Here we go again - Best half-round or pressurewound strings

[groovaholic]

Sounds like you've already ordered a set of GHS PressureWound.
I'm just here to jump on the bandwagon praising them as the best choice for what you described.

 

[Dincrest]

Ken Smith Compressors are wound by GHS to Ken Smith's specifications. So they're not simply repackaged Pressurewounds. I've tried both. GHS Pressurewounds are lovely. Ken Smith Compressors are twangy sounding and not as plush feeling as Pressurewounds.

I've also tried SIT Silencers and absolutely loved them.

 

[sunbeast]

Another +1 for the Pressurewounds- to me they lean more towards a specialized roundwound, but they do have a bit of "thump" like a flat wound (certainly more than any typical rounds). They can punch and growl nicely, and the feel is taut but comfortable under the fingers. I need to revisit them- I last tried them as a flat alternative in a heavy band I was in and they didn't quite make the cut in that band mix (the flatwound thump was really important there), but I need to put them on a bass they can stay on and see what is possible.

 

[Lo-E]

GHS Pressurewounds (Alloy 52 "rollerwound") are my #1 go-to. Smooth and slick (as in no stickiness) with plenty of the roundwound tone with extra punch and crunch. I also use the Ken Smith Compressors, which are also made by GHS. Very little difference between GHS and KS, except for the gauges I use.

My favorites by far. AFAIK, they are the same strings except for the gauges, as you say, and I actually prefer the Ken Smith gauges but not by a huge amount. I don't currently have these on any of my basses but I used them for a long time on a fretless Stingray and on a fretless Guild B302. They really sound great with a nice midrange punch. They're just a wee bit stiffer than I like lately, which is why I'm not currently using them.

I've tried 1/2 rounds several times over the years and disliked them every single time. The was is sticky/grabby and the tone, to me, sounded like really dead rounds. They're just not for me.

 

[logdrum]

The one that is pressure rolled hard are Magma ultraflats. more than any of the other manufacturers, So hard that they look like ribbon wraps. They are silent , squeal free and feel like flats but sound like worn in rounds. I am a fan. From the land of Tango and beautiful women. Argentina

 

[D.A.R.K.]

Interesting. I'm a fan of D'addario half rounds (they lost the "grab" in a week of practice) but will be trying a set of those pressure wound for sure.

 

[BassicJazzy]

GHS Pressure wounds for me. I've had them on my Jazz Plus for about a year now. Takes about a month before they settle in, harmonics dull a bit, then very stable and nice thick but pleasant tone. They do chew my fingers a bit more than rounds do. Worth it.

 

[littlebun]

La Bella Super Polished 107-47 play like a 105-45 gauge, and have the sustain of a roundwound with the fundamental of a flat.

 

[Swerve]

D'Addario half rounds are awesome once the gunk comes off. Definitely wayyy more in the flats range. Like 80-90% flatwound sound. I swear new Chromes are much brighter than new half rounds.

 

[WG Plum]

Looking more for 75% round tone with as muchvflats/tapes feel as I can get.

 

[michael_t]

Looking more for 75% round tone with as muchvflats/tapes feel as I can get.

Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (aka Slinky Flatwound).

 

[WG Plum]

Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (aka Slinky Flatwound).

Very familiar with those, not quite what I’m going for.

 

[Passinwind]

Very familiar with those, not quite what I’m going for.

In which aspects?

 

[HaphAsSard]

Looking more for 75% round tone with as muchvflats/tapes feel as I can get.

Magma Ultra Flats as suggested in post #25.
Or bright tapes (La Bella 760T, Fender 9120M).

 

[michael_t]

Very familiar with those, not quite what I’m going for.

Back to GHS Pressurewounds then. You do get mostly roundwound tone, but don't expect "flatwound smoothness" as such.

 

[WG Plum]

In which aspects?

Last couple of sets I didn’t dig the feel of them as much.

 

[Passinwind]

Last couple of sets I didn’t dig the feel of them as much.

The set I had were very sticky right out of the box, like a coating rather than a wind texture issue. Bad enough to require chemical cleaning, which is not something I've often felt a need for. I know about the supposed rust issues though. They sounded great for normal playing but as I mentioned I need to balance the slide bass usage against everything else (yes, I do it quite a lot), and the PWs were/are a better all around choice for me. They don't feel much like flats or especially tapes to me though, but I like it that way!

 

[Root 5]

I like pressurewounds. I really dislike half rounds because of the "grabby" sharp edges.

A cloth with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) gets rid of the sticky feeling.

 

[G-Viking]

I've seen positive comments about the LaBella Super Polished strings, but people don't seem as enthused about the IMA sets. There are separate threads about each of them here, worth reading.

Haven't tried either yet but the Super Polished intrigue me.

The IMA Super Polished strings are currently my favorite of all the others mentioned in this thread. I have been using them for several months now on my J bass, and they are smooth with little finger noise, and they sound fantastic.

 

[michael_t]

A cloth with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) gets rid of the sticky feeling.

I always do clean all new strings with an alcohol wipe before installation.

Part of the reason for the stickiness with half-rounds/groundwound is due to the way tiny little gaps are left between the outer windings after the round wire is ground down to a flat surface. That's why the stickiness doesn't all go away even after thorough cleaning.