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Pure Nickel Alchemists Union

e-flat

e-flat

Jun 15, 2009
887
1,331
Washington State
#1
I’m an avowed string junky, especially Flatwounds. I’ve been turning my attention to rounds again lately, though, and am finding that I just jive with pure nickel strings the best. Then I realize that many of my favorite flats are nickel as well, and I see a pattern.

Anyone else love the sound of nickel strings? The rolled off highs & generally warmer character really fit what I want from a bass string - I don’t have to fight the high end, and with a really good set of nickel rounds I get a full useable range from 10-0 on my Tone knob.

You other pure nickel fans: What kind of strings do you like?

BIG OL’ LIST OF PURE NICKEL STRINGS:

Roundwound:
- Fender 7150
- Gabriel Tenorio Pure Nickel
- La Bella Chicago Style (CME)
- GHS Balanced Nickel
- Pyramid Pure Nickel (Blue Pack)
- Thomastik Jazz Rounds
- Pearse Pure Nickel
- DR Jonas Helborg

Flatwound:
- Thomastik Jazz Flats
- Pyramid Gold Flats
- Optima RB (red pack, old Rick style)
- Optima Standard Flats (black pack 4099)
 
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#2
e-flat said:
Anyone else love the sound of nickel strings? The rolled off highs & generally warmer character really fit what I want from a bass string - I don’t have to fight the high end, and with a really good set of nickel rounds I get a full useable range from 10-0 on my Tone knob.

You other pure nickel fans: What kind of strings do you like?
Click to expand...

After numerous experiments, I've finally come to a realization my P bass seems to match up the best with pure nickel rounds.

GHS Balanced Nickels 40-101 will be going back on my P in the near future.
 
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#3
:thumbsup:
michael_t said:
After numerous experiments, I've finally come to a realization my P bass seems to match up the best with pure nickel rounds.

GHS Balanced Nickels 40-101 will be going back on my P in the near future.
Click to expand...
Of the several sets of pure nickel rounds I’ve tried in the past year or so, I think GHS Balanced Nickels are in a class of their own feel & tone-wise—> they have something special going on in the upper mids & feel great to the fretting hand. Terrific strings.

I’ll reveal some other pure nickel sets that I love as the thread develops but want to let others chime in first
 
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#4
I'd like to try the La Bella Chicago set and the GHS Balanced Nickel at some point. I don't know that I've played a pure nickel set yet. Maybe I have without knowing it but I love the nickel strings I have played and love to tinker so they'll probably get a shot sooner than later.
 
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#5
I have 4 new packs (have 6 packs actually)of Pre-Mexican Fender 7150 XL on my drawer. A set on my previous Squier CV60P , sound warmth, smooth, organic and focus without metalic high. Overall output are lower than 7250 roundwound.
String surface as smooth as pressure wound and tad smoother feel when fretting note.
Even she is extra light gauge 40-95, she has no floopy feel at all.
Gold silk on string make the bass look more noble.
 
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#7
uwrossl said:
I'd like to try the La Bella Chicago set and the GHS Balanced Nickel at some point. I don't know that I've played a pure nickel set yet. Maybe I have without knowing it but I love the nickel strings I have played and love to tinker so they'll probably get a shot sooner than later.
Click to expand...
The Chicago Nickels are great - they also led me to pick up some of La Bella’s limited sets that come up from time to time. Those sets have become 2 of my 3 main “go to” nickel sets. :thumbsup:
 
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#9
e-flat said:
I’m an avowed string junky, especially Flatwounds. I’ve been turning my attention to rounds again lately, though, and am finding that I just jive with pure nickel strings the best. Then I realize that many of my favorite flats are nickel as well, and I see a pattern.
Click to expand...

What are your favourite flats, out of curiosity? I'm enjoying flats the most on my two basses lately, and while I shouldn't spend more money on strings right now, I do like to experiment!

Back to the topic: I'm not sure I've tried any pure nickel rounds, but they are on my list of things I'd like to check out. I like Sunbeams quite a bit... I guess they'd be considered NPS rather than pure nickel?
 
#10
thisheregiraffe said:
Back to the topic: I'm not sure I've tried any pure nickel rounds, but they are on my list of things I'd like to check out. I like Sunbeams quite a bit... I guess they'd be considered NPS rather than pure nickel?
Click to expand...

They're not "considered" NPS, they ARE. Anything that doesn't say "pure nickel" is using nickel-plated steel.
 
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#15
I'm a flats junky too, and now I'm trying the nickel types. So far I'm loving the TI in my lakie, it's a shame that the COVID issue prevented me from testing them in band context. I have a set of Pyramid and Optima RB , i'm just waiting the perfect moment to try them. I have the balanced nickels in my sight for a while now, but here they just don't export them, all the bassist here use Stainless steels or nickel plated.
 
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#16
e-flat said:
The Chicago Nickels are great - they also led me to pick up some of La Bella’s limited sets that come up from time to time. Those sets have become 2 of my 3 main “go to” nickel sets. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Nice...be a bit since I order something else...just pulled the trigger on the TI PowerBass set. Remember loving those a few years ago and then sold the bass they were on. Just NPS so doesn't really count for this thread.

Are the Jazz rounds pure nickel?
 
#18
thisheregiraffe said:
What are your favourite flats, out of curiosity? I'm enjoying flats the most on my two basses lately, and while I shouldn't spend more money on strings right now, I do like to experiment!

Back to the topic: I'm not sure I've tried any pure nickel rounds, but they are on my list of things I'd like to check out. I like Sunbeams quite a bit... I guess they'd be considered NPS rather than pure nickel?
Click to expand...

Hammerfield said:
I'm a flats junky too, and now I'm trying the nickel types. So far I'm loving the TI in my lakie, it's a shame that the COVID issue prevented me from testing them in band context. I have a set of Pyramid and Optima RB , i'm just waiting the perfect moment to try them. I have the balanced nickels in my sight for a while now, but here they just don't export them, all the bassist here use Stainless steels or nickel plated.
Click to expand...

@thisheregiraffe , @Hammerfield touches on many of my favorite nickel flats in his comment above. I love TI Jazz Flats, Pyramids (I love the lighter 640/1 set w/ the .040 G string) and Optima RB Flats. There are lots of Stainless flats I love too, but I'll keep it "on topic" :thumbsup:
 
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