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Are Flatwounds Addictive


stewblack

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I have to be careful being a recovering addict so I watch out when I see danger signs. GAS is the only exception. Can't control it I'm afraid.

A while back I fitted flats to a semi acoustic bass just because I wanted to try them out. As time passed I picked it up in an increasingly desultory and infrequent fashion, finding the strings unlovely in the extreme. Uncomfortable, unresponsive, lumpen brutes which had an effect not dissimilar to that an olive has on my mouth; they sucked the joy from living.

Then I read here that you need to play them in a bit so I resolved to learn a bunch of songs using only the flat strung semi. I reasoned that as the instrument was so hard to play, the fast twiddly bits would therefore be a doddle when I tried them on a bass slung with proper strings. But a weird thing has happened. After a couple of weeks learning the songs I duly retrieved my Stingray with it's normal roundwounds and recoiled in horror at the fizzy, twangy, brittle sound and strings so weedy and thin it was like playing a six string guitar. Now I don't feel I'm playing a real instrument unless I'm playing my lovely warm, gentle flats. I even have the tone knob turned off on the guitar to minimise any residual nastiness from the upper frequencies.

Are these things addictive? Will I ever enjoy the twang and sizzle of skinny round strings again? Is there help?

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Not sure they're addictive - however if you can get on with them they're good.

However, there are flat wounds and flat wounds - I was put off them when I bought some of a certain make and once fitted put me off playing the instrument largely because the string tension made it feel like arm wrestling. Probably OK if you're a double bass player wanting to play a bit of bass guitar.

Since then I've found several types that I really get on with including TI, Roto Solo bass (actually not fully flat wound but half ground), EB group 3 and EB cobalt slinky flats. These all have one similarity - string tension more or less the same as round wounds. 

The cobalt flats are absolutely amazing and are permanently resident on my Stingray Fretless whilst TI flats are a current fixture on my Classic Stingray. 

Im not sure about wearing them in - the first set mentioned resulted in the bass not being used very much. 

Strings are such an important part of an instrument, I don't think anyone should have to compromise - choose strings that compliment and suit your playing - we are all different and one person's utopia is often another's anathema - including flat wounds - you have to remember flat wounds were really a thing of the 50s, 60s and to an extent, early 70s (when bass was not really heard that much in pre hi fi days - at least in the UK) - ok they are popular currently but it is largely a retro thing in my opinion. I personally love Pino's Precision sound with John Mayer using flat wounds - and am convinced Bernard Edwards used them on his Stingray for some of the famous stuff in the late 70s (based on flatwounds being the only way I can create his popped string sound on We Are Family plus Stingrays shipping with them till mid 78). However Pino is probably one of the world's best bass players - I am not and however much I aspire to play like him I probably won't and I doubt flatwounds would be that much help in me getting there anyway - it's more about technique, knowledge and feel. 

Edited by drTStingray
Incorrect syntax introduced by auto correct
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Thanks guys, interesting stuff. Despite the levity in the way I posed my question the difference between the flats and the round has raised serious considerations for me. As I've only recently returned to playing I have some pretty tatty old strings on  a couple of instruments and am going to need to replace them. Sadly I don't know what make the flats I am using were as it was some time back I bought them. They definitely play differently after a couple of weeks of playing. No question. They were almost sticky when I started but are now as smooth and sleek as a Meerkat's smooth and sleek parts.

Edited by stewblack
typo
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Quote

Are these things addictive? Will I ever enjoy the twang and sizzle of skinny round strings again? Is there help?

Yes. No. And no. Sorry. 

Once I'd 'discovered' flats I put them on everything - violin bass (great), p-bass (perfect), Rickenbacker (wow). Trouble is I do want a bass with rounds for a different sound. I just prefer the feel and sound of flats. I did get a Flea jazz bass in November because the set of Fender rounds on it have been worn in (it was the demo one in Andertons - might even be the one from the vids). Sounds great. Only taken two months to put flats on. Been through Fender flats, Chromes and now tapewound. I really like the Herbie Flowers type sound so tapewounds are sounding interesting at the mo. Thinking of trying some TI or La Bella. Having just read drTStringay's post I'm also thinking cobalts. The issue now is which flat rounds sound best...

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I have only tried the Fender flats but never took to them, I love that sound of a brand new set of roundwound strings, the one that is usually gone after the first gig! So I guess flats are never going to be my thing, the other thing that put me off them was the fact I always felt I was likely to give myself a friction burn if I slide about too much on the fretboard.....not sure if that's just me, just Fender flats or just an irrational fear!

 

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7 minutes ago, fleabag said:

Flatwounds are VERY addictive.  I'm on 20 a day already. I might have to get some arm patches

I know a place not too far away where you can get a fix of flats anytime of day or night, knock three times and whisper the password '1958 Precision & LaBella flats' and they'll look after you alright.

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29 minutes ago, Roger2611 said:

I have only tried the Fender flats but never took to them, I love that sound of a brand new set of roundwound strings, the one that is usually gone after the first gig! So I guess flats are never going to be my thing, the other thing that put me off them was the fact I always felt I was likely to give myself a friction burn if I slide about too much on the fretboard.....not sure if that's just me, just Fender flats or just an irrational fear!

 

Fender flats are the horridest flats I've ever tried. Got them off my Corvette after two days. Stiffer than a doornail. TIs and Chromes are my favourite, much more compliant; I'd like to try the new low tension Labellas if I manage to find a set.

Edited by Silvia Bluejay
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1 hour ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Fender flats are the horridest flats I've ever tried. [...] Stiffer than a doornail.

I guess I must inadvertently quite like that about 9050s. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no way invested in flats and they’d sound completely wrong for playing with my band, but I play a 40-100 set of the Fenders at home every now and then for a bit of a change. I usually play 45-105 rounds and find the 40-100 flats seem to feel about the same.

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56 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Ok then folks, let's have it. Favourite flat brand, size etc and why.

GHS Precision flats, .40-.95 gauges. I get the thump of flats in a traditional sound without the super stiffness. My favorite "nontradtional" sounding flats are TI Jazz flats in .043-.100. Its the flat wound string for those who love round wounds. Expensive, but well worth it.

Edited by fretlessguy
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