Do flatwounds without the silks exist?

[AinsleyWalker]

I had a 4 year old set of flats on my Musicman but the G string broke today after I took them off, cleaned the fretboard and put them back on, so I suppose I'd better replace the lot. 

Any recommendations on flats without silks? I can't seem to see any online. 

[hooky_lowdown]

The short answer is no. Some flats come with no silks at the ball end, but ALL have silks at headstock. 

I hate silks on flats myself, I found a set of very old fender flats which have no silk at headstock, these are not sold anymore, all fender flats now have bright green silks at both ends.

[jrixn1]

Out of interest, what is the objection to silks?

[AinsleyWalker]

3 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said:

The short answer is no. Some flats come with no silks at the ball end, but ALL have silks at headstock. 

I hate silks on flats myself, I found a set of very old fender flats which have no silk at headstock, these are not sold anymore, all fender flats now have bright green silks at both ends.

Ah that's a shame. GREEN?! What colour bass are they supposed to go with exactly?! 😫

[AinsleyWalker]

2 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Out of interest, what is the objection to silks?

It's not a huge deal for me personally, my current set have blue silks which are pretty low-key, but usually they just look crap, especially bright colours. This comment I found on Talkbass is more extreme than how I feel, but sums it up nicely ha:

[Reggaebass]

I’ve had flats since 1980 and I don’t recall any having no silks 🙂

2 minutes ago, AinsleyWalker said:

It's not a huge deal for me personally, my current set have blue silks which are pretty low-key, but usually they just look crap, especially bright colours. This comment I found on Talkbass is more extreme than how I feel, but sums it up nicely ha:

He really doesn’t like them does he 😁

[jrixn1]

Ah, I see.  I never gave it much thought before... but now I'm looking at my headstocks and pondering a bit, and I've concluded I'm glad mine are not red 👍 (both are different shades of blue).

[AinsleyWalker]

 

3 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve had flats since 1980 and I don’t recall any having no silks 🙂

He really doesn’t like them does he 😁

Not at all haha! 😂 

3 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Ah, I see.  I never gave it much thought before... but now I'm looking at my headstocks and pondering a bit, and I've concluded I'm glad mine are not red 👍 (both are different shades of blue).

@Reggaebass @jrixn1
What brands of flats do you guys go for? I can't even remember what brand my current set are. 

 

[Reggaebass]

I have to admit, i really don’t like the green silk on fender flats, I use labella LTFs which have a sort of maroon colour 

[jrixn1]

Precision bass has La Bella DTF, the 1954 Jamerson set.

The 5-string Jazz has La Bella Gold flats; haven't had them that long - but they're a nice colour 😃
Previously had Dunlop Flats for years which I really like, and are more versatile than the 1954 La Bellas.

[Silvia Bluejay]

Could be worse... upright bass strings! Both D'Addario and Innovation Silver/Gold Slaps, to name a couple, have a different-coloured silk on each string!

[Reggaebass]

You got me looking at all my string silks now 😄   The LTFs have no silk at the ball end 

[AinsleyWalker]

7 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Could be worse... upright bass strings! Both D'Addario and Innovation Silver/Gold Slaps, to name a couple, have a different-coloured silk on each string!

Oh blimey yeah that doesn't sound like a good look!...
 

4 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

You got me looking at all my string silks now 😄   The LTFs have no silk at the ball end 

Ah apologies to be spreading my pickiness haha!! I think really I just prefer the silver simplicity on non-silk strings, but would settle for silk as long as they weren't red or green (as they'd just clash with my bass too much). 
More interested in quality of the strings, of course  

Edited April 11, 2020 by AinsleyWalker

[Silvia Bluejay]

Normal (non-low tension) Labella flats have black silk, IIRC? I could live with those (but not the strings themselves, though - too stiff for my hands).

Edited April 11, 2020 by Silvia Bluejay

[AinsleyWalker]

6 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said:

Normal (non-low tension) Labella flats have black silk, IIRC? I could live with those (but not the strings themselves, though - too stiff for my hands).

Thanks for the rec. I have very little experience with flats, except this one set that have lasted ages and I'm not even sure what they are for comparison  

[Silvia Bluejay]

8 minutes ago, AinsleyWalker said:

Thanks for the rec. I have very little experience with flats, except this one set that have lasted ages and I'm not even sure what they are for comparison  

Probably a matter of trial and error, then. Either second hand sets, or playing other Basschatters' instruments (once meeting up is no longer verboten).

[jrixn1]

11 minutes ago, AinsleyWalker said:

this one set that have lasted ages and I'm not even sure what they are for comparison  

Post a photo?  Include both ends of the string, and the ball-ends themselves.

 

[Reggaebass]

I’ve got a set of labella with blue silks but I can’t remember which ones they are , as 760FL have red silks 

[Lozz196]

1 hour ago, AinsleyWalker said:

It's not a huge deal for me personally, my current set have blue silks which are pretty low-key, but usually they just look crap, especially bright colours. This comment I found on Talkbass is more extreme than how I feel, but sums it up nicely ha:

I sympathise, I can only deal with either red silks or plain metal strings, nothing else will do. Why red, well for years I used Rotosounds and they’re red, so I’m used to that, as such anything else I find off putting.

[jrixn1]

11 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

I’ve got a set of labella with blue silks but I can’t remember which ones they are , as 760FL have red silks

Look like mine, which are 0760M 52-110.

[AinsleyWalker]

26 minutes ago, jrixn1 said:

Post a photo?  Include both ends of the string, and the ball-ends themselves.

 

Here's a pic of headstock end of strings and the ball-end of the D string. All the balls are different colours. 

[Pauld]

I think they’re D’addario chromes. Mine have blue silks, and only D’addario make strings with different coloured ball ends.

[AinsleyWalker]

1 minute ago, Pauld said:

I think they’re D’addario chromes. Mine have blue silks, and only D’addario make strings with different coloured ball ends.

I think you're right! Thanks 

[Matt P]

i have Chromes on my 5 string and do really like them, however i fitted GHS precision flats o n my shortscale and they are lovely too (just the right tension for me) as a bonus they have no silk at the ball end and a nice low-key black silk at the headstock.

 

Matt

[jrixn1]

8 minutes ago, Pauld said:

I think they’re D’addario chromes. Mine have blue silks, and only D’addario make strings with different coloured ball ends.

I think you're right about the Chromes, but out of string nerdiness Rotosound also have coloured ball-ends (red, white, and blue).  (And Rotosounds flats would be red silks, so it's not those.)