Smooth, articulate and low-tension

markanini · #1 03-31-2011, 09:02 PM

My bass has worn a set of GHS medium-light Pressurewounds for 3.5 months. As the break in period hasn't diluted the clankyness of the D & G I feel it's time to move in. That said I love the overall tone I get from the Pressurewounds, just listen to this: lowc.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

I would appreciate any input on what to try next. I'm considering either some brighter flats like Rotosound or Sadowsky or a groundwound/halfround. Also I like a low tension and I'm picky about string-to-string balance.

CapnSev · #2 03-31-2011, 09:36 PM

TI flats fit your description perfectly IME.

Billnc · #3 03-31-2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnSev

TI flats fit your description perfectly IME.

+1

tjh · #4 03-31-2011, 09:45 PM

+3 ... I sent you a PM as well ..

markanini · #5 03-31-2011, 10:22 PM

I heard a few clips of TIs on a J. Definitely an articulate flat but smoother than I'm looking for tonally.

mdogs · #6 04-01-2011, 05:15 AM

If you like balanced low tension, you can forget about GHS Brite Flats...

markanini · #7 04-01-2011, 06:24 AM

Maybe I'll try Ken Smith compressors, I read in more than one place they're slightly darker and looser than GHS's offering.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdogs

If you like balanced low tension, you can forget about GHS Brite Flats...

Thanks for the heads up! Sad to hear about that, really like the nickel iron alloys and had my mind set on GHS if I try a groundwound. Could you share some more details about the balance issues you've experienced?

mmbongo · #8 04-01-2011, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markanini

Maybe I'll try Ken Smith compressors, I read in more than one place they're slightly darker and looser than GHS's offering.

Thanks for the heads up! Sad to hear about that, really like the nickel iron alloys and had my mind set on GHS if I try a groundwound. Could you share some more details about the balance issues you've experienced?

You know Ken Smith are made by GHS, right?

jasper383 · #9 04-01-2011, 08:08 AM

Lower tension, balanced, smooth and articulate? TI Jazz Flats have been mentioned, but the Jazz Rounds also fit the bill.

There isn't a lower tension, smoother set of rounds out there. The JR344 set is for you. The feel is unlike anything else. The price is high, but there aren't any other strings like them.

markanini · #10 04-01-2011, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

You know Ken Smith are made by GHS, right?

I can accept that the accounts of any difference are placebo. Would love to hear from someone got this information confirmed from either GHS or Ken Smith, or just someone that tried both sets and concluded they're identical.

unclekebm · #11 04-01-2011, 04:23 PM

another + for TI's but, they do need a "break in" period
for me it was 3 months of steady gigging to unlock their musical prowess
and to tame the upper mids a little...

3 years later, they are incredible and keep getting better with age
no clank, yes sweet upper mid percussive quality

Mojo-Man · #12 04-02-2011, 01:34 AM

TI-Flats.
Ken Smith Compressors.
DR Sunbeams.
GHS Pressurewounds.

I look for the same thing you do in strings.
The sets above are what your looking for.
For P-bass I prefer the Compressors, and the TI-Flsts.
Sunbeams, or Pressurewounds for my Jazz.

markanini · #13 04-02-2011, 08:32 AM

Cool. Did you you notice any differences between the Compressors and Pressurewounds?

markanini · #14 04-02-2011, 10:26 AM

Maybe I'm silly to believe Ken Smiths aren't the same as GHS when the gauges are clearly the same as well as the nickel-iron alloy. Though if I were Ken Smith I'd tell GHS the D&G in the set are clanky and nasal. Did a google search on D'angelico ground wounds and found a media kit on a GHS domain. Sure enough the gauges matched. I'll try the GHS groundwounds and mix the gauges to my liking.

Mojo-Man · #15 04-02-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markanini

Cool. Did you you notice any differences between the Compressors and Pressurewounds?

Yes,
The Compressors are a little smoother in feel, and darker in tone.
With a little less treble on top.
Both are nice strings.

markanini · #16 04-14-2011, 02:23 PM

Strung my bass with light Brite-flats today. The tone is warm yet lively. The nickel-iron alloy is a winner to me, lows aren't overwhelmingly forceful like in steels and the treble is lively but not grating. Mogs wasn't kidding about the string-to-string balance. The .098 E is practically dead. More oddly the .056 D is zingy-er than the rest of the set. Any one else experience this? The .077 A is very nice: Brite Flats A.mp3 I doubt it will stay that way, being borderline mellow it might just become dull with time. Thus the next step might be to order .084 and .103 singles, upping the gauge on the E & A one notch for a better tonal balance. This means overall tension will likely become higher than I hoped for but probably no DTF mediums...
Stay tuned for more reports and sound clips.

markanini · #17 04-22-2011, 01:55 AM

Messing with my batch of Brite flats singles I finally settled on 40-56-77-103. Coincidently this is the same as the Ken Smith Slick-round light set. Volume now matches well from string to string and the E is significantly improved. There's still a tonal disparity between the E-A and D-G pairs. You can get around it by varying plucking technique between the outer pairs, it's certainly extra work.

I noted a curious increase in brightness going from 45 to 40 on the G, the opposite of what I experienced after upping the 98 E to 103. The 40 G while brighter matched better in volume with the rest of the set. Later on I couldn't resist the temptation of putting on the 45 G and 84 A at hand on and low and behold they went together like bread and butter balancing perfectly in tone and volume. I've ordered a set of Ken Smith Slick round mediums which uses the gauges I found to balance better.

Short clip featuring the 45 G and 84 A: brite med.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

markanini · #18 04-22-2011, 06:10 AM

40-56-77-103 back on this time in an effort to lessen the tonal disparity between the E-A, D-G pairs I tried something different. My bass has a headless bridge system with (fine-)tuners at the ball end, by increasing the length behind the bridge saddles on the E-A and decrease the length for the D-G is was able to lessen the disparity. The disparity is still there but somewhat diminished. Here's an excerpt of a classic piece with the aforementioned set-up: bolero.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

markanini · #19 05-12-2011, 08:50 AM

I've given up on the Ken Smith and GHS groundwounds, they're either to dull/unbalanced for me or too high tension. That said the medium Brite Flats set with a 45 G rather than 49 balances very well and has a great throbbingly rich tone. If your neck and fingers can handle it you're in heaven. I'll do my gauging experiments on Pressurewounds/Compressors next.