Are Flatwounds Addictive

[deepbass5]

Having just purchased a CS 62 P relic my first 4 string for about 15 years

I ordered some Labella 0760M .052 - .110 last week they've been on a few days now and i just re adjusted the neck yesterday to suit and the action

Surf's Up man    and the foam

I do have La Bella white tapes on my Status electro by the way for those above asking about tape wounds I had spend a few pounds trying others that were not as good, Inc the black La bella, GHS, Status, The whites are slightly more articulate and feel better under the fingers than the Black tapes IMO.

It actually cost me a lot more than that as i had to buy 5 new Hipshot tuners and change the nut to get them on the bass. So do check because the wrap makes them massive C.S.A compared to standard strings

 

Edited February 12, 2018 by deepbass5

[deepbass5]

Andy

what have you tried, I have a cupboard full of five sets i have taken off black tape and half rounds - think they were on a 3 over 2 headstock 34"

[andyonbass]

5 hours ago, deepbass5 said:

Andy

what have you tried, I have a cupboard full of five sets i have taken off black tape and half rounds - think they were on a 3 over 2 headstock 34"

I'm currently using a set of Status hotwires Black nylon coated strings on my ACG fretless, which have been on there for a few years. The B is not too bad but they don't appear to be making them any more so I'm considering  what to replace them with.....

I have tried chromes on my fretted bass but the B was a bit disappointing 

[BreadBin]

I have a set of Roto Monel 77s on my cheapest 5er, a fretless Harley Benton -the B is a bit flat but they feel amazing. 

Going to fit a set of Elite Detroit flats to one of my four fake Fenders next as I picked a set up recently. 

 

[musicbassman]

Well, I know this is an old thread, but having read peoples comments and advice re flats, I bought some Olympic flats 45-65-80-100 to try out, after having used roundwounds since absolutely forever.

The tension is OK, but they seem ever so 'sticky' - seems very high friction between fingertip and string compared to my old roundwounds. Is this usual, or are some flats worse for this than others?

I have had them on for 3-4 weeks now and not sure they're for me - I thought maybe they would have settled in a bit by now. Should I try another make? Or what about semi rounds?

Bass is a PJ. All advice welcome, thanks!

[mikeycrikey]

Try removing them and give the a good wipe over. It's possible a leftover from the manufacturing process.

Mine are not sticky at all and feel really smooth under your fingers.

[stewblack]

2 hours ago, musicbassman said:

Well, I know this is an old thread, but having read peoples comments and advice re flats, I bought some Olympic flats 45-65-80-100 to try out, after having used roundwounds since absolutely forever.

The tension is OK, but they seem ever so 'sticky' - seems very high friction between fingertip and string compared to my old roundwounds. Is this usual, or are some flats worse for this than others?

I have had them on for 3-4 weeks now and not sure they're for me - I thought maybe they would have settled in a bit by now. Should I try another make? Or what about semi rounds?

Bass is a PJ. All advice welcome, thanks!

My first experience of flats was very similar then they played themselves in and I love them now. It did take a while though.

[musicbassman]

Thanks for your comments guys,

mikeycrikey, I think it's the very smoothness of the flats that I'm just not used to. It feels rather similar to lightly pressing your finger against the glass in a window - there is a natural friction there and your finger won't move easily. Maybe there needs to be a built up of crud on the strings to break this surface tension!

I've been trying to play with a lighter touch and this has helped a bit, but old habits etc............

[Creeper]

Surprised that no one has mentioned rotosound Jazz 77 flats......awesome strings, and having spent a small fortune on flats over the last 18 months, I’ve tried them all......

[kevvo66]

Mmm been wondering about them myself thanks for the heads up👍

[Creeper]

7 hours ago, musicbassman said:

- there is a natural friction there and your finger won't move easily. Maybe there needs to be a built up of crud on the strings to break this surface tension!

One of the reasons I like the rotosound Jazz 77 flats so much is that you don’t get this friction, they are ever so slightly textured, even less than compression wound strings, but just enough to prevent that annoying friction stickiness...

[BreadBin]

20 minutes ago, Creeper said:

Surprised that no one has mentioned rotosound Jazz 77 flats......awesome strings, and having spent a small fortune on flats over the last 18 months, I’ve tried them all......

I did, I think they're great! 

[Creeper]

🥖 🍞 I stand corrected Mr Breadbin 🥖 🍞

and you are correct, they are great 😁

[musicbassman]

Thanks Creeper, maybe I'll try a set of these, I like a bit of texture...........

Did their sound change much from new to worn-in?

[BreadBin]

I haven't noticed any change in the sound, they use Monel alloy which is properly expensive, very hard-wearing and resistant to acid and salt corrosion. Ideal for strings if you ask me 

[Creeper]

I think the sound has mellowed a touch, there are quite a lot of mids to start off with, but rather quickly develop that lovely mellow flat sound we all love so much.

[Cairobill]

Ahhh - a set of Thomastiks on an old Ric 4001 is bass heaven. No Clank. Just lovely, blooming, sustainy, bouncy notes. Lovely things, flats...

[Delberthot]

for me there is no better feeling than the smooth, almost slippery feel of flats. It's not so much to do with the sound as the feel.

It's so much easier to give it hell for an entire gig and not have sore fingers by the end of it.

 

My favourite combinations of flats and basses have been:

Chromes - Epi Thunderbird, Fender FSR Precision with EMGs & Yamaha BB1025

Rotosound - My gold '54 Warmoth with SD stack pickup

Thomastiks - Ibanez SR1016 & Stingray Fretless

 

Unfortunately my Sterling sounded dreadful with flats so I've gone back to D'addario nickel plated rounds which are the smoothest rounds I've ever used, plus it brought the MM growl back

 

[Pow_22]

On ‎12‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 21:18, BreadBin said:

I have a set of Roto Monel 77s on my cheapest 5er, a fretless Harley Benton -the B is a bit flat but they feel amazing. 

Going to fit a set of Elite Detroit flats to one of my four fake Fenders next as I picked a set up recently. 

 

My go-to flats are the Elites.  Very nice strings as are their groundwounds

[oldbass]

Flats encourage me to play with a lighter moire controlled touch which kinda translates into a punchier sound...have tried rounds over the years but there's too much movement in them for my liking. Course if a clever BL barks..rounds only bass guy, them I'll surely oblige.

[ead]

On 1/14/2018 at 21:00, Silvia Bluejay said:

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.

Just bought a set of the LT4As from Bass Direct who have stock it would seem.  Looking forward to giving them a go on a P bass.  TIs live on my fretless basses.

[Yank]

I use only flats on my two fretless basses and won't play one with rounds.  I don't like the feel or the sound. Don't play fretted, either. Addicted or discerning?

[bootleg]

Flatwounds, roundwounds, tapewound, halfwound, groundwounds...they're all addictive :-) I've had TIs on fretless, tried some Fenders on a P bass, but have always felt they're a bit, well flat. The Fenders felt very stiff and maybe I didn't let them break in enough and when rounds went back on it was much better. I then got some Labella low tension on a RW P and I just found them uneven, the E almost dead and the D and G bright and thin. Again maybe this break in period. So patience, although Labella are sending a replacement E. They're good for low volume practise, let's see how they work in rehearsal and live. 

The Fender flats went on a UV70 and they're working for me, I can get a bit of zing if I want, like the feel, and seem to suit the VTC better than rounds in that all settings sound usable. 

So, addictive in as much as is my eternal search for the "tone". 

 

[JonBarnes]

When I started playing Bass the bass I bought had roundwounds on and I hated them - nasty, sharp sounding things which I couldn't get on with and I made little or no progress in my playing.

BUT........!!

A friend (the guy who now looks after my basses, repairs, etc) suggested I try flatwounds. I did and I use nothing else on my electric basses. I recently found a set of ovalwounds (yes really!!) and put them on my Semi Acoustic Bass and they sound and play lovely.

I find D'Addario stings the most consistent quality.

Give flatwounds (or ovalwounds) a go. I wouldn't use anything else!

Edited February 24, 2018 by JonBarnes

[BrunoBass]

I've just put a set of Fender Stainless Steel flat wounds on my Jazz, in many years of playing bass I'd never played flats before. I think I'll be putting flats on all of my basses-  should've tried them years ago...