Giving Chromes a shot...

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:40 pm

A new nut? What's wrong with the one that plays it now? (gotcha!)

beatlefan · Post by **beatlefan** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:43 pm

(rimshot)

I've been playing the wb most of the day today...I'm working on using all 5 fingers and the smoothness of the chromes has been helping....I love the sound..

bobcat · Post by **bobcat** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 2:19 pm

I distinctly remember EVERY string having really high tension, not just one of them. That was the main problem I had with them; they were harder to play, despite their smoothness, than *every* other string I'd ever played. I don't recall if my Chromes were "Super Softs" or not; I got the only available set on MusiciansFriend at the time, so all I was paying attention to was whether they were D'addario Chromes or not. I might try them again if, as you say, the "Super Soft" set is low tension . . . the one's I had felt like freaking double bass strings, they required so much force to move. Hmmm . . . I'm still debating though, if I want to switch to DR Lo-Riders, but no one can tell me what the differences are between the Lo-Riders and the Hi-Beams (which I currently have).

The best thing would be if Chromes sounded EXACTLY like Hi-Beams, but were still as smooth.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:17 pm

Chromes comes in several different guage sets, the heavier sets would have the feel you recall. The standard sets are ECB 80 Super Soft:40-95, ECB 81 Soft: 45-100, ECB 82 Regular 50-105.

I have a feeling that if you "got the only available set on MusiciansFriend at the time", it was the Regular set.

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:27 pm

I just put together four sets of the supersoft at Juststrings. Instead of buying the extra .55 guage, I purchased all single strings. Saves about $5 bucks a set. What do you do with that .60 anyway?

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 3:59 pm

Strangle the cat!

I'm surprised that buying all singles is less pricey, not that they are very pricey to begin with, as they last a lonnnngggg time.

The last time I bought them it was cheaper to buy a set and one single, I think there has been a change in pricing to our advantage!

marc61 · Post by **marc61** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:10 pm

That, or my math was wrong.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:14 pm

Your math is correct, I checked. Not your math, Just Strings!

shinynewtoy · Post by **shinynewtoy** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:31 pm

If I'd known someone sold singles, I wouldn't have bought a whole set when I broke the brand-new A on my Beatle bass....

bobcat · Post by **bobcat** » Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:01 pm

I definitely didn't buy the Regular set, because I know I have never owned a string set with a G-string heavier than .045. I think I bought the .045-.100 set, the "Soft" set. I might try Super-Soft in the future . . . but that'll wait until my DR's run out of life, which hasn't happened after four months!

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Dec 07, 2005 3:19 pm

I've had Chromes on a couple of my basses now for a couple of years and they still sound good to me.

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:06 pm

Robert, The Lo-Riders have a hex core and the Sunbeams have a round core. This means the Sunbeams will be a little more flexible than the Lo-Riders are. I use the nickel Lo-Riders (45-105) on my 4003. I think the Sunbeams are nickel too. I'm not 100% sure though as I've never used them. The nickel Lo-Riders sound great though. So do the Chromes (45-100) that I have on my V63. I don't want to use flats heaver than that.

david_schwab · Post by **david_schwab** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:14 pm

I stopped using Chromes because they were a bit stiff and the D string sounded different... no doubt that's why others are using a lighter D. And this was the 45-100 set.

I haven't used flats in a while, but I still swear by LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass stainless flats.

The tension is nice and light and they have a nice lively sound. My last set lasted two years.. and then I broke one!

rickfan63 · Post by **rickfan63** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 12:37 pm

I believe that's what McCartney uses on his Hofner and Rickenbacker basses. According to what I read in Bass Player magazine, he uses the light guage set 39-96 I think.

sublimate · Post by **sublimate** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:41 am

I just priced them at juststrings and it was cheaper for the set plus the one string,

than for all individual strings.

Do I have the wrong strings or have they changed prices again?