Pickup height problems

[David Houck]

And no doubt both of you are filling your reefers with beer!  (No not those reefers!!)

[keith_h]

(No not those reefers!!)  
I would hope not. They wouldn't burn very well if  
they were all wet from the beer.  
 
Keith
Had enough for the day and going to get a cold one

[dfung60]

Whoops, I could have been clearer.  When you go to the appliance shop these days, you'll see a lot of beautiful raw stainless steel doors, usually a $100-400 upcharge from regular steel.  When you get that one home, your kids will be disappointed because magnets don't stick to them.
 
Our refrigerator is regular steel and, like yours it totally covered with magnetic letters, pictures, and a gigantic collection of every magnetic business card/pizza order number that's ever been given to me.  My wife would love to see those disappear!
 
David Fung

[bigredbass]

OK, as long as you guys are on this fabulous Mr. Wizard roll, what is GHS talking about when they say they use 'filament' wire on certain strings?
 
J o e y

[dfung60]

Joey - That's an interesting question.  I did a couple of Google searches on filament grade and variations and it doesn't seem to have any meaning outside of GHS' marketing!  Most of the non-GHS references are actually related to graphite and composite fabrics rather than steel.
 
There's probably a good reason they used this name, based on something the wire vendor said.  I notice that they don't make Progressives anymore, but that strings like their Pressurewounds are made with Alloy 52 which is also magnetically active.
 
A skeptical guy would probably just say that this is marketspeak in action.  I guess we could write to GHS about it.

[bigredbass]

df60:
 
I actually have been talking to GHS, but forgot to ask exactly what 'filament' wire meant.  They were very kind to send me a present of some of their accessories and a Boomers TShirt.
 
They changed their mind due to consumer pressure to keep Progressives in production.  Always wanted to try one of the Gary Willis sets.  They dropped the 'B52s' but still make strings with 'Alloy 52'.  Marketspeak sure gets deep, but I've always used Boomers, always been very consistent for me.  Plus it seems like every time I like some other string, they go away!  And for some reason, NOBODY in Nashville carries Thomastiks or Alembics.  Plus I'm always disappointed I find relatively few choices in five-string sets here.  But I can always find Boomers so they've become my string-du-jour.
 
J o e y

[olieoliver]

Joey,
When I was playing full time I would change my strings every week and the Boomers are what I would use. They do have a good sound especially when new and they are very affordable. I have noticed in the last 5 years (being semi retired I don't change my strings as often now) or so that they don't seem to retain that bright sound as long though. And every so often I will get a set right out of the bag that just doesn't sound right. Anyway for the working basssist without an endorsement they are the perfest combo of affordability and quality!

[dfung60]

Joey -  
 
I like the Boomers too.  Given my druthers, I find that Rotosound Swing Bass strings are just perfect for me in the 4 string set, but somehow, the Rotosound low B is totally not happening!  I really like the piano-like zing of a new set of roundwounds for the 3 days or so that it lasts.  But most of the time, I'm not all the keen on really bright strings.  Rotos are stainless steel wrapped, but generally I would prefer the tone of nickel plated strings.  Stainless maintains their sound much longer, but if you don't like the sound of the strings, why would I want it to keep sounding like that?!?  :-)  Rotos are stainless, but don't sound like that to me.
 
I still vary 5-string sets with different basses, but I favor the Boomer 5-string sets if the particulars of the bass don't favor something else.
 
When I had my last Series II built, I had the factory set it up with Markley Blue Steels which seemed kind of interesting at the time (this was a long time ago, in the early 90s and these strings were new).  This string has a very nice quality feel, but just sounds terrible to me.  That bass has had Boomers since then, although I will go for long, long periods of time between changes.  
 
On some of my other 5-string basses, I found that I liked D'Addario Slowounds, which are no longer made.  D'Addario says that advances in their manufacturing mean there's no difference between the Slowounds and the XLs.  It sure doesn't sound that way to me - I find that the XLs have a pretty wimpy sound compared to the Slos, although I think the low B does vibrate better in the XL set.  I've got DR Low-Riders on some Modulus basses as well, although they seem a little thin to me too compared to the Rotosound 4-string set.
 
On guitars, I used to use D'Addario XLs most of the time, but over the last 10 years, many manufacturers have brought out pure nickel wrapped roundwounds, like they were in the 60s (not that I was playing then).  The Gibson Vintages or even the Ernie Ball Classic Rock 'n' Roll Slinkys are a huge plus for guitar tone in my book.

[bigredbass]

I like nickel too.  The Fender 'pure nickel' we spoke of earlier ARE available for fives:  You get the four string set and you can buy the same string in single 130s, if you're so inclined.
 
Rotos are real cheap these days, they make nickel sets (the blue labels) but I can never find them. The Swing Bass sets just varied so much;  it finally dawned on me they spend a lot of time at sea in containers to get here. Hmmm...
 
I would like to try the new Markley Rocco strings, nickel wound on round cores (like round cores too), believe they're called RPS.
 
Boomers always do seem to work on anything, at least till you find your exact preference.
 
J o e y