optima chrome flatwounds

[pipeman]

hi. was wondering if anyone has tried these who has also tried the optima RB flatwounds and can compare..
according to me the RB's are well made, smooth and comfortable to play but at the same time have very low output and are extremely polite because of the solid nickel i imagine.
the chrome flatwound description shows that they are indeed nickel also but hex core, and the A and D strings are slightly bigger than the RB's.
i normally use labella flatwounds which are stainless and very high output but have used the classic pyramid nickel flats in the past which the RB's are reminiscent of.
unfortunately these strings are very expensive and the pool of users must be very small....

 

[GIBrat51]

Do you mean the Optima 4099 RLs in the black package? If so, then yes, I use them. I use the Optima RBs, as well. The RBs, are, of course, on one of my Ricks;
this '01 COY 4003. The 4099RLs? They're on this; my '78 Kramer 450B. As for how the 2 strings compare? That's... hard to say, in my case. These are two very different basses...
On the 4003, the RBs do sound a lot like the original Maximas that Ricks came with. The first bass I ever played was a '68 Rick 4001 with Maximas, and although it's been a long time, the RBs very much remind me of how that bass sounded. The 4099RLs, OTOH? I wouldn't say their output was much higher than the RBs on the Rick - and, believe me, I'd notice it, if it was. The pickups on these old aluminum-necked Kramers are not just hot; they're practically radioactive. A really high output string would be very, very obvious... The 4099s are actually a good choice for it. They are certainly loud, but not appreciably louder than the rounds it came with; or anything else I've had on it since. They're kind of bright; very clear and articulate; but there's no doubt that they're flatwounds. I put them on the Kramer a month or so ago; with one thing and another, they're not quite broken in yet. I doubt they'll darken up much more, though. If I had to compare them to another Flatwound? Probably... Fender 9050Ls. The Optimas are slightly darker, but equally "polite". I have another set of them, in fact; I've no doubt they'd be a good fit on most of my other basses. Depending on what you put them on, I doubt you'd have to do more than a pick up height adjustment to be happy with them..

 

[pipeman]

yes i do mean those...never noticed those code numbers...just read RL and Chrome. thank you for your insights. i have never tried those fender flatwounds, but seems at least that the chrome 4099rl's are brighter than the super dark RB's which is positive.
would you be able to comment on the tension of the chrome 4099rl's vs. the RB's ?...

 

[GIBrat51]

yes i do mean those...never noticed those code numbers...just read RL and Chrome. thank you for your insights. i have never tried those fender flatwounds, but seems at least that the chrome 4099rl's are brighter than the super dark RB's which is positive.
would you be able to comment on the tension of the chrome 4099rl's vs. the RB's ?...

Let's see...
As far as actual, pounds-of-pull tension goes? No idea. The gauges are slightly different, as is their construction. All of which affects the tension. However...
- The RBs are round core strings, and as far as their stiffness goes? For flats, to me they're... pretty flexible. Not as flexible as TI Jazz Flats, by any means, but... IMO, about the same as the 45-105 Roto 77s on one of my Thunderbirds. Or the Fender 9050Ls, for that matter. Flexible enough to play well with fingers, but stiff enough to play well with a pick, too. Which I do with the RBs, the 9050Ls, and the Rotos.
- The Chromes are hex core strings, and... they are one STIFF set of strings. Not the stiffest ones I play, but... they're close. They do my poor old fingers in quickly; the Kramer is now definitely in my "Pick ONLY" group of basses. Which is fine with me. I prefer stiff strings, and I like playing with a pick, anyway...

 

[pipeman]

thanks again for all your information about these.
it's still interesting how no one else has anything to say about these strings. probably due to the cost and lack of brand recognition i suppose...