Anyone else disappointed with GHS Boomers ?

[GodPlayedBass]

This video tells me more about the character of the "reviewer" than the strings themselves.

You know what bro, whatever. Everything i post you find your way to hate on me or be rude. Idc what you think of me. Im a good person and i have a reputation for it

 

[michael_t]

You know what bro, whatever. Everything i post you find your way to hate on me or be rude. Idc what you think of me. Im a good person and i have a reputation for it

I've decided to delete my post as I realize I may have been a little too reactive and personal. Going forward, I won't be commenting on any of your future reviews.

 

[saltydude]

Still have a set I haven’t used. Been experimenting lately. I like the punch but yeah they die quick.

 

[Funky_Be]

I was very underwhelmed by them. Saw lots of peeps praising the Boomers but they felt uncomfortable on my fingers and sounded terrible to my ears.

The DR Fat-Beams did for me what I thought the GHS Boomers would do.

 

[BobKos]

I put boomers on a Warwick FNA and liked them but then put the same strings on Ken Smith and hated them. Maybe they aren't a good fit for that bass. I've had that type of experience with multiple brands, even TI's. You just have to find the right string for any given bass, it isn't one string fits all.

This is 100% the truth. There is no such thing as 'my favorite string'. It depends on which bass I would be talking about then I could tell you which string works well on it when that bass is in MY hands.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

This is 100% the truth. There is no such thing as 'my favorite string'. It depends on which bass I would be talking about then I could tell you which string works well on it when that bass is in MY hands.

Truth.
I keep old sets around and cycle through them on a "new to me" bass.
I never know what will work on a particular bass.

As to boomers? I used them exclusively in the 80s / 90's --- now not so much.
as has been said though the round cores and the big cores are different.

@Fender4Me : question? are the XL's you normally play nickels?
the boomers are basically steels-- that explains the difference in tone and feel if so.

 

[Fender4Me]

Truth.

@Fender4Me : question? are the XL's you normally play nickels?
the boomers are basically steels-- that explains the difference in tone and feel if so.

Yes, the XL's are nickle. The package for the Boomers says nickel plated.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Yes, the XL's are nickle. The package for the Boomers says nickel plated.

Sorry worded wrong, instead of basically steel, i meant often steel.

hmm nickel plated-- so there goes that theory

 

[Jon Moody]

Yes, the XL's are nickle. The package for the Boomers says nickel plated.

As a point of order, unless the string packaging says "Pure Nickel," every single "nickel" string out there is actually nickel-plated steel. We're just upfront about it.

 

[michael_t]

Yes, the XL's are nickle.

D'A XL Nickels = Nickel-plated Steel.

 

[HardNHeavy]

used ghs booms back in the day (80's) with my punk/metal band..They were roundwound or steelwound, they were dark sounding, heavy on the frets which gave my passive P flatspots,...used them bout 12yrs, before realizing, "hey there's different types of strings"

 

[FirewalZ]

I like the Roundcore Boomers better, maybe give them a try. I find the regular Boomers a bit to dark, to stiff and high tension to play on all night. Roundcores seem to have a bit more mids and much more flexible.

 

[michael_t]

I like the Roundcore Boomers better, maybe give them a try. I find the regular Boomers a bit to dark, to stiff and high tension to play on all night. Roundcores seem to have a bit more mids and much more flexible.

Here's what's waiting to be put on my P-bass next month:

 

[fivestringgecko]

I put boomers on a Warwick FNA and liked them but then put the same strings on Ken Smith and hated them. Maybe they aren't a good fit for that bass. I've had that type of experience with multiple brands, even TI's. You just have to find the right string for any given bass, it isn't one string fits all.

I think strings fit the bass and the player. I love GHS strings personally, but given all of the variables of playing bass: attack, finger strength, bass amp, speakers, electronics, etc. It might be hard to make a broad conclusion about strings overall.

For example, everytime I have used D’addario strings, I am disappointed, but I imagine some people love them.

This is 100% the truth. There is no such thing as 'my favorite string'. It depends on which bass I would be talking about then I could tell you which string works well on it when that bass is in MY hands.

^^^ These!

Basses all have their own sound/personality, so strings can be pretty specific to each bass. String explorations can be an eye-opening thing if you've never done it... It's 100% possible that if you hate (or love) a set of strings on one bass, you'll love (or hate) that same set on a different bass.

Example: D'Addario EXL170-5 is my go-to "all arounder" string set, but I tried Dunlop Super Brights in a previous exploration. I very much did NOT like them on my alder Kiesel Icon, but they sound really good on my ash Kiesel Icon.

It's certainly not the cheapest endeavor and can definitely take some time, but finding the right set of strings for a bass can be pretty awesome. Now's the time to do it too, IMO... Covid has cancelled all the gigs, so you can try a set of strings you may not have thought about previously and give them a chance to break in before you decide on them. I'm about to try several different sets on various basses in the collection: DR Pure Blues, EB Cobalts, Dunlop flatwounds (on my P bass of course! ), D'Addario XT and NYXL, DR Nickel Lo Riders (wasn't a fan of the steel Lo Riders), and Rotosound Ultramags.

(haven't tried Boomers... yet )

5sg.

 

[Afc70]

Years ago I tried some boomers- They sounded great at first, but went dead & lifeless pretty quickly. These days I love pretty much anything(especially Nickels) by DR , & D’Addario.

 

[Relsom]

I used Boomers ML3045s for a couple of decades. Still have a couple of unopened sets. When not strung with TI flats I'm using Pure Blues now. I wouldn't mind the Boomers again... might try the round cores too.

 

[michael_t]

For those who have been "disappointed with the Boomers", I would suggest you try the GHS Bassics as an alternative.

No, they're not just "Boomers without the silk". The Bassics use the nickel-plated steel only for the final cover with stainless steel inner layers. Their tonal character is a little more "neutral" with a clear and crisp top end with cleaner midrange with less "grind" or what some refer to as "mud". Due to a smaller core diameter, they're not quite as stiff-feeling as the Boomers, either.

I had a chance to try them last year and was pleasantly surprised at how well they did on my active 5-string Yamaha.

SETS - BASSICS™

As I said, just a suggestion...

 

[petergales]

Interesting, I usually see people complain they are too dark sounding, perhaps they get that way once they are past their break in period

That was my experience too.

 

[Brich]

Just took them off, went dead so quick. Which is what I always remember them doing, aside from being a dark string out of the gate. Most other string choices are a far better choice then Boomers. I don't think I'd even play them if given to me for free. Not good.

 

[sonojono]

Here's what's waiting to be put on my P-bass next month:

View attachment 3921208

Amazing set! I find that specific gauge to work better for me than the other RC Boomer gauges as they felt too stiff under my fretting hand. Good luck!