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Congratulations on being post #1000!
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,118
- 256,189
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
I only had a set o my P bass for eight months, but when they came off, they were still sounding as good as when they were two days old. I probably could have gone for another few months easy but I was too eager to keep trying different strings at that point.
Pure nickel seems to keep the "nicely broken-in" tone longer than NPS or SS.
My experience is that they lose the initial “new string zing” pretty quickly but then they stay sounding fresh for a good while. Keep in mind that these strings aren’t as bright as a nickel wrapped steel or all steel string, so there’s less content up top to fall off compared to a brighter string. I’ve got a set on one bass that are super old and they’ve turned into a pseudo flatwound thing that I enjoy. I’ve got another set that are basically done but haven’t gotten into full blown dead territory and they took a few gigs to get to that point.
I've been getting about 3 months out of a set of these on my Road Worn P-bass, and that's with the bass out of the case about 50% of the time, never wiping down the strings, playing at least a little bit every day and gigging with that bass once or twice a week. On my other basses that are string with BN's I can get close to a year out of a set, but those are getting a lot less playing time.
I have noticed that there is a point where the BN's go completely dead and lose their presence, and that seems to happen pretty suddenly. All in all I consider them to have pretty good longevity, maybe about the best of the non-coated strings I've used.
The BN's have become my favorite strings for Fenders and Fender clones - they just sound and feel "right" and have perfect tension for me (I'm using the .44 - .106 set).
I have noticed that there is a point where the BN's go completely dead and lose their presence, and that seems to happen pretty suddenly. All in all I consider them to have pretty good longevity, maybe about the best of the non-coated strings I've used.
The BN's have become my favorite strings for Fenders and Fender clones - they just sound and feel "right" and have perfect tension for me (I'm using the .44 - .106 set).
Hello! I joined the ranks of the balanced nickels team! About a week ago, I threw a set on my G&L M2500. I’m currently in the honeymoon phase, and seriously loving these strings. I’m an avid flats guy. However, I have a P-bass with flats and suddenly felt a desire to open up my options by throwing some rounds on my more modern style bass. These particular strings feel like they were made for the M2500.
This bass tends to have some very pronounced mids. I’ve tried many strings, including precision flats, pressurewounds, chrome flats, and fender flats. All of which are capable of sounding really great. The G&L is a very flexible instrument. However, the BNs have such a smooth, rounded tone, with lots of beef underneath, that the mids now feel perfectly tamed with out totally caging them.
I love a strong fundamental note, which the BNs seem to naturally have. I can’t find a way to make them sound bad. Any EQ set up still has lots of warmth, enough highs with out getting twangy, and such well placed mids. Heading to band practice tomorrow. Can’t wait to hear how they fit in the mix! Thanks for all the info/reviewing in this thread that helped me find my newest favorite string. Cheers
This bass tends to have some very pronounced mids. I’ve tried many strings, including precision flats, pressurewounds, chrome flats, and fender flats. All of which are capable of sounding really great. The G&L is a very flexible instrument. However, the BNs have such a smooth, rounded tone, with lots of beef underneath, that the mids now feel perfectly tamed with out totally caging them.
I love a strong fundamental note, which the BNs seem to naturally have. I can’t find a way to make them sound bad. Any EQ set up still has lots of warmth, enough highs with out getting twangy, and such well placed mids. Heading to band practice tomorrow. Can’t wait to hear how they fit in the mix! Thanks for all the info/reviewing in this thread that helped me find my newest favorite string. Cheers
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,118
- 256,189
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Intentional thread bump
Months before the Nordy Cat bass arrived, I bought Pressurewounds in anticipation. Installed Balanced Nickels instead, and there they stayed. Eighteen months later, the Pressurewounds are still in the string larder as I install a new set of Balanced Nickels.
Enthused so profusely over Balanced Nickels that I persuaded a friend to install BNs on her Cat bass. She finds she likes the Balanced Nickels better on the Mustang, and likes Pressurewounds on the Cat. Shipped her the unopened pack on PWs, and we're happy all around.
No real need for me to look further than Balanced Nickels for my Cat bass. It's a perfect match for my needs.
Months before the Nordy Cat bass arrived, I bought Pressurewounds in anticipation. Installed Balanced Nickels instead, and there they stayed. Eighteen months later, the Pressurewounds are still in the string larder as I install a new set of Balanced Nickels.
Enthused so profusely over Balanced Nickels that I persuaded a friend to install BNs on her Cat bass. She finds she likes the Balanced Nickels better on the Mustang, and likes Pressurewounds on the Cat. Shipped her the unopened pack on PWs, and we're happy all around.
No real need for me to look further than Balanced Nickels for my Cat bass. It's a perfect match for my needs.
Are those Cat basses short-scale? Did you use a short-scale set if so?Intentional thread bump
Months before the Nordy Cat bass arrived, I bought Pressurewounds in anticipation. Installed Balanced Nickels instead, and there they stayed. Eighteen months later, the Pressurewounds are still in the string larder as I install a new set of Balanced Nickels.
Enthused so profusely over Balanced Nickels that I persuaded a friend to install BNs on her Cat bass. She finds she likes the Balanced Nickels better on the Mustang, and likes Pressurewounds on the Cat. Shipped her the unopened pack on PWs, and we're happy all around.
No real need for me to look further than Balanced Nickels for my Cat bass. It's a perfect match for my needs.
View attachment 5024941
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,118
- 256,189
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Yes, the Nordy Cat is 780mm scale (about 30.7”), and the GHS short scale set fits perfectly.
Great strings! I moved from precision flats to balanced nickels for my P bass. Moved from balanced nickels to round core bass boomer for my G&L M2500. Seems to be the right match for my needs!
Got these on my Spector Bantam
Great feel and tone.
No need to try any other sets for me.
These are staying put.
Great feel and tone.
No need to try any other sets for me.
These are staying put.
I feel like a set of these would work very well on my '81 L-1000.
That bass has a big bottom, and snappy highs.
The full mids of the BNs would help bring in some tonal balance.
It's worn boomers for about the past ten years.
I think it's time for a change up.
That bass has a big bottom, and snappy highs.
The full mids of the BNs would help bring in some tonal balance.
It's worn boomers for about the past ten years.
I think it's time for a change up.
So far so good, although I may move them over to my Jazz Bass and put Sunbeams back on my P.
They are indeed balanced. Feel nice. Tonally I was finding the other rounds I had tried to be too twangy or bright, these are not too bright IMO.
And the silk matches the beer label for the night, so that's cool.
They are indeed balanced. Feel nice. Tonally I was finding the other rounds I had tried to be too twangy or bright, these are not too bright IMO.
And the silk matches the beer label for the night, so that's cool.
I tried sunbeams again today, and they just have a weird twang out of the package, Maybe in time they would settle down. I put the balanced nickels back on, I think I'll stick with them. They feel great and sound great. The E string is playing extremely nicely with the EMG Geezer pickup, it sounds monstrous.
