nickel roundwounds with thick mids

[dougjwray]

I'm looking for suggestions for nickel roundwounds (could be all nickel or nickel-plated) that have "throaty", thick, punchy mids. Not more brightness.
In my personal experience:
D'Addario: mids are too harsh, tending toward bright
DR: too scooped
GHS: the best lows and sweetest highs, but I'm looking for more LOW MID PUNCH... lots of fundamental coming through
Dean Markley: nondescript
Fender: a bit too mild, also

Also, GHS and D'Addario half-rounds just sound like dead roundwounds to me. (Or at least they did the last time I tried them, about 20 years ago.)

These would go on an ash/maple Fender Jazz. I've also got an alder/rosewood Jazz which has flatwounds. The flatwounds, contrary to what one might expect, provide more midrange punch than the roundwounds on the other bass. But... they can't do a lot of the things that roundwounds can, of course. I haven't forgotten that it could come down to the differences in woods between the two basses, naturally... you get more fundamental from alder/rosewood. The alder/rosewood one is a completely stock 2003 MIM. The one with roundwounds is a '72 with Custom Shop '60s pickups.

Well, anyway, I thought I'd throw this out there. Thanks!

[Pacman]

Which DRs? I've used 4 or 5 different varieties, and they all sound different. I'd try the DR Fatbeams. Big bottom end, too.

[stflbn]

S.I.T. Power Nickels

[(b)Assman]

I've tried so many different strings and I keep going back to Darco Electric Medium Wounds.

They are so awesome.

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by stflbn

S.I.T. Power Nickels

+1 great strings!

[dougjwray]

Thanks, guys... please keep the suggestions coming!

Just as a footnote: the stock pickups on the Mexican bass are louder and all-around ballsier than the Custom Shop pickups on the other bass. Fender <--- gotta love 'em!

[KevinMG]

What amp are you playing through? Are you playing w/a pick or fingerstyle? It's hard to compare tonal experiences with strings with so many other variables in the mix. My experience with the strings you mentioned are quite different than yours. D'Addario XL nickels are very mid present and warm on my American Jazz (alder/maple) and Amer. Dlx 5 String Jazz (Alder/RW) & Precision (Alder/Pau Ferro) basses. I think the DR Hi-Beams have a great low-mid presence once they settle in, with a nice brightness on top. And I've found Boomers to have a lot of thump without much brightness on a P-bass. And I find that the Fender strings that ship on their basses settle in to have a very woody character, even acoustically. I'm playing fingerstyle through a Mesa Walkabout, which is already a mid-present combo.

Other strings I've used that I think are very mid-forward that you might want to try:
Dean Markley NPS roundcore strings - almost flatwound low mid thump and very flexible
Dean Markley NickelSteel - may not be as focused in the low mids as you're looking for
DR Lo-Rider - Very mid forward and dark once they settle in

Good luck...

[dougjwray]

Thanks for the suggestions, Kevin. The Dean Markley NPS Roundcores sound the closest to what I want, just from your description. I'll look into those.
I've tried all of the ones you mentioned, except for those and the other D. Markleys, and have liked them for different reasons (especially GHS Boomers), but they haven't given me what I'm looking for, with this particular bass.
My gear, in total:
Ampeg SVT 3 Pro
GK 400RB
GK 1001RBII
Ampeg "Rocket Bass" 100 watt combo
Ampeg BA 110 30 watt practice amp
Mesa Boogie Diesel 15" cab
GK 210RBH cab

[emblymouse]

I've got to mention Infelds- rich nickel sound with minimum zing. I think these are very mid focused rounds, much more so than Boomers or D'Addarios. All nickel blends are not the same, the Infelds actually blackened my fingers for the first few weeks.

[saxofunk]

What Fenders did you try?

I use 7150s. Fresh out of the box they are pretty harsh, they mellow well after 8-10 hours and keep a nice, slappable tone for a long time.

[Fender32]

Originally Posted by saxofunk

What Fenders did you try?

I use 7150s. Fresh out of the box they are pretty harsh, they mellow well after 8-10 hours and keep a nice, slappable tone for a long time.

7150s? Those are the all nickel ones with the gold colour silk, aren't they? .

The 7250's (nickel-plated steel) are my favourites and I would describe them exactly as you described the 7150s, saxofunk . After they're played in though, they sound great for ages (if you like that punchy, mid, not grindy sound), IMHO.

I always found that the 7150s didn't have enough punch or definition to begin with. They always sounded a little "vague" to my ears - or as the OP stated, "a little too mild".

Very subjective business this string choice, don't you think!?

[Gintaras]

Originally Posted by Pacman

Which DRs? I've used 4 or 5 different varieties, and they all sound different. I'd try the DR Fatbeams. Big bottom end, too.

Dr's make a lot of strings!!!! The LowRider Nickels would do the job. I have different DR's on each of my 4 basses and they all have unique characteristics.

[Ryan Mohr]

I think the Nickel Lo-Riders would be best.

[Fender32]

Originally Posted by AqueousView11

I think the Nickel Lo-Riders would be best.

As an aside, those are a PERECT match for the StingRay, IMHO .

[saxofunk]

Originally Posted by Fender32

7150s? Those are the all nickel ones with the gold colour silk, aren't they? .

The 7250's (nickel-plated steel) are my favourites and I would describe them exactly as you described the 7150s, saxofunk . After they're played in though, they sound great for ages (if you like that punchy, mid, not grindy sound), IMHO.

I always found that the 7150s didn't have enough punch or definition to begin with. They always sounded a little "vague" to my ears - or as the OP stated, "a little too mild".

Very subjective business this string choice, don't you think!?

Very subjective! I haven't tried 7250s. Maybe sometime next year, if the 7150s finally dull down too much, I'll look into 7250s.

[dougjwray]

Remember, guys, I'm not going for more warmth but more low mid volume and punch. Felt around, say, 250-500 Hz. NOT vintage boom OR "piano string" tone.
Interesting suggestions so far. Thanks for the help.

[Pacman]

Either the DR Fatbeams or the nickle low-riders.

[troll]

I've always felt the 'Cirrus' labeled strings have a huge tight midrangy sound. I kind of missing being able to run them (custom sizes for odd tuning these days )

Not sure what would be comparable to them.

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by saxofunk

Very subjective! I haven't tried 7250s. Maybe sometime next year, if the 7150s finally dull down too much, I'll look into 7250s.

I agree that 7150s are much mellower that 7250's. I have one P bass strung with 7150's a classic 50's P for my go to country bass. I get old school thump with enough mids to cut nice and warm. On my modded MIM P with 62 reissue pups (hotter) i put the 7150's in case we play outdoors or i want to really cut that night and man it does.That bass with 7250's really growls and cuts. Still warm strings but much more mids.

[Lowbrow]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Remember, guys, I'm not going for more warmth but more low mid volume and punch. Felt around, say, 250-500 Hz. NOT vintage boom OR "piano string" tone.
Interesting suggestions so far. Thanks for the help.

I suggest Rotosound RS66LDN nickel roundrounds, the ones that come in the blue package. I found these have overall great tone, with a real emphasis on the note fundamental, nice mid punch, and just a wee bit of brightness.

Switched to these from GHS Boomers -- no comparison.