Thumpy pressurewound type string?

RicPlaya · #1 08-07-2009, 10:50 PM

They call them different names..siliencers, slickwound, pressurewound, halfround strings. Which one gives you that more flatwound type thump? I think my hands dislike flats, but I love the tone. Currently have Labella FL's on my J now.

fretlessguy · #2 08-08-2009, 07:57 AM

Well, pressure wound and halfrounds are two different animals, but give you close to the same sound. Pressure wounds are literally squashed in rollers to make them smooth. Good for roundwound fans who like a deeper tone or want less wear and tear on fretless boards or frets. They feel like...smooth rounds.
Half-rounds start out being rounds but are literally ground down to a flat surface. They are brighter than flats, but still give a flatwound type sound, so I'd go with them. My favorite set is the GHS Brite Flats. They may feel a little rough or sticky at first, but after playing for a short time smooth down and become quite good strings.

RicPlaya · #3 08-08-2009, 10:57 AM

I found the GHS while great in tone, too floppy. I was hoping some of these strings would give me more of a round feel and playability, yet give me a little thump. Something about flats is that they all seem to require more effort to play versus rounds.

basss · #4 08-08-2009, 11:17 AM

+1 to what Frettless guy said
I like Ken Smith Compressors. More thump than rounds with a bit of round wound growl.

fretlessguy · #5 08-08-2009, 02:05 PM

Th only other half-roud type I have tried are the D'Addario Halfrounds. These probably do have the thump you are looking for, but as in most ground-down strings, feel a little sticky or rough until you play them a while and break them in.
However, like you said, they have a little more (well reallly, quite a bit more) tension and require more force or energy to play due to thier stiffness.

EthanTheHeathen · #6 08-08-2009, 10:22 PM

I'd try GHS pressurewounds. I played these once and liked them.

RicPlaya · #7 08-19-2009, 11:30 PM

GHS BF, Pressurewounds, or the Ken Smith's, also heard the SIT silencers were good....

Which one plays more like rounds? I find flats in general a little slower to recover and react IMO. I would like the round feel with the closest to that flat wound tone as I can get. I tried the small gauge GHS flats (think the were precision flats) and found them too floppy. Rounds just seem to me faster and easier to play, but I love the tone from flats.

thanks

basss · #8 08-20-2009, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RicPlaya

GHS BF, Pressurewounds, or the Ken Smith's, also heard the SIT silencers were good....

Which one plays more like rounds? I find flats in general a little slower to recover and react IMO. I would like the round feel with the closest to that flat wound tone as I can get. I tried the small gauge GHS flats (think the were precision flats) and found them too floppy. Rounds just seem to me faster and easier to play, but I love the tone from flats.

thanks

Out of those I've tried the SIT and the Compressors. The silencers had a sound and feel that were closer to flats compared to the KS Compressors IMO.

RicPlaya · #9 08-20-2009, 09:09 AM

Todd GT5 · #10 08-20-2009, 09:36 AM

I've been using Ken Smith Slick Rounds on my SX 5 string W/Jazz PU's(Picked up for a back-up). I have D'Addario Chromes on my other bass, and thought something in between flats and rounds would be great on a back-up bass. I'm liking the tone and thump so much with the Slick Rounds that I want to try them on my other bass also.
-Todd

RicPlaya · #11 08-20-2009, 10:06 AM

ToddGT5

Really, you fnd the KS strings thumpy? Cool, how o they play, are they quick like rounds or gooey like flats? Most players that use Ken Smith basses seem to play more of the R&B, soul, gospel etc more so then rock or other genres, and that's they exact toneI am looking for so hopefull thier string relect that.

RicPlaya · #12 08-20-2009, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basss

Out of those I've tried the SIT and the Compressors. The silencers had a sound and feel that were closer to flats compared to the KS Compressors IMO.

SIT's are thumpier? WHich one plays more like a round IYO?

stflbn · #13 08-20-2009, 10:15 AM

Once broken in the SIT Silencers are more like a Flat. When new they're Roundwound and Bright sounding but they tend to drop off as they age.

But, they're cheap enough you can replace them frequently if you like the brighter sound. SIT's are quite slick and smooth though. I enjoy playing them. I specifically liked them on a J/MM config bass I had.

HogieWan · #14 08-20-2009, 10:15 AM

Roto makes some as well

RicPlaya · #15 08-20-2009, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

Once broken in the SIT Silencers are more like a Flat. When new they're Roundwound and Bright sounding but they tend to drop off as they age.

But, they're cheap enough you can replace them frequently if you like the brighter sound. SIT's are quite slick and smooth though. I enjoy playing them. I specifically liked them on a J/MM config bass I had.

Tnks

I play a jazz, and want more of the flat tone then bright round tone, but want the round feel and playability.

Todd GT5 · #16 08-20-2009, 11:01 AM

I haven't tried other half rounds or Pressure rounds, but I like the thump from these. They do have a bit of zing on the higher notes, compared to my Chromes. To me they have a fatter bottom end with some thump than any round wounds I've had. They feel a little sticky at first, but I got used to them.
-Todd

RicPlaya · #17 09-28-2009, 04:02 PM

Update

Got the Slickwounds

I have to say for the jazz bass they are great. Fat...nice tone, great string.