SIT Silencers - Huge Disappointment!

[ClassicJazz]

So my main string of choice has been the GHS Pressure Wound strings. Great tone and feel. But I wanted to see what other pressure wound strings were like.

A huge fan of Rotosound 77’s flats, figured I try theirs the Solo 55. These are stainless steel pressure wound. I bit heavier gauge than the GHS which I prefer. Not as smooth. Feel more like regular nickel round wounds. Tone wise a bit brighter than the GHS, but in a good way. But they are stiffer. They are higher tension than the GHS.

So next I tried the SIT Silencers. These are nickel plated stainless steel pressure wound strings 45-105. Well didn’t get too far with them! Put on the G string. Yuk!! They are smoother than the Rotosound strings but not as smooth as the GHS strings. But what was bad was it had a really sticky feeling to it. I read some other people complain about that. So ok, let me put the rest on. Well strung up the D string…..completely dead out of the sealed bag! I mean dead! Sounded like I was palm muting it, that bad! Well that’s as far as I got. Lol

I have used SIT strings in the past and they were always a good string. But not these! I did email SIT requesting a replacement. So maybe I’ll try again with another set. But not off to a good start!

 

[michael_t]

Here's the thread where I shared my experiences with GHS PW and SIT Silencers:

GHS Pressurewound VS. SIT Silencers

 

[ClassicJazz]

Well as to not totally trash SIT (they do make good strings), I contacted them and they were very responsive and got back to me right away. They are sending me some replacements. So 2 thumbs up for their support.

Yea, it happens. So looking forward to try them after I get the replacement strings.

 

[markanini]

They didn't click with me, but that's because they feel essentially like flat wounds, in comparison alternative products do a very light flattening or grounding of the wrap wire. But the tone was excellent last I tried them.

 

[jeff62]

Never had a single issue with SIT. Glad they supported you well. The Silencers are my go to “round wound” string for my money. Love the tone and feel. Never experienced any stickiness myself.

 

[ClassicJazz]

Well SIT sent me replacement D strings for the two sets I had as well as two complete sets. So thumbs up for their customer service. Will be trying them on a new bass I have inbound.

 

[ClassicJazz]

So my final thought on the SIT Silencers strings. Put them on my ‘79 Kramer DMZ 4001. I must say I really like how they sound. Nice and punchy, in fact a bit more punchier than the GHS Pressure Wounds I regularly use. Almost like regular round wounds but just a tad mellow in the high end. The tension feels good as well.

What I don’t like about them is the feel. They have a very sticky feel to them, definitely not as smooth as the GHS. Maybe they will get less sticky with use?? But as of right now, that would prevent me from using them again. Shame, because as I said they do sound really good!

 

[michael_t]

What I don’t like about them is the feel. They have a very sticky feel to them, definitely not as smooth as the GHS. Maybe they will get less sticky with use?? But as of right now, that would prevent me from using them again. Shame, because as I said they do sound really good!

When I tried the Silencers a couple of months ago, I specifically said the unpleasantly sticky feel reminded me too much of GHS Brite Flats (Alloy 52 groundwound/half-rounds).

Then something really weird happened a couple of weeks ago... I decided to give the Brite Flats one last try (as in FOURTH try) as I happened to have a brand new set in my personal stock, and wouldn't you know it, all of a sudden the sticky feel had mysteriously disappeared! And I've been enjoying playing the Brite Flats on my Jazz ever since.

You never know, those Silencers might eventually grow on you.

 

[ClassicJazz]

When I tried the Silencers a couple of months ago, I specifically said the unpleasantly sticky feel reminded me too much of GHS Brite Flats (Alloy 52 groundwound/half-rounds).

Then something really weird happened a couple of weeks ago... I decided to give the Brite Flats one last try (as in FOURTH try) as I happened to have a brand new set in my personal stock, and wouldn't you know it, all of a sudden the sticky feel had mysteriously disappeared! And I've been enjoying playing the Brite Flats on my Jazz ever since.

You never know, those Silencers might eventually grow on you.

Well plan to do some gigs with them. See if that helps.

 

[Passinwind]

27461391[/URL], member: 62589"]So my final thought on the SIT Silencers strings. Put them on my ‘79 Kramer DMZ 4001. I must say I really like how they sound. Nice and punchy, in fact a bit more punchier than the GHS Pressure Wounds I regularly use. Almost like regular round wounds but just a tad mellow in the high end. The tension feels good as well.

What I don’t like about them is the feel. They have a very sticky feel to them, definitely not as smooth as the GHS. Maybe they will get less sticky with use?? But as of right now, that would prevent me from using them again. Shame, because as I said they do sound really good!

Link Removed

I use and like both a lot, Silencers feel a little nicer to me - just slightly less abrasive on my fingertips. But the GHS are definitely punchier, given the two pretty different fretless basses I have one set of each type on. Go figure!

 

[ClassicJazz]

So my final thoughts of the SIT Silencers. I put them on my Kramer DMZ4001 and tried them out for a few gigs. As far as tone, they do sound very good. No complaints there. But, I can't get past how they feel. They have a very sticky feel to them which I do not like at all. So I think that does it with them. Went back to the Rotosound Solo 55 Stainless Steel pressure wounds on the Kramer. And the GHS Pressure Wounds on my other basses.

 

[michael_t]

So my final thoughts of the SIT Silencers. I put them on my Kramer DMZ4001 and tried them out for a few gigs. As far as tone, they do sound very good. No complaints there. But, I can't get past how they feel. They have a very sticky feel to them which I do not like at all. So I think that does it with them. Went back to the Rotosound Solo 55 Stainless Steel pressure wounds on the Kramer. And the GHS Pressure Wounds on my other basses.

As disappointed as I was with the Silencers (yes, the sticky feel!), I have to say I've been thoroughly impressed with the quality of the SIT customer service. Eddie Speedy there has been nothing short of outstanding in dealing with my situation; in fact, I've been so happy with the way he's responded to my initial disappointment, I've just ordered the Power Wound Nickels 40-100 along with the Power Core 125B (exposed core) to try on one of my Yamahas.

 

[ClassicJazz]

As disappointed as I was with the Silencers (yes, the sticky feel!), I have to say I've been thoroughly impressed with the quality of the SIT customer service. Eddie Speedy there has been nothing short of outstanding in dealing with my situation; in fact, I've been so happy with the way he's responded to my initial disappointment, I've just ordered the Power Wound Nickels 40-100 along with the Power Core 125B (exposed core) to try on one of my Yamahas.

SIT in general is a great company to deal with and I do like their other strings. When I contacted them about the dead D string in the first sets I got, they sent me out some replacements and a couple extra complete sets.

 

[michael_t]

SIT in general is a great company to deal with and I do like their other strings.

Any experience with the Power Wound Nickels?

 

[Yahboy]

The label already told you, Silencer = silent....

The D are correct, others just tooooo bright. No good.

 

[kgbeast]

I tried Foundation and I think A string had loose core. Problem that I found with bass strings that if one is bad, you have to chuck the whole set...

 

[ClassicJazz]

Any experience with the Power Wound Nickels?

Nope. Just the Foundation strings.

 

[Malinkundang]

So my main string of choice has been the GHS Pressure Wound strings. Great tone and feel. But I wanted to see what other pressure wound strings were like.

A huge fan of Rotosound 77’s flats, figured I try theirs the Solo 55. These are stainless steel pressure wound. I bit heavier gauge than the GHS which I prefer. Not as smooth. Feel more like regular nickel round wounds. Tone wise a bit brighter than the GHS, but in a good way. But they are stiffer. They are higher tension than the GHS.

So next I tried the SIT Silencers. These are nickel plated stainless steel pressure wound strings 45-105. Well didn’t get too far with them! Put on the G string. Yuk!! They are smoother than the Rotosound strings but not as smooth as the GHS strings. But what was bad was it had a really sticky feeling to it. I read some other people complain about that. So ok, let me put the rest on. Well strung up the D string…..completely dead out of the sealed bag! I mean dead! Sounded like I was palm muting it, that bad! Well that’s as far as I got. Lol

I have used SIT strings in the past and they were always a good string. But not these! I did email SIT requesting a replacement. So maybe I’ll try again with another set. But not off to a good start!

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Well, like people said,

"One man's trash is another man's treasure".


I used LaBella Jamerson Flatwound for so many years on my Fender Precision.

Before that I used Roundwound. Various brands and types but mostly Rotosound.

Six months ago I decided to try roundwound again and I wasn't sure what to try, so I did my research and concluded that this SIT Silencer (40-95) would be my choice. (Yes, after long years using heay gauge strings, I wanted a totally new things about strings, including about the gauge, I want it to be the light gauge now hahah)...


In my 6 months experience, I needed to adapt at first month,—from a heavy gauge strings set user to light gauge, Flat to Round etc (although this Silencer is kind of in the middle ground of the flat and round, I know)... but after that 1st month, I feel totally ok, and.. surprisingly, many people praised my 'new' sound. So it must be not bad at all.


That first set is about to die now and when it does, it doesn't feel & sound so good anymore (unlike my LaBella Jamerson, which stay good or even getting better the older it came hahah)... So it's time for me to buy another set of SIT Silencer. This time, my work need me to go lower than E, so I bought a 5 string set of it, 45-120 (I will use only the 4 lowest strings of the set with a new nut, and I will tuned it down to B E A D or even to A D G C if it can be good for that, I doubt it though, but) let's see.

 

[Iristone]

For some reason I tend to get a "sheen" from pressurewounds I've tried, similar to the new round zing. The Roto 55 is more similar to regular rounds, whereas the SIT has a rougher feel with an even brighter tone.

 

[ajkula66]

I've done a fair bit of toying around with Silencers of various flavours...

Bass: loved the sound but they just felt stiff in a wrong way.

Acoustics: Oh my oh no. Their 010 set felt like I was playing 013s. Off these went, and in a hurry.

Electrics: the best of the bunch IMO. Had a 010 set on an unusual '60s Framus hollowbody and loved everything about them.

A valid contender for someone who likes their strings very (IMO) stiff.

My $0.02 only...