DISCLAIMER:
If you are wondering if you should get these strings because you play in a Iron Maiden tribute band, or if you worship James Jamerson and you are looking for some new flatwounds to whip out those Motown classics: THIS REVIEW IS NOT FOR YOU!
This review is for Doom and Stoner-rock enthusiasts.
For years I had been toying with the idea of trying out flatwounds, due to their supposedly
mid-range tonality. However alot of reviews for flatwounds in general tends to say that the E-string is dull, and lacking punch, so I was Hesitant to try out a set
I usually play the 5-string Ernie Ball Regular Slinky 130-65 (I discard the 45 string)
Since I conduct my Doom sorcery playing on a four string P-bass.
Steve from the excelent: ''Does It Doom'' channel, recommended the Rotosound Steve Harris signature set, to get a hard tension flatwound string, that would feel like a regular string instead of a spagetti string when downtuned to around drop-C standard.
So on that recommendeation I pulled the trigger on these almost double expensive strings.
My problem with these strings, hence the low score:
Yes, ''Does It Doom,'' wasn't lying, in C-standard the strings does feel like a regular set(100-45) would feel in standard E-A-D-G tuning. At that point it's a rather stiff string.
However most of my Doom playing (and probably yours too) is in B-E-A-D tuning and at that point the strings tension is not much different than the aforementioned Ernie Ball string-set. Which is completely on me,
Steve never promised that they would feel tense in B-tuning, just to make that clear!
But the there are severval factors why I don't recommend this string to you my fellow bass warlocks:
1. There is only half of the dynamic in these flatwounds that you would find in a normal set of roundwounds.
the high mid-range tonality I was hoping for is a flat ''thud sound.'' and if you do a slide from the 5th fret to the 12th, the sound is completely gone around the time you slide past the 8th fret.
and let's face it in Doom we use the B string 90% off the time. we need that string like Conan the Barbarian need his Sword.
2. There is a massive difference in the E & A string, which both are quite dead and dull and the D & G string which has all the warmth and pop of a Motown song? I tried to raise my thumb-resting pickup to catch more of a signal from them, and it helped a little, but it's kinda wonky to have your pickups like that.
3. The stickiness, well yes, I know what you think, that is normal with flatwounds, duh!
But here 3 months after having giving them the benefit of the doubt, they are still extremely uncomfortable, making my left hand extremely tired after just a couple of songs, and slides are almost impossible.
So it was back to the good old Ernie Ball set for me again. I'm sad it didn't worked out, cause they looked cool very with the coloured silkwrappings at the end of the strings, against the vintage tainted colour of the headstock, so much that I actually took a picture, just to have the memory)
But aesthetics don't mean that much, when I am jamming along to the tempo, of the lava lamp on my bedside table.
To all you Bedroom Doomers out there Doom on...
