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Flats


uncle psychosis
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So, during the summer I decided I wanted to try flats. Mcnach of this here parish was kind enough to let me try some of his basses, and pointed me in the direction of status hotwires. I ordered some...and they've sat on my shelf ever since.

Tonight I put them on my TRB...and....



Why have I not done this before? This is what basses are supposed to sound like!! :D :D :D (plus they feel nicer :ph34r: )

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In my experience flats respond in different ways to different basses. For example, flats of any expense sound terrible on my Blazer, but awesome on my bitsa P.

Sometimes I just love thudding away to some old Etta James stuff, no treble, plenty of bass and a light touch. Lovely feeling!

Truckstop

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1355980051' post='1905248']
It's. shame flats are synonymous with the word 'thud'. They do so much more.
[/quote]

Totally agree. My bass sound is anything but 'thud'.

I have a very aggressive, trebly tone. I just couldn't go back to rounds now. they have nothing to offer me that I can't get with my flats. I sometimes get players coming up to me at the end of a gig to complement me on my tone and do a double take when they realise that I use flats.

I've used Roto flats for a few years which are great on the Ibanez but have just begun using D'Addario Chromes now and they work so well on my precision. The 40 gauge ones are perfect tension for me.

Truckstop - have you tried Roto flats on your Blazer? I got a really good sound with them when I had mine

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Yeah I tried the Black Rotos, LabBella Deep Talkin's and d'Addario whatever's and was just really unsatisfied with the tone. With the tone boosted a little it all sounded really hollow and limp and with the tone cut totally, it was just a really dull thump rather than a lovely creamy tone that I can get from my bitsa.

I'm just gonna stick with my Labella Steps on the Blazer from now on; killer sound! Flats seem to take to the bitsa P really well so I've kept them there!

Truckstop

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I started with flats (vintage Hofners) and went back to them when I bought a '65 P-bass. I PM'd three Basschatters who I thought would be able to give me a steer on the right choice (WaterOfTyne, Beedster, Clarky) and all three came straight back with LaBella FLs.

IMHO they're pretty much unbeatable, at least on a Precision.

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Well I`ve just ordered a set of D`addario Chromes. Have had them a couple of times, but for some reason never gave them a chance in the mix, always taking them off the bass after using at home, thinking they won`t work, although I like the sound for home practice. And in my usual slow learning capacity, as I`ve come to realise that usually a sound I don`t think is that great on its own works well in the mix, I`m going to persist this time. Chromes have a bit of the round about them - it was Clarky that recommended them to me (and he was kind enough to give me a set to try out).

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[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1356544799' post='1911021']
I PM'd three Basschatters who I thought would be able to give me a steer on the right choice (WaterOfTyne, Beedster, Clarky) and all three came straight back with LaBella FLs.
[/quote]

FWIW, I'm now running Lakland flats on everything. The La Bellas are awesome, and the Lakkies are a different flavour of awesome (and far cheaper, which helps :) ).

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[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1356548311' post='1911084']
FWIW, I'm now running Lakland flats on everything. The La Bellas are awesome, and the Lakkies are a different flavour of awesome (and far cheaper, which helps :) ).
[/quote]

+1 to this

[quote name='Phil-osopher10' timestamp='1356549302' post='1911094']
I put status flats on my thumb bass, not my thing at all sucked the tone out of it and I think the E string was dead. Sounded horrible.
[/quote]

+1 to this too. I liked the D and G strings on the Status flats, plenty of sustain, but the E and A strings were just totally dead thud.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I spent the afternoon yesterday trying out a few sets of flats on my P (I had a few used sets in my box). I've been using LaBella 760FL for a while as they seem to be the standard recommendation - I didn't like them at first as they were quite bright, stiff and sticky, although they got better with age. Tried the Chromes and they had the same issues as the new LaBellas. Then I put the Pyramid Golds on and they are never coming off! They just sound perfect on this Classic 50s P of mine, and are so smooth to the touch that they, to use an overused Talkbass term, 'play like buttah'. Slides are just so effortless and I have the action nice and low - I can't put it down now, and have only done so long enough to write this, and now I'm off again!

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  • 2 weeks later...

I switched from rounds to flats about 18 months ago. Stuck a set of Fender flats on my P bass, and quickly put them on the Rick and the Jack Casady afterwards. I love the tone and feel of them - right up my street. Not too bright and beautifully playable.

The bass guy in my local Dawsons was telling me about D'Addario flats and enthusing about them but from what people on here are saying they're quite bright (for flats), but I'm interested in upgrading my Fenders.

There's clearly a lot of love for the La Bella FLs, although my instinct is to go for the La Bella FSs as the 45-105 seems more natural for me as it's what I've always played. Anyone played both?

Also - are the Lakland ones as good?

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