• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Review: GHS Balanced Nickels 4M-NB

#263
Linnin said:
The new American Professionals are super Killer-Killer, and the American Elites are God's own basses.
Click to expand...
I had an AmPro earlier this year, and the only thing killer about it was how much money I lost when I finally sold it. Not one damned thing to recommend it. The Elite's are worse - $2K for a heavy bass that still has the nonsense of the AmPro - the new frets, the new bridge, the new tuners, the new pickups, all of it is a step back from the AmStd.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pbassmanca and Buzz E
#269
Sandwell said:
Great contribution to this GHS Balanced Nickels thread buddy...
Click to expand...
what do you want me to say? we were talking about fender basses/equipment anyway, the thread was derailed. I have nothing more to add.

Here's trying to re-rail the thread: I'm looking forward to trying these strings. I hope they are like other nickel strings like XLs, but with a little more body to them.

How's that? ;-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pbassmanca and Lee Moses
#274
Sandwell said:
for the record Dunlop make a great flatwound
Click to expand...

My usual go-to strings are DaD XLs because they have a really nice midrange, but lately I've been messing with the Dunlops. Reason is, I downtune one bass to Eb, and the Dunlop medium sets are one of the few with a 110 E string (50-110). I even like a 110 on my regular sets (45-?) as well, if I can get it.

The Dunlop Superbrights are really nice, superbright indeed, but more zingy than I want. They also run a little smaller in gauge than they are advertised, and therefore have a softer feel, about which I'm ambivalent.

The Dunlop SS are also pretty cool, and on one of my basses have lasted so long, I can't find a reason to change them. They died down to just under Nickel wound zinginess, and stayed there but with a barky midrange that I like. Pretty cool.

I tried the Heavy Cores on a bass for a band I am in that down tunes, and they were OK, they were stiffer than the usual string so they were good for down tuning, but in the end I don't think they were worth it vs just going up a gauge for the downtuned stuff.

The Dunlop nickel wounds I like, but usually don't last as long as the XLs.

But any way one slices it, they're so inexpensive they're worth a try at some point.

The only place I can find the GHS Balanced nickels is at onlinestrings, and I'm just waiting to generate a larger order before i get them. Looking forward to it.
 
#276
NKBassman said:
I already posted in the other long thread on these, but here’s my condensed first-impression review after about an hour of play time:
  • These strings are very thick and rich in the low end, but I wouldn’t describe them as muddy or dark. For all the talk about how full these sound, I also found them a lot brighter than I expected them to be right out of the package. That’s not a bad thing though, there’s a nice clarity there. Plus I expect them to calm down after a few more hours of playing. Should be well balanced tonally once the “zing” phase is through.
  • I would describe them as somewhat smoother feeling than your average nickel plated steel.
  • Re. tension, they did not stand out to me one way or the other... not loose, not tight, easy on both fretting and plucking hand.
  • Intonation was spot on right out of the package, coming off a set of Dunlop Super Brights.
Click to expand...
Pretty much my experience after putting them on my RW Jazz. The G string especially seems more " beefed up " tonally than the Fender counterpart Nickle rounds I use. Jury is still out as I'm still in the " breaking in " period, but so far, really digging them. A little darker sounding than my usual Fender 7250's, but not like night and day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pbassmanca, NKBassman, crucislancer and 1 other person
#277
jnewmark said:
Jury is still out as I'm still in the " breaking in " period, but so far, really digging them. A little darker sounding than my usual Fender 7250's, but not like night and day.
Click to expand...

My 4L-NB set on my P is now almost 2 mths old and no sign of going anywhere.
Very little break-in period, these are definitely living up to my initial expectations regarding the pure nickel warmth, while still being clear and focused.

They're so pleasurable to play on that I ended up spending 7 hours on my bass a couple of days ago. :thumbsup::)

EDIT: I should also mention this is the best 40-G I've ever used for sounding and feeling very well balanced with the rest.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Joe Smithberger, Linnin, NKBassman and 1 other person
#279
michael_t said:
EDIT: I should also mention this is the best 40-G I've ever used for sounding and feeling very well balanced with the rest.
Click to expand...

Agree. I sometimes struggle with this. Have also noticed these strings have that fit better in the mix quality (at least on the three basses I've tried them on). Solo they sound like super even slightly broken in nickels to me. But are great in a mix and help that G string come through.

Pulled them off my Bacchus 5 to experiment and after three other sets of strings was relieved after reinstalling a GHS balanced set. A hair less tension and I'd never try other strings. I do think the comfortable but a little tighter tension might be part of why they work so well for me. I like real light especially when playing solo but with a group don't notice the tension at all. Guess that means I just need to get out and play more.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back