Chromes How long to "break in"

[jessicabass]

I have tried chromes and have not liked them at all.
But yesterday a friend let me try out her bass and she had a set of 50-105 that were like 8 months old and i have to say..... wow!
They are totally different when aged than when newer.
Question is how long does it take to get them to settle down and turn into goodness after being new?

 

[ShonenCello]

I hated mine for a month, liked them for another month, then loved them for then on.

I play about two hours a day. If you beat on them probably faster.

 

[quiltkitty]

Yes, they take a while to break in. I had the same reaction when I tried them. I would say after about 20 hours of play(?), they mellowed down to smooth and sweet. It helps A LOT if you stretch the strings. I just had to replace the E about a month ago, a week before a big rehearsal, and that puppy mellowed nicely in a week of playing with good stretching. Check out Scott Devine's Youtube vid about how to change strings in which he describes stretching - it helped me immensely.

 

[Mastermold]

Like all flats, Chromes generally take a few months to break in and start sounding like you want flats to sound. Good news is they stay that way and last for years before you'll need (or want) to change them.

 

[jessicabass]

Yes, they take a while to break in. I had the same reaction when I tried them. I would say after about 20 hours of play(?), they mellowed down to smooth and sweet. It helps A LOT if you stretch the strings. I just had to replace the E about a month ago, a week before a big rehearsal, and that puppy mellowed nicely in a week of playing with good stretching. Check out Scott Devine's Youtube vid about how to change strings in which he describes stretching - it helped me immensely.

Thanks for that link

 

[FretlessMainly]

I'd say more like ~100 hours of playing time. Of course, there are degrees of "breaking in" and "mellowing."

 

[Freekmagnet]

My advice - get LaBellas. I tried Chromes forever and I never liked them. I kept playing them hoping that the would "break in", but when they finally did, I still didn't like 'em. LaBellas sound great right out of the pack, and keep getting better with age, IMHO.

 

[JimmyM]

Rub Eucerin cream on them every day for a week and the break-in period becomes way shorter.

 

[Neener]

Rub Eucerin cream on them every day for a week and the break-in period becomes way shorter.

KFC works too. Don't wash your hands after you eat, just play the damn thing.

 

[lopesraphael]

How's its tension?

 

[shawshank72]

How's its tension?

Ive played that set of chromes before.
I didnt think they were extreme in any way. They were more than the EB's i had on it but not like labella.
I actually loved the strings. The sound from string to string, the feel, and the tension not too much not too little.
But i couldnt deal with the break in period and how they sound.

 

[lopesraphael]

Im still using rounds. GHS Boomers 045-100. Do love it for rounds.

Im considering moving to flats. Everybody talks about chromes. Lots saying it rocks, others saying it sucks, but all with reasonable arguments.

I'm pretty dazzed. lol

I have a Pbass with SPB-1 pups and playing in a blues band. I'm really interested in put some flats on. But I really don't know which one to pick and even if i should move to flats.

My concearns are:

1 - My blues band goes from old John Lee Hooker/Fred King to early Robben Ford passing through Gov't Mule. Does flats would give me that range?

2 - All I've read about flats is that they are waaay stiffer. The bass is strung with some dead GHS Boomers 045-100 Med-light gauges. Sound good, mellow buuut i do miss a bit of that woody sound i love.

P.S I hate 040-95 lights.

So: Blues versatility and not stiff.

What u guys would recommend?

 

[Turock]

My advice - get LaBellas. I tried Chromes forever and I never liked them. I kept playing them hoping that the would "break in", but when they finally did, I still didn't like 'em. LaBellas sound great right out of the pack, and keep getting better with age, IMHO.

Same here.
I'd go with LaBella, Pyramid Golds, or TI Jazz Flats.

 

[bluesblaster]

My advice - get LaBellas. I tried Chromes forever and I never liked them. I kept playing them hoping that the would "break in", but when they finally did, I still didn't like 'em. LaBellas sound great right out of the pack, and keep getting better with age, IMHO.

Here Here, never could get use to that damn "TWANG" those chromes make.

 

[Ajsweet]

I put on a brand new set of chromes, stretched, tuned, stretched, tuned, stretched, tuned.

Then Played.

OMG!! so shaging ugly. Absolutely horrible.

yuk yuk yuk.

~15 hrs in , and they are starting to sound and feel quite good.