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TI Flats was a no..... D'Addario Chromes was a....

dregsfan

dregsfan

*Spay And Neuter*
Sep 13, 2006
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Texas
#1
So I recently tried the TI flats and didn't care for them. So I'm thinking, OK I don't like flats.

But I remember playing some D'Addario Chromes one time and really liked them except for
(you know what I'm going to say) .......... the high tension/stiffness.

(The Chromes and TI's seemed very different from each other, even though both are flats.)

What's the closest to, if anything, to the Chromes?
It would possibly be cool if they made the Chromes with a round core. :thumbsup:

Any thoughts appreciated.
 
#2
dregsfan said:
So I recently tried the TI flats and didn't care for them. So I'm thinking, OK I don't like flats.

But I remember playing some D'Addario Chromes one time and really liked them except for
(you know what I'm going to say) .......... the high tension/stiffness.

(The Chromes and TI's seemed very different from each other, even though both are flats.)

What's the closest to, if anything, to the Chromes?
It would possibly be cool if they made the Chromes with a round core. :thumbsup:

Any thoughts appreciated.
Click to expand...

I use chromes in the 40 to 95 gauge and they feel the same as my normal 45 to 105 in round wound. I am quite happy with them.
 
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#4
I started out with the Chromes ECB81, 45-65-80-100, and found the 45G and the 65D noticeably tighter and stiffer than the 80A and the 100E. Then tried the ECB84, 40-60-80-100, and found them better-balanced and more manageable.

I haven't used the Chromes in a long while, but if I were to use them again, I would go all the way down to the ECB80, 40-60-75-95.

Just for comparison...

D'A XL Nickel Roundwound EXL170, 45-65-80-100 = 165.64 lbs. in total tension.
D'A Chromes Flatwound ECB80, 40-60-75-95 = 163.10 lbs. in total tension.
 
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#6
michael_t said:
I started out with the Chromes ECB81, 45-65-80-100, and found the 45G and the 65D noticeably tighter and stiffer than the 80A and the 100E. Then tried the ECB84, 40-60-80-100, and found them better-balanced and more manageable.

I haven't used the Chromes in a long while, but if I were to use them again, I would go all the way down to the ECB80, 40-60-75-95.

Just for comparison...

D'A XL Nickel Roundwound EXL170, 45-65-80-100 = 165.64 lbs. in total tension.
D'A Chromes Flatwound ECB80, 40-60-75-95 = 163.10 lbs. in total tension.
Click to expand...

Very cool.
Thanks michael
 
#7
I once had Chromes in 45–60–80–105, and now have Pro Steels in 50–65–85–110. The feel is so similar that I went and calculated the total tensions of the two sets: 184 vs 181 lbs.

From this I concluded that when trying Chromes for the first time, it's worth starting off one step lighter in gauge, ie if you're used to EXL170 (45–65–80–100) try the ECB80 (40–60–75–95)

If you think about the relative surfaces of the two strings, it does make sense: the gauge describes the string at its greatest width. A flat is at that width for most of its length, whereas once a round reaches that width it immediately starts curving away.
 
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#8
+1 on lighter gauge Chromes.

My 1st encounter with Chromes was also with the 45-100 set (and 132 low-B + 32 high-C). Now, I'm using the aforementioned ECB80 set (with the 132 B since they are on a 5er). But, I swapped the 60 D with a 55 from Chromes single collections to make them more balance tension.

And to make this post more like @michael_t 's :) (though my data come from D'Addario tension_chart.pdf file available on D'Addario website, which are somewhat different from the figures posted on its website), my custom set of Chromes tensions are:
40 G = 37.6 lbs
55 D = 36.6 lbs
75 A = 36.4 lbs
95 E = 35.2 lbs
132 B = 35.9 lbs
(the 60 D from the ECB80 set = 45.2 lbs).

For comparison, the ECB81 set are:
45 G = 45.7 lbs
65 D = 52 lbs
80 A = 43.7 lbs
100 E = 38.4 lbs.
 
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#10
dregsfan said:
So I recently tried the TI flats and didn't care for them. So I'm thinking, OK I don't like flats.

But I remember playing some D'Addario Chromes one time and really liked them except for
(you know what I'm going to say) .......... the high tension/stiffness.

(The Chromes and TI's seemed very different from each other, even though both are flats.)

What's the closest to, if anything, to the Chromes?
It would possibly be cool if they made the Chromes with a round core. :thumbsup:

Any thoughts appreciated.
Click to expand...
I've played both .. and also other types of flatwound strings.
You may try the Rotosound SM77; they are characterized by a stiffness which falls between that of the TI and that of the Chromes, and, moreover, they are cheap.
The tone is a typical flatwound vintage tone, a little dark thus but nice (at least to my hears).
 
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#13
I use Chromes 100- 40 and find them pretty similar in tension feel to TIs and 105-45 rounds and really like the balance. They are my go to flatwound. I can go back and forth between basses and strings several times in a day. I am using two P bass right now. One with Chromes and the other with Super Brights. I actually think the rounds feel stiffer. But different action and necks change the feel a bit too. I have TIs on the fretless J, Stingray and the hollowbody right now, but they are not out today.
 
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#16
sxaxsx said:
The closest strings to Chromes that I have tried are Fender 9050 flats. I like them a smidge more than Chromes. Go down a gauge to find the tension you like.
Click to expand...
Fender 9050 are or feel actually stiffer than Chromes IMO .. I’ve taken them off the bass I put them on for this reason.
They definitely can’t be considered a bridge between Chromes and TI.
They are cheap though!
 
#17
2saddleslab said:
How long did you give the TI's?
Click to expand...

Not long at all. Only having one bass (P bass) I just knew that's not what I wanted.
(wait a minute, could this be a reason to buy another bass :laugh:)

And the Chromes may not be what I want. It's been so long ago that I played some. But I think giving them (another) try is a good idea.

Appreciate everyone's suggestions. :thumbsup:
 
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#18
Aidil said:
+1 on lighter gauge Chromes.

My 1st encounter with Chromes was also with the 45-100 set (and 132 low-B + 32 high-C). Now, I'm using the aforementioned ECB80 set (with the 132 B since they are on a 5er). But, I swapped the 60 D with a 55 from Chromes single collections to make them more balance tension.

And to make this post more like @michael_t 's :) (though my data come from D'Addario tension_chart.pdf file available on D'Addario website, which are somewhat different from the figures posted on its website), my custom set of Chromes tensions are:
40 G = 37.6 lbs
55 D = 36.6 lbs
75 A = 36.4 lbs
95 E = 35.2 lbs
132 B = 35.9 lbs
(the 60 D from the ECB80 set = 45.2 lbs).


For comparison, the ECB81 set are:
45 G = 45.7 lbs
65 D = 52 lbs
80 A = 43.7 lbs
100 E = 38.4 lbs.
Click to expand...


Thanks for this. :thumbsup:
 
#20
dregsfan said:
Not long at all. Only having one bass (P bass) I just knew that's not what I wanted.
(wait a minute, could this be a reason to buy another bass :laugh:)

And the Chromes may not be what I want. It's been so long ago that I played some. But I think giving them (another) try is a good idea.

Appreciate everyone's suggestions. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
They're like wine, they get better with age. Had mine on a Rickenbacker for 3 years and they really do age quite well.
 
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