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D'Addario Chromes: .040--.095 vs .040--.100

#2
I too would like to try the lighter gauge chromes, with the .95 e string. I almost got a set about a month ago but the store was sold out and I needed strings.

The standard chromes are about at the high limit of where I like the tension in flats, but I love the sound of chromes. If the lighter gauge offers the same tone with less felt tension, I'm a lifer.
 
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#8
michael_t said:
The factory set (ECB80) is 40-60-75-95. For the best balance, I would go with 40-55-75-95.

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When I was usuing Chromes, that's exactly what I did, and they were a great improvement. I always disliked how tight the D string was in all the D'addario sets I used to use until they came out with balanced tension rounds, and I applied that logic to Chromes and put together a couple sets of 40-55-75-95, and no more overly tight D strings!
 
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#9
I found it cheaper to buy the ECB80 set and also a .55 than buying single strings.

The next step up in balanced tension Chromes is a big one, feelwise...45-60-80-105.
JimmyM said:
When I was usuing Chromes, that's exactly what I did, and they were a great improvement. I always disliked how tight the D string was in all the D'addario sets I used to use until they came out with balanced tension rounds, and I applied that logic to Chromes and put together a couple sets of 40-55-75-95, and no more overly tight D strings!
Click to expand...
 
#11
I am contemplating trying a set of chromes (first time with flats for me) on my Squier P-bass. I am pretty new to bass playing and all I know, strings-wise, is that the nickel-plated steel Dunlop roundwounds, .045-.105, that I have on it now feel okay to me, tension-wise, and I Iike the sound of them a lot better now that they are several years old and kind of dead.

I can't find a tension chart for the Dunlop strings to compare, but I keep reading that flats often feel tighter than rounds in the same gauges. As a ballpark guess, would a .040-.095 set of chromes be likely to feel like similar tension to a set of .045-.105 rounds? Or .045-.100?

Muchas Gracias...
 
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#12
mexicanyella said:
I am contemplating trying a set of chromes (first time with flats for me) on my Squier P-bass. I am pretty new to bass playing and all I know, strings-wise, is that the nickel-plated steel Dunlop roundwounds, .045-.105, that I have on it now feel okay to me, tension-wise, and I Iike the sound of them a lot better now that they are several years old and kind of dead.

I can't find a tension chart for the Dunlop strings to compare, but I keep reading that flats often feel tighter than rounds in the same gauges. As a ballpark guess, would a .040-.095 set of chromes be likely to feel like similar tension to a set of .045-.105 rounds? Or .045-.100?

Muchas Gracias...
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Yes, that's why I gravitated toward the 40-95 set...feels close to my Dunlop SBN 45-105 set, tension-wise.
 
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#14
Put Chromes on my Gibby Tbird and took it to practice last night and they just didn't cut through the band. I had to drop bass and crank the treble and mids to be heard at all. We are a Crue tribute act and just surprised that a new set of Chromes just wouldn't cut it. The bass came with Chromes and I tried a new set after hearing positive things about them. Going to have to slap on some roundwounds, and probably need a set up after that.
 
#15
I put the ECB81 on my BB424 when I first got the bass. It sounded great, felt great, and was fun to play. Great sound, and a little bright for flats being it was new. It also requires a different finger attack to get smooth tones across all the strings. Can't really dig in the E. And it required a whole new set up for optimal sound: Pickup and string height adjustments, and intonation adjustment. After a month, I missed the nickel rounds, so I put them back on for more diverse playing styles. Once I get another bass, the flats will go back on. It seems flats have that extra tension that gives it a tighter punch in the lower frequencies. And they're really easy on the fingers.

UPDATE: I put a set of ECB84 on the BB424x. They feel more balanced, and have a more even volume vs the ECB81.
 
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#16
I have had TI flats on my CS 55 precision for six months. Recently I tried a set of the light .95 chromes but just could not get them to work. Sound balance between strings was terrible with the E string way too loud and boomy and the A and D strings noticeably down in comparison to the E and G. I did not like the feel and gave up, putting the TI flats back on. Last week I tried chromes again with the .100 set and this time the result was totally different. Nice tight E tone, good balance between the strings and a great feel.
Really surprised me, in a very pleasant way.
 
#18
Could just buy singles 40 55 75 100. Gives you 40 and 75 from the 40-95 set. Throws in the 100 from the 40-100 set and swaps in a 55 to replace the 60. The gauges are as close to a 4/3 relationship you could get if that is a thing folks like of course.
Or buy an 050 for D instead of the 60 in the sets. I have Chromes 100 75 50 for EAD in B standard on a bass. The 50 as D feels and sounds good to me
The tensions for 40 50 75 100 would be
E1/.100/40.29lbf
A1/.075/42.58lbf
D2/.050/35.97lbf
G2/.040/37.83lbf
 
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