Help picking short scale roundwounds

[BeauZooka]

I'm hoping to crowdsource a new set of shortscale strings from you knowledgeable folks.
I currently have GHS Pressurewounds on my Serek 30.5" scale bass, but I want to try something slightly more in your face.

Things I like and or want:
Nickel - so I don't eat frets
I like higher tension strings - hex core?
Smooth feel
.040 to .100 - or close
Good midrange - not scooped
Don't cost over $40

Lemme know what you would suggest. Thanks!

 

[michael_t]

GHS Balanced Nickels "short scale", 44-60-80-106. Plenty of tension, perfectly balanced both in tone and feel.

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SETS - SHORT SCALE BALANCED NICKELS

 

[michael_t]

Here's the comparison in tension figures between the Pressurewounds and the Balanced Nickels...

Pressurewound 7700 Short Scale

F 040 - 29.6 lbs.
C 054 - 30.2
G 076 - 36.2
D 096 - 29.1 (Total 125.1)

Balanced Nickel 4700 Short Scale:

G 044 - 37.0 lbs.
D 060 - 35.8
A 080 - 35.6
E 106 - 34.9 (Total 143.3)

 

[Dan_reeves]

I’d like to add GHS Boomers as a suggestion as well. I think they’d fit what you are looking for.

 

[SunByrne]

I like GHS balanced nickels as well, but I'm not sure they're more "in your face" than Pressurewounds—they're pretty mellow for rounds.

You can get Ernie Ball slinkys for short scale, and they make a 40-100 set. D'Addario XLs come in short scale, and they make a 45-100 set. Both well under your budget. Both of these are hex core, fairly bright, definitely more in your face than Pressurewounds, but not as smooth to the touch. Also, they're cheap, about half your budget.

However, since your budget is a little higher, what I'd actually get are StringJoy. You should be able to build your own custom set in terms of gauge for no extra cost, and I think these feel and sound (and last) a bit better than the EBs or the D'Addarios.

 

[BeauZooka]

Thanks for the suggestions! The GHS balanced nickels sound interesting but GHS's chart says they are LESS bright than the pressure wounds, so I'll probably pass on those. Boomers are always an option - but the Stringjoy appeal to my need to try something new. More suggestions and opinions please!

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Aren't the balanced nickels round core?

 

[iiipopes]

GHS Balanced Nickels are God's gift to short scale players. I have a set on my 30-inch travel bass. The set lasted through two week tours on my band's annual trip to Mexico. As the name suggests, perfectly balanced both string-to-string and up the neck; big round tone; not floppy or twangy; but being rounds, they don't thump, either. Reasonably priced. About the brightness: I have played the Pressurewounds as well on a regular scale bass. After a week, they are no brighter, and the Balanced Nickels have a more consistent tone over time.

 

[michael_t]

Aren't the balanced nickels round core?

Yes, they are. However, not all round cores are created equal. Round cores by GHS, both Balanced Nickels and Round Core Boomers, are noticeably firmer in feel than any of the round cores by DR. In fact, the "long scale" Balanced Nickels 40-101 (the ones I've tried) are firmer in feel than the Sunbeams 45-105 (round core) or even the Dunlop Super Brights 45-105 (hex core).

 

[michael_t]

The GHS balanced nickels sound interesting but GHS's chart says they are LESS bright than the pressure wounds, so I'll probably pass on those. Boomers are always an option - but the Stringjoy appeal to my need to try something new. More suggestions and opinions please!

"Brightness" is a matter of one's perception. Yes, you're right... PWs are supposed to be "brighter" than BNs, and Boomers are supposed to be "brighter" than PWs.

Here's what happened, though... I switched from PWs to Boomers on my Yamaha and showed up in church with the one-week-old Boomers. During the sound check, our senior sound tech commented on my bass tone by saying, "How come your bass sounds darker than usual?" So go figure...

As for PWs vs. BNs... I've tried them both on my P bass and found the BNs had better definition and clarity with deep focused lows and smoother mids while not overly zingy up top.

I've never tried the Stringjoy NPS rounds for myself, but based on what I've read, they're similar to the Boomers both in tone and feel, except they're more customizable.

 

[J-Mags]

I love Boomers on a short scale. They have a ton of midrange, especially a really nice lower mid, and they're fairly stiff, and the short scale relieves their skronkiness. I'm a flatwound guy, mostly because of pick feel/attack. If I had a gig where I was playing a short scale with my fingers, I'd go straight to Boomers.

If you like super-bright sounds, go elsewhere though. Boomers darken fairly quickly, which I like, but you may not.

 

[Bassamatic]

The GHS Balanced Nickels made a new bass out of my Short Scale Jag! Just WOW! Just did my first gig with them and they sounded and recorded great. Second would be Sunbeams. Do not like the pressure wounds.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Short scale + high tension is almost impossible. There are physical limitations at play. If you go much heavier than 45-105 the tone+intonation starts to suffer. 45-105 on a short scale bass is more or less comparable to 40-100 on a long scale bass so 45-105 actually feels kinda light on a short scale. Of course any LOWER than 45-105 on a short scale gets way too floppy with roundwounds on a short scale (IMO). Finding the right strings for a short scale bass can be difficult but it's worth the effort. Some of the short scale sets sold by well regarded string manufacturers are JUNK and give short scale basses an undeserved bad reputation. Rotosound short scale sets are the worst. Their only use is for scrap metal!

Personally I think any roundwounds lighter than 45-105 are completely useless for short scale. With some flats I can accept 40-100.

My personal favourite short scale roundwounds are Pyramid Pure Nickels and GHS Balanced Nickels but both are very mellow sounding string, which is not what you're looking for. The GHS Balanced Nickels also have a rather soft, supple feel so I don't think you will like them at all.

There are other types of Pyramid short scale strings though and Pyramid are one of very few manufacturers that make short scale strings with decent tension/stiffness.

You might like the Pyramid Nickel Plated Steel short scale 45-105 set. They're too bright/aggressive for my taste but they have a nice firm feel (for a short scale). They're very "in your face". They're some of the most aggressive sounding nickel plated steel strings I've ever tried. I have no idea how long they last though. They were too aggressive sounding for me so I never used them long enough to find out.

If 45-105 is too light you might want to check out the regular gauge short scale GHS Boomers (050-107). Personally I think these are horrible. They're also not very "in your face" but mellow out really fast. The Pyramid Nickel Plated Steels are far more aggressive.

I've never understood the selection of gauges for short scale Boomers. It's either 45-95 (far too light/floppy) or 050-107 (tone/intonation starts to suffer).

But if you want HIGH tension roundwounds for short scale the Boomers may be your best (or only?) option.

I guess there's also the GHS Brite Flats 49-108 but those are truly horrible and even if you had liked the tension you would probably hate the tone. Or lack thereof...

On a short scale bass you basically have the choice between ultra-light/floppy (anything below 45-105), light but usable (around 45-105) or terrible tone when playing up the neck + terrible intonation (heavier than 45-105).

Just my personal opinion of course.

 

[J-Mags]

Short scale + high tension is almost impossible. There are physical limitations at play. If you go much heavier than 45-105 the tone+intonation starts to suffer. 45-105 on a short scale bass is more or less comparable to 40-100 on a long scale bass so 45-105 actually feels kinda light on a short scale. Of course any LOWER than 45-105 on a short scale gets way too floppy with roundwounds on a short scale (IMO). Finding the right strings for a short scale bass can be difficult but it's worth the effort. Some of the short scale sets sold by well regarded string manufacturers are JUNK and give short scale basses an undeserved bad reputation. Rotosound short scale sets are the worst. Their only use is for scrap metal!

Personally I think any roundwounds lighter than 45-105 are completely useless for short scale. With some flats I can accept 40-100.

My personal favourite short scale roundwounds are Pyramid Pure Nickels and GHS Balanced Nickels but both are very mellow sounding string, which is not what you're looking for. The GHS Balanced Nickels also have a rather soft, supple feel so I don't think you will like them at all.

There are other types of Pyramid short scale strings though and Pyramid are one of very few manufacturers that make short scale strings with decent tension/stiffness.

You might like the Pyramid Nickel Plated Steel short scale 45-105 set. They're too bright/aggressive for my taste but they have a nice firm feel (for a short scale). They're very "in your face". They're some of the most aggressive sounding nickel plated steel strings I've ever tried. I have no idea how long they last though. They were too aggressive sounding for me so I never used them long enough to find out.

If 45-105 is too light you might want to check out the regular gauge short scale GHS Boomers (050-107). Personally I think these are horrible. They're also not very "in your face" but mellow out really fast. The Pyramid Nickel Plated Steels are far more aggressive.

I've never understood the selection of gauges for short scale Boomers. It's either 45-95 (far too light/floppy) or 050-107 (tone/intonation starts to suffer).

But if you want HIGH tension roundwounds for short scale the Boomers may be your best (or only?) option.

I guess there's also the GHS Brite Flats 49-108 but those are truly horrible and even if you had liked the tension you would probably hate the tone. Or lack thereof...

On a short scale bass you basically have the choice between ultra-light/floppy (anything below 45-105), light but usable (around 45-105) or terrible tone when playing up the neck + terrible intonation (heavier than 45-105).

Just my personal opinion of course.

I used the medium-scale Boomers on a Mustang Bass. Overall, I'd rather have strings that are too long than the wrong scale. I can't remember if I had 45-100 or 45-105, but they felt fine. I imagine that even on a non-string-through short scale, you could get the medium-scale to work.

 

[iiipopes]

Short scale + high tension is almost impossible. There are physical limitations at play. If you go much heavier than 45-105 the tone+intonation starts to suffer. 45-105 on a short scale bass is more or less comparable to 40-100 on a long scale bass so 45-105 actually feels kinda light on a short scale. Of course any LOWER than 45-105 on a short scale gets way too floppy with roundwounds on a short scale (IMO). Finding the right strings for a short scale bass can be difficult but it's worth the effort. Some of the short scale sets sold by well regarded string manufacturers are JUNK and give short scale basses an undeserved bad reputation. Rotosound short scale sets are the worst. Their only use is for scrap metal!

Personally I think any roundwounds lighter than 45-105 are completely useless for short scale. With some flats I can accept 40-100.

My personal favourite short scale roundwounds are Pyramid Pure Nickels and GHS Balanced Nickels but both are very mellow sounding string, which is not what you're looking for. The GHS Balanced Nickels also have a rather soft, supple feel so I don't think you will like them at all.

There are other types of Pyramid short scale strings though and Pyramid are one of very few manufacturers that make short scale strings with decent tension/stiffness.

You might like the Pyramid Nickel Plated Steel short scale 45-105 set. They're too bright/aggressive for my taste but they have a nice firm feel (for a short scale). They're very "in your face". They're some of the most aggressive sounding nickel plated steel strings I've ever tried. I have no idea how long they last though. They were too aggressive sounding for me so I never used them long enough to find out.

If 45-105 is too light you might want to check out the regular gauge short scale GHS Boomers (050-107). Personally I think these are horrible. They're also not very "in your face" but mellow out really fast. The Pyramid Nickel Plated Steels are far more aggressive.

I've never understood the selection of gauges for short scale Boomers. It's either 45-95 (far too light/floppy) or 050-107 (tone/intonation starts to suffer).

But if you want HIGH tension roundwounds for short scale the Boomers may be your best (or only?) option.

I guess there's also the GHS Brite Flats 49-108 but those are truly horrible and even if you had liked the tension you would probably hate the tone. Or lack thereof...

On a short scale bass you basically have the choice between ultra-light/floppy (anything below 45-105), light but usable (around 45-105) or terrible tone when playing up the neck + terrible intonation (heavier than 45-105).

Just my personal opinion of course.

That's why I say GHS Balanced Nickels are God's gift to short scale bass players. They were designed by @Jon Moody to address all these issues, and they address the issues very well, indeed.

 

[HelpImaRock]

GHS Balanced Nickels are God's gift to short scale players. I have a set on my 30-inch travel bass. The set lasted through two week tours on my band's annual trip to Mexico. As the name suggests, perfectly balanced both string-to-string and up the neck; big round tone; not floppy or twangy; but being rounds, they don't thump, either. Reasonably priced. About the brightness: I have played the Pressurewounds as well on a regular scale bass. After a week, they are no brighter, and the Balanced Nickels have a more consistent tone over time.

Do you copy and paste from a document of canned responses, or do you type it new every time?

 

[iiipopes]

Do you copy and paste from a document of canned responses, or do you type it new every time?

Yes. I type it every time. I want the word out after having and suffering deficient short scale strings and my friends having and suffering deficient short scale strings as long as I have been playing bass: since 1976.

 

[Bassiclees]

LOVE D'Addario tape shorts (ETB92S) on my Mustang but they aren't 'in your face.'

 

[greggster59]

Curt Mangan 45-105 Short Scale Nickel Wounds sound great on my Birdsong Cortobass

 

[PotsdamBass8]

Yes. I type it every time. I want the word out after having and suffering deficient short scale strings and my friends having and suffering deficient short scale strings as long as I have been playing bass: since 1976.

Well I for one appreciate it. I did get a set a few months ago for my short scale sandberg, and they really are great. But I’m not sure I’d say they fit the tonal goal of the OP.

I can’t really comment on the tension or feel aspect, because I tend to go in the other direction. But I thought Dunlop Super Brites were for that and I love the way Kalium strings have a midrange presence and growl that stays even as they age and you turn down the treble knob. But they are more flexible to me, and they don’t make them for short scale bass. But they do make all of the gauges you need with guitar ball ends, and the proper length. I know, weird. So I was able to get a guitar length tapered B string with a guitar ball end, and then I threaded a bass ball end over the entire string until it caught on the guitar end. I put that on my bass and haven’t had a problem in over a year.