Flatwound Tone

[Si600]

I'm being a bit naughty and lazy here, I'm sure there's a flats discussion thread somewhere, but searching flatwound, flatwounds or flat* doesn't return it, unless it's so far back in the past...

Anyhoo, I like a clanky/middy tone, like new Roto 66's. Does anyone know of any flats sound close to this? I've seen a lot of positives for Thomastik Jazz flats, but at nearly £70 for a packet it's a lot just to try out.

I had a look in the for sale section, but you're all selling 4 string sets

Edited November 3, 2017 by Si600

[BassBus]

You'll find TI jazz flats at strings direct for £55. If you like that tone then why not try Labella760s. I like quite a dark middy fretless tone and Jazz Flats give that tone on some basses but not on my Overwater. Tried the Labellas on that and it came alive. Good flats are expensive but they last for years with a good tone.

[Si600]

Cheers, I'll give the Labella's a go.

Anyone selling a set of 760FL-Bs?

[Gottastopbuyinggear]

I’m no expert, having only played the LaBella 760's and D'addario Chromes, but I’m not sure that I’d jump straight on the La Bellas if you want a middy tone - they’re pretty deep and thuddy. I think the Chromes might be more to your liking, but it’d be interesting to see what others say.

[ezbass]

Ernie Ball Cobalts are quite round wound sounding.

[Drax]

Big fan of 760FLs but wouldn’t say they are that ‘clanky / middy’ ..
Have you tried Tapewounds? I like them for the clank / twang / mid edge over flatwounds. D’addario 50-105 worth a look.

[The59Sound]

Cobalt flats. GHS Pressure Wounds.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1509737821' post='3401360']
Ernie Ball Cobalts are quite round wound sounding.
[/quote]

In fact too much so for my liking!

[Si600]

Ooo, you horrors

As a technical point that I keep reading about, are the same gauge flats the same tension as rounds? My Roto 66s are 45 to 130 or thereabouts. Do I need a lighter or heavier string to get a similar feel?

Edited November 5, 2017 by Si600

[Guest Gabriel1918]

I think string tensions vary quite a bit and I don't think there's a direct correlation between gauge in a string and tension, from round to flat or brand to brand. I know that Thomastik Infeld Jazz Bass flatwounds are the lowest tension strings I've come across and were sadly just too floppy for both my Jazz basses. But I also like really low action, so the combination of low string height and low tension meant buzzing everywhere, including the nut.

I'm using D'Addario Chromes on everything at the moment. They're 'ok' but not quite what I'm after. But they may give you the middle/ clanky sound you're after. And they're the best flat I've tried so far for fretless 'mwah' (for some reason I feel the need to spit after saying that word) with brightness (but not very bright). I'm wondering about 59Sound's suggestion of Ernie Ball Cobalts - may give them a try next. Do they have decent mid-tones? I generally quite like roundwounds on fretless. Just stopped using them due to the fingerboard wear issues.

I came across a document online ages ago that had a list of string tensions from various string types and models. Maybe on talkbass if you do a search

Edited November 7, 2017 by Gabriel1918

[scrumpymike]

[quote name='Gabriel1918' timestamp='1510045707' post='3403381']
But I also like really low action, so the combination of low string height and low tension meant buzzing everywhere, including the nut.

I came across a document online ages ago that had a list of string tensions from various string types and models. Maybe on talkbass if you do a search
[/quote]

You've hit the nail on the head with your point about low-tension strings limiting how far you can lower the action. My requirement is to achieve minimal fretting effort and the obvious way to get that is by finding the right compromise between string tension and action height. Trouble is it seems almost impossible to find the information you need to select the right strings; and the trial and error method is wasteful of time and money. The comparison listing you mentioned sounds interesting but might not be that useful to me as all my basses are short scale.

[chrisanthony1211]

Mid sounding flats is definitely not labella, they're deep and thusly....', TI's will give you the mid sound but not much in the lower register, and very very floppy, I keep trying TI flats, I think I like them, try some chromes again, and realize that I don't like TI's at all.....

The GHS Pressurewound is a good call, they have good mids and good tension, obviously not as smooth as flats though.

[discreet]

Chromes are bright and quite 'middly' for flats, as mentioned above. I'd try those first. Fender 9050 stainless flats are reasonably bright, too. My favourite all-time flats are La Bella 760FM, they'll give you that classic 'Jamerson' P Bass sound (even if you can't play like him ), so possibly not what you're looking for.

I tried the much-vaunted Thomastik-Infeld flats a while back and loved the sound of them, but agree that they are far too low in tension and they didn't suit my fairly robust fingerstyle approach - they were all over the place - and even worse with a pick. Very good strings if they suit your technique, though.

Edited November 8, 2017 by discreet

[Delberthot]

I used Chromes for years until I discovered that they sounded terrible through the PA with my Sterling so went back to D'addario EXL165s. They were all top and no substance

I got mine from Strings direct and bought single strings that were closely matched for tension. They were 45, 60, 80, 110

Prior to the Sterling I had used them on an Epi Thunderbird, Yamaha BB425 & 1025, Precision Special with PJ EMGs and probably a couple of others and they sounded amazing. Like brand new nickel strings but the sound never changed, even after a couple of years.

Nice and easy on the fingers as well. Not slippery but they allowed me to play faster. It took a while to get used to the Nickel roundwounds again but they are the smoothest rounds I've ever used.

Thomastiks to me are as dead as fried chicken. If you want thud then that's what to use. I tried those on an Ibanez SR1016 and fretless Stingray but sounded awful to my ears on both basses.

I also tried the Steve Harris gauge of Rotosounds but just the heavier standard ones that are the same and in concert pitch they were really difficult to play but tuned down a semitone with a band I was depping with they were right on the money and sounded pretty bright but not quite as bright as the Chromes. That was using my Warmoth 54 single coil precision as well which was never the brightest sounding of basses.

Edited November 12, 2017 by Delberthot

[EssentialTension]

On 05/11/2017 at 20:52, Si600 said:

As a technical point that I keep reading about, are the same gauge flats the same tension as rounds? My Roto 66s are 45 to 130 or thereabouts. Do I need a lighter or heavier string to get a similar feel?

Tension (at a particular pitch and scale length) is dependent not on gauge as such but on mass per unit length of string ... and mass per unit length of string depends on nature of construction, not merely on gauge.

Hence, the same gauge but different construction can lead to a different tension. Gauge is not a measure of tension.

[markdavid]

On 03/11/2017 at 11:04, Si600 said:

I'm being a bit naughty and lazy here, I'm sure there's a flats discussion thread somewhere, but searching flatwound, flatwounds or flat* doesn't return it, unless it's so far back in the past...

Anyhoo, I like a clanky/middy tone, like new Roto 66's. Does anyone know of any flats sound close to this? I've seen a lot of positives for Thomastik Jazz flats, but at nearly £70 for a packet it's a lot just to try out.

I had a look in the for sale section, but you're all selling 4 string sets

To keep a clanky/middy tone with flats is going to cost a small fortune, the closest is probably TI Jazz flats as they keep a lot of their middy tone as they break in

[Creeper]

TI do come up on sale on basschat quite often, people buy them and tend to either live or hate them, if you’re a lover you’re sorted!

[bazzbass]

no flat string will be 'clanky' , but Chromes get closest imho ymmv

[grandad]

It does mention tension:

http://www.bassplayer.com/gear/1164/flat-world-a-roundup-of-flatwound-strings/57888

[converse320]

Thomastik Jazz flats are available at Thomann for 42 euros.   So if you're buying something else from them and are paying shipping anyway, thats an option

[chris_b]

I have TI flats on my 35" PJ5 and I don't find the tension to be very different to the GHS Precision flats I had on before. The sound is pretty good though and IMO is an improvement.

I'm wondering what the the OP is looking for in strings that makes him want to switch to a set of flats but keep them sounding like a set of rounds? I've never heard that and I reckon he's going to be disappointed. IME rounds clank and flats thump, not the other way around.

Flats on the right instrument make a fantastic sound, but they are always flats and never sound like rounds!

[Sibob]

As has been said, Flat's won't ever be 'clanky'. I use Chromes on a Precision, and they have some mid character, which is nice, means you don't get lost in the mix, but in no way resemble the Roto 66 sets you reference.
If you want a bit of a curve ball, perhaps check out the La Bella White Gold sets, they're golden Alloy (80/20 Brass apparently), wrapped in white tape. So basically metal strings, tape-wound. I've not tested them, but they seem like they'd be somewhere between brass (acoustic) strings and flats.

Si

[Lozz196]

I`m a Roto 66 user, and have tried to get similar sound from many strings, rounds & flats alike, and not got anywhere near. Especially from flats.Yes Rotos don`t last too long, but as a plus point they`re also not that expensive, so a set every month v an expensive set every two months, same monies. And a cracking sound.