hartke bass strings sound shockingly great for my needs

treymonfauntre · #1 10-19-2006, 07:57 PM

so i play in a silly drum/bass funk band and i've always been after a growly larger than life bass sound. i've always just assumed steelwound strings would give that to me since they're always described as bright and "piano like", so i've stuck with them exclusively for a while.

but then recently i got some d'addarrio "pro steels" and they were easily the worst strings i'd played since flatwounds. totally worthless for my style. i had another show and needed new strings immediately so i grabbed a $10 pack of hartke nickelwound strings.
i can't even tell you how pleased i was when i put them on my bass. they immediatelly sounded metallic and growly, not dull and toy-like like the prosteels.

my question is this:

1. is steel really what i should be looking for, and those prosteels were just total duds? it seems like i was satisfied before but i can say that the show i played with the hartkes was our best ever.
-or-
2. is the sound i describe what nickelwound is known for? are these hartkes just cheap nickelwound strings and i'd be even better off with a more expensive brand?

if you want to hear the style of music check out http://www.myspace.com/soulmanandbreeze or http://www.floridadiy.com/snb/
they were both recorded with steel wounds

treymonfauntre · #2 10-19-2006, 08:04 PM

i found some threads and it seems like a lot of people hate these strings, but i guess i'm playing my bass more like a guitar and love the midrange bump these have. i honestly have very little need for lowend and my amp is set to most high-mids.
also these are 3 packs for $20.. i'm not sure why some people are saying they paid $20 a pop for em!

JimmyM · #3 10-20-2006, 01:10 AM

Dude, if you like the strings, then use them and be proud that you're saving so much money AND getting your best sound!

treymonfauntre · #4 10-20-2006, 11:50 AM

well the reason i was asking was because i wasn't sure if nickelwounds always sound like this or if i should stick with steelwounds. every bass i play in stores sound dead and lifeless and most of the time theres a tag/ad on there that says they've got nickelwounds on them.

JimmyM · #5 10-20-2006, 01:42 PM

Nickels are generally darker than steels, yes.

diechris · #6 10-20-2006, 01:57 PM

wow i love those tracks.. very raw. ive been debating some hartke or d'addarrios... i think i'll give the hartke's a try

RLT · #7 10-20-2006, 02:12 PM

Play what sounds best to you and your music. Depending on your pup's, amps, eq and every thing else in your signal chain. The sound you get with a string will be totally different then what some one else gets.

If the Hartkes work use them. You can try others as well, we all experament. Tweaking our sound is all some of us get done.