I have been using Pyramid SSSL .022w-.128 in a variety of musical settings for a while now and so far I am thoroughly impressed. A great starting point for creating a variety of finger-style or pick tones, these strings are chameleon-like, working well for any tone you have in mind. Some simple shaping from your controls will yield anything from waves of sub-driven synth-like bass, to an authentic aggressive metal tone.
===== FIRST IMPRESSIONS =====
The first thing I noticed was that, fresh out of the pack, these stainless steel Pyramid's are harmonically rich and very bright while still maintaining an open and natural sound in the rest of the spectrum. That richness helps them to deliver focused bass and a balanced, euphonic mid-range. Chords sound balanced, with all the strings producing an even volume. Even a full 7-string chord translates surprisingly well.
===== TENSION & FEEL =====
On a 35" scale bass they are reasonably pliant. Fretting in 1st position is easier than with some other brands and doesn't feel like a wrestling match between you and the string. I personally would like 5-10% more flexibility, but am willing to adjust due to the high-quality sound these Pyramids produce.
They also respond well to altered tunings. Tuned down a whole step they still sound solid. And at this tension it feels like playing a guitar with .009's. And a .128 that will produce an A0 (27.5Hz) cleanly impresses the hell out of me. With a correct installation they hold their tuning very well over the course of an hour.
===== DUTY CYCLE =====
I practice for a few hours a day, rehearse 2-3 times a week and gig regularly. By the end of 1 month they are starting to sound noticeably dull, and in altered tunings begin to lose some clarity in the bass. By 2 months, they sound like a high-quality but dead string set.
===== THE .022w 1st STRING =====
This was the deal breaker for me. Having tried other sets with a plain 1st string, I can say that having the 1st string wound makes a large difference. Instead of the timbre suddenly becoming brittle, piercing and generally unpleasant for just one string, a wound .022 slots in nicely with the other six. Additionally, it has proven to be quite robust. This is good because you only get one per set. But I have not, in spite of my best efforts, managed to break a single one!
===== SUMMARY =====
In summary, I can confidently recommend these strings to anyone looking for a quality set of articulate, reliable strings with a balanced timbre.
