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Flats with lower tension


Pow_22
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[size=4][font="Calibri"][color="#000000"]Need some assistance on my next flatwound choice. Obviously it can get very expensive going through sets of flats so was hoping those with experience can help.[/color][/font][/size][font="Calibri"][size="3"] [/size][/font]

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[size=4][font="Calibri"][color="#000000"]Basically up until recently all my basses have been strung with La Bella 760FS’s. The tone and feel of the string is fantastic, lovely thumpy P bass through my valve amp and I’m in heaven. However, recently I have been struggling with my picking hand. My thumb cramps up so much that its extremely painful to hold a pick. At a recent gig I had to chuck it and finish the set using fingers which was awful![/color][/font][/size][font="Calibri"][size="3"] [/size][/font]

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[size=4][font="Calibri"][color="#000000"]I’ve tried a few changes of my technique – I’ve raised my bass up from my usual below waist level, read up on the Carol Kaye picking technique etc. They’ve all helped slightly but not enough. So comes the strings….[/color][/font][/size][font="Calibri"][size="3"] [/size][/font]

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[size=4][color="#000000"][font="Calibri"]The la bella’s are known to be high tension so I thought I’d try to find something with less – the obvious choice being TI’s. I bought a set off thomann and put them on my p bass. It’s not so much the tension I don’t like it’s the tone, it’s just not thumpy and thick [/font][font=Wingdings][font=Wingdings]L[/font][/font][font="Calibri"].[/font][/color][/size][size="3"][color="#000000"] [/color][/size]

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[size=4][font="Calibri"][color="#000000"]I’ve spent many hours reading up on alternative low tension flats and consensus is varied. One option is La Bella 760FL but I can’t see the tension being much different to the FS set. Other options include Pyramid Gold, DR’s, Status light gauge and the La Bella LTF’s (think these may be too similar to the TI’s.[/color][/font][/size][font="Calibri"][size="3"] [/size][/font]

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[size=4][color="#000000"][font="Calibri"]Anybody else here using good old thumpy flats without boat anchor type tension?[/font][/color][/size][size="3"][color="#000000"] [/color][/size]

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If you can, give the TIs another go and wait for them to become worn in, you may prefer the sound when they're a bit funked up! Or some foam under the strings perhaps to increase thumpability?

Only other option I can see is the LTFs you mentioned - supposedly similar tension/feel to TIs but with the LaBella thump:

[url="http://www.labella.com/products/ltf-4a/"]http://www.labella.c...roducts/ltf-4a/[/url]

Edited by dannybuoy
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I used to use 760FS's. I threw my old set back on a while ago, and was shocked. No idea how I used to cope. It's a wonder my hands didn't explode.

*Much later edit: I was wrong. The silks are blue so they were 760M's, or even Jamersons, with a 109 E. No wonder.*

My next route was TI's. I still have them on one bass but I never liked the tone. Been on Pyramids for about three years. Excellent feel, nice easy tension though more than TI's, a warm, dark sound. I had a dead E: seems like a common complaint. I sent Pyramid a nice letter and they sent me a replacement for free.



Edited by KK Jale
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TIs are the lowest tension I`ve used. LaBellas and Rotosounds the highest. D`Addario Chromes have a nice feel to them, but may be a bit bright for your needs. The ones I remember as being really nice for a thumpy sound, and not too taught were GHS Precision Flats. Ok, they`re higher tension than TIs - most strings are - but nowhere near like the LaBellas.

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[quote name='Pow_22' timestamp='1430483236' post='2761870']
Did you use like-for-like gauge on the Pyramids i.e 45-105?
[/quote]

I can't find the package but I have a feeling mine are 40, 55, 75, 105.

Edited by KK Jale
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I have had exactly the same experience and I've tried various flats to find the perfect balance of deep tone and low tension.
My fingers and hands are suffering after years of belting high tension steel flats.

I've settled for GHS Precision medium gauge, which are quite high tension but they have that deep thump.
Pyramid Golds lack thump IME, they are very similar to TIs tone wise, just a little higher tension but they still have the nickel tone without the thump of steel.

Have you tried rotosound tru bass nylon strings?
They are high gauge but low tension and they have a deep thumpy tone.
I didn't use them because I don't like the way lower gauge strings rattle on the frets, but I will probably go back to them to save my hands.

Here's a review ;

[url="https://youtu.be/DVEoNFSRDw0"][media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DVEoNFSRDw0[/media][/url]

Edited by redstriper
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+1 on the Pyramids, love those strings. I forgot they are pretty low tension compared to others.

I also had a dead E once. Two P basses side by side with 2 sets of them, swapped the sets around and it was definitely that string. Just sounded like it had a foam mute under it in comparison with the others for some reason! I got a whole new set sent out for free though so can't complain.

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1430494617' post='2762055']
Surely this isn't a string problem.
[/quote]

I tend to agree... I've just strung my P with La Bella 760FS and I love 'em. Perhaps I'm mad, but they don't seem particularly 'high tension' to me... not compared with Fender 9050ML for example. I seem to be able to bend them with ease when necessary... I did tighten up the truss rod slightly, but that was largely to lower the action as I find it possible to get the action lower with flats than with the rounds I had fitted previously. Conversely the flats I found most alarming tension-wise were Chromes, which seemed like solid steel bars and pulled the neck into relief... obviously my experience doesn't correlate with those here! :)

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1430520639' post='2762368']
I tend to agree... I've just strung my P with La Bella 760FS and I love 'em. Perhaps I'm mad, but they don't seem particularly 'high tension' to me... not compared with Fender 9050ML for example. I seem to be able to bend them with ease when necessary... I did tighten up the truss rod slightly, but that was largely to lower the action as I find it possible to get the action lower with flats than with the rounds I had fitted previously. Conversely the flats I found most alarming tension-wise were Chromes, which seemed like solid steel bars and pulled the neck into relief... obviously my experience doesn't correlate with those here! :)
[/quote]

Yes, I found Chromes to be on the stiff side too. I've got Sadowsky flats at the moment which are much softer feeling than Chromes in the same gauge, though I haven't had a set of standard LaBellas to compare to.

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[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1430560663' post='2762565']
Yes, I found Chromes to be on the stiff side too. I've got Sadowsky flats at the moment which are much softer feeling than Chromes in the same gauge, though I haven't had a set of standard LaBellas to compare to.
[/quote]

Phew, maybe I'm not nuts after all. La Bellas certainly aren't the floppiest out there, but any perceived problem with 'tension' is surely offset by their incredible tone capabilities... if it's [i]that '[/i]flats' sound you're after, then La Bellas on a P-Bass played fingerstyle will get you there. Having said that, they respond well to pick-playing too. I'm no Carpenter's fan, but check out Joe Osborn's playing on this vocal/bass/drum mix of 'We've only Just Begun', for example...

[media]http://youtu.be/QvhE2Xes1h8[/media]

Edited by discreet
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[quote name='redstriper' timestamp='1430564725' post='2762634']
Do strings lose tension with age?
[/quote]

I think they do, but only if they are played regularly. Much less so if the bass is kept under the bed for years. Or in uncle's loft. ;)

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[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1430560663' post='2762565']
I've got Sadowsky flats at the moment which are much softer feeling than Chromes in the same gauge, though I haven't had a set of standard LaBellas to compare to.
[/quote]

I've had a set of Lakland flats on my PJ5 for about 3 years. I have no reference points, the last set of flats I used was in 1970, but these strings feel and sound just right IMO.

If anyone has used Lakland flats and another set which they feel [u][i]sounds[/i][/u] better please let me know. I thought these might be the last strings I ever bought, but if there is a better set out there I'd like to know about them. Thanks.

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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1430566214' post='2762660']
If anyone has used Lakland flats and another set which they feel [u][i]sounds[/i][/u] better please let me know.
[/quote]

I used to use Lakland Joe Osborn signature flats which I liked a lot, but I prefer the sound of La Bellas. Totally subjective, of course. I also like Fender 9050ML, but still prefer La Bellas. They are a classic sound. Horses for courses and all that...

Edited by discreet
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Cheers for the messages peeps. Fully accept that i need to work on technique but have a batch of gigs coming up so looking for a 'quick fix/improvement' before i can knuckle down and work on my picking technique.

In the meantime i had a few thomann vouchers so went with a set of Pyramids to see how i get on (cant wait to get the TI's off - great tone but just not got the walloping thump). Will let you know how i get on.

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[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I am interested to hear how you get on with the Pyramid Golds, [/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I found they lack thump and sound very similar to TIs.[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Have you tried rotosound tru bass nylon strings?[/font][/color]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]They are high gauge but low tension and they have a deep thumpy tone.[/font][/color]

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I have gone off flats a bit recently but still have a couple of basses strung with them. Roto tru bass I have strung on my fretless P, fairly low tension but pretty stiff (if that makes sense). I have gone back to the old La Bella's after using Fender flats for a while and I would now say they give me the best all round feel and sound. I do tend to change my mind every few months though :)

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