I was really surprised by these strings. I was expecting them to be completely different.
First of all, they are a lot more flexible than I would have expected from such high gauge hex core strings. I guess they must have a very thin core or something. I was expecting them to be much stiffer. This is not a bad thing at all. They feel very nice!
The sound was also quite different from what I expected. At first they were extremely bright and zingy. This brightness combined with surprisingly weak lows made a rather poor first impression. But after a couple of hours of use they started developing a very nicely balanced sound. The seemingly weak lows suddenly started to sound perfectly balanced. The zing more or less disappeared but they are still quite bright and aggressive. It's more about upper mid snarl than ultra bright zing though.
The nicely balanced lows is something these strings share with the Thomastik Jazz Rounds (and Jazz Flats too for that matter). At first the lows may seem a bit weak but after some use you realize they are in fact very nicely balanced and other strings almost seem bloated by comparison.
These Power Bass strings are kinda like the angrier, more aggressive, tighter and higher tension cousin of the Jazz Rounds. They do not have the super smooth, organic sound of the Jazz Rounds but the tonal balance is somewhat similar.
I'm really starting to like these strings. I currently have them installed on a passive Fender Precision. They can cut through any mix without problems. The upper mids are really strong and aggressive without being harsh, clanky or strident. The lower mids have a nice powerful THUD in exactly the right place. And the lows, although less powerful than most strings, sit perfectly in a mix.
These strings also have an amazing clarity that makes them absolutely superb for chords. They respond very fast with an almost instant attack that makes them extremely good for fast playing. Anyone playing technically sophisticated prog or fusion will probably love them. But if you're looking for a fat Motown groove you will have to look elsewhere. They are simply not suitable for that type of sound (but then again, no roundwounds really are).
Tuning stability is superb and they feel like high quality strings in every way.
As much as I love them I have a feeling these strings won't be for everyone though. They have a very unique sound that you may or may not like. I suspect a lot of people may be put off by the initial zingy and somewhat thin sound. And for those who like that zingy sound... well it won't last very long.
But anyone looking for a bright, yet zing-free sound with wonderful strong, aggressive mids and perfectly balanced lows should definitely give them a chance. Just don't give up on them until they are properly broken in. They change character COMPLETELY over the first 10-15 hours. Their true tone is VERY different to how they sound out of the box.
Very unique and cool sounding strings. They have a very "modern" and sophisticated sound. Highly recommended but definitely not the best choice for all genres.
