dmc79

The ZS10 Pro earpiece flanges are rather wide. The Comply Foam tips I use have a 5mm core (hence the name ‘Isolation 500’). Their site is very informative, as you can look up what IEMs you have and it will tell you which of their tips fit them. I can’t help specifically as regards the triple flange silicone, but as with the foam you’ll need something with a 5mm core. Just fitted a new set of foam buds ready for our carol services. By the way I don’t know how long this is valid for, but there’s currently 20% off Comply Foam Isolation 500 tips, so a pack of 3 pairs is £12 instead of the usual £15, with free UK postage. As I was down to my last spare pair, I’ve ordered another pack of 3 pairs in medium. I’d recommend them to anyone who uses the ZS10 Pro, they really give an excellent seal and are very comfortable.

I use the Linsoul KZ ZS10 Pro IEMS too. Apart from I think one person who paid himself for very expensive custom moulded IEMs (they are otherwise bought for us by the church), every other singer and musician still uses the Shure SE215 that we started out with. I found them quite unreliable - I had one earpiece cut out randomly, in the end it was happening so frequently that they became unusable. I also had the earpiece of another set break apart just while I was trying to replace an earbud, they are very fragile and you have to be quite delicate with them. Also the cable ear hook was always stiff and would rotate constantly, I just found them very annoying. Another improvement with the ZS10 over the SE215 is that it's a 2-pin connector between the ear pieces and the cable, which means the cable doesn't rotate, where you end up with the ear loop turning out frequently and no longer being behind your ear, which is something that really annoyed me with the Shures. The ZS10 are way better, especially considering they are half the price of the SE215. For a budget IEM, the ZS10 are a no-brainer. Multi-driver, rich and deep sound, for bass they blow the single driver SE215 out of the water. I play through a Tone Hammer DI with a little drive - from memory the SE215 would struggle with any sort of gentle drive, cab sim, etc, it was the same when I used a VTDI, the ZS10 has no problem coping with this. Are you using the stock silicone ZS10 earbuds? Whilst they're not too bad, upgrading to foam buds made a big difference to me. The sound isolation and comfort is so much better with the Comply Isolation foam tips - it's worth getting a mixed pack with one set each of the small, medium & large sizes, then order a pack of 3 pairs of whichever size you prefer. Sonicfoam also do foam buds to fit these IEMs, you get a bigger pack, so they are better value, but I'm yet to try them. @LukeFRC just beat me to it, but I believe that the triple flange 'Christmas tree' silicone ones are the best if you want to stay with silicone, but I'm very happy with using foam tips. The only downside to foam tips is they only last so long - in time you'll be able to tell the isolation isn't as good as it was when new, and they will also start to look and feel a bit worn out. But when new and early on, the foam tips give an incredible seal. You can feel it as well as hear it - when you insert them, over the first 20-30 seconds they'll expand to fill your ear, you can hear and feel this happening. Over time when you're not noticing this happening as much, if at all, that's another indication that it's time to replace them. If you've already got good IEMs (which you have), trying out better tips is a fairly cheap way of making them even better, and giving you the best seal possible. Another popular upgrade on the ZS10 is to replace the cable (the stock one is very cheap and flimsy), I use the 'Tripowin Zonie' 16-core cable, and have the stock one in my bag as a backup. Whilst the cable & earbud upgrades bump up the price, I'd still take the ZS10 with upgrades over the SE215 as they sound so good and seem to be very durable. £40-50 for multi-driver IEMs that sound great for bass, with detachable cable, is very impressive. I've raved to the sound guys about them, I don't see why they would spend £100 on SE215 when the ZS10 are half the price and sound better. I think if you have good tips with a good seal, this should minimise bleed from FOH. We have 2 morning services, and I'm pretty sure that for the second one (the one that's streamed) the FOH volume is set higher due to the increased number of people in the room. I do sometimes notice some bleed - there are times when I can hear and/or feel the bass in the room (we have a sub on each side of the platform too) to the point where it interferes with the bass in my IEMS, but I tend to take this as another sign that I need to break open a new set of foam tips. All this has reminded me that I need to treat myself to a new pair of Comply tips before our pair of Carol services this Sunday. I think I've been using them since Summer, so got around 4 months out of them. For playing 2-3 times a month, 2 services each time, with practice before, and some midweek practices too, I wouldn't expect them to last longer than that, in fact I should have probably replaced them a month ago really. Our practices have been very efficient, and the sound guy has been wonderful and has put up video footage for us to review after every practice. It's been fantastic to see the improvement every week - on early practices we were somewhat tentative, musically and vocally, as we learned the songs and what we each needed to bring to them. It's been rewarding to see everyone getting more confident with each week that passes, the last 2 practice videos were very encouraging. We've put a fair amount of time into it, so hopefully it all goes well on Sunday. The practice videos were also really useful, as I made notes on things such as what strings / pick I was using, my Tone Hammer settings, etc. At one point I was trying to break in some new nickel rounds, but the videos made me realise I really didn't want the new rounds zing & finger screech for these services, so I went back to my Fender flats that are nicely worn in. I can get away with a fair bit more gain on the THDI with flats, there's just enough growl & a little grind for it to sit well in the mix, and cut through just enough without being obnoxious (the bass came through a bit too aggressively for my liking on last years carol services, with the rather mid forward GHS Pressurewounds on and I guess a bit too much gain on the THDI), and obviously without the finger noise of rounds. If the bass sounds exactly like it did on last nights practice for the services, I'll be very happy. These will be the first carol services I've ever used flats on, I'm really liking the P bass, flats with a pick thing.

Thanks. I absolutely hate finger screech. I don't have the patience or inclination to wear in new zingy rounds anymore. I've put my Fender 9050L flats back on. Whilst doing so, I briefly had 2 of each string on, and made a comparison video to remind myself of the horrific nails on a chalkboard screeching of rounds. I've no idea how people can play stainless steel rounds, as even for Nickel plated steel, I can't get used to the feel of the XTs under the fingers. I'm guessing it's just hard to go back when you've tried and enjoyed the feel of flats. Maybe I'll still try the likes of Elixir Nanowebs & DR Sunbeams someday, but for now I'm more likely to stick with my Fender flats for a while as they are settling in well, and at some point try out other flats. I am liking the 'flats with a pick' thing, smooth feel and lack of squeaking, so maybe flats are my thing after all.

Thanks. I love the idea of the Elixirs being like slightly broken in nickel rounds right off the bat. GHS Pressurewounds were like this, but I want to try others for reasons already stated. I’m very curious to try DR Sunbeams, I keep reading that they’re quite smooth for NPS, also they have a round core, where most are hex core, so maybe be a bit less stiff. Also seen mention of DR Nickel Lo-Riders & Pure Blues, but the Sunbeams seem to be the most loved of the 3. I guess I’ll try Sunbeams, Elixirs & NYXL at some point, along with anything else that might get added to the list. I’m playing a 4 string passive Precision by the way. I’ve read that some much prefer GHS Pressurewounds on a Jazz, which maybe figures, the low mid grunt on them was just a bit much for me.

This may be too late, but have a look here, Heistercamp handmade leather straps are incredible. It's more than I planned to spend initially, but it will probably last a lifetime. Their leather belts are amazing too.

Thanks. I've seen these mentioned a lot, I'll try them one day for sure. Thanks. Never tried DR, but heard good things about them. Added these to the list to try someday. In what other ways did you prefer NYXL to the normal XL? I'm after nickel rounds with as smooth a feel as possible, reduced finger squeak and a well balanced sound (ie not too middy, grindy or boomy), would consider anything that fits this description. It's a bonus if they don't take ages to get the new string zing out of them! I like a fairly bright sound (I play with the tone wide open) but perhaps slightly less than I used to - I used Roto RS66LDN nickels for a while, think I'd find them perhaps a bit too bright now, they seemed to take forever to settle in when now from what I recall. Not greatly concerned about lifespan, as I'll change them once or twice a year regardless (I imagine I play less often / shorter sets, than a lot of people here). Meanwhile I'll keep searching and adding to the shortlist to try out. If there was some sort of brightness chart / smoothness ranking for popular nickel rounds, that would be most helpful.

Never used D’Addario bass strings much other than some XLs briefly on a short scale I didn’t keep for long. Bought some XT on here, fitted today and trying to play the fresh string zing and squeak out of them. Just wondering what the difference is between their rounds. XL seem to be standard, not sure what NYXL offers, and XT has some sort of corrosion resistant coating, but the coating isn’t particularly smooth. That said, I’ve been going back and forth between Fender 9050 flats & GHS Pressurewounds, so most nickel rounds are gonna feel cheese grater like I suppose. What’s meant to be the smoothest feeling D’Addario round? Which have you tried and liked or disliked for whatever reason? I’m not insistent on staying with D’Addario, just curious as I’ve never played their bass strings much. Also the XT might be fine once they’ve settled in, but one video I saw had them dying off pretty fast. Suppose really I’m just after a nickel round that’s as smooth as possible. Is the Elixir Nanoweb coating very smooth feeling? GHS Pressurewounds are definitely quieter in terms of finger squeak, but I’m not a massive fan of the feel and stiffness of them (even the medium lights) and they’re also a bit too middy for me, where I want something more well balanced all round. Appreciate any replies

Bought some strings from David. Arrived quickly with great comms. Thanks

Got to say I’m hugely impressed with Heistercamp. The quality of their goods and customer service is second to none. After losing well over 2 stone recently, and having no holes left on my tatty belt, it was a no brainer to get a handmade Heistercamp one. This is their ‘Classic Leather Belt’ with antique silver buckle. Black with red stitching to match the strap. Seems really top quality. The sizing guide on their site is spot on, and they come with 7 holes, more than on some belts. As with the strap, it came wrapped in tissue paper with a nice handwritten note, in a quality box. Here it is alongside the strap. Reasonably priced at £40.50 including next day postage (which cost them around £6-£7 to send). This includes an extra £1.50 to go from the standard 1” thickness to 1.25”, and an extra £1 for stitching. I think this is very fair considering the last 2 Hugo Boss leather belts I bought were £45 each, both wore out all round rather quickly, looking especially tatty around the holes, and peeling apart due to the lack of stitching. Another nice touch is the logo stamp on the underside of the buckle. Also the buckle is a good size with smooth round edges, my pet hate with belts is a big chunky buckle that digs into my stomach and feels sharp on the edges & corners. I’ve had Boss ones where the buckle felt fine at the time, then became painfully sharp as the coating wore away. I have no affiliation with Heistercamp but can’t recommend them highly enough for straps and belts. Also I’m loving the strap - the extra width & padding (combined with the weight loss) has resulted in significantly less neck / shoulder / back pain compared to a few months ago. The smooth leather backing is really nice too. This was a bit of a gamble as I’m used to suede backing, but the leather is so good. It’s not slippy, the bass stays in place, but if I need to move it a little, it moves easily without grabbing on my T-shirt like suede did. Great stuff!

Still a bit on fence with flats after a couple of months. I’m aware that you’re supposed to give them time, but does the sticky / grabby feeling ever go away? I’ve used Fast Fret a couple of times, it doesn’t seem to make that much difference. Perhaps Fender 9050L flats aren’t as glassy smooth to the touch as others. They feel ok when moving about quicker, but if I hold & sustain a note for a few seconds, the finger really gets stuck on the string. Is this just something you have to put up with when playing flats, or is it more that others are just smoother so it’s not an issue? I believe Chromes have a similar slightly grabby feel, but I pretty much ruled them out earlier anyway. Wondering about trying Ernie Ball stainless steel Group or TI Jazz. Are these smoother & less grabby? I’m sure La Bellas are nice and smooth but also ruled out as not the tone I’m after. Thanks

These are now taken

I recently got some Fender 9050L stainless steel flats, but got a dodgy ‘D’ string. I was sent a full replacement set even though I only needed one string (as all 4 come in the same packet). Instead of just replacing the faulty one, I decided to replace the entire set, even though the rest were nearly new, as I’d cut the originals slightly shorter than intended due to misreading my own notes! So I have 3 spares from the original set, which are only very lightly used, with the ‘D’ string missing. If the rest are of any use I’ll happily send them for free to a UK address: E .100 A .80 G .45 They are long scale, cut for 4 inline Precision bass tuners, and like I said cut slightly shorter than planned, but still a good one & a half wraps round tuning posts.

Belated thanks for the replies. After restringing an acoustic the other day in my lap, it moving about all over the place, and not having enough hands to keep it still whilst holding strings down & winding pegs, I decided that even though doing a bass is nowhere near as fiddly, I never want to restring like this again. I’ve just received the Hercules HA206 folding cradle. The quality of their stands made me want to try this. Whilst I’m sure the solid block ones are good, I like the fact that this folds down flat for storage. I was hoping it wouldn’t feel too flimsy, and I’m pleased to see there’s enough weight for it to seem pretty sturdy. It has little rubber non slip ‘feet’, is height adjustable and has the nice black & yellow colour scheme of their stands. Wish I’d done this years ago! Also ordered a smaller winder for acoustic / electric tuning pegs, I have the wider combined winder / string cutter for bass pegs, which is very cumbersome to use on smaller tuning pegs.

Just tried the Clayton Acetal standard .80 pick. I should’ve known with it being a harder material, but it plays thicker than its gauge due to how stiff it is. I’ve got so used to that bit of flex from medium nylon picks, and these don’t have much give at all, it felt like I was fighting with it the whole time. Feels like a .88 green Tortex to me, or a 1mm nylon. It’s clicky like a Tortex too. It has a decent grip (always found Tortex either too powdery or too smooth in this regard), but for a .80 pick, this is far too stiff for my liking. I suspect I wouldn’t even like their .63 for the same reason. May have to give these away as I have 6 of them and probably won’t use them again.

How did it go Trevor?

Still getting used to the flats vibe, but I must say I really love the smooth feel and lack of finger screech. Still feels a little hard to judge, with how rough the D is. I don’t recall ever getting a duff string before, but this one feels like someone in the factory was having a bad day, and put a Seafoam Green wrap on a stainless steel round for fun, and packaged it in with 3 flats. It sticks out like a sore thumb from the other strings, and may give me sore fingers to play it. Kind of feels too late to contact the seller (a music shop’s eBay store) especially as I left feedback when they arrived. I suppose I could mention it to them, but I doubt they’d split a pack up to send a single string replacement to me. I’ve had a look and it seems you can’t buy these strings individually, which is a shame. I’d happily send someone a few quid for a single Fender 9050L ‘D’ flatwound string (0.60). . .

Fender 9050L flats are on. I guess this is why it’s worth wiping new flats with alcohol. Only had a little play acoustically and haven’t checked the intonation yet, but these strings feel so nice and smooth. Except the D, which is strangely rough and grabby and almost feels like they put a round in by mistake.

Thanks. No nitro finish here anyway. I found some 91% alcohol IPA. I guess I can find a cotton cloth / old t-shirt. You wouldn't use a soft paper hand towel even on flats?

Thanks for your kind offer. I've got the Fender 9050L flats ready to go on, so I'll pass, but thanks anyway. I'll see how the flats go, if I like them I guess I'll keep the Fenders on for a while, then maybe try the Ernie Ball stainless steel Groups.