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Your thoughts re: Flats on a Jazz bass?


Papabull
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There were two threads about the same thing starts by the same person at one stage, not sure which one this is but maybe you posted in the other one. Or if this is the other one, you posted in the first one, also known as the other other one. I think.

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Thread hijack- and really dumb question, could somebody post an image of the ti flats packaging please! I'm after some for my p but am not convinced my searching via google is pointing me in the right direction- having proper brain fade! Thank you!

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[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1490204559' post='3263252']
There were two threads about the same thing starts by the same person at one stage, not sure which one this is but maybe you posted in the other one. Or if this is the other one, you posted in the first one, also known as the other other one. I think.
[/quote]

Ah yes - good spot! http://basschat.co.uk/topic/302484-your-thoughts-re-flats-on-a-jazz-bass/page__pid__3262034#entry3262034

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The only thing I've found worth bearing in mind when putting flats on a jazz is to not go too heavy on the gauge; some of the burpiness also comes from being able to dig in a bit harder on the rear pickup. I found with higher tension sets (such as fender 50-100) it was difficult to achieve. Better with D'Addario Chromes. 50-105s were still a bit stiff playing by the bridge (but I still love them, especially for the neck pickup); 45-100s seem to work better.

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My Jazz basses are strung with Chromes, 45-100, whereas I use 50-105 on my Precisions, partially because it makes the narrower neck seem a little less tight, and partially because I don't entirely trust the Jazz neck with all that tension on it, more meat in a Precision neck.

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  • 1 year later...
On 18/03/2017 at 01:04, FinnDave said:

Both my Jazz bases have flats on them (Chromes), I find it gets rid of the twangyness, which is a good thing from my point of view.

Just resurrecting this old thread - I hadn't tried this back last year, when I saw this thread.

Anyhow, I only just put some Flats on a Fender Flea, and was really amazed at how good it sounded! :o
I'm not particularly a fan of flats - I have TI's on one of my P/J's and I like the TI's because of their low tension
Having tried other flats previously, and found strings like the Steve Harris sig strings way too high tension

I had taken the Flea Jazz along as backup bass (it was a big gig / show on Sunday, and I wanted to make sure I had a spare bass)
During the set-up and sound check, I was so taken with the sound, I decided to opt to play the Jazz for our first set. Following that, I decided I liked it so much, I played it for the 2nd set too :)

It was a really "full on" sound, quite warm and I could hear lows, mids and highs really well, and as Dave says above - I found the top end wasn't "twangy" as it sometimes can be, especially on new strings
That was another plus for me too - although the strings were new, and I'd only rehearsed for about an hour - hour & a half before gigging, they didn't go far from tune
I re-tuned before the 2nd set, and they seem really stable :)

Add to that, they were only a cheap brand - Adagio (I think I paid about £10 or £11 for them on eBay, a short while back)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adagio-Flatwound-Electric-Strings-Standard/dp/B0146TU97E
Anyone else on here use these cheap Adagio strings?

Edited by Marc S
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On ‎18‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 23:43, Bikenbass said:

Didn't John Paul Jones string his jazz with flats? Seemed to work out alright for him. :)

He's said in various interviews that he never had flats on his Jazz as he didn't like them, but it does sound otherwise.

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I’ve got flats on my Jazz, and rounds on my P (well, Maruszczyk Elwood & Jake, but they do J and P sounds nicely), I love them that way round. I might try flats on the Jake one day but the Elwood will stay with flats now, I like the sort of pure tone you get like that. Nice!

Edited by adamg67
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I love the sound of a p and I have quite a nice one but I can’t get on with the neck width ,    maybe if I played it all the time I would get used to it.    so I bought this it’s a 1998 pj      probably the most comfortable bass I own  

7044E5E2-6AAA-4D3A-B7CB-F20E9EEA23F5.jpeg

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I like flats on a P and I like flats on a Jazz - but just to be contrary, I'm currently very much enjoying rounds on a Jazz.

There's something about Jazz basses that just seem to suit the sound of rounds better than flats. I have no idea why - just my opinion. Maybe because of the dual single coils? Or something? :)

Edited by discreet
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On ‎18‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 17:36, M@23 said:

Joe Osborn was a Jazz/La Bella guy, I think.

I'm thinking of putting flats on an active 5 string jazz. Keen to give the Dunlops a go.

I read a good article somewhere listing all the hits he did. Many were by a band that had a bass player. "Along Comes Mary"-The Association " and "Midnight Confessions" by The Grass Roots. He said he used a pick near the neck and had the bridge pickup turned down some. Check out "Whipping Post" the Allman Brothers Band. That was a Jazz with flatwounds and a pick. Rounds have a good 'twang' that you can make mellow if you like.

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