P-bass + Chromes String/Tone Suggestions?

[shoulderpet]

Thank you everyone for your comments and suggestions!

An update now that I received the TIs and set up my bass with them:

• Tension: Comparing both (chromes vs TIs) strings off the bass, I could tell the TIs had lower tension. After putting the new strings on my bass, I had to loosen the truss rod quite a bit (and actually need to go back and do it again) to account for the lower tension.
• Feel: the TIs are a little bit more pliable than the Chromes, but certainly not "floppy" as I have heard them described. The TIs are more "grippy" but I've heard the get less so as they age.
• Tone: Compared to the Chromes, the TIs have what I would describe as a low-cut in the sound, which effectively balances out and allows more mids/highs to come through. This to me makes the tone knob on the bass much more useable and I have a larger range of timbres to work with. Honestly I wish there was a little more bass, but these are brand new strings so I think they'll mellow out as they age. Before putting on the TIs, I did play around with pickup height using the Chromes and could get "better" tone by lowering the pickups a lot, but never all the way there. Still not 100% "there" with the TIs but much much closer.

Honestly if I was still using Flatwounds then TI's would be what I use, you mention that you wish they had a little more bass, they dont have as much bass as Chromes or Labellas but for me I found that a very useful tone to have, with other flatwounds I found I was rolling off the low bass and boosting the mids, with TI's its like that has already been done, a kind of "baked in" frequency curve, they are also more lively sounding than most flats, there is some articulation there, not just a dead sounding thump, I know a lot of people say that you need a light touch but I actually really liked the tone when I dug in a bit, had some nice bite to it

 

[arepa_funk]

Reviving this thread, not quite zombie level.

I'm going back to four string p basses after playing jazz basses for 20+ years. (My main player is a five string P/MM configuration. This one has Chromes and will definitely be changing soon.) I have Chromes on a four string j and had LaBella LTFs in a j I recently sold.

I'm not digging Chromes on the precision, way too bright and modern, and I don't like the feel on my fingers. I've considered GHS Precision Flats and LaBellas (either LTFs or 760FLs). Main tone and style I'm going for is warm, mellow thump without low end muddiness. I'm fine with a mid scoop as long as the low-mids are present. Style is fingerstyle funk (no slapping) and jazz, a la Paul Jackson/Headhunters.

Thank you to all!

 

[iiipopes]

I also can't stand Chromes for the reasons the OP listed. I like La Bella 760FL on an alder body P-bass to get just a hair more articulation than the GHS flats have, then roll off the tone knob a little bit to make sure the tone is big and round.

 

[arepa_funk]

I also can't stand Chromes for the reasons the OP listed. I like La Bella 760FL on an alder body P-bass to get just a hair more articulation than the GHS flats have, then roll off the tone knob a little bit to make sure the tone is big and round.

Not directed to me but I dig your reply! Thanks, I'll definitely look into the 760FLs. My p bass has alder body, maple neck and board.

 

[Heavy Blue]

I seem to be in a cycle of rotating between rounds and flats on my P bass... Rounds on for a while and then the urge to have flatwound old school thump kicks in, so I put flats on. And then I convince myself that the bass sounds great, but would be more usable/"I want the zingyness" with rounds. Then the rounds go dead and I remember how good it sounds with flats, so the cycle repeats. lol I just put rounds back on my P bass last night, actually.

5sg.

Consider a set of groundwound GHS Brite Flats or D'Addario half rounds. Brighter than "pure" flats, darker than rounds.

I have a set of the D'Addario's and while they never seem to be "the set" for any particular bass. They will always point me in the right direction that I need to go with the bass in question.

Another option as far as rounds go would be a set of GHS Balanced Nickels. They have a lot of love around here with P Bass players. I'd like to try a set of these out on my Squier P.

I have a set of the Brite Flats on order for the Stingray. So looking forward to getting them.

I also can't stand Chromes for the reasons the OP listed. I like La Bella 760FL on an alder body P-bass to get just a hair more articulation than the GHS flats have, then roll off the tone knob a little bit to make sure the tone is big and round.

I just took a set of Chromes off my P. They were ok, very balanced output but I wanted more of a vintage thump so I switched over to a set of LaBella 760FM. Happier with it now. I think the stock AmPro pup needs to go though. Agreed re the articulation but to be fair the PFlats are almost 5 years old and the LaBella's are a month old and we're much brighter fresh than I was figuring on.

I currently have a set of Fender rounds on my Squier P. Plays great, tone kinda meh. Also tried Pressurewounds, PFlats, and 9050's. Nothing really fits. Tbh, I think the pickup is a bit meh and lacks clarity. I would like to get a SPB-4 or Geezer to replace it with. Pair it with some Balanced Nickels for a good rock tone but I'd like to be able to get a decent slap tone out of it as well.

Suggestions?

 

[fivestringgecko]

Consider a set of groundwound GHS Brite Flats or D'Addario half rounds. Brighter than "pure" flats, darker than rounds.

Funny you mention that, I actually have a set waiting for the next time I get the urge for a string change on that bass.

5sg.

 

[Heavy Blue]

Funny you mention that, I actually have a set waiting for the next time I get the urge for a string change on that bass.

5sg.

That is funny.

However before you open them, I suggest you get some 0000 steel wool, 90+% isopropyl alcohol, and some clean cloths/rags.

I have a set of D'Addario Half Rounds. When I got them, I just whipped them out of the package and put them on.

Big mistake! They felt tacky and sticky complete with machine oil residue and teeny tiny bits of metal from the grinding process. You couldn't see them but you could feel them. Just gross!

So I got the above and put some iso on a clean rag and cleaned them till they stopped making the rags dirty. Then I ran the 0000 steel wool several times along the length of each string which smoothed them out even more. This took almost 40 minutes iirc.

The result was astounding! Like a totally different set of strings now. Imo tonally, they're a very neutral string. The most neutral of all my strings. Now they feel nice and quite smooth.

A lot of half-round/groundwound users on here complain of "stickiness". I suggest giving this procedure a go.

Since then, I have yet to keep them on any one bass but they seem to give me direction of what string set a given bass needs. I almost kept them on my AmPro2 J but went with Pressurewounds instead for rock.

I've also wondered if Ernie Ball Slinky (cobalt) Flats users could give this a go as well as they often complain of same.

I have a set of Brite Flats on order. So looking forward to trying those out on my Stingray.

 

[One Way]

I was an early adopter of EB Cobalt Flats. I make it a practice to wipe all new strings with isopropyl alcohol prior to installation. I also apply GHS Fast Fret to all new strings and reapply as needed.

I could feel the spaces between the outer ribbon winding of the 1st set whenever I’d slide my fretting fingers along the strings and didn’t care for the way it felt. I believe EB may have modified the manufacturing process of the cobalt flats because new sets feel smooth.

The EBCF provide great tone from my Fender MIM P Bass w/ Lindy Fralin pickup and also my Sire V7.

 

[fivestringgecko]

That is funny.

However before you open them, I suggest you get some 0000 steel wool, 90+% isopropyl alcohol, and some clean cloths/rags.

I have a set of D'Addario Half Rounds.

Thanks for the hot tip, I've got the D'Addarios. I'll make sure to give them a good lookover before I put them on!

5sg.

 

[59jazz]

I too have tried many different flats, TI, LaBella 760FL, Chrome/EB .100-.45, Dogal Jaco's, Dunlop, EB Cobalts, And my #1.....GHS Precision Flats, the balanced medium set. But lately I've been craving that 70's top 40 / funk sound, p bass with a maple board and DA Chromes. I love the Chromes because of their texture, looks (not shiny) and their complex mids; they sound perfect for what I need. What I don't like about them, is their tension, if only they were round core, or even a slightly smaller core. For some reason the .045-.100 Chromes cause some discomfort to my finger tips on my fretting hand, but not the larger gauged GHS or LaBella flats. Maybe I need to try out the larger gauged Chromes?

 

[michael_t]

For some reason the .045-.100 Chromes cause some discomfort to my finger tips on my fretting hand, but not the larger gauged GHS or LaBella flats. Maybe I need to try out the larger gauged Chromes?

Larger-gauged Chromes will feel even stiffer. You should go down in gauges if you want better playing comfort. 40-60-80-100 or even 40-60-75-95.

D'A Chromes 40-60-80-100 = 173.13 lbs. in total tension.
GHS Precision Flats 45-60-80-105 = 174.1 lbs. in total tension.

 

[59jazz]

Larger-gauged Chromes will feel even stiffer. You should go down in gauges if you want better playing comfort. 40-60-80-100 or even 40-60-75-95.

D'A Chromes 40-60-80-100 = 173.13 lbs. in total tension.
GHS Precision Flats 45-60-80-105 = 174.1 lbs. in total tension.

I have the .100-.040 gauged Chromes on their now, they feel stiffer (less bendable) than my GHS Balanced Mediums. I think my perception is skewed, LOL.

 

[michael_t]

I have the .100-.040 gauged Chromes on their now, they feel stiffer (less bendable) than my GHS Balanced Mediums. I think my perception is skewed, LOL.

I don't think your perception is skewed... I started out with the Chromes 45-65-80-100 as my first set of flats, but I could feel the tightness of G and D right away, so I switched to 40-60-80-100 and found them a little more manageable.

GHS Precision Flats are not quite as stiff as the Chromes when comparing similar sizes. I think it has to do with core-to-wrap ratio, meaning the Precision Flats are slightly more flexible due to their smaller core diameter, not the overall gauges. The Chrome 45G would feel stiffer than the Precision Flat 45G because of the difference in the thickness of the core wires even though the overall gauges are the same.

 

[59jazz]

Thanks Michael, that makes sense to me!

 

[59jazz]

I don't think your perception is skewed... I started out with the Chromes 45-65-80-100 as my first set of flats, but I could feel the tightness of G and D right away, so I switched to 40-60-80-100 and found them a little more manageable.

GHS Precision Flats are not quite as stiff as the Chromes when comparing similar sizes. I think it has to do with core-to-wrap ratio, meaning the Precision Flats are slightly more flexible due to their smaller core diameter, not the overall gauges. The Chrome 45G would feel stiffer than the Precision Flat 45G because of the difference in the thickness of the core wires even though the overall gauges are the same.

Day 2 of the Chromes on my P bass, I had a slight curvature to the neck with the P-flats, now it's nearly flat with the Chromes. Oh yeah...tension and flexibility/stiffness are two different things.