Do Chromes lose their sound over time?

[project_c]

Question for those who keep Chromes on a bass for years - how do these strings age? I'm really interested in what happens to that 'metallic' character that these strings have as they age, do they keep that tone forever, or do they end up sounding like other flats if left on for years?

I have them on a short scale and I loved them as soon as I put them on there (despite that slightly weird harmonic thing they do), but after a few weeks they seem to have settled into this growly / punchy tone which is still surprisingly bright and crunchy for a flat wound. Sounded great at rehearsal tonight, so I'm wondering if this is where Chromes settle, or if they will die and lose that tone over time.

 

[dougjwray]

I've had Chromes on for long periods of time, and what I like is that they get warmer without the notes on the E string losing definition. (That's a problem I've had with GHS Precision Flats.)
Eventually, Chromes *do* get to the point where the notes are worse than muddy... But it takes a VERY long time. On one Jazz Bass, I'm on my third set of Chromes over a 21-year period.

 

[michael_t]

I had the ECB84 set (40-60-80-100) on my Fender Jazz for four years.

The 40G stayed annoyingly bright (= "twangy") while the 100E went all thuddy and lost definition. The 60D and the 80A did mellow a bit but retained most of their clarity.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I have a set of 40-55-75-95 Chromes on my Guild B-301 that was originally bought for my old 4005WB in '03. The same set has also been on the 4001V63. Still sounds great, to me.

 

[ElMon]

15 years on my main bass, Sadowsky, PJ five. Going strong.

 

[Slade N]

yes

 

[PennyroyalWe]

The set on my bass is about 4 years old now and I’m starting to think about changing them. I like how they sound, but the E string is getting pretty muddy now.
I never noticed the brightness/clacking thing people talk about, though.

 

[leftyc]

Chromes on this one for 24 years and counting and the tone is still there!

 

[MrAB4003]

View attachment 5386071 Chromes on this one for 24 years and counting and the tone is still there!View attachment 5386071

James Jamerson would be proud

 

[DB66]

Twenty plus years on this bass - sound good to me.

 

[Michael Jewels]

I’ve had a set on my fretless Ibanez Portamento for 15 months, and they are just now giving me the tone I want.

When I first put them on, they had that slightly metalic clangy sound people talk about, and I didn’t like them, but other people mentioned that they mellow out nicely, and they do.

If they keep mellowing out at this rate, I’ll be happy.

Mike

 

[foal30]

I got 18 years from one set and on 16 presently with another but not far off changing

 

[fjbolebruch]

I’m at around four years and probably 600+ gigs with chromes on my jazz bass and they still sound great. I recently put a new set on a different bass and they’re definitely a lot brighter new, but the old ones sound better than ever to my ears. I have zero intention on changing them anytime soon.

 

[Dabndug]

Have had a set on a J for 6 years or so. They have lost that fresh clank but have settled into a rich mellow tone that I love. A bit reminiscent of how Fender flats sounded out of the box back in the late 70s.

 

[Jeff Scott]

The set on my bass is about 4 years old now and I’m starting to think about changing them. I like how they sound, but the E string is getting pretty muddy now.
I never noticed the brightness/clacking thing people talk about, though.

This recording was made in September '08. Is this the clacking folks are talking about? The strings on the V63 are the Chromes I mentioned above that I bought in late '03.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I have a set of 40-55-75-95 Chromes on my Guild B-301 that was originally bought for my old 4005WB in '03. The same set has also been on the 4001V63. Still sounds great, to me.

I forgot; I also had that same set of Chromes on my '04 4003FL around '05/'06.

Note the 4004Cii has TI Jazz Rounds on it.

 

[project_c]

Wow there are some seriously old strings on this thread, I was thinking maybe a handful of years or so, but many of you seem to have been using them for decades and still going strong.

This recording was made in September '08. Is this the clacking folks are talking about? The strings on the V63 are the Chromes I mentioned above that I bought in late '03.

Great tone in that clip! It’s not so much the clack, I see that as more of a setup preference that you can achieve with other strings too. It’s more that these strings seem to have more harmonic content than any other flats that I’ve tried, which makes them sound super ballsy in the lower register, but it’s especially noticeable in the upper register when playing high up on the neck.

 

[faulknersj]

I’ve had chromes on my 73’ jazz and my 77’ P for over 10 years and I think they get better and better…

 

[project_c]

Have had a set on a J for 6 years or so. They have lost that fresh clank but have settled into a rich mellow tone that I love. A bit reminiscent of how Fender flats sounded out of the box back in the late 70s.

Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean - they seem to have settled into a sound that’s a bit like fresh Fender flats. Took me by surprise at rehearsal last night, I normally play a bass with very dead Dunlop flats in that band, and the Chromes in comparison sounded way more ballsy, they cut through in a very different way to the Dunlops.

 

[Mastermold]

Yeah, that’s exactly what I mean - they seem to have settled into a sound that’s a bit like fresh Fender flats. Took me by surprise at rehearsal last night, I normally play a bass with very dead Dunlop flats in that band, and the Chromes in comparison sounded way more ballsy, they cut through in a very different way to the Dunlops.

All good. My personal oldest set is about 10 years but I know others who have had them twice that long and they still sound good. They do eventually sound pretty much like any other flat but takes a while.