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D'Addario Chromes User Group- Chromeys Speak Out!

The D'Addario 032 and 132 Chromes are available because (standard-tuned) 5- and 6-string basses were introduced in the meantime.

[Warning, guess-fest ahead:]

I have no explanation for the high C specific gauge, other than the possibile intent to offer a gauge that could work passably alongside both the 040 (against which a 030 would be about equally tensioned, but a 035 would be noticeably tighter) and the 045 (compared to which a 030 may feel too loose) G strings.

Regarding the low B, the difference between a 130 and a 132 is too small to matter, both slot-width and tension-wise, so I don't make too much of it; the non-round figure may be the result of the choice of specific calibers of core, underwindings and flat ribbon that they already use, but it's just an unsubstantiated guess of mine.
Now, why not go fatter than that?
The fact that no mass-produced flatwound low B larger than the Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flat 136 exists is revealing. It is very possible that, given the inherent stiffness of flats due to the reduced flexibility of the flat ribbon, there are diminishing returns in terms of tone, and inharmonicity up the neck, vs. tension. This, combined with the lower demand of flats in general, 5/6-string sets (or low-B singles) in particular, and very large gauges at the end of the day (except from the low-tuning metal playing camp, who do not tend to choose flats anyway), apparently makes manufacturers decline to develop larger yet functional gauges.
T-I gets away with their 136 because their flats have a silk inlay that contributes little mass therefore tension, and because of other construction details: a thinner, round core, and maybe some trickery applied to the ribbon as well - a flat octagonal section, for less lateral contact? a narrower ribbon, like La Bella LTFs? I wouldn't know, never held a JF low B in my hands.
Likewise, Garry Goodman's Octave4Plus, the sole source of flatwounds of 140 gauge and larger that I'm aware of,
(vd. Sub Contra Flatwounds - per the page, they also make flats in 150, 160, 170, 175, 180 and 188 gauge, plus a C#0 string of undisclosed diameter)
has devoted significant R&D to make building decently-working flatwounds with such gauges feasible.

Finally, why not make 115, 120 and 125 singles?
After all, the 055, 090 and 110 aren't currently included in sets - and haven't for who knows how long, as we've seen - and are therefore only produced in order to be offered as singles.
Well, I do concur it would be nice to have them.
(As it would to have the short- and medium-scale 080 and 100, at least, available as singles.)
I suppose they don't deem it as worth it to cover that gap as they do those other three gauges: perhaps they get little or no demand for a fatter low E than 110, ditto for a lighter low B than the sole gauge they make.
Once again, merely a W-A-G ( = "guess", not "girlfriend") of mine.
Great points and discussion. Hadn't read of Octave4 plus before. Holy @Crap!. The gauge for subcontra C#0 isn't mentioned on the graphic like there is for F#0 which is .188. i'm thinking it would be around .250. But in the 8 string grouping, it has C#0 as .188 and F#0 as .160 which is confusing. I tune my 132 and 100 Chromes to C#1 and F#1 respectively. A .188 F#0 would have an available Chromes equivalent of .095. The Octave4 plus B0 is 135. Anyhow if Ovtave4plus has overcome technical difficulties vis a vis flats and humungus gauges, than D'addario has no technical impediment. Regarding .120 and 125, the popular Dunlop brand does these gauges in flats.
 
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Does anyone have an idea why there are discrepancies for tension specs of Chromes in the D'addario string tension pdf and the tension specs for the same string in the tension specs of sets. An example. Set ECB82 with gauges 50 70 85 100 has tension specs listed as follows


CB050/G2/050/64.11 lb
CB070/D2/070/65.08 lb
CB085/A1/085/51.67 lb
CB105/E1/105/43.15 lb

By comparison from the Chromes section of the tension pdf chart the tensions are

CB050/G2/050/55 lb
CB070/D2/070/60.20 lb
CB085/A1/085/50.20 lb
CB105/E1/105/41.50 lb
The variance in the tensions for the same string is particularly startling for the D and G. 5lbs for D and a whopping 9lbs for G. To put that in perspective it would be the tension of an 050 at 37" scale. So are we talking typos here in the set specs and or has D'addario refined it's tension measuring since the pdf chart was released?
 
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Oddly enough, the website tensions for XL nickel rounds are less than the tensions for the same string listed in the chart. The reverse of what I've noticed for Chromes.
The only possible thing I could see for the discrepancies is if the unit weights of the strings has changed since the pdf was created. If so, you'd the D'addario would publish the new unit weights that it bases the website tension specs on.The formulas for tension or working out UW from tension, are, , and always will be the same.
 
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To get the tension listed for a G2 050 listed in the tension specs for that string as part of set ECB82 with a tension of 64.11 lbf, the unit weight would have to be 0.0005578185. This is far more than the unit weight of the CB050 in the pdf chart and almost the UW of CB055 listed in the chart. Things just don't seem to add up.
 
There is a post in this old thread by someone I presume was a D'addario representative stating that the company was updating website tension entries as a result of using more "decimal precision" ie not rounding and "we remodeled the string Unit Weight calculation itself to allow for a more geometrically accurate number." Not specified what this entailed. The rep ruled out the changes being due to differences in the manufacturing process or string design. See post #68 https://www.talkbass.com/threads/i-...-plate-of-daddario-crow-to-eat.1004600/page-4
 
My current set of 45-105 Chromes have been on for 8 months. Recently I've had the sense of the E string getting more and more boomy. Finally making the effort to find the right screwdriver to lower the pick up on that string has sorted things out.

But I wondered, have I simply been needing to do that adjustment all these months, or has the E string actually being getting more boomy as it ages?
 
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My current set of 45-105 Chromes have been on for 8 months. Recently I've had the sense of the E string getting more and more boomy. Finally making the effort to find the right screwdriver to lower the pick up on that string has sorted things out.

But I wondered, have I simply been needing to do that adjustment all these months, or has the E string actually being getting more boomy as it ages?
The answer could be that both things are true.
 
Here are the tensions for EADG tuning on a 34" scale bass, taken from the D'addario website and the tension pdf by way of comparison. The website tensions see the pdf tensions for the same gauge revised upwards in every instance. Some a little. Some a substantial amount.

D'ADDARIO Chromes Tensions

Website Tension Specs
CB040/G2/.040/37.83lbf
CB045/G2/.045/47.00lbf
CB050/G2/.050/64.11lbf

CB060/D2/.060/46.49lbf
CB065/D2/.065/53.94lbf
CB070/D2/.070/65.08lbf

CB075/A1/.075/42.58lbf
CB080/A1/.080/47.52lbf
CB085/A1/.085/51.67lbf

CB095/E1/.095/36.20lbf
CB100/E1/.100/40.29lbf
CB105/E1/.105/43.15lbf

CB132/B0/.132/38.72lbf

PDF Tension Specs

CB040/G2/.040/37.60lbf
CB045/G2/.045/45.70lbf
CB050/G2/.050/55.00lbf

CB/060D2/.060/45.20lbf
CB/065D2/.065/52.00lbf
CB070/D2/.070/60.20lbf

CB075/A1/.075/36.40lbf
CB080/A1/.080/43.70lbf
CB085/A1/.085/50.20lbf

CB095/E1/.095/35.20lbf
CB100/E1/.100/38.40lbf
CB105/E1/.105/41.50lbf

CB132/B0/.132/35.90lbf

*PDF Tensions for gauges not in a set and therefore no website tension specs to compare with

CB055/D2/.055/36.6lbf
CB090/A1/.090/53.9lbf
CB110/E1/.110/46.00lbf
 
Forgot CB032 which isn't part of a set either, so no website tension specs. The gauge isn't listed in the tensions pdf at all. The XL Nickel rounds series has an 032 with tension on the website given as 38.98lbf tuned to C3. So add a little lbf for a flat wound, and Chrome 032's tension is likely around 40.5

CB032/C3/.032/40.50lbf
 
I've never consulted the pdf, just using the figures on the webpages for the sets. When going from one set of strings to another, I've found that these current Daddario numbers fit in with those published with Rotosounds and GHSs

eg my 45-65-85-105 Chromes total 196 lbs. When I used to them to replace a 50-70-90-110 set of Roto Bass (total 197 lbs) the neck didn't move, the action was the same.
 
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The pdf was my go to originally because I only buy Chrome singles and I just assumed the pdf was the last word on D'addario string tensions. Wasn't till I started looking at the tension specs for sets on the web that I noticed the differences. Just gonna use the web tensions in future for Chrome string alchemy.
 
My current set of 45-105 Chromes have been on for 8 months. Recently I've had the sense of the E string getting more and more boomy. Finally making the effort to find the right screwdriver to lower the pick up on that string has sorted things out.

But I wondered, have I simply been needing to do that adjustment all these months, or has the E string actually being getting more boomy as it ages?

I’ve got an 18 year old set on a Precision not sure I’d describe the E string as boomy more a thud
 
I recently put a set of Chromes, ECB81-5, on a bass that just needs flats. I tried a few along the way and past experience too; like all the flats. There are a lot of 4’s that sound great with flats, but the low B can be just too much something with most every set I’ve tried.

Recently, for this bass, I got close with Ernie Ball series flats, but the B went thud in short fashion. I could describe all the rest, but it’s either insta-mud or soon to be.

Enter the chromes. Mostly due to this forum, I gave them a try. So, short answer, love them. Just the right heaviness with great growl and presence. The question is, how long will this last? Weeks? Months? Thoughts? Do they go dead and become thud inducing flats? Not all bad, but not my tone any longer.
 
Over the first few weeks, as the strings lose their stiffness, a slightly more generous tone evolves. Once that's done, months and months.

Thanks… I’ll have to see how that more generous tone sounds. I can’t do some of those flats tones anymore. It used to be that a P with some LaBellas was sweeter than honey, but I need more definition these days. I played it last night and I could hear that some of that was starting to occur.

Maybe it’s half wounds I need.
 
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I would love to join the Chromes Club please! I just bought my first ever set of Chromes (45-100 gauge) and put them on my 2022 Satin Autumnglo Rickenbacker 4003.

I haven't played flats of any kind since 2019 and it's nice to be back!

I've had Chromes on my 1980 4001 for over 10 years and I love the sound and feel.
My latest set is a balanced set from fretnation(?) which has a .105 E and a thinner D string.
 
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