Strings with the most mids.

[40hz]

Apologies if this question has been asked a million times, I can't seem to find a specific result in the search tab. 

What strings would people recommend that have a huge, unhealthy amount of midrange? Steel or Nickel.

Thank you in advance!

[fretmeister]

TI Flats I reckon.

Highs are gentle, lows are controlled and not boomy. Mids are obvious.

[40hz]

4 hours ago, fretmeister said:

TI Flats I reckon.

Highs are gentle, lows are controlled and not boomy. Mids are obvious.

Is this a characteristic of flats in general? 

[hooky_lowdown]

20 minutes ago, 40hz said:

Is this a characteristic of flats in general? 

No, only TI's.

[Beedster]

24 minutes ago, 40hz said:

Is this a characteristic of flats in general? 

In comparison with most rounds, I’d say yes, certainly in relation to low mids

[fretmeister]

Lots of flats have big low ends that cancel out the mid EQ curve.

TI Flats don't. They don't sound like any other string to me. I love them on a precision.

[fleabag]

Also, maybe  La Bella Super Steps and D'addario  Pro Steels

[Lfalex v1.1]

In general terms, most manufacturers seem to suggest that Steels have more mid output than Nickels, but that Nickels are generally marginally higher in ouput as Nickel has a degree of magnetic sensitivity whereas Stainless steel doesn't. This means that (if I understood it correctly) the Nickel windings contribute to the overall output but not Stainless Steel.

Personally, I can barely tell, as there are too many other variables in play!

[40hz]

I don't usually go for nickels as they die very, very quickly in my hands, but had heard they are supposed to have a warmer, more mid orientated tone (as a gross generalisation). It's been a long time since I bought them so my memory fails me.

Anyone have any experience of steels that really struck you with a strong mid-range output?

As a reference, I tend to use D'addario Pro Steels, Dunlop Super Brights (bit too much on the Flea, though) and Elixir steels when my wallet will stretch to them.

[Lfalex v1.1]

1 hour ago, 40hz said:

Anyone have any experience of steels that really struck you with a strong mid-range output?

Yes, just once. I put Elixir Steels on my Yamaha Attitude. They were far better in terms of mid-output, which I felt the instrument lacked when it had DR Sunbeams on it.

Back to other variables again, though. Billy Sheehan uses Roto steels. As everything on that bass is biased towards his taste, it's not inconceivable that there's some synergy at work when it comes to Steels being better than Nickels.  Furthermore, the two strings differ in that one has a round core and one is a hex, so once again there's more at work than just the choice of string winding. And then there's the fact that Elixirs are coated and Sunbeams  aren't.

Edit- I usually use Elixir Nickels these days. But selectively use Steels on instruments which I think will benefit from the better upper-mid definition they seem to offer. For example,  I put Steels on my Warwick and Nickels on my Ibanez Ergodyne.

 

Edited September 2, 2020 by Lfalex v1.1

[shoulderpet]

I always thought that Nickels were meant to be more mid focused but I could be wrong, Rotosound are very good strings in terms of strong mids, both the ss and the nickels but the nickels are much less bright than the ss, GHS Boomers are said to have strong low mids though I have never used them myself so I cannot say from 1st hand experience, they are also said to be pretty dark sounding for rounds

[hooky_lowdown]

16 hours ago, 40hz said:

Anyone have any experience of steels that really struck you with a strong mid-range output?

Do you mean low mids or high mids? The mid range is a wide spectrum.

If you already use D'Addario Pro steels, you should have lots of high mids, and if you want more low mids just turn the tone knob down a bit. Also boost whichever you prefer on your amp!

[itu]

A simplfication:

- nickels provide flatter response (= more mids), suitable for fretless and old skool

- SS have a bit like 80's slap eq curve

But:

Depending on the manufacturer and gauge (not to talk about RW, GW, or flats), these generalizations aren't so sharp.

[Beer of the Bass]

I think they stopped making them, but Sadowsky Black Label flatwounds also had similar mid thickness to TI Jazz flats, but in a much higher tension, stiffer feeling string. The D'Addario Chromes, Ernie Ball and Fender flats I've also used don't have that same midrange character.

[shoulderpet]

On 03/09/2020 at 21:54, Beer of the Bass said:

I think they stopped making them, but Sadowsky Black Label flatwounds also had similar mid thickness to TI Jazz flats, but in a much higher tension, stiffer feeling string. The D'Addario Chromes, Ernie Ball and Fender flats I've also used don't have that same midrange character.

Chromes have barely any mids 

[hooky_lowdown]

7 hours ago, shoulderpet said:

Chromes have barely any mids 

Mine have plenty of mids. 👍

[Beedster]

8 hours ago, shoulderpet said:

Chromes have barely any mids 

 

17 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Mine have plenty of mids. 👍

This thread, as is the case with a couple of others at the moment, demonstrates just how subjective the answer to even an apparently objective question can become. There's a chart on the site somewhere with the frequency response of a large range of strings. But bassists don't play strings, we play a system; basses that have their mechanical and acoustic characteristics, circuits and preamps and power stages into speakers and into rooms, and then into people's brains via their ears. If you need an answer re the strings, check out the chart (I'll try to find it), but as per the above, once in the system above, those characteristics might be a largely insignificant factor in the tone you and others actually hear.