Which flatwounds?

[paddy109]

Advice please;
I currently have flatwounds strung on my fender p and I am very happy with how the E/A sound but to my ears the D and especially G have too much trebly twang to them. Gauge 100/43 thomastiks with nickel core and bought them used off basschat.

Could you guys recommend some flats that would sound deeper and warmer? I really don't want to spend a fortune but if I have to then I will bite the bullet! Currently playing R&B in a start up band. I am newish to bass guitar after making transition from upright!

[Lozz196]

deeper and warmer flats to me are either LaBella Deep Talkin Flats or GHS Precision Flats. Bear in mind with flats, they last for ages so although initial outlay may be £40 or so, it will last you at least a year which isn`t a bad return - just think of us poor roundwound users on a set a month!

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1453113899' post='2956384']
deeper and warmer flats to me are either LaBella Deep Talkin Flats or GHS Precision Flats. Bear in mind with flats, they last for ages so although initial outlay may be £40 or so, it will last you at least a year which isn`t a bad return - just think of us poor roundwound users on a set a month!
[/quote]

I'd go with either of these too. You can buy the GHS Precision flats for about £22 direct from Lakland.

[paddy109]

Thanks, lovely quick replies!

Next questions - what scale length for GHS if the ball end of bridge to nut is just shy of 36" and should I go heavy gauge or keep it medium?

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='paddy109' timestamp='1453117276' post='2956420']
Thanks, lovely quick replies!

Next questions - what scale length for GHS if the ball end of bridge to nut is just shy of 36" and should I go heavy gauge or keep it medium?
[/quote]
GHS long scale are long enough - they call them long scale plus.

M3050 have a 38" winding ... [url="http://www.ghsstrings.com/products/11278-bass-precision-flatstm?category_id=1964710-precision-flatstm"]http://www.ghsstrings.com/products/11278-bass-precision-flatstm?category_id=1964710-precision-flatstm[/url]

[4 Strings]

The Roto Trubass tape wounds are smooth sounding, an element of 'clack' if you're not careful but no treble to speak of.

I have these on an old Precision, sound is lovely for soul and Motown

[Machines]

My D'Addario Chromes have got better with age, I think they're about 4 years old now and sound better than ever. The top 2 strings are also well balanced compared to the E / A.

[TrevorR]

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277136-fancy-some-la-bella-flats-for-twenty-quid/"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/277136-fancy-some-la-bella-flats-for-twenty-quid/[/url]

I think this might asnwer a lot of flatwound string questions...

[spongebob]

Fender 9050 flats are the business. I've never been happier with a string, and I used nickels for years beforehand.

[Opticaleye]

Status flats will get you those classic tones but take a little while to bed in (like a lot of flats). The E string in particular sounds like it's from a different set until it eventually opens up. I removed the first set I tried immediately because I thought they lacked character but I tried them again a couple of years later and they settled into a more vintage tone than the Labellas that I have. Lovely mids.

Good value too...

[chris_b]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1453113899' post='2956384']Bear in mind with flats, they last for ages so although initial outlay may be £40 or so, it will last you at least a year
[/quote]
Lozz. . . my Lakland/GHS flats have been on my P bass for 4 years and I wasn't planning to replace them, ever!

[paddy109]

Thanks for the replies. I have ordered GHS flats.

[Geek99]

[quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1453137505' post='2956759']
Fender 9050 flats are the business. I've never been happier with a string, and I used nickels for years beforehand.
[/quote]
Yes agree

[markdavid]

Have tried several brands of flats and the ones i always come back to are labella ,none of the other brands come close imo

[Lozz196]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1453166091' post='2957120']
Lozz. . . my Lakland/GHS flats have been on my P bass for 4 years and I wasn't planning to replace them, ever!
[/quote]

Now that really is value for money Chris

[paddy109]

The GHS flats arrived today and a quick noodle has produced pleasant tones. The D and G sound much better. One thing though they kind of feel a little "dry/sticky" well that's the only way I can describe them. I assume with some playing in this will become less noticeable.

[therealting]

[quote name='paddy109' timestamp='1453490704' post='2960060']
The GHS flats arrived today and a quick noodle has produced pleasant tones. The D and G sound much better. One thing though they kind of feel a little "dry/sticky" well that's the only way I can describe them. I assume with some playing in this will become less noticeable.
[/quote]

Might be manufacturing residue, a good wipe with isopropyl alcohol may help.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='paddy109' timestamp='1453490704' post='2960060']
The GHS flats arrived today and a quick noodle has produced pleasant tones. The D and G sound much better. One thing though they kind of feel a little "dry/sticky" well that's the only way I can describe them. I assume with some playing in this will become less noticeable.
[/quote]

Yep, par for the course. Give them a good rub down with an old t-shirt. That'll sort it.

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Opticaleye' timestamp='1453146114' post='2956858']
Status flats will get you those classic tones but take a little while to bed in (like a lot of flats). The E string in particular sounds like it's from a different set until it eventually opens up. I removed the first set I tried immediately because I thought they lacked character but I tried them again a couple of years later and they settled into a more vintage tone than the Labellas that I have. Lovely mids.

Good value too...
[/quote]

Do you use flats on your L1000?

[discreet]

Bit late to this but another vote for La Bellas and Fender 9050. Both are very smooth and lovely. The Fenders are half the price of the La Bellas, though I will always go for La Bellas whenever possible. They just get better and better the more you play them.

Edited March 22, 2016 by discreet

[Opticaleye]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1458664131' post='3009610']
Do you use flats on your L1000?
[/quote]

Yes - the Status ones, really woody sound.

I also have Status on my cream Umbo and an old set of LaBella 760FL's on a 70's Precision that I rarely use.

[drTStingray]

I bought a set of Ernie Ball Slinky flatwounds (cobalts) which I have on my Stingray fretless - they sound excellent and have some unique qualities in the sound - similar tension to TIs.

Highly recommended.

[Grangur]

Is it just me or is it fairly normal for the E and A to go dead before the D and G?

I've got a theory that it happens because they get more fingering than the D and G. After all, when playing the D and G you're often thumbing the E and A at the same time; as a thumb rest.

[Opticaleye]

[quote name='drTStingray' timestamp='1458673510' post='3009757']
I bought a set of Ernie Ball Slinky flatwounds (cobalts) which I have on my Stingray fretless - they sound excellent and have some unique qualities in the sound - similar tension to TIs.

Highly recommended.
[/quote]

I bought 2 sets of these when they first came, out while I was in the U.S.

I made this video with them;

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s736Ryj4J3A"]https://www.youtube....h?v=s736Ryj4J3A[/url]

I really liked them at first but then, after a couple of months, they seemed to lose the fundamental quite a bit.
At this point they sounded like bad flatwounds instead of the perfect mix of round and flat that I initially loved. I don't kill strings quickly either.

Disappointing

[drTStingray]

[quote name='Opticaleye' timestamp='1458674835' post='3009774']


I bought 2 sets of these when they first came, out while I was in the U.S.

I made this video with them;

[url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s736Ryj4J3A"]https://www.youtube....h?v=s736Ryj4J3A[/url]

I really liked them at first but then, after a couple of months, they seemed to lose the fundamental quite a bit.
At this point they sounded like bad flatwounds instead of the perfect mix of round and flat that I initially loved. I don't kill strings quickly either.

Disappointing
[/quote]

Nice playing on the video - but goodness - that's not good. I put mine on the fretless Ray around a year ago - the bass still has a ton of mwah and they can still zing if I turn the treble up. The opposite experience for me and they sound warm and punchy with tons of zing if wanted.

I also have a fretted Classic Ray which has TIs fitted - which sound really nice - they're a little older than the EBs but I have the tone of the EBs as on a par, with a little more growl and more zing available if wanted. The fundamental is fairly similar. The tension is v similar.

The EB cobalts had a slightly sticky feel when brand new but that went after a week or two.

Edited March 23, 2016 by drTStingray