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Switch from Chromes?

Z

zillo

Jun 5, 2003
316
41
Cascadia, North America, Earth
#1
I've got these on a P and a J bass. Wicked nice strings, nice bottom, full sound.

I play old school blues (more Muddy than Stevie), bluegrass and folk, R&B (like Stax records) and reggae.

I've an itch to try something else though. Anybody try the Half Rounds? What would I gain / lose with a set of those compared to the chrome flats?

How about a set of Rotosound Jazz flats, or maybe the La Bellas. How do they compare with the Chromes. I guess I've got a bit of an itch.

Thanks for your insights!
 
#2
:eek: OMG did you say D'a Half rounds :rollno: run from them they are the worse strings i have ever placed on a bass IMO :D Really i love chromes and play music like you do and chromes do it for me. Half rounds at least the D'a brand get hammered on here alot some like em but God they are allfull.

TI gets alot of talk here and labela's also good old Fenders but I'll stick to Chromes ..i love em.
 
#5
Bassbully knows of what he speaks.:bassist: Why am I talking like Yoda?:confused::D

Anyways, I might be able to help a bit as I am currently experimenting with LaBella Flats (on a Gibson SG and a P), D'Addario Half Rounds (on a MIM P) and D'Addario Chromes (on a 1974 P). I use flats/chromes for Reggae, Blues and some older rock like the Stones.

The Halfs are without a question THE WORST strings I have ever had the displeasure of using when new. They are terrible. They even feel gross. Kinda like nails on a chalkboard if that makes any sense. I just don't like touching them when they are new. BUT.... after maybe 10 hours of use, they start feeling and sounding like flats but with a bit more top end. Not my favorite strings in any case, but passable after time. They aren't cheap either, so I wouldn't spend the $$$ if I was only chosing one type of non-roundwound string.

The Chromes are goofy feeling and sounding out of the box but really come into their own after a few days of playing. They are messy too. Clean them really good prior to playing the first time and after each time you play until the gross metal dust dissappears. I really like these strings on a P bass or a fretless Jazz. They are easy to find, sound great (give you a bit more highs than the LaBellas), last forever and aren't as expensive as the LaBellas.

The LaBellas are your typical old school flat strings. They last forever and give you the bassy sound you would expect.

I had a set of Fenders prior to the Chromes and fifn't really care for them. Too dull sounding IMO.

Personally, I really like the Chromes and bet you would be using them afdter tyring the others. Just my $0.02 and YMMV.



bassbully said:
:eek: OMG did you say D'a Half rounds :rollno: run from them they are the worse strings i have ever placed on a bass IMO :D Really i love chromes and play music like you do and chromes do it for me. Half rounds at least the D'a brand get hammered on here alot some like em but God they are allfull.

TI gets alot of talk here and labela's also good old Fenders but I'll stick to Chromes ..i love em.
Click to expand...
 
#6
i have chromes on my J and love them. I have regular slinkys on my P, i used to think i loved EBs. but after the chromes i dont care for them anymore.

anybody have suggestions for roundwounds that can keep a "flat player" happy??

i was thinking DR nickel lo riders. but i dont know
 
#7
Baird6869 said:
Bassbully knows of what he speaks.:bassist: Why am I talking like Yoda?:confused::D

Anyways, I might be able to help a bit as I am currently experimenting with LaBella Flats (on a Gibson SG and a P), D'Addario Half Rounds (on a MIM P) and D'Addario Chromes (on a 1974 P). I use flats/chromes for Reggae, Blues and some older rock like the Stones.

The Halfs are without a question THE WORST strings I have ever had the displeasure of using when new. They are terrible. They even feel gross. Kinda like nails on a chalkboard if that makes any sense. I just don't like touching them when they are new. BUT.... after maybe 10 hours of use, they start feeling and sounding like flats but with a bit more top end. Not my favorite strings in any case, but passable after time. They aren't cheap either, so I wouldn't spend the $$$ if I was only chosing one type of non-roundwound string.

The Chromes are goofy feeling and sounding out of the box but really come into their own after a few days of playing. They are messy too. Clean them really good prior to playing the first time and after each time you play until the gross metal dust dissappears. I really like these strings on a P bass or a fretless Jazz. They are easy to find, sound great (give you a bit more highs than the LaBellas), last forever and aren't as expensive as the LaBellas.

The LaBellas are your typical old school flat strings. They last forever and give you the bassy sound you would expect.

I had a set of Fenders prior to the Chromes and fifn't really care for them. Too dull sounding IMO.

Personally, I really like the Chromes and bet you would be using them afdter tyring the others. Just my $0.02 and YMMV.
Click to expand...

Awwwww..well put very good discriptions of these strings. I like the nails on chalkboard LOL i agree...or like skin on barbed wire :p

Im weird but i like the greasy metal feeling from chromes.
 
#9
jk3 said:
anybody have suggestions for roundwounds that can keep a "flat player" happy??

i was thinking DR nickel lo riders. but i dont know
Click to expand...

I bought a set of Superalloys looking for what you describe. I wanted something in the TI flat camp but a little more zing. The Superalloys delivered. They are not slap happy strings like a new set of steels but they have the round would upper harmonic definition with a low mid hump that punches like hell if that's what you're looking for.

Dave
 
#11
I used D'Addario Chrome Flats for a very long time, until I finally got smart and bought a set of Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats..............best thing I ever did to get the most out of my StingRay 5. They are without a doubt the best flatwounds ever made. The place to buy TI Flats is www.bassemporium.com They have the best prices anywhere, but then again I play a fiver and paid $53 for mine. Or order your four string set through www.carolkaye.com. She has the best four string TI Flats price the last time I looked. Carol Kaye tells a story that she kept the same set of TI Flats on one of her basses for like five years or something like that and she played it everyday in studios and shows. She doesn't baby her strings either......she has a strong pick stroke and those TI Flats never dulled out.....they just got better with age. She also said that she sold that bass and the person that bought it played it for another three or so years with the same strings!!!!! So if you are fussy about price.....forget it. TI Flats are the least expensive strings on the market in the long run.

John
 

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