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chromes....
- Thread starter badboyb
- Start date
Can anyone give me an idea how much stiffer chromes are than roundwounds? I tried Fender 9050 Stainless Steel flatwounds and found them too stiff. I've used Thomastik Jazz flats and they were just right (I sound like Goldilocks, don't I?)
I ask because I'm considering chromes for my newly aquired Squier Jazz Deluxe V.
I never tried flats until reading this forum, either. The thread "Confessions of a Flatwound Convert" -- that OP says it all!
Chromes are very stiff, but they improved my sound a LOT and I am hooked.
My bass has a graphite neck and is very heavy, but very bright-sounding. I think chromes are a perfect match for that bass.
When I played roundwounds, I could never seem to hear myself in the stage mix the way I wanted to. I used to think that was just the way it was. Now, I can hardly find a bad tone anymore. I wish I had known this all sooner.
If your bass has a very stable neck, and some heft to it, the medium Chromes will probably be great, like they are for me. Because they are so stiff, really low action works, and that more than compensates for the added stiffness.
If your bass has a lighter and more delicate feel, or a fussy neck, the posts I have read on flatwounds all recommend either Thomastic Jazz flats (most flexible string out there, they say) or a very light gauge of Chromes. Medium chromes would be likely to require truss rod adjustment.
What really changed for me with flats is the lower frequency at which I hear myself when playing with the band.
I am not the first to write this, but I can't think of a better way to describe it -- Roundwounds cut through like a knife, while flats punch through like a fist.
I think the sound of flatwounds is hard to appreciate when played solo though.
Can anyone give me an idea how much stiffer chromes are than roundwounds? I tried Fender 9050 Stainless Steel flatwounds and found them too stiff. I've used Thomastik Jazz flats and they were just right (I sound like Goldilocks, don't I?
I ask because I'm considering chromes for my newly aquired Squier Jazz Deluxe V.
Some what stiffer as all flats are over rounds (TI exception) I have used chromes for quite awhile and tried SIT power flats,fenders and D'A groundwounds before Chromes.
If you like TIs and i do also, you will like chromes since they feel good and smooth like TIs and are only slightly stiffer than most rounds. Fenders are like playing steel rods, SIT sound bad and groundwounds feel like sandpaper and howl like a wounded dog
I feel the same.....I switched to flats about 4 years ago and that's all I play now. I have med. chromes on my 62 jazz ri and they sound great.....they just seem to add something that I always felt was missing with roundwounds. They are a little stiffer than rounds but not that bad, and I love the smooth feel. They also seem to record better than rounds. It also helps that I play mostly old school rock, R&B and reggae.
I used to use D'Addario EXL165 Nickel Rounds (45-65-85-105) before switching to flats. For the Chromes I like 40-60-80-100, which are not that much stiffer than the EXL165. In terms of overall tension (pulling force), the Chromes 40-100 are actually slightly lighter than the Nickel Rounds 45-105, meaning no more strain on the neck than the standard set of rounds.
If you truly have some kind of problem with just locking into a groove and holding down the bottom end of a song, then I don't consider you a bass player. Why not just go play lead guitar?
Same reason Geddy Lee, Chris Squire, and Les Claypool don't play guitar. I assume you don't consider them bass players either? I beg to differ, Sir.
I never said anything to imply that I didn't consider them bass players. I guarantee you none of them have a problem locking into a groove and just playing, which you seem to have. That is why I said I don't consider you a true bass player. Apparently, all you want is to be flashy.
So they can do it no problem, but when *I* do it I'm just 'flashy'. LOL! I laughed so hard at that I split my sequined spandex!
You have to learn to read the whole comment. I said, "I guarantee you none of them have a problem locking into a groove and just playing, which you seem to have." You haven't argued that yet. If I am wrong, and you would have no problem just holding down the low end of a song, then I am sorry. If you would honestly refuse to do that, I don't consider you a bassist. And that's all I'm going to say about it. How did we get here from a thread about Chromes anyway?
I just don't feel that flats are REQUIRED to be a good bass player. Sorry guys. You can groove just fine with rounds, trust me.
Indeed, and rounds are not REQUIRED to avoid sounding like mud. Sorry dude. You can sound clear and bright just fine with flats, trust me.
No doubt......tons of great groove players using roundwounds.....
Apples and oranges.......
willieG
I will open a big "can o' worms' here and bet ya a cracker more classic bass riffs were recorded with flats than rounds...Oh NO I DIDN'T !
I will open a big "can o' worms' here and bet ya a cracker more classic bass riffs were recorded with flats than rounds...Oh NO I DIDN'T !
YES YOU DID ! And I agree ! Let The Games Begin !
How to Chromes compare to other flatwounds/groundround/halfrounds as far as brightness and zing? I just got a Michael Kelly Fretless 5 and I'm so use to ProSteels that I need a bright string.
