Tone only: Sadowsky Flatwound vs GHS Pressurewound

fourstringbliss · #1 03-05-2013, 11:05 AM

I've got a Peavey Millennium Plus J/J that has active stacked J's and an active preamp. I've been using Sadowsky Flats for years on almost every bass and have found them to be pretty roundish in their tone while being perfectly smooth. On this bass they are too dark. Would GHS Pressurewounds be better?

How do GHS Pressurewounds compare tonally to Sadowsky Flats?

bumperbass · #2 03-05-2013, 02:07 PM

Bump.
I'm curious, too.

mmbongo · #3 03-05-2013, 02:30 PM

Pressurewounds would definitely be brighter. They are basically roundwounds with the high end chopped off.

fretlessguy · #4 03-06-2013, 10:11 PM

GHS Pressurewounds sit in the middle between flats and rounds. Slightly darker tone like flats, but the tension and sustain of a round. They are very smooth to the touch, making them popular for fretless players since they are easy on fingerboards and fretted players since they are kind to the frets.

madbassplaya · #5 03-07-2013, 06:08 AM

Isn't the Millennium 35 inch scale? If so, Pressure wounds may not work and you'll need Ken Smith Compressors.

I've played both. I would say that the Pressure Wounds have more "crunch" to them when new more like a round. This never left 100% but it did smooth out. I don't mean this as a bad thing at all and think this may work great for your bass. Pressure Wounds really are in between rounds and flats, I'm just not sure why GHS markets them as "Flats".

madbassplaya · #6 03-07-2013, 06:10 AM

GHS Pressure Wounds Video Review!

mmbongo · #7 03-07-2013, 07:19 AM

After replacing my GHS Pressurewounds with D'Addario Chromes, I was quite shocked as to how stiff Pressurewounds are! I thought it was just the feel of the bass they were on (34" scale Brubaker) but man the Chromes feel great. Those Pressurewounds are way stiffer than any round I've used, and I was quite surprised by Chromes. I assumed they would be even stiffer, but not even close!

But it kinda makes sense..to get a .105 Pressurewound they have to start off with say a .107 or .110 and compress it down.

bumperbass · #8 03-07-2013, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

After replacing my GHS Pressurewounds with D'Addario Chromes, I was quite shocked as to how stiff Pressurewounds are! I thought it was just the feel of the bass they were on (34" scale Brubaker) but man the Chromes feel great. Those Pressurewounds are way stiffer than any round I've used, and I was quite surprised by Chromes. I assumed they would be even stiffer, but not even close!

But it kinda makes sense..to get a .105 Pressurewound they have to start off with say a .107 or .110 and compress it down.

What gauge Chromes did you end up getting? The .105 or .100 set? I'm ready to order a set but am undecided on the
ECB81 - Long Scale 45-100: .045 .065 .080 .100, or the
ECB84 - Long Scale 40-100: .040 .060 .080 .100.

I'm thinking maybe the first one, but am not sure.
Thanks.

mmbongo · #9 03-07-2013, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bumperbass

What gauge Chromes did you end up getting? The .105 or .100 set? I'm ready to order a set but am undecided on the
ECB81 - Long Scale 45-100: .045 .065 .080 .100, or the
ECB84 - Long Scale 40-100: .040 .060 .080 .100.

I'm thinking maybe the first one, but am not sure.
Thanks.

You know what..I don't know! I got them from a fellow TB'er and I don't even know the gauges

I'll have to break out the calipers when I get home. From the feel though, I'd say the 45-100.

bumperbass · #10 03-07-2013, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmbongo

You know what..I don't know! I got them from a fellow TB'er and I don't even know the gauges

I'll have to break out the calipers when I get home. From the feel though, I'd say the 45-100.

Well that's above and beyond, but yeah, I'd appreciate it!

**TimWatson** · #11 03-07-2013, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bumperbass

What gauge Chromes did you end up getting? The .105 or .100 set? I'm ready to order a set but am undecided on the
ECB81 - Long Scale 45-100: .045 .065 .080 .100, or the
ECB84 - Long Scale 40-100: .040 .060 .080 .100.

I'm thinking maybe the first one, but am not sure.
Thanks.

I am a huge fan of Chromes. I find that whatever round gauge you like subtract .005 from it and get that gauge on Chromes. I play .045-.100 rounds so I bought .040-.095 Chromes for my P-Bass...absolutely perfect. The tension feels similar and the tone is deep. Psychologically at first my mind wants them to be too light or thin sounding but after trying heavier Chromes, TI, GHS, and Labella flats on that bass I have put the light gauge Chromes right back on every time. The heavier gauges are stiffer and have more harmonics than I wanted. Hope that helps.

Marial · #12 03-07-2013, 11:33 AM

Interesting. I found the Pressurewonds to be lighter in tension by a lot than Chromes, and slightly lighter in tension than the Sadowsky flats I'm currently using. I don't, unfortunately, recall the gauge of the PWs, but I'm using standard gauge Sad flats.

Anyhow, tone-wise, you'll find the PWs to be quite a bit brighter than the Sadowskys. Personally, if I'm not going to use flats I go straight to DR Sunbeams... YMMV.

u84six · #13 03-08-2013, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimWatson

I am a huge fan of Chromes. I find that whatever round gauge you like subtract .005 from it and get that gauge on Chromes. I play .045-.100 rounds so I bought .040-.095 Chromes for my P-Bass...absolutely perfect. The tension feels similar and the tone is deep. Psychologically at first my mind wants them to be too light or thin sounding but after trying heavier Chromes, TI, GHS, and Labella flats on that bass I have put the light gauge Chromes right back on every time. The heavier gauges are stiffer and have more harmonics than I wanted. Hope that helps.

What I've found over the years of experimenting with strings, is that any gauge higher than .40 - .100, the tone starts to get a bit dull. I'm now a big fan of light gauge or even extra light. They just sound better to my ears, specifically when cutting through a stage mix. I have a wireless setup, and whenever my band does a sound check, I stand in different spots in the room and listen to the mix. My bass is way more clear with light gauge than standard gauge. And there's actually no loss in bass. In fact, they actually sound deeper and more pronounced. I think when I didn't care too much about strings, I thought the thicker the string the better. But it's really just the opposite.