Strings and Tuning

[Michael Delacerda (dela217)]

I have been using flatwounds on most of my basses lately.  I have been using the Thomastic-Infeld Jazz Flats.  I needed some new strings on my Alembic custom that they made for me a couple of years back.  Instead of using the Thoms, I put on a set of D'Addario Chromes.  I went to the gig with these strings on my bass and it was a real disaster.  My bass sounded horribly out of tune!  I kept checking the tuning with a rack mount Furman tuner that I always use.  According to the tuner.  It was exactly in tune! Even open notes compared with the keyboardist produced an unpleasant out of tune sound.  It was definately not the intonation. When I would chord the instrument, it sounded in tune with itself, but not with other instruments. I had to switch strings in the middle of a set.  It was traumatic.  Once I put another brand of string on, the bass was checked with the tuner and this time SOUNDED in tune!  Anyone else have this problem with the D'Addario's?  It is definately not the bass.

[Michael DeVincenzo (jlpicard)]

Hi Michael,I've just installed a set of D'Addario
Chromes on my 86' Distillate and all I can say is  
I HATE THEM!! I'm not sure if it's because this is the first set of flats I've used in many years or that the strings are truly inferior.All I can tell you is I did not like the stiffness or the sound.I will give Flats one last try with the Thomastics but I'm not very optimistic.As for intonation, I did not notice anything unusual. I used to get a bum set of strings from time to time that have weird overtones but I have not run across a set like that in years.

[Michael Delacerda (dela217)]

Michael - I found the D'addario Chromes very stiff too.  I put them on just to use something different.  The D'Addario's are a Stainless flat, where The Thomastics are Nickel.  I find the Thomastics MUCH more flexible and warmer sounding.  That is what I am using on my Series II graphite necked Alembic.  I like those Thoms a lot.  It had been about 20 years since I used to use flatwound strings regularly.  I really have fallen in love with the Thomastic's feel and tone.

[Chris G. (76ac070)]

I'll say this one more time....if you can find a set of the Pyramid SS/multicore flats, you'll absolutely LOVE them!  Kind of pricey, though.
 
Chris

[Michael Delacerda (dela217)]

Chris - I agree I like the Pyramid flats too.  I used these for a while in the 70's.  I stopped getting them for no real reason.  I guess I just went on to a different sound.  I went to Rotosound, DR Highbeams for a while and then to the Thoms.  I will probably go full circle and try some Pyramids again.  I see that www.juststrings.com has them at a not too outrageous price.  I know that these used to be very expensive by 70's standards.  I remember getting sets of Rotosounds for under $10, around the 8 buck range or so.  I am old.

[Chris G. (76ac070)]

OOPS! - there I was under the presumption that the Pyramid flats were SS - just goes to show you how OLD I am!!  Correction - they're nickel.
Michael, I think that we've indicated that we're both from the same era.  BTW - I believe that all of the work on 76AC070 is nearly complete and she is (hopefully) coming home SOON.  Since you know the instrument, youll enjoy seeing the pix that I'll post in the Custom area.
 
Chris

[john foster (johnf)]

Hello Michael - I ran a set of D'addario Chromes on a Fender Precision bass and had the same problem. Constantly sounds out of tune & poor tone to boot.

[john foster (johnf)]

Any body had any experience with Dean Markley ground wound strings?

[Brian Ceasar (bbe1020)]

No, but before I switched to Thomastik POWERBASS strings, I used Dean Markley SR2000 lights. These lasted much longer than the Ken Smith taper core. The Thomastik strings are WORTHY...    

[Frank Orlando (frank_orlando)]

I like a bright sound and get it from GHS Boomers. I'm using a .105/85/65/45 on my shortscale Essence. I'm getting a lot of compliments on the sound. I'm going through an Ampeg 3Pro/4x10/15. Anyone else palying a shortscale have a roundwound string to recommend?Frank

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi there friends,
I'm in a terrible work-fase so I have not the time to jump into discussion regulary. Now  I can just write this about the strings I use.
Originally I used superwounds (now by Rotosound I guess) on my S II five string. They were naked core (I guess you call it) and they were great. Helas, hard to find over here in Belgium. After that I used D'addadario Round wound. I don't remember the numbers but they were called soft so I guess they were not too heavy as gauge. I used them for a couple of years.
A week ago I switched to DR (hex core - thight wound) and I went for this odd gauge: 120-100-80-60-40. Well it looks like an even serie but ...they sound exactly like that. I find Alembics to have a tremendous response so in my feel the low tones are frequently out of control. That's why I went for less powerfull strings. They have a light feel and they sound very even on every position and giving good result on slight finger trills knowing that I play  a fretted bass.
Now for the flatwounds.
In the big-band I play a Fendder Jazz-bass. With the rythm section I agreed to look for an old sound. So I decided to leave the Elixirs roundwounds on it and go for flatwounds. The shop here in the neighbourhoud was friendly enough to order for me ...D'Addario chromes flatwounds but here I again went for the lightest gauge offered. Low E is .95 I think. Now unfortunately they didn't arrive yet. I promise you to keep you posted when I get them on and did some work with them. It's possible they turn out wrong (because the jazz-bass has definitely NOT the response like the Alembic) but hey ... that's what it's all about in looking for sound: I'll change again... to the heavier gauge of D'Addario or another brand. Admit: you'll easier buy another set strings then another Alembic.
About Tune.
(It's a feeling of mine and I want to start another  discussion on shaping bass-sounds  but I'll keep that for the future when I'll have some more time to react.
I think that the tuning-problem you have is in fact ... in your ears. The bass sound from a  flatwound is different from a roundwound. I say: a flatwound on an electric bass gives the bass-sound poor edge. So the note you play spill of its sound to the next you play and starts mixing up weird with higher sounding instruments. I studied upright-bass for 4 years and in that time I had the time to compare with the electric I had and how Sound was formed. The accoustic characteristics of the up-right bass (wood-clicks, touch, woodcontacts,the playing physics) are adding the correct edge to the sound of the flat strings. An edge hard to obtain in the electric way. I even had some experience with tuning the electric bass with flatwounds a slightly bit higher. There was this old bass-player who told me :the bass sound has the character to 'lower' a bit making the voyage to the audience. And it's for some reason more audible with flatwounds. On my old Korg tuner I tune my strings a slightly bit above the green middle position.
Maybe all rubbish ...a mere feel of me.
Anyway ... I was glad to be again with you all and will keep in touch when I'll have the time.
Be Alembicious!
Paul

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

Short scale bass strings for my ALEMBIC.
After some over zealous plucking the other day I've broken the D string on my short scale Alembic Stanley Clarke. I like the sound of the alembic strings that came with the bass as standard and need some replacements. Unfortunately Alembic strings are not easy to find in the UK.
My question is do I have to buy short scale strings or can I just use standard length strings?
If you could recommend alternatives to the alembic strings until I can order some I'd be grateful. Or let me know where I can get the alembic ones in the UK

[Paul Lindemans (palembic)]

Hi Jazzy,
 
maybe the Alembicians can send you some strings?
I'm quite shure there are some UK-originated strings that make good SS. Rotosound?
 
Paul

[Jazzy Vee (jazzyvee)]

Well I think I'm going to have to buy some from Alembic since I can't get any where I live.
 
The music shops I've been to here don't really have a big stock of strings, they just have the most popular ones which i didn't want.
 
On recommendation from another alembic user I've ordered a set of Rotosound Pressure wounds and a set of the rotosound that apparently Clarkee uses.
 
That will keep me going till I get the alembic strings.

[gale barchus (gbarchus)]

I bought two sets of Pyramid Gold flatwounds and both E strings broke when tuning up. So I never got a chance to hear them. I contacted Pyramid and they told me that the strings were not designed for a 34 inch scale (the windings should not go around the tuner post) and they would replace them with the proper length. I'm still waiting 6 months later.