GHS Balanced Nickel strings

[michael_t]

I owe you some thanks @michael_t for helping me realize the light set was the way to go for me. Thanks!!

Glad to hear it has worked out well for you.

I have to admit it was bit of a gamble for me to go for the light set, but now I know it was definitely the right thing for me to do.
I kind of figured that, at age 60 and after four trigger release surgeries, maybe this is a good time to go a little lighter both with strings and with playing technique.

 

[Linnin]

A Fender Jazz bass is so versatile, a simple change in stringset can alter the entire mood of the instrument. Right now I have Fender 8250's on for that classic Fender twang I needed for a surf rock piece I wrote. Good old hex core Bass Boomers were my go to stringset for many years for raw naked aggression. I really dig the polite sweetness of round core Bass Boomers for smooth jazz. For an everyday stringset for all occasions, Pressurewounds are an excellent choice. Good solid tone with a smooth oval wrap and a long life. They have a long smooth gradual glidepath down to Death Valley.

 

[crucislancer]

Can you characterize the PWs on the jazz? Still suitable for rock?

Right now I'm finding my P almost too dark/thumpy and the Jazz a bit too bright and thin... hoping the BN/PW formula will even them both out.

I've got a country recording session coming up and I think I'm going to leave the PWs on the P until that's done since I've really got that bass dialed in at the moment.

Oh yeah, PWs on a Jazz are still suitable for rock. In fact, if it wasn't for the BNs coming out, I would have PWs on all my basses, and I play rock almost exclusively. I'm not very good at conveying the differences, but I do think the PWs will help tame your Jazz a bit. The BNs on my Precision sound killer!

 

[NKBassman]

Oh yeah, PWs on a Jazz are still suitable for rock. In fact, if it wasn't for the BNs coming out, I would have PWs on all my basses, and I play rock almost exclusively. I'm not very good at conveying the differences, but I do think the PWs will help tame your Jazz a bit. The BNs on my Precision sound killer!

Thanks! BNs in medium gauge are ordered. It'll probably be a few weeks at least until I get them on, but don't let that fool you, I'm really looking forward to it.

This is exactly what I used to tell myself. But thanks to these new BNs, a flatwound bass is no longer a necessity in my life, although I would never object to the idea of having an extra bass with flats sometime down the road.

Uh oh, maybe I spoke too soon... are they really that flatty?

 

[michael_t]

Uh oh, maybe I spoke too soon... are they really that flatty?

No, they're not flatty at all. What I meant was, if a set of rounds can sound so silky smooth and warm, who needs the thuddy thump of flats?

 

[NKBassman]

No, they're not flatty at all. What I meant was, if a set of rounds can sound so silky smooth and warm, who needs the thuddy thump of flats?

Perfect!

 

[Linnin]

No, they're not flatty at all. What I meant was, if a set of rounds can sound so silky smooth and warm, who needs the thuddy thump of flats?

MeMeMeMeeeee!

 

[michael_t]

MeMeMeMeeeee!

Yes, you can have your flats and thump happily ever after.

 

[Linnin]

Yes, you can have your flats and thump happily ever after.

I need the thermo-nuclear attack of GHS Precision Flats!

 

[soflbass]

Installed light set on my Alembic Essence Saturday. Previously strung with D'addario XL170s. Setup didn't change a bit from the XLs.

The light set new sounds very similar to the 3 week old set of XLs used for practice and 2 gigs, IMO. Slightly less high end glassiness and good low and mid range mellowness. These do not sound flatty when new. They sound like broken in mid range rounds.

The even balance between the strings is awesome. You truly get an even response from string to string and up/down the fretboard. I really like these. I thought they might be slightly duller than I was looking for, but they are not. Looking forward to seeing how long these last.

 

[Linnin]

The even balance between the strings is awesome. You truly get an even response from string to string and up/down the fretboard. I really like these. I thought they might be slightly duller than I was looking for, but they are not. Looking forward to seeing how long these last.

I am thinking longevity will be the icing on this balanced nickel cake.

 

[soflbass]

I am thinking longevity will be the icing on this balanced nickel cake.

I am hopefully positive that this will be the case. If so, these will be my go to strings for several of my basses.

 

[michael_t]

I am thinking longevity will be the icing on this balanced nickel cake.

I have never kept a set of strings on either of my two basses till they actually NEEDED to be replaced.

I do intend to keep my BNs till they're no good so I can find out their actual useful lifespan. (So I hope... )

 

[Linnin]

I have never kept a set of strings on either of my two basses till they actually NEEDED to be replaced.

I do intend to keep my BNs till they're no good so I can find out their actual useful lifespan. (So I hope... )

I tend to think they are going to be like Pressurewounds in that respect.

 

[TheIndieKid]

Does anyone know what the difference is between the Balanced Nickels and the Pressurewound Bronze Bass by GHS, tonewise?

 

[Linnin]

Does anyone know what the difference is between the Balanced Nickels and the Pressurewound Bronze Bass by GHS, tonewise?

At the moment, only one person knows, and that would be one @Jon Moody.

 

[TheIndieKid]

At the moment, only one person knows, and that would be one @Jon Moody.

Indeed. I was trying to tag him, but couldn’t for some reason. He mentioned in the advertisement video that the bronze stdings are mid forward. Where are the Balanced Nickels focused then?

 

[Linnin]

Where are the Balanced Nickels focused then?

They are well balanced across the board. Total focus. First strings ever to accomplish that feat. They're like an Ansel Adams photograph with everything in tack sharp focus. You'll just have to listen for yourself.

 

[Jon Moody]

Does anyone know what the difference is between the Balanced Nickels and the Pressurewound Bronze Bass by GHS, tonewise?

They’re completely different. You’re comparing a roundwound pure nickel string to a rollerwound phosphor bronze. They only share the same “balanced construction” concept. Otherwise, very different.

The PB are definitely a more mid-forward sound where the BN are, I feel, dark but focused across the board. I initially designed the BN so I could get “my” sound while playing my solo bass gigs and still take that same bass to a cover band gig the next night.

 

[Joe Smithberger]

I am a big fan of these strings. My primary five string (custom jazz style with Barts) has been strung with Big Core GHS rounds and Fender Flats for most of the past 8 years. I have tried a bunch of other stuff before and in between, but these have been the mainstays. I feel like the BN's are a great compromise tone wise between these two and the response is amazingly even. The B string may be as good as anything I have had on this bass ever.