Smooth/quiet nickel rounds?

[franzbassist]

Hello all

Who makes the quietest nickel roundwound strings?  I want to try rounds on my fretless again but like as little to no noise when I slide as possible!

Oh and they need to be available in extra long scale (i.e. at least 38" ball to silk).

Thanks all

Gareth

[hooky_lowdown]

Half rounds and groundwounds make noise when you run your fingers over them.

Roundwounds of any kind = finger noise

Flatwounds = no finger noise

These are your options!

 

[DoubleOhStephan]

9 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Half rounds and groundwounds make noise when you run your fingers over them.

Roundwounds of any kind = finger noise

Flatwounds = no finger noise

These are your options!

 

What are tapewounds all about? I've never tried them (or heard them for that matter!) 😁

[franzbassist]

35 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Half rounds and groundwounds make noise when you run your fingers over them

Yep, totally get that, but surely some are smoother/quieter than others?

 

26 minutes ago, DoubleOhStephan said:

What are tapewounds all about? I've never tried them (or heard them for that matter!) 😁

They are normally roundwound strings clad in a nylon flatwound tape.  I love them on my fretless, but I want something with a litle more tension hence the question about rounds.

[jazzyvee]

The quietest smooth roundwounds I've tried are Alembic Strings and D'addario NYXL

[three]

Possibly worth a look at TI rounds - by far the quietest I've played (low tension too if that's your thing).  I use them on fretless and have been very pleased with the results.  Alembic too are quiet as Jazzyvee suggests - possibly a function of the elliptical wrap?  Alembic don't supply the gauge that I'd prefer (very light) but they're high quality strings. 

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 4, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Muppet]

I find DRs (specifically Sunbeams) to be better that D'Addario's

[Marc S]

2 hours ago, three said:

Possibly worth a look at TI rounds - by far the quietest I've played (low tension too if that's your thing).  I use them on fretless and have been very pleased with the results.  Alembic too are quiet as Jazzyvee suggests - possibly a function of the elliptical wrap?  Alembic don't supply the gauge that I'd prefer (very light) but they're high quality strings. 

Though I'm a fan of TI flats (on the right bass, of course) I found TI rounds even lower tension, and I just couldn't get on with them at all
For my playing, there was little or no "resistance" and "recovery" of normal string position was off-putting - at least for my playing
So I've a set going, if anyone wants to try them.... I tried them on a couple of basses, but just didn't gel with them at all

Not sure what the quietest rounds I've played are, but I seem to remember playing some strings (which may have been "Elites") which were quiet - but I've a feeling they were not nickel, and may have been chrome?

[three]

33 minutes ago, Marc S said:

Though I'm a fan of TI flats (on the right bass, of course) I found TI rounds even lower tension, and I just couldn't get on with them at all
For my playing, there was little or no "resistance" and "recovery" of normal string position was off-putting - at least for my playing
So I've a set going, if anyone wants to try them.... I tried them on a couple of basses, but just didn't gel with them at all

Not sure what the quietest rounds I've played are, but I seem to remember playing some strings (which may have been "Elites") which were quiet - but I've a feeling they were not nickel, and may have been chrome?

I’d agree re: TI rounds and tension. I play with a very light touch so fine for me. A more aggressive style may be more problematic. A very kind offer too - these are nearly £50 a set!