GHS Boomers . . . invented by boomers for boomers . . . is this true?
Being a boomer myself I need to know
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GHS Boomers for boomers?
- Thread starter JMV
- Start date
It’s just one more string choice. Solid slightly dark mids and punchy sound. Good choice for rock IMO. When they came out they were a nice middle ground alternative to the thump of flats and the ring you got with Rotosounds.
They were a very popular choice for many years. Of course there’s always the hipsters who will only use the latest boutique strings that are hand-wound by beautiful half naked young Polynesian women in a small secret private island workshop located somewhere in the South Pacific. So they can’t let themselves like anything that’s popular and will come up with all sorts of “reasons” why anything readily available and costing less than $100 a set can’t possibly be any good. But that doesn’t change the fact GHS makes some fine (as well as affordable) strings. And their Boomers are well worth at least trying out for yourself.
This:
They’re personally my favorite nickel plated roundwound bass string. I’ve been buying them since the late 80’s. What I like about them is fresh out of the package, they’re not very bright sounding. And what little new string “zing” that they have wears off in the first week of steady playing. After that, they have a punchy tone with lots of low mids, and they keep this tone for me for about a month of steady playing. I also like their tension, and their outer surface feels nice to my fingertips. - Poon
They’re personally my favorite nickel plated roundwound bass string. I’ve been buying them since the late 80’s. What I like about them is fresh out of the package, they’re not very bright sounding. And what little new string “zing” that they have wears off in the first week of steady playing. After that, they have a punchy tone with lots of low mids, and they keep this tone for me for about a month of steady playing. I also like their tension, and their outer surface feels nice to my fingertips. - Poon
I'm pretty sure hipsters play 60s Russian short scale basses with TI flats.It’s just one more string choice. Solid slightly dark mids and punchy sound. Good choice for rock IMO. When they came out they were a nice middle ground alternative to the thump of flats and the ring you got with Rotosounds.
They were a very popular choice for many years. Of course there’s always the hipsters who will only use the latest boutique strings that are hand-wound by beautiful half naked young Polynesian women in a small secret private island workshop located somewhere in the South Pacific. So they can’t let themselves like anything that’s popular and will come up with all sorts of “reasons” why anything readily available and costing less than $100 a set can’t possibly be any good. But that doesn’t change the fact GHS makes some fine (as well as affordable) strings. And their Boomers are well worth at least trying out for yourself.
Late-era boomer here and I've never ever before given this a moment's thought.
Boomers were my go-to string when I was a young, stupid, too-frequent string changer who got tired of paying RotoSound money.
Decades later, the internet came around. Sometime after that I was introduced to TB and (wait for it) flats.
Boomers were my go-to string when I was a young, stupid, too-frequent string changer who got tired of paying RotoSound money.
Decades later, the internet came around. Sometime after that I was introduced to TB and (wait for it) flats.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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Whi cares? They sound and feel greatGHS Boomers . . . invented by boomers for boomers . . . is this true?
Being a boomer myself I need to know
Pretty sure they are called boomers because they go boom, versus thud or zing.
They do that well, too.
Oddly, I like them on my electric guitars - but I dislike them on my basses (XLs work well on my current most-played bass, and I love other GHS sets and other D'addario sets for specific basses).
Only thing is, the guitar sets frequently have unwound strings that appear discolored or "rusted", although they always feel/play great.
They do that well, too.
Oddly, I like them on my electric guitars - but I dislike them on my basses (XLs work well on my current most-played bass, and I love other GHS sets and other D'addario sets for specific basses).
Only thing is, the guitar sets frequently have unwound strings that appear discolored or "rusted", although they always feel/play great.
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GHS Boomers . . . invented by boomers for boomers . . . is this true?
Being a boomer myself I need to know
The reason I bought my first set of Boomers in 1977, it just so happened to be the cheapest round wound strings in the store. I was using Roto-Sounds that were $5 ($25 in today’s dollars) more expensive. Surprisingly, they lasted longer, although there is nothing like a fresh set of Rotosound-Sounds for the first hour or so.
Maybe Jon Moody can confirm, but I think I remember Boomers being developed as an American alternative to Roto Swings, but I might be misrepresenting the facts.
I have used Boomers off and on, as well as other brands. We are so fortunate to have so many choices to tinker with as we all chase the sound we want. I don't have Boomers on any basses now, but I would certainly use them if I had them. I did have a Peavey T40 a few years ago (why did I sell it?!?!?) that sounded monstrous with Boomers...those were the strings meant for that particular bass.
I have used Boomers off and on, as well as other brands. We are so fortunate to have so many choices to tinker with as we all chase the sound we want. I don't have Boomers on any basses now, but I would certainly use them if I had them. I did have a Peavey T40 a few years ago (why did I sell it?!?!?) that sounded monstrous with Boomers...those were the strings meant for that particular bass.
- Sep 9, 2007
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- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
when’s the last time you’ve gotten them? We had issues in the past (due to the chlorine that was in the paper envelopes), which is why we switched over to the Nitro-Pack envelopes a while back.
about one year ago I bought several guitar sets, 9 to 48 (or is it 46? LoL) (my preferred mix). Every set has that, and they always have for me for years. Again, they sound and feel fine.
Now, that being said, I don't recall how they were packaged. I probably still have an unopened set downstairs somewhere, but I can't check right now to see how they're packed. I can another time, though, if it helps!
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I'm not gonna knock GHS Boomers because as many before me, I used those strings for years when I first started playing bass. Absolutely nothing wrong with them, HOWEVER... Who are they trying to fool by uping the price a few dollars and slapping Flea's name on a set of the exact same plain old regular set that they still sell? It's kind stupid and silly unless I'm missing something about the Flea set that is different than regular Boomers.
Most online dealers I'm familiar with have the Flea set at the same price as the regular Boomers 45-105.
For example...
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Boomers were the first strings I fell in love with (as a Gen X in the mid-90s)... This was before I realized how quickly they go dead compared to other strings. Since then, I've found dozens I like better than Boomers. I'm not dogging GHS... I love Pressurewounds. Those are amazing.
Child of boomers here. The GHS Roundcore Boomers are excellent. I love them as much as a boomer loves nostalgia and their music.
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, it is amusing to think about how much media was devoted to the boomer crowd: The Wonder Years, Thirty Something, 'Shows generally about the 60s', etc. And now that Gen Xers are beginning to take over, more and more media is about the 80s and 90s. What a strange cycle?
I always thought that it was weird that Woodstock was only 11 years before I was born.
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, it is amusing to think about how much media was devoted to the boomer crowd: The Wonder Years, Thirty Something, 'Shows generally about the 60s', etc. And now that Gen Xers are beginning to take over, more and more media is about the 80s and 90s. What a strange cycle?
I always thought that it was weird that Woodstock was only 11 years before I was born.
- Sep 9, 2007
- 5,309
- 4,977
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
Sounds like it. They were from Long and McQuade - who knows how old the stock was, also. I suspect 9-48 might sit on the shelves longer than 9-42, also?
I'm pretty sure hipsters play 60s Russian short scale basses with TI flats.
Well…I play a Gibson SB-300 short-scale with TI flats on occasion…soooo far be it from me to say anything.
(We all have our hipster moments I guess.
)
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Which specific brand would that be? I would like a factory tour, please!
Yeah. Me too.
But you apparently gotta be in the “in” crowd first. I asked. And I got told: “Sorry! It’s by invitation only.”
One of those “velvet chain” things.
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