chromes....

[badboyb]

after reading all the threads on here about flats, i decided to whack a set of chromes on my essex P....mmmm!

geez...i really love these strings, i spent ages playing on them on the weekend, cant believe i never considered flats till i read this forum.

love the smooth texture, feel so good to play, and the bass sounds rounder and bassier. great stuff.

so to all you guys singing the praises of flats.....thanks!

 

[EagleMoon]

I'm glad you like them. I got a set for free and put them on my P bass. I'm just not a fan of "just thump" and so I took them off after about a week. Just couldn't get a good tone out of them.

 

[Darkstrike]

I'm glad you like them. I got a set for free and put them on my P bass. I'm just not a fan of "just thump" and so I took them off after about a week. Just couldn't get a good tone out of them.

Chromes work better on a Jazz, IMHO, you can dial in some bridge brightness, so its not all thump, though I do like some flats on a P, in the right situation.

 

[mmbongo]

I didn't like them either, I couldn't get them off my bass and out of my house fast enough. BUT that's the case with any flatwound, not just Chromes. Never understood how anybody got any tone from flats.

 

[The modifier]

Im about to get a set for my fiver tomorrow, cant wait !!!!

 

[badboyb]

for me it gives the P bass an even more warm, organic and rounded tone.

it just sounds so right to me.

and the feel is heaven.

 

[p-bass]

I didn't like them either, I couldn't get them off my bass and out of my house fast enough. BUT that's the case with any flatwound, not just Chromes. Never understood how anybody got any tone from flats.

Yeah,McCartney,Osborn,Jammott,Dunn,Cogbil,Kaye,Radle,Hood,Murray,Palladino,Mcvie,Babbitt,Jamerson and so many more ? How did they do it ?

 

[mmbongo]

Yeah,McCartney,Osborn,Jammott,Dunn,Cogbil,Kaye,Radle,Hood,Murray,Palladino,Mcvie,Babbitt,Jamerson and so many more ? How did they do it ?

Thousands of dollars worth of rack effects? How much is Palladino's signature bass? $3500? I'd start there for your answer

 

[Darkstrike]

Thousands of dollars worth of rack effects? How much is Palladino's signature bass? $3500? I'd start there for your answer

Or, you know, uh, playing the bass........ that works too.

 

[p-bass]

Thousands of dollars worth of rack effects? How much is Palladino's signature bass? $3500? I'd start there for your answer

LOL ! ! ! ! Now that is just plain funny ! ! ! ! Please say your joking ? I don't believe they used alot "rack effects" in the recording studios back when these guys were cutting tracks in the 1960's and 70's. What does the cost of Pinos singnature bass have to do with it ? I think he recorded mostly with a 1963 Fender Precision,not his Fender singnature bass. I think it's great Pino, and some of the more modern players are using flats again,I love the tone !

 

[mmbongo]

I wouldn't exactly call it 'tone'. I'd call it a 'dull thud'. You can't honestly believe that McCartney had 'tone'. That's like saying vanilla is an exciting flavor.

 

[Darkstrike]

I wouldn't exactly call it 'tone'. I'd call it a 'dull thud'. You can't honestly believe that McCartney had 'tone'. That's like saying vanilla is an exciting flavor.

Hah, if you only knew what you're talking about...

 

[peterbright]

Vanilla is an exciting flavor...where have you been?

 

[Bassman316]

LOL ! ! ! ! Now that is just plain funny ! ! ! ! Please say your joking ? I don't believe they used alot "rack effects" in the recording studios back when these guys were cutting tracks in the 1960's and 70's. What does the cost of Pinos singnature bass have to do with it ? I think he recorded mostly with a 1963 Fender Precision,not his Fender singnature bass. I think it's great Pino, and some of the more modern players are using flats again,I love the tone !

I've only recently began listening to and reading about the great James Jamerson, and from what I've read, he recorded with his Fender Precision ('62 I believe it was), his heavy gauge LaBella flats, and a miked Ampeg B-15. That was it. I wasn't around in recording studios in the 1960's or '70's, but I doubt they had rack effects, least of all for bass!

 

[mmbongo]

Hah, if you only knew what you're talking about...

Well, a lot has changed since the 50's. Most of us have progressed.

 

[unclejane]

Well, a lot has changed since the 50's. Most of us have progressed.

Exactly. And in fact, thank goodness we're not in the 50's and 60's where we only had a couple of choices between bad, worse and worser....

We're definitely in the good ol' days of bass now rather than back then. That's true of strings too, including flats. There's a whole bunch of different choices now among a pretty wide variety.

I initially went to flats when I switched to fretless to keep from tearing up my fingerboards, but discovered that pretty much right off the bat they gave the kind of sound I wanted anyway. I like roundwounds dead, dead, dead and depending on the brand this took months to years to achieve. Flats give a dead tone pretty much right away.

The only exception is TI jazz flats, which keep a bright tone for a few weeks. I've had mine on my bunny for about 3 weeks now and they're only now dying down and really getting nice.

But like I said, hi-tech has come to flats too so we don't have to settle for the old-school stuff either

LS

 

[kirkm24]

I'm always amazed at the flatwound bashers who say there is no tone, especially from Chromes. I think Chromes are the best "all around" flatwound string available (or at least tied with the Sadowsky flatwounds). You can get beautiful harmonics off these strings and even slap and pop on them. Maybe not as bright as a set of Hi Beams but they will cut through a full band mix with plenty of low end fundamental. I really like Chromes a lot. I am getting a set of La Bellas to try on my P bass but I am going to keep the Chromes close by in case I change my mind. I've also found that flatwound haters almost never try them with a band, they put them on their bass at home and don't like them and take them off. You got to play them in a band setting to appreciate how good they sound in the mix. Just my 2 cents. Everyone has an opinion.

 

[bassbully]

Well, a lot has changed since the 50's. Most of us have progressed.

LOL OK progressed to what? What tone are you speaking of? Before you put off some of the greatest players and tones ever recorded ,most with flats and no effects. Please Tell us what is a great progressed tone or bass sound. There are allot of players myself included who still chase that 50's tone. Some spend thousands on tube heads etc to get it. Look how many on these boards chase vintage gear...why is that?

I came on here to speak the praises of Chromes till i saw this post If flats are not your thing so be it. I dont understand why someone puts down great players with classic styles who played flats cuz they personally dont like them (flats). To say they used effects is even more funny, Its in the hands. If you know how to use flats the sound is huge. And no some of us have not progressed Just made things a little better.

 

[Darkstrike]

Well, a lot has changed since the 50's. Most of us have progressed.

Yes indeed, some of us have.

Part of that is the fact that now, with better amplification eaiser accessible, we can make flats sound how we like.

I have flats on quite a few of my axes, plenty of tone, definition, highs, harmonics, growl and roar.


While you may have progressed from the 50s, your mind hasn't left the 70's it seems...

 

[Hizzoner]

I like chromes on my p and rounds on my j...different flavors of good for different situations...