Halfwounds vs. Pressurewounds - help please!

[michael_t]

AFAIK neither GHS Pressurewounds nor SIT Silencers are ground down roundwounds.

This is correct. They're what's called "rollerwound", where the outer wire goes through a roller to be flattened into an oval shape BEFORE being wound. Half-rounds (or groundwound), on the other hand, are roundwound that's ground down to a smooth surface AFTER being wound. Two different animals with different tonal characteristics.

 

[gln1955]

Source please? AFAIK neither GHS Pressurewounds nor SIT Silencers are ground down roundwounds.

From GHS website...

Alloy 52™ is run through our computer controlled precision rollers in the winding process to create a semi-flat string with great articulation and a mellow tone with less finger noise. Ideal for fretless players that want to be easy on their fingerboards but not give up that roundwound "growl."​

Hence "pressure wound".

edit: I'm behind the curve here

 

[Altitude]

Mostly agree, but after a while the D'Addario half rounds lose the stickiness. They are definitely too sticky at first, but I was just playing bass with a broken-in half rounds and thinking how smooth and quiet the played.

I agree. I've got a set on my 6 string now. That bass doesn't leave the house much, but after about 4 years of fiddling, they feel great. I suppose I would have gotten to the same point after a few weeks had I been gigging that bass.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Source please? AFAIK neither GHS Pressurewounds nor SIT Silencers are ground down roundwounds.

Bass Guitar String Buying Guide | Sweetwater

Yes they are. That's exactly what they are. They're round wire strings that have been hit with a grinder, and pressure treated...pressure/compression wound.

 

[Playbyear]

Bass Guitar String Buying Guide | Sweetwater

Yes they are. That's exactly what they are. They're round wire strings that have been hit with a grinder, and pressure treated...pressure/compression wound.

There is a difference, the "pressure wound" are not ground flat in the processing.

 

[iiipopes]

...so I would assume that would be a ringing endorsement.

Love the pun!

 

[Arthur U. Poon]

Try GHS Pressurewounds and GHS Brite Flats (the later being groundwounds with a similar alloy).

Both are awesome.

The Brite Flats are a really interesting string - one that I don't think gets as much credit as they should.

While definitely sticky out of the pack...playing in a few hours to gets them smooth and they have a really neat tone.

Both are very reasonably priced so make a good experiment.

I agree 1000%

I'd personally say the tone of Pressurewounds are more in the nickel roundwound realm, with reduced string screech, thanks to their smoother outer texture. IMO, they're absolutely brilliant. I'm fact, I just put a new set on my bass today. Their tone just lasts and lasts.

I consider the tone of Brite Flats to be more in the flatwound realm, with a little added top end. IMO they're equally incredible in their own right, in comparison to Pressurewounds. Two different flavors of great.

And they're reasonably priced. Win-Win!

 

[iiipopes]

If someone asked the question "my volume level is very inconsistent when I play with my fingers and not a pick, what kind of pickup should I get to fix that?" would you suggest a pickup or would you suggest practicing more to eliminate the source of the problem?

From 45+ years of playing bass, and most of that never having the luxury of a compressor, I would practice, practice, practice. After making sure your bass is set up as well as can be, start with making sure your hands are in the relaxed "C" position so your fretting and articulating is clean; then do repeating single notes alternating your index and middle fingers, then octaves between alternate strings (for example, G on the 3rd fret of the E string with g on the 5th fret of the D string), then short scales, and then work into patterns to learn consistency whatever fret of whatever string you are on and whichever plucking finger is articulating the string.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

You can practice until your fingers bleed, and you won't overcome some string squeak if you slide your finger from fret to fret, if someone has a technique to overcome the simple fact: finger + contact with string + movement = friction, friction = noise (unless you are playing in a hard vacuum) please post your physics defying technique in video form. You can REDUCE finger squeal fretting each note carefully, but if you slide, at all, it will make noise. Flats= less noise, rounds = more noise.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

There is a difference, the "pressure wound" are not ground flat in the processing.



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