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D'Addario Chromes User Group- Chromeys Speak Out!

#581
Although my favorite flats are TI, I like Chromes and I have 2 basses with strung with them. A Fender P and a Squier Bronco short scale.

I like the tension of the Chromes. A little on the high side but not over the top. There is some high end that other flats do not have. Hey, it's there if we want it and if not, a little roll off with the tone knob and it's gone.

Chromes are an excellent flat! Nice balanced tone!
 
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#582
I’m having an issue with the fifth string from an ECB81-5 set of chromes.

A while ago the fifth string was too thick to fit through the hole in my MIM Fender Jazz Deluxe bridge. So I carefully drilled the hole a little bigger. Then the string fit through.

Today I got a new American Professional Precision five string. This one has a string through body bridge. But I’m again having the same issue. The fifth string is too thick to fit through the hole. The cloth wrap near the ball end can’t fit through the hole in the body.

Any suggestions?
 
#583
JohnTBassCo said:
I’m having an issue with the fifth string from an ECB81-5 set of chromes.

A while ago the fifth string was too thick to fit through the hole in my MIM Fender Jazz Deluxe bridge. So I carefully drilled the hole a little bigger. Then the string fit through.

Today I got a new American Professional Precision five string. This one has a string through body bridge. But I’m again having the same issue. The fifth string is too thick to fit through the hole. The cloth wrap near the ball end can’t fit through the hole in the body.

Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

do you have the option to top load that string?
 
#584
peterpalmieri said:
do you have the option to top load that string?
Click to expand...
Yes. When I was trying last night I didn’t realize there were two options for stringing it through the bridge. Thanks for the suggestion. It was a very tight fit with the bridge saddle being so far toward the bridge hole. I kind of scratched up the string forcing it through. Next time I’ll loosen up the saddle before putting the string through. But for now I’m happy to have been able to get the string on.

As a side note... I didn’t realize a P bass would be so much harder to play (require so much more hand strength than on my Jazz bass.) But I love that traditional deep bass tone of the P.
 
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#587
Mastermold said:
Shouldn't be any difference, Fender uses the same neck on their 5 strings for both P and J.
Click to expand...

One difference: my MIM Jazz has a 12” radius and my MIA P has a 9.5” radius. I have not yet measured nut width, string spacing, etc. My P and Jazz necks are not the same feel at all. The P probably needs a setup. I am hoping a setup will get the P to be easier to play. I love the difference in sound between the two.

Btw: yesterday I watched a couple Scott Devine videos where he compares his P basses to his Jazz basses. Scott (a P bass lover) says he likes the fact that his P basses are harder to play than the Jazz basses. He says it causes him to play differently.
 
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#588
JohnTBassCo said:
One difference: my MIM Jazz has a 12” radius and my MIA P has a 9.5” radius. I have not yet measured nut width, string spacing, etc. My P and Jazz necks are not the same feel at all. The P probably needs a setup. I am hoping a setup will get the P to be easier to play. I love the difference in sound between the two.

Btw: yesterday I watched a couple Scott Devine videos where he compares his P basses to his Jazz basses. Scott (a P bass lover) says he likes the fact that his P basses are harder to play than the Jazz basses. He says it causes him to play differently.
Click to expand...

Makes sense, I wasn't aware their MIM 5-string necks had different specs than their MIA 5-string necks.

I saw that video of Scott's you mentioned. He's talking about 4-stringers, of course, but I still don't buy it. He plays just as well on both. The more you play different bass necks the less their differences matter, and he plays a lot of different gear.
 
#589
Mastermold said:
I saw that video of Scott's you mentioned. He's talking about 4-stringers, of course, but I still don't buy it. He plays just as well on both. The more you play different bass necks the less their differences matter, and he plays a lot of different gear.
Click to expand...

I buy it, I play differently on a 19mm spacing instrument than a 17.5mm spacing instrument.

Given that Scott's preference is actually 16.5mm spacing at the bridge per his signature bass, I don't find it hard to believe that wider spacings make him play more "deliberately" as he says.

Regardless a "hand strength" difference seems more like a setup issue than anything else IMO.
 
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#590
Kro said:
I buy it, I play differently on a 19mm spacing instrument than a 17.5mm spacing instrument.

Given that Scott's preference is actually 16.5mm spacing at the bridge per his signature bass, I don't find it hard to believe that wider spacings make him play more "deliberately" as he says.

Regardless a "hand strength" difference seems more like a setup issue than anything else IMO.
Click to expand...

Yeah I get that, makes sense that the player might feel more or less comfy whether or not the audience can tell.
 
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#593
I used Chromes when I had my Rickenbacker basses, and they were excellent. I used them on my SX P Bass before I decided to try EB Cobalt Flats, and then Dunlop flats. In fact, I now have them on my Brice Violin bass and they work great there too. I would have no issues using them again.
 
#597
foal30 said:
Put a set on my recently arrived EBMM Stingray Fretless
Sounds glorious
Click to expand...
I love how Chromes sound on my Stingray. I've tried a few sets of other strings in between a few sets of Chromes and have gone back to the Chromes a few times already.

Not sure that they'll replace nickel DR Lo Riders as my favorite string, but I might be close to conceding Lo Riders are my favorite rounds and Chromes are my favorite flats and just leave it at that. :D
 
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#598
Pretty silks. :cool:
PXL_20210419_014705106~2.jpg
 
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#600
Chromes are pleasant enough and certainly well made. But they’re not my favourite. I prefer a glassy smooth feeling flat and there are better options for me. If Chromes are compared side-by-side with other brands, the difference is very apparent.

I do, however, like Half Rounds very much when I need a little more top end.
 
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