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45-105 hex-core NPS rounds

#21
Ricky Rioli said:
• my Yamaha BB has GHS Bass Boomers M3045 (a big success)
• my P-with-DiMarzio has Fender 7250M (very happy with this pair)
• on the TRBX604 I've now sold I tried Daddario EXL165 (not a success)

All three are hex-core nickel-plated steels, they've similar stiffness and tension, and all are 45-65-85-105. Physically I was very happy with all of them, the feel is just right for me. I've tried other styles and gauges, and so am sure that 45-105 hexcore NPS is the right combination for me.

But I'm wondering, are there others that have the same feel as the GHS and Fenders, but with yet more warmth in the mids?

I know that a 45-105 set of the nickel-plated version of the Swing Bass 66 would have similar tension and stiffness, but I don't know just how far the nickel-plating moderates the brilliance of the standard Swing Bass tone.

(I suspect I'm dreaming of an impossible blend of hexcore feel and roundcore tone. If so, tell me so ;) )
Click to expand...
Elixir nickels

Boomers are the only strings that sound close to them. Except that they don't last a third as long.
 
#23
I dunno... to be perfectly honest? I've been playing flats, almost exclusively, for several decades now; so, you sort of lost me at "round wounds"...;) However, from my limited experiences with them?
- I wouldn't put any D'Addario round wound on a bass of mine. IME, the best tone I ever got out of any of them was, quite frankly - "MEH". The fact that whatever they use to polish them makes my fingers itch like crazy (and takes lots of time/nasty solvents to get rid of) doesn't make me a fan, either...
- It's too bad the DR Lo-riders are so pricey for you. I have to agree with everybody who recommended those...
- I've used hex core Boomers on a few of my basses - and liked them a lot. Still have them on one, in fact. Try the round cores, maybe?
- Slinkys. The nickel Hybrid/ Regular Slinkys are the rounds I've used the most. I usually use them as "baseline" strings on a new bass, to see what direction I want to take that bass in. And, as such, they often get replaced pretty quickly. But, they've stayed on 2 or 3 of my basses for a long, long time. You might like them, too.
- Fender rounds. Sorry; only Fender strings I've used are the 9050L flats - which I like a lot...
- SIT rounds. Never tried them, but I hear good things about them. Can you get them for a reasonable price? I know they're a supplier for Rickenbacker brand strings, which IMO is a plus for them...
- Newtones. Some people here like them, and they're UK made. Probably worth a try...

Other than that, any other round wound strings that I'm at all familiar with, definitely don't fit your criteria. I can't imagine you being happy with Dogal Helborgs, or TI Jazz Rounds, just to name a couple...:whistle:
 
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#26
Ricky Rioli said:
But I'm wondering, are there others that have the same feel as the GHS and Fenders, but with yet more warmth in the mids? I suspect I'm dreaming of an impossible blend of hexcore feel and roundcore tone. If so, tell me so ;) )
Click to expand...

Dreaming pretty much the same dream and have played various Fender and D'Addario strings on my Pbasses. Liked them all but was looking for that extra juicy warmth while keeping the sparkle and the bounce. This lead me to the Pyramid Pure Nickel hex core rounds 45105 with very good results. I prefer them to the Fender 7150s - the Pyramids seem to have a more 3dimensional and richer tonal palette (even richer than the NPS strings I have experience with), are perhaps more flexible with more bounce (sound-wise and feel-wise), and are nicer to the touch. The 7150s, which I also like, appear somewhat dull in comparison. Also, the Pyramid Pure Nickel rounds seem to have the most punch of all rounds I know of.

Ordered them here:
Pyramid 800 Superior Pure Nickel Rock 045/105, 32,90 €

purenickels-superiorquality.jpeg
 
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#27
Phaidrus said:
the Pyramids seem to have a more 3dimensional and richer tonal palette (even richer than the NPS strings I have experience with), are perhaps more flexible with more bounce (sound-wise and feel-wise), and are nicer to the touch.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I can't find those stocked in the UK. Some Pyramid Golds at £50... :rollno: The 7150 are only £17 here, and from a shop within walking distance of my home.
 
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#28
GIBrat51 said:
- I've used hex core Boomers on a few of my basses - and liked them a lot. Still have them on one, in fact. Try the round cores, maybe
Click to expand...
I have been thinking that perhaps, since I like the hexcore Boomers so much, my first experiment should be with the roundcore.

But I can't find them stocked by any of the UK retailers I like to use, so that's that. I'm lucky that one of them sells the hexcores at an affordable price, about ⅔ of what they usually cost.
 
#29
Ricky Rioli said:
Unfortunately I can't find those stocked in the UK. Some Pyramid Golds at £50... :rollno: The 7150 are only £17 here, and from a shop within walking distance of my home.
Click to expand...

The 7150s are interesting strings, give them a go!

Btw, Strings Direct in the UK do stock Pyramid strings. They don't seem to have the Pure Nickels at the moment but I suppose they could get them for you.
Pyramid Bass Guitar
 
#31
Ricky Rioli said:
Yes, I made the mistake of looking at the (incorrect) photo attached to the listing when browsing through what they have

View attachment 4485765

Strings Direct aren't usually sloppy like that.
Click to expand...

So I assume the listing is indeed for SS bass strings, just the photo is incorrect. Never tried the Pyramid SS strings but I'm sure they're good or at least interesting strings.

On the Pyramid website it is stated: "PYRAMID Superior QualityStainless Steel bieten einen aggressiven, harten Klang mit vollem Obertonspektrum, sind daher geeignet für moderne slapping- und tapping Techniken und werden auch von Bassisten der härteren Metall-Abteilung gerne genommen!" Which means, they have a hard and aggressive tone with a full overtones spectrum and are appropriate for modern techniques like slapping and tapping and are also being used by bassists who play metal. Pure nickels are more my cup of tea.

There's a chance the listing is in fact for NPS strings, which is what you're looking for.

stainlesssteel-superiorquality.jpeg

nickelplatedsteel-superiorquality.jpeg
 
#32
dbsfgyd1 said:
Swing Bass. The best sounding strings for the first 30 minutes of use ever devised by the mind of man.
Click to expand...
Do the Nickel plated version last any longer? I did try the standard steel version on my BB, they didn't do much for it, and scarcely lasted a month, having seeming changed character every week. But I'm still curious about the Nickel plated version, perhaps on the P instead
 
#35
Since this thread I've been thinking very hard why it is that I have been recently finding the Boomers anything other than perfect for my BB424.

A few months ago I added a Matt Freeman (Dimarzio Model P, 7250s) to the BB. I've been wondering if the sound of the P has moved my tastes along, making me find fault with what I had already.

But it's just dawned on me: the P has encouraged me to play with a heavier touch (or rather a less gentle touch) to bring out its character .... and I've been transfered that heavier touch back to the BB .... and that's been wiping out the warmth and introducing a slight scoop to the tone.

As soon as I gave my fingers a stern talking to, telling them to think which instrument they're playing, the warmth came back to the Boomers :facepalm:

And breathe :smug:
 
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