Recommend some half-round strings for me......

[Dincrest]

If I'm to believe the copy on DR's website, Fat Beams are a compression-wound variation on Hi-Beams. So that would explain their flexibility, as both are round-core strings.

Otherwise, compression wound strings do tend to be stiffer. If you look at the GHS tension chart, the Pressurewounds sport higher numbers than comparably gauged Boomers (which themselves are stiffer than average.)

 

[Barcza]

Give the bass for a bass player friend “acid” hands (like my) for two days, and your current strings will lose all the highs.....

 

[thisheregiraffe]

I'm trying a set of GHS Bassics (NPS roundwound) 40-102 on my P bass right now. A clean crisp tone without being overly zingy or harsh. Not too shabby for $15.

I put the medium Bassics set (44-106 IIRC) on my SR1100B today and so far I really like them. They seem to work better with the pickups/preamp than other rounds that I had on it previously.

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

In the words of Mr. Miyagi...

Play rounds, safe. PlaY flats, safe. Play middle, squish like grape.

Something like that.

Try some Dunlop flats and roll on.

Probably didn't help Bro. BAG at all, but it made me laugh. (and I needed a good one today)

 

[DoctorZee]

GHS Pressurewounds are the only ones I’ve ever used. There might be better ones out there, but I’m happy with the GHS.

 

[getBAK]

I've been a big fan of the SIT Silencers for a long time.
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They maintain some of the ring of a round wound, but very tasteful.

 

[Claymore]

Pressurewounds sound great right out of the package and they stay that way for a long time.

 

[CallMeAl]

I highly prefer both sound and feel of GHS Pressurewounds Over D’Addario half rounds. (I’m mainly a rounds player who occasionally dabbles in flats and other things. I like my rounds nice and broken in.) PWs never made it to my main bass, but they’re really great strings, from day one

If you’ve never tried GHS PW, you should once in your life

 

[BAG]

It's a Nordstrand, not Nordstrom.

Ooops......

Thanks for all the recommendations folks. After a weekend of playing this bass two things are apparent.
First is that I really need strings that will tame the tops and mids.
It's obviously a very different beast to my P with flats which has that thump but still has some cut and punch on the D and G strings when I add a fill. With this bass I was cutting the mids and tops but then didn't have the cut-through in the upper fills like i'm used to. Playing along with some recordings after rehearsal I was at the point of dialing the mids and tops all the way off and boosting the bass a little to get close to the sound I wanted. I'll be trying some pressure wounds but was starting to think some flats might even suit it well. There's certainly no lack of top and mid adjustment if needed with other strings.

The second thing is that it is by far the easiest playing bass I've ever used. I found myself playing lines so much easier and if it were any easier to play it'd play itself. I'll definitely be trying as many string sets as I need to get to the sound i'm looking for as it really is a pleasure to play.

 

[Iristone]

I'm totally in love with D'Addario half-rounds. They've got a little sparkle in the tone but an overall full, balanced sound. There's just enough grittiness and bark when you dig in, but they're super smooth and quite bright even when you play soft. I very very strongly suggest you try them (they aren't as expensive as Ken Smith's which is another plus) - I myself was looking for the same qualities and my Mustang came with them on and I love them now. Good luck!

May I ask which version is yours? I think they come in stainless and nickel versions. I tried the nickel ones some time ago and thought they sounded like flats.

 

[michael_t]

I think they come in stainless and nickel versions.

D'A Half-rounds USED TO come in stainless steel, but the current ones are pure nickel only.

 

[Outshined91]

May I ask which version is yours? I think they come in stainless and nickel versions. I tried the nickel ones some time ago and thought they sounded like flats.

D'A Half-rounds USED TO come in stainless steel, but the current ones are pure nickel only.

As @michael_t said, mine are the new pure nickel ones. They have quite a bit more sparkle and bright top end than flats to my ear (I used to play RS77 jazz flats almost exclusively). YMMV but I use the light gauges (.45 - .100) and they are perfect for me.

 

[Iristone]

As @michael_t said, mine are the new pure nickel ones. They have quite a bit more sparkle and bright top end than flats to my ear (I used to play RS77 jazz flats almost exclusively). YMMV but I use the light gauges (.45 - .100) and they are perfect for me.

I think RS77s are pretty bright as far as flats go. I used to use them on my SG bass, they sounded good but was a bit quiet.
Maybe these D'ads just sound like pure nickel rounds, and I'm not familiar with pure nickel rounds.

 

[PBandJazzBass]

I've used the GHS pressurewounds and think they are a good sounding string. Once they settle in they last for a long time which is a nice bonus.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I just got an Ibanez SR1200 with the Nordstrom pickups. The strings on there at the moment are rounds of unknown provenance . The bass sounds good but It's a bit too bright and zingy.
I need to cut treble and mids to get a sound that isn't too toppy so I'm thinking i could put on some ground wound or pressure wound strings to get a smoother feel but still have plenty of brightness and they might tame the top end a little.

So, what would you recommend?

TI Jazz Rounds.

 

[BAG]

I realised while I was at work that I had an old set of D'addario half rounds sitting around that used to be on my fretless. I put them on the Ibanez when I got home and we're certainly in the right ballpark! A much nicer rounded tone.

Stupidly in my haste I cut the G string a bit short so there's only just 2 winds around the post. Oh well....I'll get something from all the recommendations above anyway.

 

[BAG]

This morning I decided to cut the hlaf rounds to size properly as there was about 6 or so winds on the post on the E and D strings. Well... I've got to stop using the cordless drill with the string winder attachment when undoing strings. I had it turning the wrong way and snapped the E string. Bugger! That's the second time I've done that after snapping a string on my 12 string guitar the other week.

Oh well, I've got some Ken Smith Slick Rounds on order (probably take 6 weeks or more for delivery from the US) and in the mean time I've put on a spare set of flats. I only had 10 minutes spare after installing them before I had to go to work but initial thoughts are that they are quite clanky on the frets (pretty normal for new Chromes) while being a bit too dull for this kind of bass. We'll see how they settle in while waiting for the Ken Smith's.