Anyone here not a fan of flats?

[Davo-London]

Well I just put on La Bella Black Nylon low tension flats on an unloved Precision.

Now I'm not a fan of flats except on acoustic basses. These flats replaced La Bella regular flats.

OMG, the bass felt completely different and sounded so much better to my ears than flats normally sound. The tone range on the Precision worked too. The bass was easier to play and slides and vibrato worked in a way that just wasn't happening with the regular flats.

So if you don't like flats. Try the 750N and see what you think.

Regards
Davo

[Cat Burrito]

Black nylon strings have always been a great alternative to flats. Having sung the praises of flatwound strings since the 90s, I'm just discovering roundwound strings (yes, I'm painfully aware I'm doing this in reverse to everyone else). The reality is tastes change and different strings do different things.

[Marc S]

I'm not mad on flats, and bear in mind that I play Double bass too - which are pretty much all strung with flats, or something similar
I find the tension on them is normally too high. I tried Steve Harris sigs on my fretless, but ended up replacing them with Thomastik Inflelt (TI) Flats, which are incredibly low tension - I mean "incredibly". I do like these strings, but their tension is much lower than any rounds I've ever played, and they do take a bit of getting used to, especially as I don't play my fretless much....

I had some black nylon tapewound strings on my first DB / EUB (which was a Stagg) they were a huge improvement over the original strings, and I really liked the "dark" nature of their sound - so I'm with you on that. Not tried those LaBella's - so I really must!

PS. Why was the Precision "unloved"? Did you not like it with rounds?
PPS. I once had an acoustic bass (Ibanez) - lovely it was too - but I really liked the sound, when strung with Phosphor Bronze strings - sounded immense! Lovely tone too. A mate had an identical bass, and strung it with steel, then N/S rounds, and it didn't sound half as good.....

[LewisK1975]

Every time I try a bass with flats on, I always find the high tension unbearable. These might be an option to stick on one of my Basses for a trial. Then again I suspect Labella = expensive!

[bertbass]

When I started playing there were only flats. When round wounds first became available they were a revelation, they were for me without a doubt. I've used nothing else since and the thought of going back to flat wounds fills me with dread and horror!

[Rich]

I [i]really[/i] dislike flats, but in my case it's because of the feel. I hate the smoothness, they feel almost slimy. Weird I know, but they make me want to wash my hands. I'm not happy unless I've got windings under my fingertips. Which is a shame, because flats can sound great.

[Hobbayne]

I hate the high tension and feel of flats. When I first started playing bass in the early 1980's flats had all but been superseded by rounds.
I did try a set of flats a few years ago just to see what they were like, but took them off after a few days and went back to rounds.
Incidentally, I bought a Limelight 63 P Bass off of Discreet last summer which he had fitted with La Bellas.
I took them off and posted them back to him. He was most pleased.

[HazBeen]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1487155714' post='3237531']
I [i]really[/i] dislike flats, but in my case it's because of the feel. I hate the smoothness, they feel almost slimy. Weird I know, but they make me want to wash my hands. I'm not happy unless I've got windings under my fingertips. Which is a shame, because flats can sound great.
[/quote]

This!

[pineweasel]

Another long term rounds player here. My experience with flats was limited to sticking a set of Chromes on a Precision, and like others, I wasn't fond of the high tension.

I've since fitted a set of Dunlop flats and they have a much nicer feel, to the extent that I now use them all the time in one of my bands.

[lownote]

[quote name='LewisK1975' timestamp='1487155088' post='3237521']
Every time I try a bass with flats on, I always find the high tension unbearable. These might be an option to stick on one of my Basses for a trial. Then again I suspect Labella = expensive!
[/quote]
I said this to a pro chum the other day and he told me to try La Bella 760FLs (£43 ish) which he swears aren't stiff as a board. Haven't tried them yet to see if he's right though.

[FinnDave]

I'd a brief flirtation with flats ten years ago or so, decided I didn't like the feel of them under my fingers or the sound they made (on a Precision). Having had to change from fingers to pick in the last 12 months, my Ps and Js were both a bit too bright, so I tried a set of Chromes on one of each, and it has transformed them. I'm waiting for the delivery of another set in today's post so I can change another bass over.

So, for me, flats and finger style....NO
But flats and a pick....perfect!

[bassbiscuits]

I only used round wounds for over 20 years, but the last couple of years i've been getting really into flats. That said, not all flats are the same.

The TIs on my Epi Jack Casady are very musical rather than thuddy, but low tension. The Labellas 760FLs on my Precision are very beefy and smooth, but not particularly high tension at all (i.e. I can still do two-fret string bends pretty easily).

That said, I've got nickel rounds on my Lull which sort of suits that sort of bass better....

[Donnyboy]

It's a no from me.. I was expecting to be impressed but they just don't do it for me. I didn't like the feel or tension tbh. I've got a set of black nylons in a drawer that I might try for a laugh.

[Davo-London]

Folks you all seem to fall into my category of disliking flats because of the feel and tension. The sound is another thing.

These are low tension (they feel like 40-60-80-100 rounds) and feel completely different from other flats I've tried. They're somehow more musical more playable than other flats.

The P bass is my (2nd) Precision and the other is fitted with rounds. So that's my goto bass. I thought if I had two Precisions - one with flats and one with rounds I'd be sorted. Turns out now I am.

They cost around £40 but are extremely difficult to get hold of. Seem to be sold out everywhere I tried.

Honestly flat haters: try the 750N.

Davo

[Ghost_Bass]

For fretted basses i don't want flats, i need the zing and mids. In a upright they are a must have. For fretless basses it's a mather of taste and marriage with the bass in question. I had a fretless Blazer with maple fretboard and i found that i prefered the Half-rounds in it due to the extra zing and mwah i could get out of them. Looking at it i now believe that i am not a fan of flats, to answer the OP.

[Painy]

I tried a set of flats for the first time a few months ago. Really liked the smooth feel and I actually like the added tension as I hate floppy strings.
Unfortunately, as much as I liked the thumpy sound of them on my precision at home, they really weren't working for me at all in my band. When I asked the singer what he thought he actually asked if I was trying to find the worst sound possible so that I could avoid it in future .
Fortunately for me though, used flats do at least have a resale value .

[Graham]

Not a fan here, don't like the sound or the feel, nickel plated rounds is where it's at for me

[Surrpaul]

I think there's a compromise with flats. I prefer the solo sound of a bass with rounds, but the punch you get from flats when in a band situation and playing live is where the benefits are. To me, there has been a massive change in the pinch from a recent change to flats after almost 20 years using rounds.
Plus, I tend to dig in quite hard and the smoothness of the flats means that even after all these years I no longer get sore finger tips after playing for long periods.

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1487158030' post='3237573']
It's a no from me.. I was expecting to be impressed but they just don't do it for me. I didn't like the feel or tension tbh. I've got a set of black nylons in a drawer that I might try for a laugh.
[/quote]

Sadly I've got a ladder in mine...

[ambient]

I don't like high tension ones, they don't suit what I do, I find they don't allow me to be expressive n my playing,

I do like TI flats, I used them for a couple of years on my Modulus 6 string.

I'm currently using D'Addario half wounds which I find are a nice compromise, you retain the tone and flexibility of round wounds, yet without the annoying clankiness of rounds. They're nice and smooth too, for sliding about.

[Number6]

Always preferred a Bungalow to be honest.....

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1487155714' post='3237531']
I [i]really[/i] dislike flats, but in my case it's because of the feel. I hate the smoothness, they feel almost slimy. Weird I know, but they make me want to wash my hands. I'm not happy unless I've got windings under my fingertips. Which is a shame, because flats can sound great.
[/quote]

this, again.

for some of the playing I do - tapping - I need a bit of grip, otherwise it feels my fingers are just sliding off.

[No lust in Jazz]

I go through phases with flats, live in a band context they're great, when playing at home playing solo (so to speak) I find that they're less great.

But I'll take your recommendation and next time I'm in that market, I'll try them.

[project_c]

Don't like flats at all, but love nylon tapes, I have them on 3 of my basses. I use basses strung with D'Addario XL tapes for every rehearsal and gig, love them.

[Roger2611]

If I am honest, I don't really understand flats, if a sound is too bright you back the treble or tone off a little? If the sound is too dull and the tone or treble is up full then you put a nice new set of Elites on? Flat's seem to exist to give you that played in string feel?

I understand the use of flats on a fretless to protect the fretboard but personally I don't like the feel of them on my fingers, they are so smooth it feels like I will get "rope burn" if I slide my finger too fast, which on a fretless seems to defeat the object of a fretless?

Sorry, lots of question marks in the above but I really don't understand flats!