which strings pull the hardest?

[kiramdear]

There you go again, and I still don't get it

[johnallg]

But flats aren't fun...

+1

Sure they are. I get inspired using them, but differently than with rounds. Different feel, different vibe. Its all good!

[jps]

I did a gig last night with my Chromes equipped '67 4005WB, sounded great, especially through my VT Bass pedal.

[kiramdear]

To get that piano-y clank? So many overtones come off rounds.

Cool. Sounds like a nice ax you've put together. I don't know what kind of music you play, though. I've been from rock-a-billy trio to British invasion, Tex-folkie stuff and much more. I used to be quite the little studio mouse. But live I get on well in a smaller ensemble because I'm, well, solid but busy.
I'm impressed with the sound of the chromes. Clankage seems ample. Plenty of growl and sharp bite. You can't keep a good bass down. The overtones are now somewhat subdued, less transparent, that you bring it up, but are still present and accounted for. I usually roll them off a little anyway, along with any excess string noise. I think this bass will be a fine all-around go-to player with these strings, while I save up for a roundwound-laden sibling or two. And maybe another to wear the T-I's A girl can never have too many options you know.

[jps]

In recent years I found that I don't need those ear bleeding highs that most roundwounds produce. My bass sits much better in the mix and is still prominent with flats; even TI JRs have a somewhat subdude extreme treble that fits perfectly. A big + to those strings is the low tension and small outer wrap wire that makes them much smoother feeling. I had to laugh when one time at Guitar Center a sales drone thought he was playing flats when it was the Jazz Rounds! They are quite smooth feeling, great for fingertips and frets.

[paologregorio]

Fascinating discussion.

I'm a roundwound guy myself. Gotta be able to do pick slides, even on bass.

Oh, and I wish to add a caveat to my signature this morning; there may be no reason to ever be bored, but there are reasons to be tired, such as when someone's fax machine auto dials one's phone at 4:30 AM, awakening one from a sound sleep-quite annoying, especially when it's impossible to fall BACK asleep afterwards.

[rickaddict]

I don't think roundwounds are so much fun, they're rough on my fingers and harder to slide around on. I have a busy, kinda slippery-slidy playing style, a bit o' the Macca if I may say so. And with bright flats like the chromes, I'm not missing anything from the springy roundwound sound except a bit of string noise. Why work harder than I have to?

This is odd to me. I've heard from one other person who said rounds hurt his finger tips and flats didn't. For me, I think its the other way around. I'd describe my playing style the same way you just described yours, Kira. I slide around a lot. I play finger-style. And I find flats to have more finger-tip "stick-tion" on both hands. I think it has to do with more contact area between string and fingertip on the flats. I guess it depends on what rounds you're talking about. Some of them can be kinda rough feeling, others are buttery-smooth. I have a few of my (newer) Ricks strung with Elixers. They have a very thin Gore-Tex (plastic?) coating. They're the slickest feeling strings I've ever played. They go on a little less bright than most nickel rounds, but keep that tone for much longer than the others. I use mediums, but they're kinda high tension so I don't use them on any of my 4001's, just a few 4003's, a V63, and my C64S. Maybe a light set would be appropriate for the older necks.

The Ernie Ball Slinkys I use on some of my 4001's are non-coated and are pretty smooth, but not like the Elixers.

[chefothefuture]

I like the Ken Smith rock masters. The purple silk looks too cool...
Oh yeah, you can get a 45-100 set with a 65 for a D....
The purple silk tho.......

[kiramdear]

Great stuff, guys,

This is all well-noted. I don't know what brand of stainless rounds came with the bass but they felt similar enough to Rotos, which I've used a lot through the years on my old Ripper. Hard to believe rounds could feel smoother than flats, but I'm willing to be convinced. I know what you mean about contact area, Jeff, one can bog down if the strings aren't real dry and clean. My hands don't really sweat so it's not a problem. 'Course I use a real low action too.
I'm using a lighter right hand in general on this bass than any other bass I've had. With a cheaper instrument I usually muscle it a bit more, trying to get some @#$% TONE out of it, but the Rick is SOOO responsive I don't need to heavy-hand it. It's a whole nuther animal.
I'm very curious about the thinly-wrapped rounds which were mentioned, the Elixirs.
I need more Ricks!!

[jps]

Great stuff, guys,

I need more Ricks!!

That's the spirit!

[kiramdear]

I'm so, er, thrifty I'll have to wait till these wear out to try the next set! I may never get to the bottom of the list

[johnallg]

Flats wear out???








I thought they just continued to break in.

[jingle_jangle]

They get...flat...

[jps]

Jeffrey: Why not give us a description of the differences in tone and feel.

I'll work on that!

It is difficult to really compare these different strings as none of my basses have anything identical to be able to provide a fair comparison.

Feb '67 4005WB - two toasters, one short magnet, one long magnet - Chromes (40-55-75-95)
March '73 4001 - toaster/RI horseshoe - TI Jazz Rounds
July '73 4001 - toaster/hi-gain - TI Jazz Rounds
April '98 4001V63 - scatterwound toaster/RI horseshoe - Chromes (40-55-75-95)
May '08 4003 - two hi-gains - TI Jazz Flats

Given that, no two basses will sound the same!

Comparing the Chromes on the V63 to the TI JFs on the 4003 I can say that the TI Jazz Flats feel virtually the same in tension to the 40-55-75-95 set of Chromes I use; the TIs are just the slightest bit rougher in feel. The Jazz Rounds are quite a bit lower in tension and have a very slinky feel to them; having very small diameter outer wrap wire these strings are a lot smoother than typical roundwounds, one person who played them thought they were flatwound strings!

Both sets of flatwound strings are brighter than you would normally expect of flats. and provide nice growl on the Ricks. The JRs are not as ear shatteringly bright as most rounds but do still have plenty of zing in them, plus, they seem to last far longer than other roundwound strings.

[kiramdear]

Jeffrey, thanks for the breakdown. I'll definitely bookmark this for when my flats go flat. The jazz rounds seem like a good one to try next.