Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Been using them for a couple of years now.Have them on every bass I own except 2 Fenders that I keep flats on. They have the perfect balance of fundamental and overtones.
Agreed. I haven't found anything the PWs don't do well with. Though I prefer a few other selections at times, the PWs will certainly work almost or as well (Js, Ps, G&Ls, T-Bird, '55 Ps you name it).
We're afflicted with the same disease with regards to string experimenting. I guess most Bass players are to some extent. I know I hear of a great experience someone has and I feel compelled to look into that option as as well. That's why I have a collection of strings and have to sell them off from time to time. Fortunately at TB I can grab a lightly used set to give them a try. But I digress from the wonderful benefits or the Amazing PWs!
Glad to come across this, just ordered my first set the other day after looking for a change from half rounds I've been using. I have a new build that I thought I'd start off with something new given everything else on this is new to me.
Good to hear all the positive vibes.
Good to hear all the positive vibes.
I simply can't afford to experiment with different basses and amps/cabs, so I figure for $20 a pop I can at least allow myself some fun with strings.
May have to check these out. Just received my new Ibanez Portamento 5 yesterday, they come with Chromes. And I usually like Chromes', have them on a couple other basses. But I just can't get a good tone from this bass so far. The 16.5mm(?) string spacing is already hard for me, as most my basses are 19mm.
I bought a new SRSC805 last year, put Chromes on it and love it. I just can't seem to get the great tones many others are getting on this new bass. I'm sure the Chromes need to settle down but it's more a big boomy, muddy tone I'm trying to get around. The Portamento comes with two MK1's and Piezo bridge.
May just need some electronics upgrade but much rather try a new set of strings first. I was gona put D'Addario black Tapes on this Portamento but don't think that's gona help the tone I'm shooting for.
I'll research these GHS strings more but folks seem to love em in alot of applications.
I bought a new SRSC805 last year, put Chromes on it and love it. I just can't seem to get the great tones many others are getting on this new bass. I'm sure the Chromes need to settle down but it's more a big boomy, muddy tone I'm trying to get around. The Portamento comes with two MK1's and Piezo bridge.
May just need some electronics upgrade but much rather try a new set of strings first. I was gona put D'Addario black Tapes on this Portamento but don't think that's gona help the tone I'm shooting for.
I'll research these GHS strings more but folks seem to love em in alot of applications.
A man with a dog and GHS Pressure Wounds. Good man!
I've heard very few people not caring for them. If you don't happen to like them, you can sell them here since those strings have a lot of milege that can be had from them. Be sure and give your impressions.
I think you will be pleased. The PWs have really great mids, solid lows (not boomy) and tame highs. They will thicken up a bit with some use. Since you're fighting boomy I suspect these will be a significant improvement. (I find Chromes
that way by nature--big lows, clear top-end and not much in the mids to low mids. Something the PWs excel in.
Or...You have the same rig I do. Just stick with the Pbass > Ampeg and all will be well!
I think you will be pleased. The PWs have really great mids, solid lows (not boomy) and tame highs. They will thicken up a bit with some use. Since you're fighting boomy I suspect these will be a significant improvement. (I find Chromes
that way by nature--big lows, clear top-end and not much in the mids to low mids. Something the PWs excel in.
Or...You have the same rig I do. Just stick with the Pbass > Ampeg and all will be well!
Definitely not boomy.
@dagrev, lol, yeah shoulda stuck with the '08 P5 and the Ampeg rig way back. But that dern G.A.S. just won't let me be. I have D'aD black tapes on that P5 from Chromes for years and I love those tapes on the P5. I don't think I'll ever change those strings out on that bass again.
I've read in the Portamento Club thread how many have tried different strings on that bass but they mostly come back to Chromes. So maybe I just need to live with the Chromes abit longer, get more used the electronics of this bass and see where it goes. I know many want to change out the MK1's in basses pretty quick. But those same pups came in my SRSC805 and they sound great. Though Ibanez did drop in a different preamp in that bass that may make those pups sound better, to me.
Still I'm gona try to learn this bass' aesthetics better but new strings may be needed or this one will go back soon. Maybe its' the Piezo in the Portamento that's causing me issues. But I have a Godin Ultra A5 fretless with the Lace/Sensor/Piezo setup and I can dial in great tones on that bass. But the Portamento is quite a different bass than that, so more than likely it's gona be user-error on my part, haha. peace, e.
I've read in the Portamento Club thread how many have tried different strings on that bass but they mostly come back to Chromes. So maybe I just need to live with the Chromes abit longer, get more used the electronics of this bass and see where it goes. I know many want to change out the MK1's in basses pretty quick. But those same pups came in my SRSC805 and they sound great. Though Ibanez did drop in a different preamp in that bass that may make those pups sound better, to me.
Still I'm gona try to learn this bass' aesthetics better but new strings may be needed or this one will go back soon. Maybe its' the Piezo in the Portamento that's causing me issues. But I have a Godin Ultra A5 fretless with the Lace/Sensor/Piezo setup and I can dial in great tones on that bass. But the Portamento is quite a different bass than that, so more than likely it's gona be user-error on my part, haha. peace, e.
Yep a rescued greyhound...
Hey curious about something: I'm not a big slap guy although there are a few songs I do on a regular basis(Shakey Ground...etc).
Would you know how these compare to half rounds regarding that? I find you don't really get a good pop out of those.
My experience was with DA Ground Wounds. From what I recall they were a little bright like a clanky flat at first (I never left the set on for more than a short time). Not my thing. The GHS PWs should have more of a round wound sound--but better--just not all the string noise. Think nickle rounds that have been played a while--but much better mids. I don't slap much at all and people that do would say, "That ain't slappin' that's happenin'." But I would certainly go with the PWs over DAs any day. They also feel much better as well. Bump your treble if necessary and you should be fine, and you'll love the tone more the other 98% of the time.
In my search here, someone else posted that they found the GHS PW's to feel, esp G/D strings, quite thin. As in not enough girth to the feel of the string for them. They tried the Brite Flats and coming from other flats, they preferred the feel of the BF's over the PW's. Of course there will always be individual preferences like this, no one fit for everyone.
But it was said in same thread that they found the BF's rougher feeling than the PW's and that they have very high tension. Still seems the PW's from all I've read, are a better over all string to more persons. Guess I won't know til I try them and at least they are well priced for the 5 set I need. peace, e.
But it was said in same thread that they found the BF's rougher feeling than the PW's and that they have very high tension. Still seems the PW's from all I've read, are a better over all string to more persons. Guess I won't know til I try them and at least they are well priced for the 5 set I need. peace, e.
It is true that if you're a regular flatwound user, the BF would feel and sound closer. Look at them as flats with some brightness added = semi-flats.
The PWs do feel and sound more round-ish compared to the BF. Look at them as rounds that have been mellowed down and smoothed out = semi-rounds.
I personally don't find the 44-G and the 58-D in the ML7200 set "thin" at all; they feel and sound very even and balanced with the 80-A and the 102-E.
I've never noticed this. I've used two different sets ML and M and don't recall this being the case--and I hate when that situation does happen in strings. However, I'm sure some situations and basses may do that for some. If anything, I tend to notice, or think I notice the E being a little more deep on the M set.
All this talk of PWs made me use my very cool '00 Fender Hotrod Sunday. It sounded soooooo good I didn't want to stop playing. (That's not me but my keyboard-playing wife just having to play that wonderful bass a few years ago. Yes, she'll die if she know I use this pic of the bass.) The pic is from a few years ago on when I was trying a set of Chromes. They didn't stay on long. The PWs have been on it for several years now and still sound good. But I have too many basses so it's not constantly played.
Now that's a beauty!
Your bass doesn't look all that bad, either.
Thanks! Considering what I look like, around here people would say I "done alright!"
That bass was only made a short time ('99- early '01) and mine feels like a Custom Shop job. The Sunset Orange on Ash is beautiful, and I'm not really an orange person and definitely not not a fan of tort at all. It's a bass that will be one of the last to go once I can play no more.
I wholeheartedly agree! I've had my first set of PW's on my main bass for close to 8 months, and they still sound great. I think, -for me anyway, that the Alloy 52 that GHS uses in their construction resists whatever is in my body chemistry that knocks out most of the nickel plated steel strings I've used. And most importantly, their TONE! They compliment my bass' pickups, electronics, and body woods to a "T". For me, their tension is just what I need, - although I'm going to try the ML7200 set sometime in the future, to see which gauge I like best. Their smoother surface texture feels wonderful under my fingertips, and to make everything even better, they're pretty darn affordable.
Bravo, Bravo, Bravo GHS!
- Oh yeah, I know PW's won't be perfect for everyone, especially players who want a super bright, glassy top end, or piano string brilliance, but there's plenty sets of strings available that provide that.
- Sep 9, 2007
- 5,309
- 4,977
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Eventide, GHS Strings, G&L Guitars, NS Design, Tsunami Cables
This is what I found when I first tried them as well. I think the issue that many people have with strings that "lose their sound and die quickly" is due to the nickel PLATING on all nickel-plated steel strings. Because it's an alloy and not a plating, Pressurewounds are seen as more resilient.
