Thomastik or D'Addario Chromes through the body or not

I ran Chromes through body for years with no issues. I have since moved on to lighter-gauged strings and now the TI's flats are my absolute faves (as of 3 days ago). I run them top-loaded only as there is still some debate as to whether through-body really makes a difference (personally, I don't notice anything). Plus, since I keep flats for years and years, not stringing them through-body allows me to swap them between any of my basses without fighting 'the kink'.

 

I've converted completely to D'Addario Chrome flats and this after trying many strings (except the TI's because I don't want to spend that kind of money on strings). As far as string through or top load, when I recently bought my jazz bass the strings were through the body... no problem, BUT when I replaced the rounds that were on it with my flats I decided to top load even though i was always under the impression that going through the body would yield better sustain. That being said, I do believe I am getting better sustain top loading through the bridge. I don't think it's just my imagination either but, if it is I will continue to top load through the bridge instead of going through the body anyway because it seemed to have made a noticeable difference.

 

Massive hardware, wow.

 

Are the Chromes long enough to go through the body without cutting the silk?

I would measure first. I had to buy extra long Chromes for my Sterling Classic to string through the body. My P bass has TI's, but no string through the body option so the regular length was fine. Both 34" scale.

Regardless, both are amazing strings in their own way!

 

Long scale Chromes are too short for my T-40 by 1/2-3/4". Was very disappointed when I pulled the E through and saw all that silk on the wrong side of the nut.

 

Nice gift! Someone loves you!

The pics look like the TIs?

 

I have done both makes of strings thru body with no issues at all. I will never buy a bass that is thru body stringed ever again. If it offers both thru and thru bridge good but no thru body only. Thru body offers no effect on tone to me and I have to buy long scale strings which is a hassle.

 

To my knowledge, only LaBella advises against thru-body, and perhaps only on their DTF's. I too have never noticed a sonic difference either way.

 

I think LaBella now offers a string specifically designed to go through body. But as a 5 string player, I think I've officially abandoned Tapered B's for flats. That, unfortunately, includes LaBella and Sadowsky...

 

thru-body is for chic's...





j/k

 

One of the glitches I have noticed with through-body is where the strings pass through the bridge itself. Some bridges that are poorly designed have the holes too close to the saddles making for too sharp of a break, there may be intonation problems, so you really have to press the bejebbers out of the strings to witness-point them properly.

 

Through the body.

 

Just what I was thinking. What kind of bridge is that?

 

If you're still looking for flats, give the GHS a try. They're so long I've got 3/4 of a turn around the peg of my E string:

 

No idea if string thru the body adds anything but I do know I sound my best using them. And flats have never been a problem, from bendy TI's to super heavy GHS 115 to 55 cables, and everything in between. All have performed as intended.