Half rounds? Good compromise for a round wound player?

[flyguy909]

Well compromise is kinda the wrong word. I've been playing bass for over 40 years and have never used anything but round wounds. But 2 things have me considering half rounds or flat rounds - one of my projects is a country band and second, I am apparently hard on frets. Over the years I have picked up some luthiering skills and tools and have done fret dressings on my basses when needed. But I'm only willing to do one per bass because I'm afraid the frets will get too low... like turning brake discs too many times.

So that concern has me considering flat wounds... then I see these half rounds. Would half rounds be less destructive to the frets while having a brighter sound than flats?

 

[Mktrat]

I love my half-rounds on my P. I have Daddario ENR71's and love them. Bright & Punchy when you want and roll the tone down and they warm up nicely.

I have had flats and rounds on this bass and the half's brought it to life.

 

[Phalex]

So that concern has me considering flat wounds... then I see these half rounds. Would half rounds be less destructive to the frets while having a brighter sound than flats?

I LOVE GHS Brite Flats. They are really thumpy, but still have a little brightness to them if you dig in.

Lots of folks around these parts do not like ground wounds at all. Personally, I think they are the best string for my FrankenHoppus P bass.

Give them a shot, they're really affordable. Bear in mind that they "feel' kinda bad for the first couple of gigs, but once they wear in they're awesome!

 

[Ironbar]

As usual, you're going to get a hundred different responses with a hundred different string choices. Here's mine: DR Nickel Lo-Riders.

 

[scotch]

How quickly are you burning through frets? Are you using steels?

A halfround is probably not going to make you happy in the long run if you are a "roundwound guy".

Halfrounds tend to collect 'gunk' between the wraps and die off quicker than rounds or flats (a good thing in my experience, but that doesn't sound like what you want).

If you use nickels & are still actually eating frets, maybe you need to consider stainless frets?

 

[MrLenny1]

I use nickel rounds on all my basses.
I have tried Half-rounds several times. They are decent sounding
but don't cut it for overall playing like nickel rounds IME.

 

[Fernando Costa]

My experience with halfs ENR was very positive. This nickel strings needs a lot of care, 6 months is a very reasonable durability (I replace but aren't dead yet, only oxidated), and I love it sound, a very mellow sound in frets and growl in fretless basses.

 

[Linnin]

I dislike them. It's more about what they're not than the fact that they are plain old meh The only things found in the middle of the road are yellow stripes; dead skunks, and half-rounds.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Half-Rounds are nice,
But if you want something in bewteen, look at Pressure Wounds or Compression Wound strings.

 

[N.F.A.]

Could you describe pressure and compression? I'm a flats guy. How close are they to that?

 

[David Jayne]

But if you want something in bewteen, look at Pressure Wounds or Compression Wound strings.

I'm one of those who find half-rounds, or 'ground-wounds' to be intolerably rough and gritty feeling. For me it's either rounds or flats, but I haven't tried these Compression or Pressure wounds.

 

[yodedude2]

Half-Rounds are nice,
But if you want something in bewteen, look at Pressure Wounds or Compression Wound strings.

another vote here for ghs pressurewounds.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

Could you describe pressure and compression? I'm a flats guy. How close are they to that?

Here's a video of GHS Pressurewounds:

 

[Jon Moody]

Here's a video of GHS Pressurewounds:

Hey, I think I know that guy...

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I've tried half rounds and wasn't wild about them. Truth is, I've been playing rounds since about 1978 so when I play flats, if feels *odd* to me. If I needed to get that "flat" sound and rolling off the tone wasn't doing it, I'd just get good quality flats and be done with it.

 

[MOSCOWBASS]

I bought D'addario half rounds for my Xotic jazz fretless, because i was concerned about fingerboard wear. I got two stings on and compared to the Pro steels that were on the bass, they sounded quieter and really dull. The half rounds got taken off and the Pro Steels put back on, the fingerboard will just need to get used to it....for my tonal preferences!

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Well compromise is kinda the wrong word. I've been playing bass for over 40 years and have never used anything but round wounds. But 2 things have me considering half rounds or flat rounds - one of my projects is a country band and second, I am apparently hard on frets. Over the years I have picked up some luthiering skills and tools and have done fret dressings on my basses when needed. But I'm only willing to do one per bass because I'm afraid the frets will get too low... like turning brake discs too many times.

So that concern has me considering flat wounds... then I see these half rounds. Would half rounds be less destructive to the frets while having a brighter sound than flats?

If the low tension works for you then try Thomastik Jazz Rounds. They are close wraps which might be better for frets and have a less pronounced sound then many rounds but are brighter than flats.

 

[10cc]

Tell ya what flyguy hit me up with a address and I'll send you 1. A set of unused D'Addario Halfrounds and 2. A set of lightly used D'Addario Flats (Chromes) both on the hook!

I played Rounds forever then went to flats around 99 then went back to rounds around 03 then here recently had my P repaired (cracked Headstock) and my man set it up with these Chromes they sound great. The Halfrounds were picked up on impulse and never used.

So what do I play now you might ask, it doesn't really matter. Maybe only to Mr.Miller

 

[David Jayne]

Interesting, the GHS Pressure wounds really do sound like a good compromise between flats and rounds. How's the tension feel on those? Round or hex core?

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Interesting, the GHS Pressure wounds really do sound like a good compromise between flats and rounds. How's the tension feel on those? Round or hex core?

I tried Rotosound pressurewounds once and the thing to remember (which I didn't) is that the tension is higher for any given string thickness as there is more metal there.