The Roto's seemed a bit twangier/brighter to my ears? Slightly more flexible and less tension maybe? Its been a while since I've used them.
Best wishes,
Brent
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Anyone else disappointed with GHS Boomers ?
- Thread starter Fender4Me
- Start date
Best wishes,
Brent
Thx.
That's what I would have guessed based on the little info I did find and based on the packaging. I'm enjoying my first set of Roto Swing 66 SS. Sound fantastic on my P with the tone rolled off. The Swing 66 Nickel is next on my list to try.
10 days with my new Boomers, and I'm very happy with the way they're working out for me so far. NO DISAPPOINTMENT...yet. 
One thing people need to understand is the Boomers are about 4G's, ie grit, grind, growl and grunt. If you expect a clean, crisp and sparkly "piano tone" from them, you would definitely be disappointed, guaranteed. It's all about expectations.
And regarding their being "too stiff", I would highly recommend the light set, 40-55-75-95-120, which are light enough to be comfortable but still firm enough not to feel loose and floppy. And let me assure you "thinner gauges" DO NOT translate to "thinner tones".
One thing people need to understand is the Boomers are about 4G's, ie grit, grind, growl and grunt. If you expect a clean, crisp and sparkly "piano tone" from them, you would definitely be disappointed, guaranteed. It's all about expectations.
And regarding their being "too stiff", I would highly recommend the light set, 40-55-75-95-120, which are light enough to be comfortable but still firm enough not to feel loose and floppy. And let me assure you "thinner gauges" DO NOT translate to "thinner tones".
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I recently tried a set of "GHS Bass Boomers Nickel Wound Bass String Set Short Scale - 4-String 50-107 Regular 3035" on my Mustang. I found them way too bright. They turned the bass into something more like a baritone with lots of mids and top end, which is not what I'm looking for in a bass. I feel like I wasted $20.
A few hours ago I put on a set of flatwound LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass shorties and I'm happy again.
The bass is a Fender PJ Mustang with a set of DiMarzio DP261 (PJ set) pickups, .047uF orange drop cap, wired VVT.
A few hours ago I put on a set of flatwound LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass shorties and I'm happy again.
The bass is a Fender PJ Mustang with a set of DiMarzio DP261 (PJ set) pickups, .047uF orange drop cap, wired VVT.
You put on nickel-plated steel roundwound strings and you're disappointed that they sound brighter than flatwounds?I recently tried a set of "GHS Bass Boomers Nickel Wound Bass String Set Short Scale - 4-String 50-107 Regular 3035" on my Mustang. I found them way too bright. They turned the bass into something more like a baritone with lots of mids and top end, which is not what I'm looking for in a bass. I feel like I wasted $20.
A few hours ago I put on a set of flatwound LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass shorties and I'm happy again.
The bass is a Fender PJ Mustang with a set of DiMarzio DP261 (PJ set) pickups, .047uF orange drop cap, wired VVT.
I had a chance to put my 2-week-old Boomers (40-120) to the test in a live band setting for a couple of video-taping sessions for our online church yesterday, playing to an empty house, thanks to the COVID lockdown.
Something very interesting based on the feedback I got from the two sound techs on duty...
I hadn't told them anything about the string change, but they both observed my bass (Yamaha TRBX505) sounded "darker than usual" with "slightly less mids". We're talking about the hex-core Boomers as compared to GHS Pressurwounds, which were on this same bass for the last 11 mths. Meanwhile, neither of the sound techs complained about the lack of low end.
I kind of figured the Boomers sound "darker" as their midrange character is more focused on the low-mid grunt and grind as opposed to the Alloy 52's "crunchy" mids and responsiveness.
By the way, I'm not disappointed with the Boomers...yet.
I've used rounds before, but none of them sounded anything like the GHS Boomers. The Boomers were in a league of their own in terms of sounding tinny and metallic.You put on nickel-plated steel roundwound strings and you're disappointed that they sound brighter than flatwounds?
My Yamaha originally came factory-equipped with D'Addario XL Nickels. Talk about "tinny and metallic"...
Sorry if I sounded derogatory, it's just that to me the Bass Boomers are not the brightest NPS I've tried. That's not necessarily a bad thing, by the way, it all depends on what you like. But I wouldn't describe them as tinny and metallic, quite the opposite actually. YMMV
For those who are disappointed with the Boomers because of their "dark character" as the Darth Vader of bass strings, I would suggest the GHS Bassics as an alternative.
NPS rounds vs. NPS rounds...yet they have two different tonal characters. Thanks to their NPS/SS hybrid design, where only the final cover is NPS with SS inner layers, the Bassics have clean crispness in their mids with less of the Boomer grunt and grind without sounding overly too zingy or harsh. They're not quite as stiff-feeling as the Boomers, either, due to their smaller core diameter, although the hex-core firmness is still there.
NPS rounds vs. NPS rounds...yet they have two different tonal characters. Thanks to their NPS/SS hybrid design, where only the final cover is NPS with SS inner layers, the Bassics have clean crispness in their mids with less of the Boomer grunt and grind without sounding overly too zingy or harsh. They're not quite as stiff-feeling as the Boomers, either, due to their smaller core diameter, although the hex-core firmness is still there.
They sound like that, out of the package, but they wear into a different sonic space.
I would suggest "going through the motions", and wearing them in past that initial brightness.
FWIW,
I too, was disappointed with the bright, tinny sound when I first put them on my modded Fender w/Mike Lull T-bass pickups.
Once they settled, they opened up to a nice, full bass tone.
I too, was disappointed with the bright, tinny sound when I first put them on my modded Fender w/Mike Lull T-bass pickups.
Once they settled, they opened up to a nice, full bass tone.
These are very fresh strings. Perhaps I should put them back on and give them some more time. Thanks!
cool!I'm not a fan of the "new string zing, tinny tone", but once they're worn in, they're my favourite string.
I'm not a fan of the "new string zing, tinny tone", but once they're worn in, they're my favourite string.
I am typically a flats type of tone guy, and Boomers are my favorite rounds. I have that same short scale set (and other basses with Boomers also), and what I have found is that they do in fact sound pretty bright at first. And then, almost overnight it seems, the brightness is mostly gone (at least the brightness I don't like) and they are settled in to what I am looking for. I find that other NPS rounds lose their initial brightness a little more gradually - and I am completely ok with how it happens with Boomers. When the Boomers turn that corner, I am right where I want to sound and it stays that way for a while with me.
Here's my 2-mth update on the Boomers 40-55-75-95-120 on my Yamaha...
Now that they have settled into their "well broken in" state, I'm starting to see why some people claim "they die too fast". Not that they're actually "dead" as such, but they do have a much darker tonal character than most NPS rounds, which can be perceived as being "dead and dull". Strong low-mid punch with grunt and grind... Think of them as the Darth Vader of bass strings (as per my earlier post) with the deep, booming voice of James Earl Jones.
Even two of the most experienced sound techs at my church do agree my Yamaha sounds better with the GHS Pressurewounds with the midrange character that seems to match up better with the alnico humbuckers on it.
One thing I do love about these Boomers is how this light set feels - not too stiff, but still firm enough not to go all bouncy. Spaghettini al dente.
Now that they have settled into their "well broken in" state, I'm starting to see why some people claim "they die too fast". Not that they're actually "dead" as such, but they do have a much darker tonal character than most NPS rounds, which can be perceived as being "dead and dull". Strong low-mid punch with grunt and grind... Think of them as the Darth Vader of bass strings (as per my earlier post) with the deep, booming voice of James Earl Jones.
Even two of the most experienced sound techs at my church do agree my Yamaha sounds better with the GHS Pressurewounds with the midrange character that seems to match up better with the alnico humbuckers on it.
One thing I do love about these Boomers is how this light set feels - not too stiff, but still firm enough not to go all bouncy. Spaghettini al dente.
This guy compares different strings on the same bass. I agree that the boomers are one of the worst.. Ernie Ball, Rotosound, and DR are my favorites in that order. That being said, tone is a very subjective topic..
