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mids

F

f.c.geil

May 12, 2011
3,381
265
#1
I can't say I've ever seen this discussed, and I looked around a bit, so...


What is the "mid-rangey-est" string? I'd strongly prefer a flat, but am not totally against rounds.

What I mean by that is so many of these strings get fairly boomy, especially on the E. I'm trying to avoid that, and keep everything pretty clear and mid-focused, without sounding too thin? Is this too much to ask of a string?

Thanks for your help!
 
#3
Wow, that's the first time I've ever heard that. You've always given me good advice, so I'll have to take it in consideration, but it does throw me. All I hear is how Chromes are a scooped string. Just got done listening to Garth Fielding on YouTube raving about the scooped tone.

I wish there were a chart or something where you could compare all the strings, and have definitive answers as to tonality of them. I've spent many hundreds of dollars trying strings, and it gets old, you know?
 
#9
Chromes are real bright when new, but lose that brightness over time and the mids start to come through more. The Precision Cliff Williams uses to record with AC/DC has Chromes on it. That to me is the representative sound of Chromes. And no, I didn't think you were being argumentative, but don't let it happen again ;)
 
#10
Catbuster said:
Rotosound 77 flats are nothing but mids.... As are the Swing 66 nickels.

I also say DR Lo-Riders are very middy.
Click to expand...

+1 I agree with the Rotos, if not too broken in. But one shouldn't forget that the strings are just part of a larger package. The pickups contribute massively to the overall sound. I do almost everything with chromes. I really like the feel and the quality of the tone (on my Ibby). With a 9-band equalizer I set the sound to my liking. Some pedals may do the rest.
 
#12
I have to agree with jimmy, chromes are probably the the most mid focused string I have used. The soundcloud in my sig is my jazz with a few day old chromes. Here is a clip of much older chromes In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed - Cover - YouTube (only keyboards through the PA and this is audio from a condenser about 30ft away from the center of the stage) Is that the kind of mid sound you are going for? TI flats are also pretty middy but if you don't like really really loose feeling strings don't spend the money on them. I had stainless lo-riders on my jazz for a few weeks and they were really nice but I wouldn't say they were really mid focused. A bit bigger bottom and sweet but not harsh top end. I've tried roto 77's twice and they are probably brighter than chromes when new. Like chromes they lose their brightness pretty quick but to me sounded lifeless. Chromes lose their brighness but retain the mids. They get thumpy but still have nice note definition for cutting through in a band setting.
 
#14
TIs are SUPER middy. They are my favorite strings without a doubt, but they have a lot of mid-mids going on.

I actually like to scoop some of the mids out. If you have one of those contour or 'enhance' style knobs on your rig, it will compliment TIs beautifully.
 

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