Still trying to try Pressurewounds

[DaveB in VA]

I can't tell you anything about pressure wounds as I have never used them. However, I can tell you this:

You will never get there if you are not willing to go.

 

[OtherLisa]

Still trying to try Pressurewounds, and [MaxwellSmart] missed by that much [/MaxwellSmart]

Two friends just love their Pressurewounds. The recordings they share sound great. Have to try a set, have to try a set someday ...

Bit over two years ago, bought a short scale set of Pressuewounds in anticipation of the Nordy Cat bass' arrival. Installed GHS Balanced Nickels instead, and the unopened Pressurewounds went in the string larder.

Come time to change strings on the Cat, install Balanced Nickels again. These are the strings for this bass.

The new string zing reminds me that I really enjoy roundwounds. I wonder what a set of Pressurewounds will sound like on My 'Ray. Order a set of Pressurewounds and

absolutely unable to pull the 16 month-old EB Group IV flats off the instrument. It's an early 79 — I bought it just about this time of year 44 years ago! — that was played mostly with Rotosound SB 66, and Dean Markley Super Rounds. The Dean Markleys were great strings!

Learned here the bass came new with GHS Brite Flats. Bought a set just for the bass when it completed rehab a year and a half ago. Love the tone, not so big on the feel. Gave the Brite Flats three months. They became very playable down there below the 7th fret. The stickiness didn't ease off so much above the 12th fret because of less time spent up there.

Gave up the Brite Flats for some flat flats — all the while thinking about Bernard Edwards "back then".

Now the EB Group flats are broken in nicely. They sound beautiful to my ears. Do I really want to swap out these flats for strings I haven't tried? And the Bass Player Magic Eight Ball replies NO

And now I have two brand new packs of Pressurewounds, with no place to go. No place to go, that is, except to my two friends who play them. The short scale set goes on my friend's Cat bass, and the full scale set goes on my other friend's Jazz bass.

Both ladies inform me I need a new Jazz bass so I can try Pressurewounds

Yes. Yes, you do.

I also love ‘em on my Cat bass.

 

[klattman]

Went from rounds to flats to Pressurewound. I don’t need or want the high zing and the alloy gives me more mids which is my thing.
so most of my bases wear flats but a couple have the PW.

 

[Passinwind]

By the way, I've tried GHS Pressurewounds only, and I love them. But are SIT Silencers also pressure wound strings? How are they for feel and sounds compared to the GHS ones if anyone has experience they'd care to share?

GHS Pressurewound VS. SIT Silencers

I use both very happily and like the yin of Silencers and sidewinder humbuckers vs the yang of Pressurewounds with single coils on my two fretless fours. Some people have called out stickiness for one or both, IME the Silencers feel a little easier on my fingers even though they’re a heavier set than the PWs I’m using.

 

[michael_t]

By the way, I've tried GHS Pressurewounds only, and I love them. But are SIT Silencers also pressure wound strings? How are they for feel and sounds compared to the GHS ones if anyone has experience they'd care to share?

I tried the SIT Silencers a couple of months ago. They're not nearly as smooth and slick as the GHS PWs, and had a very unpleasant sticky feel with a lot of friction that felt more like half-rounds/groundwound than "rollerwound". They came off after two weeks. Nothing special about their tone, either.

 

[SunByrne]

I have Pressurewounds on my P and my J (both Yamaha BBs) and my fretless J (Sire). I love them on the fretless and the P, but they're only OK on the J—I might try stainless steels on the J.

 

[logdrum]

Why would you go for pressurewounds if you are loving the EB flats. The Brite Flats are on my "fusion bass" 6 string, 36 inch scale, so they are taut and the stickiness went away in a week. I think the are good strings but it is an acquired taste and are best experienced recorded or played with in a band. Not instantly gratifying, maybe not at all. Maybe you need to give them more time. GHS precision flats have a shorter break in period if you want to go flats. There is also the DR Legends.

 

[MrAB4003]

I played Rotosound 55s on most of my basses for 2 years. I switched from the nickel Roto 66s because they cut up my hands one night during practice. The Roto 55s have a very focused and unique sound. They're also very versatile and responsive to tone knobs. I was able to go from a Motown / Stax sound to a Steve Harris-like sound on my P Bass simply by turning the tone knob.

However, I found a better alternative than pressurewounds in La Bella White Nylon tapewounds! I have the regular white and gold white versions on all my basses but my piccolo bass as of a few months ago. I can get all the sounds of the pressurewounds without the harsh feel of the Rotos. Plus, tapes last longer than pressurewounds while maintaining their initial sound. So I recommend that you check out the La Bella White Nylon tapewounds instead.

 

[HowieD72]

And they're right! As much as I love the PWs, I've come to a realization they're not for every bass. They DO sound great on my Jazz.

When I acquired my new Yamaha BB435 (passive PJ) a month ago, I couldn't wait to put PWs on it, only to find out they sounded a little too mellow and tame for what I was trying to get out of this particular bass. As of last night, it's wearing Rotosound Solo Bass 55 (stainless steel pressurewound) to see if I can get a little more bite out of it.

Meanwhile, my P bass is waiting for a set of EB Group IV flats to replace the SIT Silencers, which didn't work out for me unfortunately.

PW's great on a Jazz? Perfect!! I took a set (GHS M7200) off my Warwick Fortress MM after 2 weeks (even though it sounded great with them) and will put them on my Fender J tomorrow

 

[HowieD72]

I tried the SIT Silencers a couple of months ago. They're not nearly as smooth and slick as the GHS PWs, and had a very unpleasant sticky feel with a lot of friction that felt more like half-rounds/groundwound than "rollerwound". They came off after two weeks. Nothing special about their tone, either.

I have the SIT Foundations on my Fender J. They're ok, (prefer DR Lo-Riders) but the thought of those silky PW's going on my FJ tomorrow......

 

[retslock]

I really liked my time on Pressure Wounds; however, when I dug in and played aggressively, they'd seem to get out of control. Talking with a very experienced player, he used the term "rubbery," which fit my experience. I've been on DR Pure Blues practically into corrosion. I have another pair in the larder, but I wonder if some other string should be tried.

Thanks. You’ve satisfied my own curiosity. Rubbery is exactly what I don’t want in strings.

 

[woodyng2]

I played Rotosound 55s on most of my basses for 2 years. I switched from the nickel Roto 66s because they cut up my hands one night during practice. The Roto 55s have a very focused and unique sound. They're also very versatile and responsive to tone knobs. I was able to go from a Motown / Stax sound to a Steve Harris-like sound on my P Bass simply by turning the tone knob.

However, I found a better alternative than pressurewounds in La Bella White Nylon tapewounds! I have the regular white and gold white versions on all my basses but my piccolo bass as of a few months ago. I can get all the sounds of the pressurewounds without the harsh feel of the Rotos. Plus, tapes last longer than pressurewounds while maintaining their initial sound. So I recommend that you check out the La Bella White Nylon tapewounds instead.

Labella white and copper white tapes are some of my favorite strings ever, but I don’t think they sound anything like the GHS PWs. Never tried the Rotos, but like daddarios, I find rotos too stiff.

 

[Shoreline Gold]

I tried the SIT Silencers a couple of months ago. They're not nearly as smooth and slick as the GHS PWs, and had a very unpleasant sticky feel with a lot of friction that felt more like half-rounds/groundwound than "rollerwound". They came off after two weeks. Nothing special about their tone, either.

Thank you! This is very clear and welcome feedback. I intensely disliked the groundwound experience, so it doesn't sound like Silencers would be a hit with me.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Car needs an oil change, so I bought a new car.

 

[Kmrumedy]

For those unaware - Ken Smith compressors are made by GHS, using the same materials and method as GHS's own Pressurewound strings. The differences are: 1) slight differences in gauge, 2) tapered B string and 3) purple silk rather than black. Otherwise they're the same thing, just in a different package.

This is correct with regards to GHS. But the Ken Smith strings that resemble Pressurewounds are called "Slick Rounds". They are a ground round string like PW. Compressors have a different feel.

 

[michael_t]

This is correct with regards to GHS. But the Ken Smith strings that resemble Pressurewounds are called "Slick Rounds". They are a ground round string like PW. Compressors have a different feel.

This is not correct.

GHS Pressurewound / Ken Smith Compressors = Alloy 52 "rollerwound".

GHS Brite Flats / Ken Smith Slick Rounds = Alloy 52 "half-rounds/groundwound".

 

[WG Plum]

Timely - I just ordered a set of Pressurewounds for my fretless Jazz. I'm longtime user of the EB cobalt flats, but I think my fretless needs just a little more zing since putting in a filter pre.

 

[Passinwind]

I tried the SIT Silencers a couple of months ago. They're not nearly as smooth and slick as the GHS PWs, and had a very unpleasant sticky feel with a lot of friction that felt more like half-rounds/groundwound than "rollerwound". They came off after two weeks. Nothing special about their tone, either.

None of those things match my experience, but so it goes.

 

[michael_t]

For those unaware - Ken Smith compressors are made by GHS, using the same materials and method as GHS's own Pressurewound strings. The differences are: 1) slight differences in gauge, 2) tapered B string and 3) purple silk rather than black. Otherwise they're the same thing, just in a different package.

4) Winding lengths... GHS "long scale" = 37.25" ball end to taper/silk. KS "long scale" = 38" ball end to taper/silk, except for the low B at 37".

 

[michael_t]

The tapered B string solved the only real problem I had with these strings before, which was a muddy, indistinct sound on that string. I don't know if the spacing is the same on the TRBX basses, but on the 735 the taper ends just before the string hits the saddle when I string through the body. Like it was made for this bass.View attachment 5027008

I initially got the KS Compressors to try on my TRBX505, but looking at the way the tapered B fits perfectly on your BB735 for thru-body, I'm starting to think maybe I should try them on my BB435 instead.