Just Put On Half Rounds!!!

Stampy · #1 10-20-2009, 08:12 AM

I am in love!!! I took off my stock Fender 8250's because they were a little bright for the style of music I'm playing. I was really toying with the idea of switching because I think Fender makes a damn good string and didn't want to switch but I heard this style string would suit my style music better(I play in a Tom Petty cover band). So I went to Sam Ash yesterday I usually go to see if there are any deals on things and I noticed they had a set of D' Addario Half Rounds 50-105(I guess they normally don't carry them for some reason the salesman said they were special ordered but the customer never picked them up.) I immedialty snatched them up because I have heard many good things about these strings. So this morning I stung them up and everything was almost perfect without a setup eventhough I was going from a roundwound 45-105 to a hybrid flat/round 50-105. I just had to tighten the truss rod about a quarter of a turn because there was buzzing on the A string. The action pretty much stayed the same I haven't noticed a difference. After playing for a few minutes a immediatly realized these were the string for me, I couldn't be happier. I am happy I made the switch. They do have a different feel to them at first as other members have mentioned but I got used to them within a couple minutes.

EagleMoon · #2 10-20-2009, 06:47 PM

I'm glad you like them. I've never used the D'Addarios but I've used the GHS Brite Flats for years on and off. It's nice when you find a set of strings that you really like.

J. Crawford · #3 10-20-2009, 06:48 PM

D'Addario Chromes were my light bulb moment strings.

I can give my love of flats to halfwounds, as I had em on my Geddy and they spoiled me.

EagleMoon · #4 10-20-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. Crawford

D'Addario Chromes were my light bulb moment strings.

I can give my love of flats to halfwounds, as I had em on my Geddy and they spoiled me.

I've never met a flatwound string that I've liked, but I do like the halfwounds. Flatwounds are just too thumpy and not enough definition for me.

HogieWan · #5 10-20-2009, 06:59 PM

I like Chromes, but I also really like GHS Pressurewounds. Much more comfortable to me than half-rounds and I dig the tone more. They sound GREAT on every Jazz bass I have heard them on (which is 4 or 5). Rotosound also makes a pressurewound, but I just found out about them and have not had a chance to try them

WashburnBasser · #6 10-20-2009, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HogieWan

I like Chromes, but I also really like GHS Pressurewounds. Much more comfortable to me than half-rounds and I dig the tone more. They sound GREAT on every Jazz bass I have heard them on (which is 4 or 5). Rotosound also makes a pressurewound, but I just found out about them and have not had a chance to try them

I LOVE the GHS Pressurewounds! Such a great string! They mellow out really nicely too, they never seem to get completely dead either!

J. Crawford · #7 10-20-2009, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EagleMoon

I've never met a flatwound string that I've liked, but I do like the halfwounds. Flatwounds are just too thumpy and not enough definition for me.

I like em thumpy!

ryco · #8 10-20-2009, 08:08 PM

I used D'Addario Halfies for years on my fretless Ripper.
Now have GHS Brite Flats (half-rounds) on her. They seem fine as well.

Tried D'Addario Chromes on her and, as mentioned above, they were just too thumpy for the fretless. Really had to work to get any sustain out of 'em. Gibsons are a pretty thumpy bass anyways.
The Chromes sound great on my fretted P tho!

LaklandBass · #9 10-20-2009, 09:57 PM

i just got the same ones for my yamaha. i loooooooove them.

tobie · #10 10-20-2009, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EagleMoon

Flatwounds are just too thumpy and not enough definition for me.

I see this kind of statement every now and again and I find it odd because my D'addario flats ring with a pleasant w-i-r-r-r-i-n-g sound with sustain much longer as I've ever needed so far (except for the low B which understandably has shorter sustain).

EagleMoon · #11 10-21-2009, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobie

I see this kind of statement every now and again and I find it odd because my D'addario flats ring with a pleasant w-i-r-r-r-i-n-g sound with sustain much longer as I've ever needed so far (except for the low B which understandably has shorter sustain).

I meant thumpy as in dull sounding, not lack of sustain. That's a different issue all together.

klyph · #12 10-21-2009, 12:36 AM

I used Half rounds (45's) for a few years on my ASAT Hollow- a nice twang that CUT but still had plenty of lows, a good slap sound (not that I'm a big slapper) that doesn't chew the frets, they're nice strings! I use Chromes right now on my 1505, but this thread may influence my next purchase...

bassbenj · #13 10-21-2009, 04:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HogieWan

I like Chromes, but I also really like GHS Pressurewounds. Much more comfortable to me than half-rounds and I dig the tone more. They sound GREAT on every Jazz bass I have heard them on (which is 4 or 5). Rotosound also makes a pressurewound, but I just found out about them and have not had a chance to try them

I love GHS pressure wounds too. Slightly brighter than ground wounds but still feel good. Got em on my 6 string fretted. All my fretless basses have ground wounds on them. A pressure wound will eventually chew a fretless though not like rounds. The grounds never chew a fretless. Love 'em.

I do have some GHS flats on my Fenders to get an old school thump and they are not as dull as I remember them from the old days.

So my rule is to just choose strings to match the character of the bass which you pick to match the character of the music you want to play. So my strings range from stainless rounds to flats for various basses And for each thing I love what they do.

Stampy · #14 10-21-2009, 07:23 AM

Within a day of playing the stickiness feeling that I felt is now completly gone. I love these!

socialleper · #15 10-21-2009, 01:21 PM

Why doesn't anyone make these in Super Long scale (or extra long; whatever 35" is) sets? I've checked D'Addario, GHS and La Bella and none of them make a half/ground wound string that will work for me

Stampy · #16 10-22-2009, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by socialleper

Why doesn't anyone make these in Super Long scale (or extra long; whatever 35" is) sets? I've checked D'Addario, GHS and La Bella and none of them make a half/ground wound string that will work for me

On the box mine says long gauge 34".

Surly · #17 10-22-2009, 08:14 AM

Sounds good. I've never tried half-rounds though. My alternative to flats and 8250's has become Fender's 7150's pure nickels. Not as harsh or bright as 8250's, more of a classic Fender tone, without using flats.

Powman · #18 10-22-2009, 11:15 PM

I am a half-wound fan as well. Thats what I have on my MM Sterling.

But I also like the sound of flats. My next purchase will be another bass strung with flats.

bassist4dalord · #19 10-23-2009, 12:07 PM

I'm seriously considering a set for my Squier Affinity Jazz V. We'll see

Glad you found "your" string!

ghostjs · #20 10-23-2009, 12:13 PM

sounds good! i want a set for my 5 string SX! Dang...