Can someone explain Half Rounds to me?

[boilingTheDead]

They are not quite what I expected! I just naively bought a pack just because the are marketed as a compromise between flat and roundwounds by d'addario. Which they are clearly not, they are something on their own. I have played many flatwounds that are much brighter than these. I dont think there are any "bad" strings or anything, but they have very weired (but interesting) properties. First of all- the feel, they have a very strong surface friction, unlike anything else I ever played, probably because of the sanded down rough surface. Then the four strings are very uneven sounding, every string behaves different. The higher strings have very less highs, sounds almost like a ukulele bass, but more "steely". The lower strings are very "flobby", completetly different to flatwounds in that gauge. Fells a little bit like playing a upright bass. Least sustain I ever heard. So very interesting, they sound fantastic "dead" up the neck, I could see them being used in jazz soloing.

Whats your experience/ your thoughts on these? Who likes to play them?

 

[michael_t]

Whats your experience/ your thoughts on these? Who likes to play them?

My experience is with GHS Brite Flats, which are Alloy 52 (nickel-iron) half-rounds/grounwound. I didn't like the sticky feel you're talking about.

The set I tried (45-56-77-98) was nicely balanced both in tone and in feel, but I eventually decided their tonal character was too "flatwound" for what I needed.

No experience with the D'Addario Half Rounds.

 

[Jazz Ad]

The rough feeling you describe is typically associated with steel plated strings rather than a common characteristic of half rounds/grounds.

 

[michael_t]

The rough feeling you describe is typically associated with steel plated strings rather than a common characteristic of half rounds/grounds.

SS rounds = rough and draggy with lots of finger noise when sliding.
Half-rounds = smooth surface but feels like your finger sticks to it with extra friction as if coated with honey when sliding. Very little finger noise.

I do agree with the OP that half-rounds do have a very distinct feel of their own that's different from either rounds or flats.

 

[bassdude51]

I agree with what you said about D'Addario Half Rounds. I just put a set unto a P Bass a few days ago. HA! Chromes are brighter. But, the half rounds do have a good sound and I like them...........with one big exception. The E-A-D sound consistent but the G is too bright and twangy. I'm hoping that it will dull out in a few weeks.

I had excellent results with a set of GHS Pressure Wounds 40-96. They sound like an older set of nickel rounds. Plus, they are kinder to the frets.

Nice thread!

 

[michael_t]

D'Addario Half Rounds - Please explain the love!

 

[JRA]

Whats your experience/ your thoughts on these? Who likes to play them?

i went through a "half-round phase" years ago (maybe because they were new at the time?). they were d'addario brand: i remember switching back to roto 66s and being relieved. all i got!

 

[Bent77]

I find the half round (re: ground wounds ) to be grabby

 

[buldog5151bass]

Remember, not every round, flat, or half round is the same. In general, they are a compromise - not as zingy as a round, and slicker to play since there is almost no drag from the windings.

In general...

 

[GrapeBass]

The stickiness that you feel does go away and the strings settle in nicely.

I've used them for years but have come to realize that they seem to work only on certain basses. The tone is not really a flat they're more like a tamed roundwound, I think of 'em as roundwound lights.

 

[boilingTheDead]

The stickiness that you feel does go away and the strings settle in nicely.

I've used them for years but have come to realize that they seem to work only on certain basses. The tone is not really a flat they're more like a tamed roundwound, I think of 'em as roundwound lights.

I made the exact opposite experience, on my short scale they sound muuuuch more like flatwounds with less treble. No roundwound association at all in my case. (and my ears) Maybe I can uplad a open E A D G sample, the D sounds very different

 

[Isaac_James]

I tried a set of D'addario half rounds for a while. Liked them at first but they aged like milk, I'm sorry to say.

I'm using flatwounds on one bass and GHS Pressurewounds on my main bass now. So far I like these better as far as feel and sound go. I'll see how they age in.

The difference between pressure wounds and half rounds is that the former has an outer wrap that starts out round but gets rolled though a machine to smoosh it into an oval shape. So it's somewhere between a round wrap and flat ribbon, but there's no grinding off involved, like the D'addario set you're using has.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

To me they had more treble than flats but they were very grabby.

just like I hated all flats I played, they are either lifeless or they feel very sticky.

stainless are rough on the finger

 

[GrapeBass]

I made the exact opposite experience, on my short scale they sound muuuuch more like flatwounds with less treble. No roundwound association at all in my case. (and my ears) Maybe I can uplad a open E A D G sample, the D sounds very different

Definitely less zing. I do find they work better on certain basses. I have a custom J/P/J Koa slab bass that they sound amazing on but they were lackluster on my J (which is wrapped w/9050L flats now).

 

[dbsfgyd1]

They are not quite what I expected! I just naively bought a pack just because the are marketed as a compromise between flat and roundwounds by d'addario. Which they are clearly not, they are something on their own. I have played many flatwounds that are much brighter than these. I dont think there are any "bad" strings or anything, but they have very weired (but interesting) properties. First of all- the feel, they have a very strong surface friction, unlike anything else I ever played, probably because of the sanded down rough surface. Then the four strings are very uneven sounding, every string behaves different. The higher strings have very less highs, sounds almost like a ukulele bass, but more "steely". The lower strings are very "flobby", completetly different to flatwounds in that gauge. Fells a little bit like playing a upright bass. Least sustain I ever heard. So very interesting, they sound fantastic "dead" up the neck, I could see them being used in jazz soloing.

Whats your experience/ your thoughts on these? Who likes to play them?

I played them once that was enough for me. They were gone in after about 10 hours. I couldn’t get a usable sound out of a PB of all things.

 

[Dincrest]

When it comes to "compromise" strings that sit between rounds and flats, I rather liked the following pressure-wound strings when I tried them:

SIT Silencers
GHS Pressurewounds

I prefer the SIT Silencers, but many TBers prefer the GHS Pressurewounds.

From what I understand, pressure-wound is a different animal from ground-wound (which I think D'Addario Half Rounds are).

Still, if you are looking for something that sits in between rounds and flats without being terrible, SIT Silencers or GHS Pressurewounds may be worth a shot.

 

[michael_t]

From what I understand, pressure-wound is a different animal from ground-wound (which I think D'Addario Half Rounds are).

Pressurewound = Rollerwound = semi-round in tonal character.

Half-rounds = Groundwound = semi-flat in tonal character.

D'Addario Half Rounds = Pure Nickel Groundwound on a hex core.

 

[GreyBeard]

I had a set on my p-bass 5 for about a day. I think they are one of those love or hate kind of things. I came down on the hate side.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

As mentioned, there are two ways to make them; 1; make a round wound string and grind the outside diameter flat. (More like flat wound feel, but retains some tone characteristics of a round wound)

2. Make a round wound string & run it through rollers to smash the outside diameter winding wire flatter than regular round wounds. (Still has a little feel of a rounds, and a little bit tone-like of rounds or broken-in rounds).

The description of each above is manufacture’s explanations & not necessarily player’s experience.

Example; D’Adderio half rounds don’t have much round wound tone left in them even when new, and lose it quickly. My experience has been that they get “deader” than rounds or flats. Worn out D’A half rounds might be the deadest sounding string I’ve ever heard, and it’s not really in a good way to my ears.

Example; Pressure wound (squashed rounds) have a little more round tone as advertised, and to me they retain more round tone than rounds that are ground flat, but also get more dead sounding than regular rounds (to me).

I kinda like the ones that are ground flat to use on a fretless, but only for a while, because once they lose that little bit of brightness, they’re super dead & dull. It’s bad enough that I no longer use them, even on fretless.

 

[conttador]

I read somewhere that John Patitucci uses half rounds. In my honest and biased opinion these strings are like wine or beer; it’s an acquired taste.

I have a PreGibson Tobias currently strung with these and for me when I play blues or jazz these strings are perfect. I consider the tone to be very natural sounding. If anyone ever invented a fretted upright I think it would probably sound like an electric strung with half rounds.

I think someone mentioned that these work best with certain basses and I think there is some validity to that. The question is, what basses would be best suited for half rounds? I’d like to know because I’m not sure my Tobias is a good candidate. Perhaps a semi-hollow?