GHS Bassics - An Affordable (as in GOOD VALUE) Alternative

[michael_t]

Not much as been discussed around here about GHS Bassics as their existence is somewhat overshadowed by their big brother, the Boomers. As a huge fan of GHS and their offerings, I thought I'd give them a test run as part of the string quest for my Yamaha TRBX505 (active 5-string HH).

Since I only put them on last night, and I won't have a chance to test them out in a live band setting till Tuesday next week, I'll start with a few preliminaries for now...

As the name implies, the Bassics are designed as a no-frill, all-purpose and affordable option to get the job done. Think of it as the Toyota Corolla/Honda Civic of bass strings.

• "No frill" = No silk or color-coded ball ends. They don't come with numbered dice, either.
  
• "All-purpose" = Nickel-plated steel (NPS) roundwound on a hex core.
• "Affordable" = Sub-$14 USD for 4-string, sub-$18 USD for 5.

How are they different from the Boomers?

• NPS final cover over stainless steel (SS) inner wrap (Bassics) vs. NPS over NPS (Boomers).
• Slightly smaller core diameter than the Boomers for optimal playability (= not as stiff).

Here's from the GHS website:

When you plan on holding down the low end all night, look to Bassics™. Utilizing a slightly smaller core diameter and a hybrid of stainless steel and nickel-plated covers, Bassics™ speak clearly and easily, while still retaining a focused low end, all the way up the fretboard. They sit right in the pocket, allowing you to do the same.​

According to the GHS Brightness Scale, the Bassics are placed between the Boomers (NPS rounds) and the Progressives (Alloy 52 rounds).

My plan is to stick with them at least for the next few months and post my findings here from time to time. So, stay tuned...

 

[Jon Moody]

As the name implies, the Bassics are designed as a no-frill, all-purpose and affordable option to get the job done. Think of it as the Toyota Corolla/Honda Civic of bass strings.

Actually, they were designed as direct competition to XLs, Slinkies, and all the other "basic" NPS strings. The fact that the old marketing reel of calling them "affordable" made people equate that with "cheap" and "low quality," which is why they weren't ever given solid consideration.

They're more affordable simply because they're easier to make.

 

[michael_t]

Actually, they were designed as direct competition to XLs, Slinkies, and all the other "basic" NPS strings. The fact that the old marketing reel of calling them "affordable" made people equate that with "cheap" and "low quality," which is why they weren't ever given solid consideration.

They're more affordable simply because they're easier to make.

I do get the idea; in fact, I do plan on commenting further on the "affordability" of these strings by distinguishing between "simply inexpensive" and "excellent value". I've worked many years in retail business, where I had to educate the public time and time again that they should always think in terms of "value" rather than just "price".

I will also be talking about the Bassics as a viable alternative to the ever-so-popular and ubiquitous D'A XL Nickels.

 

[michael_t]

Since @Jon Moody has already pointed out that the GHS Bassics were designed as a direct competition to the D'Addario XL Nickels, let's start there.

(NOTE: Since I have no personal experience with EB Slinkies, my competitive references will be limited to the D'A XL Nickels.)

I have tried three different sets of XL Nickels in the past - EXL170 (45-65-80-100), EXL165 (45-65-85-105) and EXL170BT (45-60-80-107) on my passive 4-string Fender Jazz bass. Plus, my Yamaha came factory equipped with EXL170-5 (45-65-80-100-130). So, for this test run, I've decided to go with the Bassics ML6000 (44-63-80-102), combined with the 130B. (GHS only offers the factory 5-string set as M6000-5, 44-63-84-106-130.)

​

Now, you'll have to excuse me for my indulgence; I can never talk about strings without mentioning their tension figures. So, here they are...

GHS Bassics ML6000 + 130B:

G 044 - 39.9 lbs.
D 063 - 47.8
A 080 - 42.0
E 102 - 38.1
B 130 - 36.9 (Total 204.7 lbs.)

D'Addario EXL170-5:

G 045 - 42.5 lbs.
D 065 - 48.4
A 080 - 40.1
E 100 - 34.7
B 130 - 32.1 (Total 197.8 lbs.)

One quick observation - Bassics have higher tensions for B-E-A, but a little lower for D and G = slightly better balanced.
​

Tension figures are one thing, but what about how they FEEL in real life?

One of the things that always annoyed me about D'Addario's traditional "regular light-gauge" sets, such as EXL170 and ECB81 (Chromes Flats, 45-65-80-100), is I can actually FEEL the tightness of the 65D compared to the rest. While the Bassics aren't designed as a "balanced tension" set as such, they do FEEL better balanced than the D'A as the D string doesn't "stick out like a sore thumb" under my fingers both for fretting and plucking.

It has also been my experience that the roundwound strings by GHS I've tried (Boomers, Round Core Boomers and Balanced Nickels) always felt smoother in texture than the XL Nickels, and these Bassics are no exception.

Just one more thing...
XL Nickels always needed a week or two of solid break-in period to get rid of the initial zing and harsh overtones. So, after reading about the Bassics being a sort of NPS-SS hybrid, I expected the same thing. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how they came out of the package all ready for action with none of the unwanted freshness. Somewhat brittle? Yes, but nothing like the XL Nickels when they're new.

That's all for now.

 

[Linnin]

That's all for now.

Superb Start

 

[michael_t]

GHS describes the Bassics as "clear and present tone without being harsh".

One week with them now, here are a few of my initial observations so far...

• Plenty of meaty low-mid punch like their sibling (Boomers) but there is also some "clean crispness" to their tone that's quite pleasing. They're fairly bright (or at least brighter than the Boomers) fresh out of the pack but not in a zingy/clangy way. I would imagine it has something to do with their NPS-SS hybrid design. I do like their overall tonal character.
  
• The 130B seems to work a lot better on my Yamaha than the Round Core Boomer 126B it replaced. It feels nice and solid with punch and definition that were lacking in the RCB.
• They do feel stiffer than the RCBs, as expected, due to hex core vs. round core, but only ever so slightly; not a night-and-day difference.

I will report back once I get to play them in a live band setting this coming Tuesday.

 

[bhendrix]

GHS describes the Bassics as "clear and present tone without being harsh".

One week with them now, here are a few of my initial observations so far...

• Plenty of meaty low-mid punch like their sibling (Boomers) but there is also some "clean crispness" to their tone that's quite pleasing. They're fairly bright (or at least brighter than the Boomers) fresh out of the pack but not in a zingy/clangy way. I would imagine it has something to do with their NPS-SS hybrid design. I do like their overall tonal character.
  
• The 130B seems to work a lot better on my Yamaha than the Round Core Boomer 126B it replaced. It feels nice and solid with punch and definition that were lacking in the RCB.
• They do feel stiffer than the RCBs, as expected, due to hex core vs. round core, but only ever so slightly; not a night-and-day difference.

I will report back once I get to play them in a live band setting this coming Tuesday.

Great and detailed review - looking forward to your assessment after live band setting. I too am huge fan of GHS as boomers has been my go to strings for 20+ years!

 

[michael_t]

9 days with the Bassics, I finally got to test them in a live band setting last night. (Drums, 1 elec. guitar, 1 ac. guitar, keyboard and synth along with 4 lead vocals and 4 bg. vocals.) And my impressions are very positive.

They seem to be living up the their billing as "clear and present tone without being harsh" as my Yamaha held a strong presence in the mix but in a non-aggressive way; they let me SIT IN THE MIX without ever getting lost instead of CUTTING THROUGH THE MIX. As I mentioned in my previous post, they're not bright in a zingy way (even when new) but they seem to add some clean crispness to the tone that's quite pleasing and effective.

The bottom end is not quite as full and warm as the Round Core Boomers they replaced, but the tight low end with added punch was welcome, especially the clarity and definition on the low B. I guess this difference can be attributed largely to the difference between the round core and the hex core. Speaking of hex core, they did feel noticeably firmer for plucking (a good thing in my book) than the RCB but without being uncomfortably stiff for fretting. They almost reminded me of the DR Nickel Lo-Riders (40-100) I tried on my Jazz bass almost 5 years ago - in a good way as I really enjoyed their tonal quality (punchy and warm without being zingy) and overall playing feel.

I can tell you right now these are not for zing lovers. And if you like the raw grind of the hex-core Boomers, you might find the Bassics a little too "refined".

Now that I know I really like these puppies 9 days in, the only question in my mind is how long they will retain their tone as it is right now. My plan is to stick with them at least for the next 3 months, so we'll know more about their longevity later on.

 

[sonojono]

I've had Bassics on my basses for about 3 months in and they still retain some tonal quality. I swapped them out for Roundcore Boomers just recently as the Bassics started to wear off tonally a month later. I've gigged with the Bassics performing at least 30+ gigs a month on top of rehearsals 3 days a week. YMMV

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

I definitely need to try a set of Bassics, Michael. Your description of their tone is exactly what I want from a roundwound string.

 

[michael_t]

My 3-mth test run with the Bassics came to an end this morning. And I can honestly say it's been a very enjoyable three months.

Here are a few of my findings:

• As far as "middle-of-the-road, all-purpose NPS rounds" go, these are as good as they come. "Affordable" doesn't have to mean "cheap" as the Bassics live up the same impeccable QC standard GHS is known for.
• The set I tried, ML6000 (44-63-80-102) + 130B, felt nicely balanced both in tone and overall playing feel. More so than the D'A XL Nickel EXL170-5 (45-65-80-100-130) that originally came on my Yamaha from the factory.
• The 130B is solid with good definition and punch. Definitely better than the Round Core Boomer 126B, and as good as the Pressurewound 128B.
  
• In terms of stiffness/flexibility, they're similar in feel to the XL Nickels, except they feel slightly smoother in texture, which actually reminded me of the DR Nickel Lo-Riders I tried in the past, which I really liked.
• The same meaty low-mid punch as the Boomers, but instead of the grindy mids, the Bassics have a clean crisp top end that's quite pleasing. Not quite as stiff-feeling as the regular hex-core Boomers, either.
  
• These are definitely not for those who crave for the zingy brightness of fresh rounds or an overly aggressive tone. But their broken-in tone with the punchy lows and the crisp top end sits nicely in the mix. A strong presence in a non-aggressive way. They don't have the harsh brittleness of fresh XL Nickels, either.

Overall an excellent value. Highly recommended.

 

[michael_t]

I last posted in this thread a year ago when I had a chance to try the Bassics 44-63-80-102-130 on my active 5-string Yamaha.

I wanted to revisit them as I've just installed the L6000 set (40-58-80-102) on my P-bass for another test run.

BACKGROUND: My P-bass had been purring happily with the GHS Pressurewounds for a year, when I suddenly got the urge to try something else. That's when I tried the Brite Flats (45-98), only to realize in a relatively short time they were a little to "flatwound" in their tonal character for what I needed.

Now, I just happened to have a set of GHS Super Steels (40-58-80-102) in my stash, which I had originally intended to try on my son's Ibanez but decided not to. So why not try them on my P for something completely opposite to the Brite Flats? After exactly a month with them, I realized I'm no "man of steel" after all.

Back to nickels I go...

The Bassics seemed like the most logical choice for my next experiment as they sit right below the Super Steels on the GHS Brightness Scale and happen to come in the exact same gauges as the Super S's that just came off. And my intention is to keep them on longer than the first time so I can assess their longevity.

I'll be back in here with my findings from time to time during the next few months, or even longer...

 

[P Cheen]

@michael_t you’re the best! Lately I’ve been bit by the GHS bug and I’m considering buying several sets to try out, all thanks to you!
First on the list is the Pressurewound. Then the Super Steels (what did you not like about them?). Then just for fun, maybe the Contact Core SS.

I used to use all EB Slinky and D’A XL (those were the only ones available in my home country) and when I moved to America all I’ve been using are DR Hi-Beams. Time to explore what GHS is all about!

 

[michael_t]

the Super Steels (what did you not like about them?)

I've never been a fan of SS rounds in general either for tone or feel. The only reason I ended up with the Super Steels was I thought my son might want to try them. He's a slapper and uses nothing but SS rounds on his Ibanez. As it turns out, he likes the DR SS Lo-Riders better.

 

[trothwell]

I've never been a fan of SS rounds in general either for tone or feel. The only reason I ended up with the Super Steels was I thought my son might want to try them. He's a slapper and uses nothing but SS rounds on his Ibanez. As it turns out, he likes the DR SS Lo-Riders better.

I was all ready to revert to nickel on my Precision Bass after another go at Super Steels, but I randomly was listening to a lot of classic Lee Sklar recordings recently, and noticed, when I played my Precision bass with Super Steels, there was that sound! It sounded, for most any practical purpose, like the tone of Lee's bass on the recordings.

Realizing just what sonic potential I had in my hands with these strings made me rethink a move back to nickel. Might be a permanent SS user for this bass now!

(Of course, I've made predictions like that before, but still...)

 

[michael_t]

I randomly was listening to a lot of classic Lee Sklar recordings recently, and noticed, when I played my Precision bass with Super Steels, there was that sound! It sounded, for most any practical purpose, like the tone of Lee's bass on the recordings.

Lee Sklar certainly was a big reason for my wanting to try a set of Super Steels at least once. Now that I've finally had the chance do that, I realize I would never sound like him simply by using the same strings he does if I can't be happy with the way they feel under my fingers. I'd rather work on replicating his style of playing than just copying his tone.

 

[trothwell]

Lee Sklar certainly was a big reason for my wanting to try a set of Super Steels at least once. Now that I've finally had the chance do that, I realize I would never sound like him simply by using the same strings he does if I can't be happy with the way they feel under my fingers. I'd rather work on replicating his style of playing than just copying his tone.

Absolutely. Usually my attempts at using the same gear as someone else (because I like their sound) do not turn out well. In this case, I wasn't even trying to get a tone like Lee's; it just happened, and I am both surprised and pleased with the outcome.

 

[michael_t]

Usually my attempts at using the same gear as someone else (because I like their sound) do not turn out well. In this case, I wasn't even trying to get a tone like Lee's; it just happened, and I am both surprised and pleased with the outcome.

One interesting thing about Sklar and Super Steels is he likes them when they're broken in. As busy as he's been all these years both as a session pro and a touring bassist, he only changes his strings every 6 mths or so. I guess that's one thing I have in common with him as I like my strings well broken-in as well.

And that's what I like about GHS strings in general; they tend to sound their best when they're broken in and keep that tone for a long time.

 

[michael_t]

I can never do a string review without mentioning their tension figures, so I might as well get that done now than later.

Bassics L6000, 40-58-80-102:

G 040 - 33.6 lbs.
D 058 - 39.6
A 080 - 42.0
E 102 - 38.1 (Total 153.3)

Super Steels L5000, 40-58-80-102:

G 040 - 33.5 lbs.
D 058 - 38.6
A 080 - 41.1
E 102 - 40.8 (Total 154.0)

 

[michael_t]

Back to nickels I go...

The Bassics seemed like the most logical choice for my next experiment as they sit right below the Super Steels on the GHS Brightness Scale and happen to come in the exact same gauges as the Super S's that just came off.

I noticed the GHS Brightness Scale in my original post is no longer there, so here it is:

Here's a sneak preview on what I'm planning to do...
There are three nickel-plated steel rounds between the Super Steels and the Pressurewound - Bassics, Boomers (hex core) and Round Core Boomers. My intention is to try all three on my P-bass in succession. This may take a while, though, as I want to stick with each for a minimum of 6 mths for assessing their longevity.

The two sets of Boomers (hex-core vs. round-core) will be 40-55-75-95.

For now, back to Bassics...