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Flatwounds


deanbean502
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[quote name='deanbean502' timestamp='1317146460' post='1387373']
For quiet a while I have been using Roundwounds usually status Hotwires but i Fancy a change

can anyone recommend a good Flatwound?
[/quote]
GHS Precision Flatwounds = the best :) beat all the rest by a country mile :)
Cheerz, John

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There's lots of flatwounds and they all have different qualities. So you're likely to get a list of people's preferences.

At the moment, I use La Bella Deep Talkin 760FS on my fretted Precision for a Motown/Stax sound (FS are standard guage and high tension, for a little less tension you can try 760FL light guage). Thomastik Jazz Flats (JF344) are on my fretless precision for a slightly brighter and middier sound - these are much lower tension - and La Bella Deep Talkin 760N Black Nylons are on my Lakland Decade - these are roundwounds with a nylon tape winding on top. I'm less keen on D'Addario Chromes which are fairly tense and initially bright, nor the Roto Jazz flats for the same reason. The GHS Precision flats are I think the same as the Lakland flats which I also like. For a sixties British bass thud try Pyramid Golds.

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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1317148518' post='1387397']There's lots of flatwounds and they all have different qualities. So you're likely to get a list of people's preferences. At the moment, I use La Bella Deep Talkin 760FS on my fretted Precision for a Motown/Stax sound (FS are standard guage and high tension, for a little less tension you can try 760FL light guage). Thomastik Jazz Flats (JF344) are on my fretless precision for a slightly brighter and middier sound - these are much lower tension - and La Bella Deep Talkin 760N Black Nylons are on my Lakland Decade - these are roundwounds with a nylon tape winding on top. I'm less keen on D'Addario Chromes which are fairly tense and initially bright, nor the Roto Jazz flats for the same reason. The GHS Precision flats are I think the same as the Lakland flats which I also like. For a sixties British bass thud try Pyramid Golds.[/quote]

What he said. I am using La Bella 760FS on my 51RI Precision, Pyramid Gold flats on my 63P and Rotosound Tru Bass black nylon strings (really fat and thumpy) on my 'Herbie Flowers' tribute Jazz (cos Herbie does!)

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Or for a very good half-way house, Status Hotwire Half-rounds (which are rounds ground down to be close to flats but still with a bit of grippiness and a slight zing to them). They sound (and play) great on my fretless Wal ... in fact their lack of total slidiness probably makes them ideal for a fretless as you don't end up sliding too far!

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[quote name='NeilMorrell' timestamp='1317157604' post='1387556']
A few seem of you seem to like Black Nylons. :)

I've got Fender Taperwound on my SR400FL Fretless Black Nylon, Black Silks, Black bass with Black Hardware.

Looks great with the PVC Gimp Mask.

Looks aside, they sound pretty good too.
[/quote]
Sort of a stealth bass?

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+1 to the above poster saying chromes are a bit brighter than most flats. Also Ernie Ball flats basically = Chromes as I believe D'Addario used to make EB strings and now EB have copied the formula! Could be wrong, but I like them!!

Lots of different flavours out there - experiment!

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[quote name='Moog' timestamp='1317158078' post='1387569']
+1 to the above poster saying chromes are a bit brighter than most flats. Also Ernie Ball flats basically = Chromes as I believe D'Addario used to make EB strings and now EB have copied the formula! Could be wrong, but I like them!![/quote]
Fender strings are also now made by D'Addario - or so I believe.

[quote name='Moog' timestamp='1317158078' post='1387569']
Lots of different flavours out there - experiment!
[/quote]
I'm all for that but with flats it can be an expensive business.

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If your moving on to flats for the first time try the GHS Brite flats....really great sounding strings, picked up the light gauge recently (45-98) they sound great on my MIJ '62 reissue P..

Ended up using them on the majority of an album session I was on at the weekend, you get the nice warm thump on the E but keep the brightness on the D and G...comes across very well indeed!

D

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[quote name='davebass66' timestamp='1317160500' post='1387617']
If your moving on to flats for the first time try the GHS Brite flats....really great sounding strings, picked up the light gauge recently (45-98) they sound great on my MIJ '62 reissue P..

Ended up using them on the majority of an album session I was on at the weekend, you get the nice warm thump on the E but keep the brightness on the D and G...comes across very well indeed!

D
[/quote]
Are Brite Flats groundwounds?

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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1317158570' post='1387577']
Fender strings are also now made by D'Addario - or so I believe.


I'm all for that but with flats it can be an expensive business.
[/quote]

Agreed. Unfortunately strings are such a personal taste, that there is no other solution but to experiment. All you can do is try and make an educated guess. The good thing is that once you have found your favorite flat wound, it will last for years. My own personal favourite flat wounds are TI (Thomastik/Infeld) jazz flats. They have very low tension, but that is not always a good thing with some people.

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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1317148518' post='1387397']
There's lots of flatwounds and they all have different qualities. So you're likely to get a list of people's preferences.

At the moment, I use La Bella Deep Talkin 760FS on my fretted Precision for a Motown/Stax sound (FS are standard guage and high tension, for a little less tension you can try 760FL light guage). Thomastik Jazz Flats (JF344) are on my fretless precision for a slightly brighter and middier sound - these are much lower tension - and La Bella Deep Talkin 760N Black Nylons are on my Lakland Decade - these are roundwounds with a nylon tape winding on top. I'm less keen on D'Addario Chromes which are fairly tense and initially bright, nor the Roto Jazz flats for the same reason. The GHS Precision flats are I think the same as the Lakland flats which I also like. For a sixties British bass thud try Pyramid Golds.
[/quote]

+1 to all of that. I actually like the higher tension and brightness of Chromes - they sound great on my Precisions and the Stingray. But they're less of a traditional flats sound.

I've used the Fender flats, which I really liked - quite a tradition sound, but still plenty of clarity and definition. They're pretty cheap for flats too.

I've also got the rotosound nylon ones on my cheapo acoustic bass, and they sound great for a tradition upright thud.

Edited by simon1964
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