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Another Boomers question - need some feedback

buldog5151bass

buldog5151bass

Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Oct 22, 2003
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Connecticut
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#1
I've been using either Roto Swing nickels (on my jazz) or nickel Lo Riders (changed my P to this) for years. That's the tension/stiffness I like, and I want something deeper sounding, without losing the top end of most flats. I've been thinking of trying GHS nickel plated Boomers (Products - BASS BOOMERS® - GHS Strings).

Can someone tell me how they would compare, both in terms of feel and sound? Many thanks.
 
#2
I have no personal experience with the Roto.

DR Nickel Lo-Riders vs. GHS Boomers (hex core)...

NLR = punchy warmth with clear, smooth mids. Clean, crisp top end.

Boomers = punchy low-mid, with some grit and grind in the mids. Not as smooth or "refined" as the NLR, and slightly darker in their character.

I've tried the NLR 40-60-75-95 and the Boomer 40-55-75-95 and found them similar in terms of stiffness/flexibility, but the NLRs are smoother in terms of surface texture.

Maybe @Ricky Rioli have some insight as he has experiences with all three.
 
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#3
All my experience of Roto Nickels, GHS Boomers and DR NLR is for 45-65-85-105. All of this is just my opinion based on my own gentle style of playing

I found the Boomers very similar to the Roto Nickels, especially in feel - very similar stiffness and tension, and both very responsive to touch.

The Boomers have a more open tone than the Roto Nickels, the Roto 105 E has a more commanding personality than the GHS 105 E.

The reason I had for changing from GHS to Roto on my PJ is that I wanted thick mids to fill in the natural scoop of the PJ combination. GHS was good at this, Roto even better.

When my G&L SB-1 arrives, I'll be using Boomers at first, as I think they've a more balanced personality.

If changing a Jazz from Roto Nickels to Boomers, I would expect a tiny bit more of the bass's scoop to come through.

If changing a P from DR NLo-R to Boomers, i would expect a much stronger, more vibrant tone.
 
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#4
Ricky Rioli said:
All my experience of Roto Nickels, GHS Boomers and DR NLR is for 45-65-85-105. All of this is just my opinion based on my own gentle style of playing

I found the Boomers very similar to the Roto Nickels, especially in feel - very similar stiffness and tension, and both very responsive to touch.

The Boomers have a more open tone than the Roto Nickels, the Roto 105 E has a more commanding personality than the GHS 105 E.

The reason I had for changing from GHS to Roto on my PJ is that I wanted thick mids to fill in the natural scoop of the PJ combination. GHS was good at this, Roto even better.

When my G&L SB-1 arrives, I'll be using Boomers at first, as I think they've a more balanced personality.

If changing a Jazz from Roto Nickels to Boomers, I would expect a tiny bit more of the bass's scoop to come through.

If changing a P from DR NLo-R to Boomers, i would expect a much stronger, more vibrant tonethemselves.
Click to expand...

Would you say the Boomers have a tone closer to traditional flats? That's what I am going for - more thump. But I still want a touch of the round wound top end. Thanks.
 
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#5
Bul, I just put these on my Highway One Jazz, and I like the sound of them, alot... my guitarist does as well (live, I play through an MB500 and a Neo 212, and he asked if I changed anything... said I was more articulate. My reply, "I changed strings, AND stayed at a Holiday Inn Express." I had the Pressurewounds on prior, and over time, they had lost their appeal... 3 years? Lol!)

IMG_20220619_105038604.jpg


I wanted to try the light version for Schlitz and Wiggles... I play aggressively, so the lighter gauge takes some getting used to... like playing a medium tension string set, detuned.

Overall, not bad. If I order Boomers again, I'd get the medium gauge set, for sure.
 
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#6
buldog5151bass said:
Would you say the Boomers have a tone closer to traditional flats? That's what I am going for - more thump. But I still want a touch of the round wound top end. Thanks.
Click to expand...

"Punch and grind" vs. "thump and thud"... You won't get a traditional flatwound tone out of the Boomers. I would say well broken-in Nickel Lo-Riders can get you closer to what you're looking for, but they have to be old and well-played.

EDIT: What I'm trying to say is the "dead" tone of the NLRs is more pleasing and usable than the "dead" tone of the Boomers. ;)
 
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#10
buldog5151bass said:
26551049[/URL], member: 35983"]Would you say the Boomers have a tone closer to traditional flats? That's what I am going for - more thump. But I still want a touch of the round wound top end. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Boomers are indeed a step towards flats compared with most nickel rounds. Round core boomers are another small step beyond regular Boomers in that same direction. And yes I’m a boomer, so if you want advice about Boomers from a boomer, I’m your guy.

If neither of those is Claris enough, Pressurewounds are the next step
 
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#11
Feel and tone are entirely subjective. If I was headed to the store, I'd be buying Boomers, as I have more times than Rotosound, which I used for several years.

For me, Boomers felt more or less the same, but they are not as ultimately bright when new. On the other hand, to me they hold their tone (a shade darker than Rotos, which is fine with me) longer than Rotos.

For me, the real decider was Boomers are remarkably consistent over the years. I often joke that GHS made a million sets of Boomers in the 70's and they've been selling them off all these years since, they never change, a remarkable feat.

When I was buying Rotos, at times they were all over the place. Some would last, some would drop dead in one set, some were a lot brighter than others, etc. I finally chalked it up to supply chain length, and exposure to salt air during their crossing, but who knows.

I've bought various GHS strings I may have decided weren't for me, but I've NEVER had a bad set from GHS.

This man's opinion, from experience. Others may certainly be different.
 
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#12
Boomers will probably be a step in the right direction. They are far more lower mid focused than the nickel Lo Riders and the Roto Swingbass 66 nickels. Boomers will be quite bright when new but they mellow out really fast.

If you want an even warmer/darker tone with roundwounds you should be looking at pure nickel strings. GHS Balanced Nickels are round core with a far more supple feel than the strings you like (even though the tension is probably similar) so probably not what you're looking for.

Pyramid Pure Nickels are hex core with a similar feel to the strings you like. Pyramid Pure Nickels are probably as close as you're gonna get to the fat warm tone of flats with roundwounds. They don't FEEL like flats but they are the warmest, darkest, fattest sounding roundwounds I've ever tried. They need some time to mellow out but once they're broken in they last a really long time.

I guess it depends on how dark/mellow you wanna go. Boomers would be one step darker. A broken in set of Pyramid Pure Nickels is at the extreme end of the roundwound spectrum.
 
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#17
buldog5151bass said:
I've been using either Roto Swing nickels (on my jazz) or nickel Lo Riders (changed my P to this) for years. That's the tension/stiffness I like, and I want something deeper sounding, without losing the top end of most flats. I've been thinking of trying GHS nickel plated Boomers (Products - BASS BOOMERS® - GHS Strings).

Can someone tell me how they would compare, both in terms of feel and sound? Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Boomers are the only strings that are a close comparison to Elixirs. They have the same mid range character. And they're smooth. They just don't last half as long. 2 months tops. But, they're pretty cheap and readily available.
 
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#18
#20
buldog5151bass said:
I've been using either Roto Swing nickels (on my jazz) or nickel Lo Riders (changed my P to this) for years. That's the tension/stiffness I like, and I want something deeper sounding, without losing the top end of most flats. I've been thinking of trying GHS nickel plated Boomers (Products - BASS BOOMERS® - GHS Strings).

Can someone tell me how they would compare, both in terms of feel and sound? Many thanks.
Click to expand...

‘GHS Boomers are not deeper, but I will say, you might get longer life the Low Riders, way more life than Rotosounds.

As for getting a deeper tone, I would think about researching what you can do with your EQ settings first before going through a endless search for strings. Twisting knobs is a lot less expensive.

BTW, I’ve been playing Low Riders for years and will use GHS bass boomers when Low Riders are not available at GC (which is about always). I have zero problems getting enough low end using either of those brands on my PB and or Warwick Corvette STD.
 

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