Halfwounds

cliffkee · #1 10-18-2011, 03:14 PM

I tried some D'Addario Half-Wound Bass Strings. They feel a tad wierd and heavier than regular wound. Idk it may be imagination. Nonetheless, they sound amazing. Is it me that these strings are heavier than regular coil wound strings? Inform me please.

Reuben · #2 10-18-2011, 03:18 PM

Half-rounds, not half-wounds. Just saying.

cliffkee · #3 10-18-2011, 04:06 PM

My apologies flat-rounds

cliffkee · #4 10-18-2011, 04:07 PM

Geez im mean half-rounds

SLaPiNFuNK · #5 10-18-2011, 04:53 PM

Here is the thing...

Picture the outer winding being ground down to half its size...

A .105 "Half Round" string needs to start out as a .1XX Round Wound... It is then ground down to .105 thickness, with the wounds of a heavier string.

So yes they are going to feel a little "heavier" but that is from the difference in flexibility more so than heavyness... Although you will find that Half-Rounds are near as flexible as their round wound counterparts unlike Flatwounds which in most cases are not nearly as flexible as similar gauges in rounds...

cliffkee · #6 10-18-2011, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLaPiNFuNK

Here is the thing...

Picture the outer winding being ground down to half its size...

A .105 "Half Round" string needs to start out as a .1XX Round Wound... It is then ground down to .105 thickness, with the wounds of a heavier string.

So yes they are going to feel a little "heavier" but that is from the difference in flexibility more so than heavyness... Although you will find that Half-Rounds are near as flexible as their round wound counterparts unlike Flatwounds which in most cases are not nearly as flexible as similar gauges in rounds...

Well that was my problem, i wasn't able to play the fill-ins that i usually do and move up & down the neck on rhythm with these strings. Nonetheless, im getting used to them & i may want to use half-rounds again. They sound amazing. Just enough warmth for finger playing but not overly bright when I'm slapping. I just have to get used to them

madbassplaya · #7 10-18-2011, 09:57 PM

Have you considered pressure wounds?

GHS Pressurewound Bass Strings - YouTube

cliffkee · #8 10-18-2011, 10:03 PM

I wasnt necessarily a fan of GHS's but I'll see in to it

madbassplaya · #9 10-18-2011, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffkee

I wasnt necessarily a fan of GHS's but I'll see in to it

I understand that. Smith also makes some. I'm not a fan of the half rounds, but I am the pressure wounds.

cliffkee · #10 10-18-2011, 10:15 PM

Sweet

cliffkee · #11 10-18-2011, 10:16 PM

What distinct sound do u get out of pressure wound?

brendanbassist · #12 10-18-2011, 10:24 PM

Pressure wounds are closer to round wounds than half wounds, which are closer to flats.

SLaPiNFuNK · #13 10-19-2011, 10:21 AM

In short:

Half Rounds sound like Brighter Flats
Pressure Wounds sound like Darker Rounds (but with less finger noise)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffkee

Well that was my problem, i wasn't able to play the fill-ins that i usually do and move up & down the neck on rhythm with these strings. Nonetheless, im getting used to them & i may want to use half-rounds again. They sound amazing. Just enough warmth for finger playing but not overly bright when I'm slapping. I just have to get used to them

This particular type of string usually require a little more "break in" time since the edges where the strings are machined sometimes are a bit catchy and have a little stick to them. They will smoothen out for you and become faster feeling. If they are too heavy for you possibly try a lighter set next time?

cliffkee · #14 10-19-2011, 10:50 AM

That's the thing i used light mediums. However, my main concern was inability to perform licks I would easily have done on round wound strings. & it felt like the strings had a sticky coating on the string. Ur explanation about having a stick makes sense

SLaPiNFuNK · #15 10-19-2011, 10:58 AM

It will go away as you play them... So if they are still pretty new, just need some more breaking in.

cliffkee · #16 10-21-2011, 04:50 AM

I just came across a sudden revelation: my bass has been way out of tune prior to playing. I just humiliated myself yesterday after not hearing myself clearly and recognizing that my bass was out of tune. This never occurred when play with round-wounds. Maybe slightly out of tune but not to this extent

pudgychef · #17 10-23-2011, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffkee

I just came across a sudden revelation: my bass has been way out of tune prior to playing. I just humiliated myself yesterday after not hearing myself clearly and recognizing that my bass was out of tune. This never occurred when play with round-wounds. Maybe slightly out of tune but not to this extent

well new strings do tend to stretch and go out of tune a bit until they settle - rounds, flats, halfs.....not nearly to the extent that guitar strings do (at least in my experience) but that is normal...

cliffkee · #18 10-23-2011, 04:33 PM

I have a Fender Jazz bass. It rarely went out of tune with roundwounds. At worst it was a tad sharp or flat. There have been moments where it was a whole step out of tune

Mojo-Man · #19 10-23-2011, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madbassplaya

Have you considered pressure wounds?

GHS Pressurewound Bass Strings - YouTube

Pressurewound are my favorite strings for my Jazz Bass right now.
Very even, balanced set of strings.

pudgychef · #20 10-23-2011, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cliffkee

I have a Fender Jazz bass. It rarely went out of tune with roundwounds. At worst it was a tad sharp or flat. There have been moments where it was a whole step out of tune

perhaps the added tension of these new strings increases the stretching process compared to what you had before?

- I have used many packs of those strings over the years - they were my main gigging strings for 300 shows or more around 2006-2008 ....they don't have any inherent going out of tune issue or fault - they are just getting settled