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The TalkBass String Comparison Sound Clip Thread!

#383
Audio redo. Playing not so much!

Reviving the thread!
Spidey2112 said:
Looking forward to it!
Click to expand...


Apex Cryos! About $25 for a four string set with shipping.
stc45105-jpg.jpg

Hey Guys,
So the Apex Cryos arrived a few days ago. I just put them on and did a quick recording. Please excuse the terrible playing!
If memory serves, these feel very much like Dean Markley Blue Steels. Gauge 45-105. I've read some of the staff of Dean Markley started the company? They definitely feel rougher on my fingers than the DR Hi Beams which wasn't surprising.I find Hi Beams to be very smooth for a stainless steel string. The Apex strings while rougher are not horribly so. Close to the feel of Dunlop Super Bright stainless, maybe? I'm glad to report they don't feel "sticky" or "grabby" as I used to find Dean Markley Blue Steels. They are stiffer than the Hi Beams and I will need to adjust the truss rod just a smidge on my Spector Euro to compensate but I want to wait a day. They feel somewhat flexible. Not as flexible as the Hi Beams which is fine. Sometimes I feel the DR's can be too flexible when I'm digging in. The Apex seem to have more mid content than the Hi Beams and sound grittier or growlier to my ears. More lower mids and mid mids not hi mids like the Hi Beams with less treble extension. The Apex do have a nice "new string" twang to them.
I did have a slight problem trying to find a flat setting on my Euro but I think I'm close. I didn't use any compression or additional EQ or processing, so you are hearing just the bass and the strings. I do a little slap, finger style and some pitiful pick playing. Again this is just a quick, rough recording so be merciful! :)
Happy New Years all!
Brent
 

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#385
Hey Guys,
I picked up a set of Ken Smith Rockmasters and put them on my Spector Euro.
My first impressions are that they are probably the shiniest stainless steel roundwound I have ever seen! :) Many brands look dark grey and dull to me but these look almost like nickelwounds at least to me. (Love the purple silks too! ;))
They feel VERY tight to me. High tension. They actually remind me of GHS Progressives? Not surprising I guess as @GTHintz told me they are made by GHS.
I was hoping for a little more twang from a stainless but I'm coming from Rotosound Swing Bass and DR Hi Beams territory. The high end in these is a little more subdued and balanced. Lots of low end on these buggers too! I have my Spector set as flat as possible and you can still hear the thump.
I want to hear what they sound like when they settle in. Would I buy them again? I guess I'll will have to give them more time. I got this set on sale so the price wasn't bad at all. But I have a feeling the tension will get to me. These do feel more stiff to me than my favorite Rotosounds or even D'addario XL's in the 45-105 gauge which I feel are super tight. But my Spector's neck didn't need to be adjusted after the install so maybe it's just me?
Anyway here is a clip of me fingerstyle and with a pick. No amp sims or EQ just a smidge of compression. Towards the end of the clip I did turn on the Ampeg SVt sim on my Bass Pod XT and the little bit at the end is the GK 800RB sim through a Hartke cab. My apologies, I didn't check my levels but I think you will know when the SVT is on.
Please be kind. This was a very quick recording!
Stay healthy y'all,
Brent
 

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#386
Hey Guys,
Made a quick clip of the Pro Steels on my lovely Peacock Blue Peavey Cirrus. Too bad my playing isn't as lovely but you will get the drift. Fingerstyle then with a pick. To me they sound more gritty than growly? Maybe?
All settings are flat. Bass into my Bass Pod Xt with everything bypassed.
Stay healthy y'all,
Brent
 

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#388
Spidey2112 said:
Between the two, my taste leans more towards the Ken Smith set, Brent.

Is it the bass, or the strings, or both?

Which one of the DR offerings would you say comes close to the GHS Pressurewounds?
Click to expand...
Ah ha! See, I am more of a Grittytwanger myself? I think my Cirrus is naturally brighter than my Spector OR I may have been cutting highs on the Spector and didn't realize it. Sometimes it's hard to tell on the Tonepump preamp. I usually just set it where it sounds good and then that's it, but I wanted to get as flat as possible for the recording.
I wish the Pro Steels felt as smooth as the Rockmasters. The Rockmasters really feel like a nickel roundwound. At least to my fingers. But power cables nonetheless! ;)
You know Tim I don't know if DR has a comparative offering to the Pressurewounds? I've never tried them before as I really enjoy a really bright top end (Gank!). I did try GHS Brite Flats on my Ibanez fretless eons ago and liked them.
 
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#389
BrentSimons said:
Hey Guys,
I picked up a set of Ken Smith Rockmasters and put them on my Spector Euro.
My first impressions are that they are probably the shiniest stainless steel roundwound I have ever seen! :) Many brands look dark grey and dull to me but these look almost like nickelwounds at least to me. (Love the purple silks too! ;))
They feel VERY tight to me. High tension. They actually remind me of GHS Progressives? Not surprising I guess as @GTHintz told me they are made by GHS.
I was hoping for a little more twang from a stainless but I'm coming from Rotosound Swing Bass and DR Hi Beams territory. The high end in these is a little more subdued and balanced. Lots of low end on these buggers too! I have my Spector set as flat as possible and you can still hear the thump.
I want to hear what they sound like when they settle in. Would I buy them again? I guess I'll will have to give them more time. I got this set on sale so the price wasn't bad at all. But I have a feeling the tension will get to me. These do feel more stiff to me than my favorite Rotosounds or even D'addario XL's in the 45-105 gauge which I feel are super tight. But my Spector's neck didn't need to be adjusted after the install so maybe it's just me?
Anyway here is a clip of me fingerstyle and with a pick. No amp sims or EQ just a smidge of compression. Towards the end of the clip I did turn on the Ampeg SVt sim on my Bass Pod XT and the little bit at the end is the GK 800RB sim through a Hartke cab. My apologies, I didn't check my levels but I think you will know when the SVT is on.
Please be kind. This was a very quick recording!
Stay healthy y'all,
Brent
Click to expand...
Sweet tone on these strings. Your sound is very familiar to the queensryche meets Pantera tone. You're getting lots of punch and it's not twangy like rotos but it's a clean punch which most of the time is perfect unless your bass is too clean already in which it'll leave some wanting something extra. I like your tone though and hopefully the stiffness will ease up. I didn't find them too stiff but I can really dig in so it's just a matter of what strings are what time for me.
 
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#390
And I'll ad that your tone with the pro steel is what I expected and very similar vibe to what I got when I tried them on my Warwick. They actually felt stiffer than Rockmasters to me. I just didn't care for the sterility. Yes they are bright but they sound really bland vs Rockmasters or rotos or blue steel especially. There's whatever frequency that doesn't show up and it really disappointed me. Once again if your bass has a mudbucker or you play a thunderbird it could mesh well with the mud and grit and you wouldn't be loosing anything but on a clean bartolini or emg or even mec it just doesn't do it for me. If I still had my p bass I'd probably be happy to play them. It would be awesome to hear the strings swapped on both basses and hear what they do with the sound.
 
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