Opinions on D'Addario Half Rounds please?

[Pinball]

Hi I have been using Earnie Balls or rotosounds on my basses but want to put something a little less bright on my new acquisition. Has anyone had tried the D'addario half rounds? If so will they do what I want?

Note: I'm on a budget and if suggesting alternatives its a long scale, 5 string bass so string choice is limited.

Any advice is much appreciated.

[BassBus]

I have a set of D'Addario halfwounds on one bass. They are really quite sticky stings. They will give the sound you're looking for as they wear in. I would actually go for [url="http://status-graphite.com/status/frames/index_home.html"]Status Hotwire Halfwounds[/url] (you'll find them in the 'online shop'). They are much more slippery and easier to use. They also last for years with a good tone. I have had a set on my Jazz for a few years now. Still sound great.

Edited September 1, 2012 by BassBus

[Raggy]

I tried them and half way through rehearsal took them off and put the old strings back on.

Agree with BassBus's post about them being sticky and felt I had no guts to my sound. That had been on the bass for a good few weeks using it at home and they were only just starting to wear in but with the band they did not work for me at all. I've never felt the need to do that with any other strings.

[Pinball]

OK thanks, very useful. I have ordered up the Status as advised.

[JellyKnees]

I've tried both the dads and the status halfs on my piezo fretless and much prefer the tone of the dads, i just didn't like the high tension that they had. I found the status lacking in oomph tbh, so I guess alot depends on ur bass, set, preference etc...

[Pinball]

The guitar currently sounds good and has really old strings on. They look like some sort of half round and have been cleaned up and turned over already. In theory they should sound dead but they sound OK so hopefully it will sound lively enough with the status strings. If not I'll just put rounds on. So many variables there is only one way to find out I guess.

Thanks

[Ashwood1985]

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1346522128' post='1790264']
So many variables there is only one way to find out I guess.
[/quote]

Yeah that's the view I've started to take with regards to the sound of sets. How they feel of course is a lot less subjective and won't vary from bass to bass.

Interesteing to hear of stickiness. Do you guys mean a feeling similar to the natural friction you get with flats? I tend t whack fast fret on my LaBellas if I need to play some quickish lines.

[Pinball]

[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1346526908' post='1790309']
Interesteing to hear of stickiness. Do you guys mean a feeling similar to the natural friction you get with flats? I tend t whack fast fret on my LaBellas if I need to play some quickish lines.
[/quote]



I did a quick search on the D's as I was about to buy some. There are some cool promo vids but on the flip side there were some forum comments that suggested they were disappointing in terms of sound and rough after the grinding process, rougher than rough steel rounds in fact.

That's why I posted here before buying and the comments above suggest that others have similar experiences.

Edited September 1, 2012 by Pinball

[Count Bassy]

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1346488081' post='1789735']
I have a set of D'Addario halfwounds on one bass. They are really quite sticky stings. They will give the sound you're looking for as they wear in. I would actually go for [url="http://status-graphite.com/status/frames/index_home.html"]Status Hotwire Halfwounds[/url] (you'll find them in the 'online shop'). They are much more slippery and easier to use. They also last for years with a good tone. I have had a set on my Jazz for a few years now. Still sound great.
[/quote]

Exactly my experience as well. The stickiness does seem to wear off the Daddarios, but I went to the hotwires anyway. To my ear the hotwires are a bit brighter than the D'addarios, which is a good thing as I found the D'addarios too dull.

[Pinball]

Well here's what the Status Hotwires/half rounds sound like now that they are played in

Carvin bass, straight into the computer with no tweaks, bass high, treble high and mids left neutral. I'm happy with these so thanks for the advice.

Note: Excuse the voice and technique, I'm not a pro.

http://soundcloud.com/mole-music-1/supersonic

[apa]

Ive just tried just these two sets of strings on my 35" fretless jazz V also with a piezo and Im undecided at the mo. The status were a nicer string but the B was awefull. The dadario's have a higher tension which I prefer and a decent B. The roughness soon wears off so its not realy an issue I dont think. I may swap back to the status to compare again.

Nice mole track btw

A

[Pinball]

[quote name='apa' timestamp='1348950759' post='1820140']
Ive just tried just these two sets of strings on my 35" fretless jazz V also with a piezo and Im undecided at the mo. The status were a nicer string but the B was awefull. The dadario's have a higher tension which I prefer and a decent B. The roughness soon wears off so its not realy an issue I dont think. I may swap back to the status to compare again.

Nice mole track btw [/quote]
Interesting, the Status B seems good on mine-infact they sound good and consistent across the set. Maybe there is a slight difference in guitars as the Carvin is an XB 35.5 scale, which is partly why I was struggling to find strings in the first place. Unfortunately I haven't got the Dadario's to try. I'm happy with the status anyway as I like the sound. You just can't generalise with Bass guitars can you.

Thanks for the complement, using the slug pellets for a shaker was pure inspiration

Edited September 30, 2012 by Pinball

[apa]

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1348955157' post='1820196']
Interesting, the Status B seems good on mine-infact they sound good and consistent across the set. Maybe there is a slight difference in guitars as the Carvin is an XB 35.5 scale, which is partly why I was struggling to find strings in the first place. Unfortunately I haven't got the Dadario's to try. I'm happy with the status anyway as I like the sound. You just can't generalise with Bass guitars can you.

Thanks for the complement
[/quote]

Im in just the same boat with the strings. Mine is a home made 35 1/4" through body. The only 5 strings that will fit this baby that are not round wounds are TI flats at over £70 a pop I may have not strung the Status B correctly (Not enough brake) so that may have been it. BTW Newtone may be in the market to make custom length Flats in the new year so theres hope for us silly long scale guys yet

A

[Pinball]

Also[quote name='apa' timestamp='1348956517' post='1820208']
Im in just the same boat with the strings. Mine is a home made 35 1/4" through body. The only 5 strings that will fit this baby that are not round wounds are TI flats at over £70 a pop I may have not strung the Status B correctly (Not enough brake) so that may have been it. BTW Newtone may be in the market to make custom length Flats in the new year so theres hope for us silly long scale guys yet
[/quote]
I got an email from Bassgear a while back to say they will be stocking Carins own strings, so they may be worth a look. Not to expensive either.

[Ashwood1985]

[quote name='Pinball' timestamp='1348948514' post='1820112']
Well here's what the Status Hotwires/half rounds sound like now that they are played in

Carvin bass, straight into the computer with no tweaks, bass high, treble high and mids left neutral. I'm happy with these so thanks for the advice.

Note: Excuse the voice and technique, I'm not a pro.

[url="http://soundcloud.com/mole-music-1/supersonic"]http://soundcloud.co...ic-1/supersonic[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for sharing mate: very nice tone they have! Where did you pick them up from BTW?

[iiipopes]

And then there are GHS Pressurewounds. These sound like good, broken in "sweet spot" nickel rounds out of the package.

[Pinball]

[quote name='Ashwood1985' timestamp='1349166620' post='1822504']
Thanks for sharing mate: very nice tone they have! Where did you pick them up from BTW?
[/quote]
Re: the tone. Yep that was what I was trying to retain when I started the post. I usually use brighter strings.

Mail ordered from the Status site here [url="http://www.status-graphite.com/status/frames/index_home.html"]http://www.status-graphite.com/status/frames/index_home.html[/url]

They were sent out quick but took another 5 working days to arrive-bridging the weekend. I have had a few postal issues recently

[Ashwood1985]

Thanks man,

May well try them out at some point!