

[grisezd]

I've played rounds for a long time and like the way they sound when well aged (months of playing, in my case). I'd only change them when they were just DEAD. I've got Chromes on 2 basses now and really like them. They sound like the rounds sounded when well broken in and to me seem easier on the fingers. I play mediums on a 32' fretless and 30 in fretted. I had mediums on a 35' fretless 5 and "stiffness" or "perceived tension" wise they were about the same as the previous medium rounds. And instead of too bright for a month, then good for 3-4 months then dead, they sound bright for a few days, great for a year and a half so far.

There are certainly a lot of other options I haven't tried yet in flats, but I love these.

Buy them and try 'em. If you don't like them somebody will take them off your hands in the classifieds.

[portlandguy]

I have been playing with Chromes on my fender jazz bass for about a year (I use to use DR hi beams roundwounds) I like them and do not plan on changing