GHS boomers?

iceblinko · #1 02-17-2004, 12:41 PM

i was just wondering if anyone used ghs boomers, and what they sound like. i've been fender original or super bass strings (for my american fender p) for years now. i'm just getting interested with what else is out there. any info or opinions on these or any other strings would be greatly appreciated!.. thanks..

*tom*

squire_pwr · #2 02-18-2004, 12:29 PM

I've only used boomers on my squier p-bass, but mainly because I've been hesitant to try other brands (much like you are now

) Anyway, they sound good to me, but I don't know what other strings sound like on my bass, so I can't give you a comparison. They sound really bright when you first put them on and stay pretty bright for the majority of their life, though of course, they dull a little after you break them in. Nice tone too. a lot of times, i think my bass sounds best unplugged. if only I could find out how to amplify that sound... the punch and the thickness.... oooo. Anyway, I'd say just go try them out, 20 bucks isn't THAT much (at very most) and it's not like they're going to sound horrible.

good luck!

**Kelly Lee** · #3 02-18-2004, 11:39 PM

Boomers sound really good at first but their tone fades fast IMO. I also broke alot E's when using them. Could be because I was playing in metal band. My favs are Black Diamond coated strings. I buy a 5-string set and ditch the G (4 stringer) They have a tone that is just pure warm and have the best sustain of any string I have tried so far. I have yet to break one also. I have tried Rotosound, Ernie Ball, GHS, and DR. Give me my Black Diamonds or I don't want to play

ampegsvtca · #4 02-19-2004, 12:09 AM

Boomers aren't the longest lasting string but I like them because the break in a lot quicker than most other strings. They sound bright at first but not nearly as bright as most strings do, I think that they are good strings for the money.

Finger Blister · #5 02-19-2004, 07:35 AM

Boomer's go dead fast.

If you change your strings every few days,
your good to go.

lpbassics · #6 02-19-2004, 01:44 PM

I too left boomers on for a while, then I tried DR's (liked them a lot more) and found out that with so many different kinds of strings available, it's worth your time (especially when starting out!) to try out different kinds of strings until you find something that feels good in your hands and sounds good to your ears. The Boomers in my opinion sound poor, die quickly, and break at unexpected times... maybe I just had a bad experience with them.

It doesn't take long to try out a string and get the general feel/tone of it, but it does take a lot of money and time to wait for strings to die out so you can get a different set. Maybe try playing on another bassists' thunderbroom for a little or go to a shop and ask what kind of strings are on the bass that you're tryin' out.

It's also pretty easy to narrow down what strings to look at just by the tone you're going for. I was looking for a relatively bright sound and good slap tone. DR High-beams were the first set I tried out... although when I have the $$$ I usually pick up a set of elixir softs.

But make sure not to get too tied up in guage, brands, materials, and the type of string. Just try and get a string that feels and sounds great to you.

-lp

bassman1185 · #7 02-19-2004, 03:52 PM

I wasn't really impressed with the boomers I had on my Heir 5. They seemed to lack the brightness of most new strings. They sounded like they were a month old as soon as I put them on. That said, they did retain that month old sound for a long time. They also felt rougher than most strings that I've used. Ken Smith Rockmasters might be one brand to try out. I really like them, and they're very inexpensive. They last a long time, too.

**Kelly Lee** · #8 02-20-2004, 05:12 PM

posted by ampegsvtca:"Boomers aren't the longest lasting string but I like them because the break in a lot quicker than most other strings"

Thats another one of the reasons I love the Balack Diamond coated strings. Pretty much zero breakin time. I check my tuning after one day of light playing and normally don't have to adjust it but a tad. The only downside is the price, about $45-50 set.

ampegsvtca · #9 02-20-2004, 10:10 PM

I might have to try a set of those Black Diamonds although they are a little pricey. It also depends on the bass, I find that the Boomers just sound good on my Fender Custom Shop Vintage Precision (as well as Slinky nickel, and Rotosound pure nickel) and stainless just sounds too bright on that bass because it has an ash body and a one piece maple neck. I also find that I prefer stainless strings on alder body basses with rosewood finger boards (a much fatter sounding bass sometimes needs a brighter sounding string).

kasC06 · #10 02-21-2004, 06:05 PM

flea's boomers rule. just got em. they are perfect for funk,rock, slap, anything. great buy only 25 bucks for such a good set of strings

squire_pwr · #11 02-21-2004, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kasC06

flea's boomers rule. just got em. they are perfect for funk,rock, slap, anything. great buy only 25 bucks for such a good set of strings

whoa, flea has his own strings?? I thought the standard boomers were the same things that he uses. dang. and this whole time, I thought I was using the same strings as he was....

Boozy · #12 02-21-2004, 06:34 PM

You were.

I don't think the "new" Flea Bass Boomers are any different from the regular .45-.105 GHS Bass Boomers that he has been using forever. They just packaged up a bunch of the same strings and put Flea's name on the package for a limited time to increase sales. I could be wrong but I don't think I am.

GHS is smart in doing so too IMO. Look at all the people playing StingRays these days... I would bet some money on the fact that for the most part, this is directly due to the fact that Flea played a StingRay.. we grew up watching and listening to the RHCP and we want that tone. I wonder if G/K's sales on their RBH cabinets has increased since Flea started using them... probably.

Oh yeah, I forgot! I like em, I like the gritty tone they produce. I like other strings too but I always go back to the boomers. They are the least expensive strings I can find around here and they don't tend to break for me (although I broke a A string last weekend)... they really make me want to play some fingerstyle funk, but they still work well in my heavy metal/hardcore band (I use a pick for the most part in this band)... they also have got to be the most readily available sting on the market.

jenderfazz · #13 02-21-2004, 09:09 PM

Personally, they're too plain for me. I had the same problem with D'Addario XL's - medium brightness, medium feel, medium durability. They're pretty run of the mill.

iceblinko · #14 02-23-2004, 11:42 AM

hey thanks for all the replys everyone!! i'm gonna check them out. what are your opinions on fender (original or super) bass strings?

*tom*

christle · #15 02-23-2004, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iceblinko

hey thanks for all the replys everyone!! i'm gonna check them out. what are your opinions on fender (original or super) bass strings?

*tom*

They are nice strings but I prefer DR's and D'Addarios. If I can get them in I like TI's even more.

Dan

dave_clark69 · #16 02-23-2004, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ampegsvtca

Boomers aren't the longest lasting string but I like them because the break in a lot quicker than most other strings. They sound bright at first but not nearly as bright as most strings do, I think that they are good strings for the money.

Boomers are good but i think my rotosound faded so quick i didn't notice it being nice and bright soundsing. Lasted about a week then was dull with the rest of the strings.