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Chromes - Why choose over LaBella?

#181
Mike Vee said:
how's the tension compared to super light Chromes? I remember group flats feeling a bit "harder" to fret - would you agree?
Click to expand...

I've never played the super light Chromes; the lightest I've tried was 40-60-80-100 (ECB84).

In terms of overall playing feel, the Group IV hits my sweet spot for being very comfortable for fretting but firm enough not to go all bouncy under my plucking fingers.

Here are comparisons in actual tension figures...

EB Group IV:

G 040 - 37.81 (lbs.)
D 060 - 45.16
A 070 - 34.64
E 095 - 35.41 (Total 153.02)

D'A ECB80:

G 040 - 37.83 (lbs.)
D 060 - 46.49
A 075 - 42.58
E 095 - 36.20 (Total 163.10)

GHS Precision Flats Light (3025):

G 045 - 41.5 (lbs.)
D 060 - 46.5
A 075 - 38.5
E 095 - 36.7 (Total 163.2)
 
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#182
michael_t said:
I've never played the super light Chromes; the lightest I've tried was 40-60-80-100 (ECB84).

In terms of overall playing feel, the Group IV hits my sweet spot for being very comfortable for fretting but firm enough not to go all bouncy under my plucking fingers.

Here are comparisons in actual tension figures...

EB Group IV:

G 040 - 37.81 (lbs.)
D 060 - 45.16
A 070 - 34.64
E 095 - 35.41 (Total 153.02)

D'A ECB80:

G 040 - 37.83 (lbs.)
D 060 - 46.49
A 075 - 42.58
E 095 - 36.20 (Total 163.10)

GHS Precision Flats Light (3025):

G 045 - 41.5 (lbs.)
D 060 - 46.5
A 075 - 38.5
E 095 - 36.7 (Total 163.2)
Click to expand...

That D is looking stiff!
 
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#183
The pickup has a lot to do with it. I tried Chromes on a number of basses, but on the Squier CV 60s Precision (Fiesta Red) there was some kind of magic happening. Restrung the others back to rounds.
Something about that pickup with those strings.
 
#185
Texican said:
In my experience, Labella’s and TI jazz flats are very different, but they both have a very high quality tone and feel about them. To me they are like Ginger and Mary Anne, while Chromes are Gilligan :roflmao:
Click to expand...
I disagree, but that's friggin hilarious!
Chromes are clearly Mrs. Howell.
 
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#186
These Chromes just keep getting better by the minute. I just played for about 2 hours and they have lost almost all of their metallic sound at this point, and are sounding a LOT more like traditional flats. There is growl (however I did need to boost mids a bit with these, and they REALLY benefit from a 35khz HPF). Dare I say they are feeling a lot more like LaBella LTF at this point, maybe even better. (disclaimer I have used Eucerin on them twice now - this stuff is magic.)
 
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#188
Mike Vee said:
These Chromes just keep getting better by the minute. I just played for about 2 hours and they have lost almost all of their metallic sound at this point, and are sounding a LOT more like traditional flats. There is growl (however I did need to boost mids a bit with these, and they REALLY benefit from a 35khz HPF). Dare I say they are feeling a lot more like LaBella LTF at this point, maybe even better. (disclaimer I have used Eucerin on them twice now - this stuff is magic.)
Click to expand...
I have found Chromes last a very long time and yes they do eventually sound like a traditional flatwound string. A friend of mine has a set on an old P-bass that's been on there for at least 30 years. We still use that bass for recording, still sounds great.
 
#190
Ok, haha, so just to summarize after a month with Chromes I just wasn't feeling the tone. they do break in and get softer, and they do get darker, but they just have this gross metallic sound that never goes away. It gets even worse with a mute involved. I went back to my all-time classic string, LaBella LTF, and couldn't be happier. The tone is just so much better for what I do, and they play much easier. Some of my former complaints about the LTF on this bass were setup related, and now that I have my truss rod dialed in just right the LaBellas play like a freakin dream. Earthy, growly, thumpy, massive attack, NO metallic overtones.
 
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#194
Well, I just tried Chromes on my No2 jazz bass and rather like them. Being a bit brighter they sit with other instruments well, and at home i dont need to run the amp as loud to hear myself. Tonally, the bridge pickup loves them. They don't have have the thump or same transient as DTFs, but they are a different sort of string.

I know what people mean about the metallic clank especially the E string. More obvious when playing alone. It's fading a bit perhaps because of my greasy roast chicken fingers after dinner the other night :)

I'm not a fan of rounds, I find them too noodly. I bought the Chromes after trying a well played in set on Flea bass at a store. I have the DTF 760FLd on my Flea, so popped the Chromes on my other bass. It brought that bass alive, which was a bit dull, and gives me some more tonal options especially for newer music.

I've also thried GHS Precisions and a great well worn set of LTFs. Lovely tone on those but missing brightness, thump and transient. I think they'd be great on fretless.
 

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