GHS Boomers on a G&L L2500?

**lowfreqgeek** · #1 08-20-2010, 03:19 PM

Good? Bad? Discuss!

DavePlaysBass · #2 08-21-2010, 12:12 PM

You need something long enough to go thru body. The G&L bridge is not strong enough to take 5 strings terminated at the bridge (you can find some nasty pictures if you serach). I am not sure the Boomers are long enough to go thru body. I would recommend Carvin Nickels, D'Addario XL-170s SUPER LONGs, Fender 8250s, or Ken Smith Bass Burners as other nickel round alternatives that go thru Body. Anything from DR would work as well.

mmbongo · #3 08-21-2010, 12:37 PM

Dunlops are long enough for G&L as well. SIT also makes a set special for G&L.

optikhog · #4 08-21-2010, 12:43 PM

I use SR2000's on mine, perfect fit and sound for my use.

**lowfreqgeek** · #5 08-21-2010, 01:25 PM

Next time I put in a McMaster-Carr order, I'll get some extra machine screws and 1/4" standoffs to put bolts through the bridge/body so I don't have to deal with the extra long strings (which I can't find locally at all). I have had good results with putting all but the B/E strings through the body and those 2 just through the bridge on shorter sets. That seemed to work well.

So far, my favorites have been TI rounds, but at $45/set, they are hard to justify. I also liked the EB Slinkys, but the B/E are too short (remedied above...). I've got Dunlop SS on there now and they are fine, but not my favorite. I don't care for the B string, which was a bit more focused in the TI and EB sets. I've had D'Addarios and DR Black Beauties and both were ok - kinda like the Dunlops, but not great. I need to try other varieties of DR and some nickel Dunlops, though. I'd love to try some SR2000s, too. I've had mixed results with those on other basses in the past.

I'm a stickler for pickup height adjustment, too. My preferred method is to use a Petersen tuner to detect when the pickups are far enough away to have NO effect on the tuning of the string. That results in the best, most consistent sound of the B/E strings without warble and harmonics. Each string composition behaves a little differently, so I'm looking for one that will allow the strings to be a little closer to the pickup without severe magnetic interaction. Again, the EB Slinkys and TI Superalloys worked well.

Out of 7 basses, I'm only settled on strings for 3 of them - and this after 23+ years playing. Ideally, I'd find a great string at a great price for my G&Ls and just stick with them. But maybe the Dunlop Nickels.

THanks for the input. Keep it coming.

Nedmundo · #6 08-23-2010, 05:31 AM

I've liked Boomers on my G&L basses, an L-1500 and an SB-2. I've also liked them on my four string Fender Jazz, and I believe I strung through the body. I think they're available in an extra long version, which would work.

Also, check out Fender's Super Bass 8250's, which are designed for Fender's through-body bridges. The previous version sounded similar to Boomers but lasted much longer. They're among my favorite strings. Problem is, Fender recently changed them. Some are unhappy with the new versions, and I haven't tried them yet to form an opinion. They're easy enough to try though -- just find a new MIA Fender five in a shop.

**lowfreqgeek** · #7 08-23-2010, 09:48 AM

Nedmundo,

I've tried and liked the Fenders before, just not on that bass. I'll consider those again.

I think what originally got me wondering about the Boomers was Dave Pomeroys GHS videos. Now *those* are the kind of marketing I respond to. Just a monster bassist and his bass having fun demonstrating a product. Well, that and the fact that my #1 hero-of-the-day Jimmy Johnson has been using Boomers on his Alembics for 3+ decades. They can't sound "awful", can they?

The difference between those guys and me, though, is that they can afford to change their strings whenever needed and I just can't afford strings every few weeks. The last time I tried Boomers (15 years ago?), they sounded good, but went dead FAST.

Nedmundo · #8 08-23-2010, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

The difference between those guys and me, though, is that they can afford to change their strings whenever needed and I just can't afford strings every few weeks. The last time I tried Boomers (15 years ago?), they sounded good, but went dead FAST.

Yeah, IMO that's the problem with Boomers. Most other strings seem to last longer. I still prefer them to D'Addario XL, and will continue to use them on occasion, but the Fenders are a big step up for their longevity if nothing else.

domdec314 · #9 10-05-2010, 08:54 PM

I just wanted to confirm that Boomers fit fine on my L2500 rear-loaded. On one of the strings the red silk overlapped the nut a little but that's such an easy fix that it's really a non-issue. Despite being the cheapest strings I've had on this bass, they're the best sounding. I've always used stainless steel until recently. As others have said on these boards, nickel strings match perfectly with the L2500.

Flatwound · #10 10-06-2010, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

Good? Bad? Discuss!

Interesting posts in this thread. I had no idea Flim Johnson used Boomers. I haven't used them for years, and recently tried them on my Washburn XB-600. Sounded great for nearly two weeks, and died. That's why I haven't used them for years. But some here say they last longer than XL's or Ernies, which for me last much longer than Boomers.

GHS doesn't seem to list "long scale plus" sets in 5-string, which is what I think you want for thru-body stringing.

remy26 · #11 10-06-2010, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domdec314

I just wanted to confirm that Boomers fit fine on my L2500 rear-loaded. On one of the strings the red silk overlapped the nut a little but that's such an easy fix that it's really a non-issue. Despite being the cheapest strings I've had on this bass, they're the best sounding. I've always used stainless steel until recently. As others have said on these boards, nickel strings match perfectly with the L2500.

+1

cigi · #12 10-07-2010, 08:06 AM

I just bought a set of lakland roundwound nickles. These are made in the GHS factory. Allthough they aren't exactly the same, they should be quite similar. You really have to like the sound. I don't like it at all. It's waaay to mid scooped. A LOT of bottem, not enough mids and very thin high end. I never disliked a sound of bass-strings this much. Very boomy idd.

**lowfreqgeek** · #13 10-15-2010, 01:18 PM

I totally forgot about this thread.

The last time I recall trying Boomers was literally around 1993. I was about 15 years old and couldn't afford to replace strings too often. Imagine my utter disappointment when the Boomers died in just a couple weeks!

I still haven't tried them on the G&Ls, but I did try some Carvin (Labella) nickles and they were pretty nice. More mid-scoop than the other strings I'd previously tried, but they lasted a relatively long time. My fretless L2500 has a set of TI Superalloys and those are still my absolute favorite strings on the G&L.

Vintage Guy · #14 10-15-2010, 01:30 PM

Got them on my L-2500,and put them on my Warwick Corvette Standard 5 string. No issues yet!

duckman999 · #15 10-19-2010, 06:33 AM

Is there a link to how to do this bridge upgrade on the L
-2500 with the specific parts needed? I really need more string options.
Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

Next time I put in a McMaster-Carr order, I'll get some extra machine screws and 1/4" standoffs to put bolts through the bridge/body so I don't have to deal with the extra long strings (which I can't find locally at all). I have had good results with putting all but the B/E strings through the body and those 2 just through the bridge on shorter sets. That seemed to work well.

So far, my favorites have been TI rounds, but at $45/set, they are hard to justify. I also liked the EB Slinkys, but the B/E are too short (remedied above...). I've got Dunlop SS on there now and they are fine, but not my favorite. I don't care for the B string, which was a bit more focused in the TI and EB sets. I've had D'Addarios and DR Black Beauties and both were ok - kinda like the Dunlops, but not great. I need to try other varieties of DR and some nickel Dunlops, though. I'd love to try some SR2000s, too. I've had mixed results with those on other basses in the past.

I'm a stickler for pickup height adjustment, too. My preferred method is to use a Petersen tuner to detect when the pickups are far enough away to have NO effect on the tuning of the string. That results in the best, most consistent sound of the B/E strings without warble and harmonics. Each string composition behaves a little differently, so I'm looking for one that will allow the strings to be a little closer to the pickup without severe magnetic interaction. Again, the EB Slinkys and TI Superalloys worked well.

Out of 7 basses, I'm only settled on strings for 3 of them - and this after 23+ years playing. Ideally, I'd find a great string at a great price for my G&Ls and just stick with them. But maybe the Dunlop Nickels.

THanks for the input. Keep it coming.

**lowfreqgeek** · #16 10-20-2010, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duckman999

Is there a link to how to do this bridge upgrade on the L
-2500 with the specific parts needed? I really need more string options.
Thanks!

I don't have a link. It's very simple, though. You just need 5 flat head machine screws (6-32 is about right, I think) and 5 threaded spacers approximately 5/16" long and 1/4" diameter. Run the screws through the holes in the bridge/body and put the threaded spacers into the string ferrules on the back. You'll have to custom cut the screws to length, and you may have to machine slots into the spacers for a screwdriver blade to fit into so you can torque it down.

I'm not sure if the head angle should be 82 degree or 100 degree. I'll have to check on that.

Sample parts:
Screws (100deg):http://www.mcmaster.com/#93085a163/=9czy9k
Threaded Spacers:http://www.mcmaster.com/#91125a442/=9czxra
Alternate spacer (may work, may not...):http://www.mcmaster.com/#91115a124/=9czzbl

You could use a softer material than SS for the screws, which would make cutting them to length easier. You might also get lucky and find that a 1.75" is just right to go through both the bridge plate and body thickness and still have enough exposed threads to securely fasten to the threaded spacers inside the ferrules. I haven't done it yet, so I don't know...

Good luck.