P-bass + Chromes String/Tone Suggestions?

[TDill]

Hi all, I'm trying to bond with the D'addario Chromes that are on my Squier Classic Vibe 60's P. To me they sound like they have a lot of "thump" and a little in the highs but not much in between. I got a P-bass because I like the tone I hear in recordings/videos that sounds kind of like a deep male vocal humming (not sure the descriptive word here). "Warm" might be a good description. The chromes to me sound like they have a lot of bass/fundamental but not a lot of "character" in the low mids - A lot of thump but not much warmth. Has any one else had a similar experience with Chromes? I plan on playing direct into the mixer at church, probably with an IR-loader (Nux Mini Studio) in between.

Some options I've considered:

• TI Flats: $$$ but it sounds like these are THE flatwound and might have that "character"
• DR Pure Blues: these might add a little tonal versatility but maintain the overall "warm" character
• Changing pickup height: lowering the pickup to reduce the bass relative to other frequencies? (this is free so I'll probably do this anyways)
• Wait out the Chromes: the bass is secondhand so I don't know for sure, but I think these strings are on the newer side so maybe they will break in and even out.

Any recommendations? I'd like to avoid an overly-bright string but keeping an open mind otherwise

 

[michael_t]

I got a P-bass because I like the tone I hear in recordings/videos that sounds kind of like a deep male vocal humming (not sure the descriptive word here). "Warm" might be a good description. The chromes to me sound like they have a lot of bass/fundamental but not a lot of "character" in the low mids - A lot of thump but not much warmth.

Any recommendations? I'd like to avoid an overly-bright string but keeping an open mind otherwise

GHS Precision Flats on a Precision bass = woody warmth with a focused low-mid punch.

 

[GIBrat51]

GHS Precision Flats on a Precision bass = woody warmth with a focused low-mid punch.

Yeah, ^This^. I have them on my P-Bass (a lefty '78 with the "A-option" neck), as well as it's little brother; my Warmoth Mini-Precision. I agree with michael_t's tonal description, with the addition that they will also thump with the best of the Old School Flats - if you want them to. That's probably because they're close reproductions of the Real, OG Old School Flats; the original Squier Flats that Precision Basses came from the factory with, from some time in the 1950's until the early '80s. The flats that my P-Bass originally wore. "GHS" is the initials of 3 men who left Squier Strings to found their own company, and (fortunately) decided to re-create those iconic Squier Flats... You may decide that you don't like them - but you owe it to yourself to try them once, and hear what your P-Bass is supposed to sound like...

 

[Yahboy]

Chrome are weird string for me.

Labella LTF/DTF, DR Legend, Pyramic flat ~ classic old school P vibe. If your use finger nail on plucking hand, you can create a click voice to make the tone more bite on top.

Fender 9050, EB Group flat, Ti flat ~ Modern/vintage tone, no bassy and lacking top end worry. Both EB and Ti flat keep their fresh from pack tone last than 9050, meanwhile they hold the string to string tone balance better than 9050 too.

EB Cobalt flat ~ Grind your P bass, also sound great my Squier CV50P (Fralin 51 split P). Using .1UF cap still able make a nice thump too.

 

[Matthew_84]

I personally never gel with Chromes, and for the same reasons you state. They are pretty bright (for a flatwound) but have like no character. They also couldn’t get as warm as I wanted them to without a bit more drastic EQ.

I currently have TI Flats on my fretless and love them, but I mostly bought them because they were lighter tensioned flats (which I wanted on my fretless) and they seemed like they’d have the right tone for what I wanted, and they do. They’re warmer, and have a bit more character than Chromes.

On a fretted though, I may be inclined to go with something a little closer to Chromes in regards to tension. I really liked GHS Precision Flats on my P Bass. They were really warm and thumpy right out the gate and sounded exactly how I wanted my P Bass to sound.

edit to add: I just like lower tension strings on a fretless - they allow me to coax a bit more expression out of them. I don’t need lower tension strings on a fretted though, so I typically go for something a bit higher just so I can get lower relief/action, and so that they play nicer with a pick (if I want to use one).

 

[aus_bass]

GHS Precision flats, all day & all night. P Bass, J Bass, any bass.

 

[Barry Vestal]

I've never understood how people say that Chromes have no character...At least for me they have alot going on in the mids as well as fundamental and highs when you need that...try the ECB80 set and if you have a four band eq on your amp bump the low and high mids abit...good luck

 

[Killing Floor]

There’s no best. But my experience is Chromes take a while to get settled. I like them but I do not like them when they are brand new. How long have they been on?

Edit I see you don’t know. Maybe new? I find them unbalanced until they have been played a bit. Give them a week.

My favorite is the TI as mentioned but big cost difference. If you don’t like them but like they way they feel try Rotosound 77s.

 

[andare]

IME and IMO:

Chromes are scooped in the mids, which complements the natural low mid hump of a P bass very well. They retain high end which can be rolled out with the Tone knob and amp EQ.

Fender flats have too much midrange, which makes a P bass sound muddy. Perfect to even out the scooped tones of a Jazz bass.

Labellas are the classic tone you're probably thinking of. In between the two above with less high end and a shorter sustain. Just right for a P bass.

TIs have no low end at all, they completely disappear in the mix save for the midrange.

As always, recorded tones are much more than strings and we don't know what your rig sounds like. Take everything with a grain of salt.

 

[antfarm]

In the last 5 years, I have tried many different brands and gauges of flats: GHS Precision, Dunlop, Fender, Thomastik Infeld Jazz, La Bella DTB and LTF, Ernie Ball Cobalt, D'Addario Chromes.

I was looking for the deep, vintage tone and found that the problem with most strings is not that they sound too muddy (as some flat opponents think), but on the opposite are too bright, even after extended break in time.

My absolute favorite, tone and tension wise: 760FL Deep Talkin Bass.

 

[Bodeeni]

I am the opposite, I really like the chromes. They have a great classic flat sound to me. I use the ECB 84 100-40 and find the tension and string balance similar to my roundwound 105-45 strings. I also use TI flats on a few basses. Coincidentally, I have two up, Chromes vs TIs, right now. Chromes on my newest number #1 parts bass with a very cheap plywood cort body and a maple MIM Fender neck SB1 pickup. This thing has a great upfront bright sound, I like a lot. The TIs are on my trusty PJ I have had for 35 years with the original Dimarzio PUs. They are more mid focused which, to me, makes them have a more modern than classic sound. This bass is a bit darker than the other. The Tis are low tension and almost too loose on this bass. I like the TIs a lot more on my fretless jazz. But on this P the tension is too loose for my heavy hand playing live. I also am running the Chromes on another P, my shorty bronco, and they are back on my Jazz after a stint of Roto rounds.
I have tried other flatwound strings over the years and the Chromes don't let me down. Flats in general have a very scooped tone, clanky top end and smooth bottom. Recent tries included the Fender flats, the top end was harsh to my ears and they just did not have a pleasing sound. I am gasing to get another set of Labellas. I have tried many in days long past without great luck. More of a string tension thing but also inconsistent tone between strings during a long break in period. I am still going to give them another chance. I will say, I can make the Chromes work, right out of the package. The TIs too.

 

[denton57]

Did not like Chromes at all. Been using flats only for the past 15 years or so. Have used TI, LaBella, and Pyramids. Pyramids are like the best parts of TI and LaBella to me.

 

[Bobbadfinger]

In my flats quest in the last years I tried Chromes (worst of the bunch, for the same reasons you perceived), Precision Flats (great strings right of the package, probably just perfect if the pickup on my Matt Freeman was not so low-mid heavy), Fender (hi-middy and pretty generic sounding), La Bella DTF (THE flat tone IMO, although a bit one trick pony), TIs (contrary the the TB wisdow didn't care for them; no thump at all - which is the first thing I look on a flat, and with a not friendly flexibility if you dig in).

Finally settled on Rotosounds SM77 which has thump, mids in the right place and no excess treble; pretty happy with them on my P.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Hi all, I'm trying to bond with the D'addario Chromes that are on my Squier Classic Vibe 60's P. To me they sound like they have a lot of "thump" and a little in the highs but not much in between. I got a P-bass because I like the tone I hear in recordings/videos that sounds kind of like a deep male vocal humming (not sure the descriptive word here). "Warm" might be a good description. The chromes to me sound like they have a lot of bass/fundamental but not a lot of "character" in the low mids - A lot of thump but not much warmth. Has any one else had a similar experience with Chromes? I plan on playing direct into the mixer at church, probably with an IR-loader (Nux Mini Studio) in between.

Some options I've considered:

• TI Flats: $$$ but it sounds like these are THE flatwound and might have that "character"
• DR Pure Blues: these might add a little tonal versatility but maintain the overall "warm" character
• Changing pickup height: lowering the pickup to reduce the bass relative to other frequencies? (this is free so I'll probably do this anyways)
• Wait out the Chromes: the bass is secondhand so I don't know for sure, but I think these strings are on the newer side so maybe they will break in and even out.

Any recommendations? I'd like to avoid an overly-bright string but keeping an open mind otherwise

I think an outboard EQ (pedal) would make a huge difference in the tone you produce. I use an EQ pedal on my board and it has balanced the tone of all my basses, no matter what brand/type of string I'm using.

I have a Squier CV 70s P bass with Chromes and it sounds fantastic! Very balanced among the lows, mids, and highs. I attribute that to my EQ pedal.

*** Tip: don't worry too much about your bass/strings producing unwanted highs... that can be tamed using the tone pot on your bass.

 

[fourfinger]

First, don't give up on your Chromes until you know they are fully broken in.

Second, foam helped me a lot to dial in a nice tone with Chromes -- not enough foam to reduce the sustain at all; rather a small strip that's just enough to reduce overtones before you EQ to taste.

I eventually switched my Chromes to TIs, but not because of tone, just because I like the lower tension.

 

[One Way]

I’m one more that likes Chromes on my P bass. Not necessarily the “bedroom tone” but the magic that comes out in a recorded mix.

Last year I installed a set of Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats. I initially liked the tone, possibly because it was different, but switched to rounds after a couple of weeks. Last week I reinstalled the same set of Cobalt Flats and absolutely love them! They sounded great playing live last night. Seems sometimes I prefer strings the second time I install a set.

If you change the Chromes don’t throw them out. You might reinstall them in the future and find a new appreciation for them.

 

[Wambemando]

I like Chromes. The tension feels perfect and I have no complaints about the tone. To each their own!

 

[Bald-N-Bassy]

EB cobalt flats are my favorite fw string.
Comfortable and they are bright at first and settle into a nice tone after break in.

On a stingray theyre perfect for taming the clank and treble. On my precision theyre smooth.

I have tried a lot of fw brands. The EBCF work best for me. I use the 95-40 on my precision and 100-45 on the stringray. My stingray special 5 will be getting a set of 130-45 next string change.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

EB cobalt flats are my favorite fw string.
Comfortable and they are bright at first and settle into a nice tone after break in.

On a stingray theyre perfect for taming the clank and treble. On my precision theyre smooth.

I have tried a lot of fw brands. The EBCF work best for me. I use the 95-40 on my precision and 100-45 on the stringray. My stingray special 5 will be getting a set of 130-45 next string change.

I have EBCFs on 4 of my 6 basses. I agree... great tone and feel.

 

[drumvsbass]

I urge people not to try TI flats until the very last, for once you go with TI, you never go back, and your wallet won't thank you. TI flats feel like little silken elves massaging your fingers whilst you play.