uk_lefty Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 It can be an expensive purchase so some may find this article useful... https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-best-flatwound-bass-guitar-strings-how-to-choose-the-right-flatwounds-for-you 2 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naxos10 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Interesting article, thanks uk_lefty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 yep really good, I still wouldn't know what to buy though. I have La Bellas on my hofner, THUD, it goes. Lovely 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted July 22, 2020 Author Share Posted July 22, 2020 12 minutes ago, police squad said: yep really good, I still wouldn't know what to buy though. I have La Bellas on my hofner, THUD, it goes. Lovely Too much choice isn't there?! Also, for everyone raves about TI Flats I personally didn't like them, but maybe I just had a right handed set 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 2 minutes ago, uk_lefty said: Too much choice isn't there?! Also, for everyone raves about TI Flats I personally didn't like them, but maybe I just had a right handed set 😉 I like the sound of knackered rounds, you know, just before they break. If i could have a set of flats on my P bass (or Jazz) that's what I would like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 7 minutes ago, police squad said: I like the sound of knackered rounds, you know, just before they break. Have you tried pure nickel strings? I love that knackered tone also, tried loads of strings, eventually tried some Fender 7150 pure nickel (vintage tone), and they sound amazing. Warm and full sounding straight out the packet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 I emailed them about that article because of an error - says the Dunlops are not available in other scale lengths. Not true - I have them on my Ibby Mezzo at the moment! Very nice they are too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 (edited) Good article, but very confused by the on-screen pricing. I appreciate that each of us may well be offered different choices, but for example I get 2. D’Addario Xl Ecb81 Chromes Flat Wound Get these if you're after long-lasting brightness Street price: $25 £42.95 VIEW AT AMAZON £44 View at Amazon £44.50 View at Amazon This isn't to do with UK£ / US$ exchange rates, or shipping + taxes, because across the article I get as many options where the strings are way cheaper as when they're way pricier. Edited July 22, 2020 by Happy Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 This is a similar article but with pictures of the strings and sound clips too https://m.bonedo.de/artikel/einzelansicht/vergleichstest-flatwound-saiten-fuer-e-bass/2.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassfinger Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 Interesting article, albeit he made the rookie mistake when discussing 'tension'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
police squad Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 46 minutes ago, hooky_lowdown said: Have you tried pure nickel strings? I love that knackered tone also, tried loads of strings, eventually tried some Fender 7150 pure nickel (vintage tone), and they sound amazing. Warm and full sounding straight out the packet. I've tried nickel rounds yes, but can't remember what they were like now, I've been back using Swing Bass for about about 10 years now. I love them when they are new and when they are old and thuddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 31 minutes ago, ped said: This is a similar article but with pictures of the strings and sound clips too https://m.bonedo.de/artikel/einzelansicht/vergleichstest-flatwound-saiten-fuer-e-bass/2.html This article more or less echoes my thoughts on the different brands I have tried - thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 15 minutes ago, police squad said: I've tried nickel rounds yes, but can't remember what they were like now, I've been back using Swing Bass for about about 10 years now. I love them when they are new and when they are old and thuddy. Nickel rounds are not like pure nickel rounds. Pure nickel rounds are much beefier, warmer and thumpy, with less overtones than nickel plated rounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 I messaged Ed about the errors.... he told me it was written 5 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 7 minutes ago, fretmeister said: I messaged Ed about the errors.... he told me it was written 5 years ago. 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 29 minutes ago, fretmeister said: I messaged Ed about the errors.... he told me it was written 5 years ago. Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! Well that might explain the pricing oddities, I suppose ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted July 22, 2020 Share Posted July 22, 2020 14 hours ago, Happy Jack said: Good article, but very confused by the on-screen pricing. I appreciate that each of us may well be offered different choices, but for example I get 2. D’Addario Xl Ecb81 Chromes Flat Wound Get these if you're after long-lasting brightness Street price: $25 £42.95 VIEW AT AMAZON £44 View at Amazon £44.50 View at Amazon This isn't to do with UK£ / US$ exchange rates, or shipping + taxes, because across the article I get as many options where the strings are way cheaper as when they're way pricier. To me it seem the webpage is partly an article about flatwound strings, and partly an Amazon affiliate landing page; the prices shown are presumably just whatever some various sellers' prices are set to today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Despite the image it attempts to portray of itself as bargain city, Amazon is frequently anything but. As always, it pays to shop around. I'm afraid it's also the case that we are royally ripped off in the UK - prices for strings (and much else) in the US are much lower than they are here. I found the article itself very helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinB Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Last time I bought GHS flats, it was cheaper to order them from Amazon US than anywhere in the UK/Europe. The import duty was pre-paid, so I didn't get stung for the the Royal Mail £8 "handling fee". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sida79 Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 On 22/07/2020 at 10:14, ped said: This is a similar article but with pictures of the strings and sound clips too https://m.bonedo.de/artikel/einzelansicht/vergleichstest-flatwound-saiten-fuer-e-bass/2.html Oh, wow. We need more comparisons like these! I only read the Thomastik entry and I don't think I could disagree more... haha "At the first impression the strings cut easily into the fingers of the gripping hand because they are just so thin." - this is exceptionally bad technique. only really high tension thin strings can demand getting your fingers up to shape "They also sound quite "clanky", i.e. they rattle comparatively quickly if you are used to handling stronger strings." - only if you have no capability of adjustment. I have TI on one bass and La Bella 1954 set on the other, no issues. "All in all, they sound very well coordinated and balanced, but also a little "meatless" to my ears." - I'm not sure what meatless is, but TI is the fullest flat I've tried to date. It's not aggressive and has no thump, but fills out the middle frequencies with a strong fundamental so you can actually hear notes instead of a whole lot of undefined power (which is fine too) "They simply sound too thin for plectrum playing and are therefore less suitable." - I found them by far the best flatwound string for pick playing. I usually play most of my flats finger style as they trade thump for presence and pick just needlessly robs them of that thump. Not so with TI flats, if anything they're better with a pick as seen here: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted November 27, 2020 Author Share Posted November 27, 2020 1 hour ago, Sida79 said: At the first impression the strings cut easily into the fingers of the gripping hand because they are just so thin." - this is exceptionally bad technique Couldn't agree more, on this point anyway. I have no idea how you could cut yourself on TI Flats. Maybe it's supposed to be tongue in cheek but just not very well done? I do agree with a lot of the rest of the review though. I personally found TI flats incredibly disappointing but so many BC'ers love them. As with any bit of kit though it all depends on the rest of the gear in the chain whether that gets the best out of it or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sida79 Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 (edited) 47 minutes ago, uk_lefty said: Couldn't agree more, on this point anyway. I have no idea how you could cut yourself on TI Flats. Maybe it's supposed to be tongue in cheek but just not very well done? I do agree with a lot of the rest of the review though. I personally found TI flats incredibly disappointing but so many BC'ers love them. As with any bit of kit though it all depends on the rest of the gear in the chain whether that gets the best out of it or not. Sometimes you are not able or not willing to adapt, which is understandable, as long as your personal preferences don't color the review. Other times, there's a mismatch between strings and one's desires, gear, music style, etc. For example, I tend to change my strings on each bass I currently own to see what they're like. So currently on my four basses TI... : 1. sounds terrible. a dark, dead and boomy sound without definition or power 2. sounds pretty but too soft and mellow, the bass is just not aggressive enough to match that string well 3. sounds wonderful. a full bodied sound with deep lows and singing highs that easily cuts through the mix. musical in every sense of the word 4. it emphasizes both the qualities of the bass and the "faults" as well, so the sound is very unique and probably a love it or hate it situation since it's good and bad at the same time Edited November 27, 2020 by Sida79 typo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 Bear in mind the article is translated so some things don’t read quite right. As an advocate of thin flats myself (Labella 769fx) and also TI flats in the past I also disagree with his points however once you get an idea of the reviewers preferences then you can interpret the rest of the review accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sida79 Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 7 minutes ago, ped said: Bear in mind the article is translated so some things don’t read quite right. As an advocate of thin flats myself (Labella 769fx) and also TI flats in the past I also disagree with his points however once you get an idea of the reviewers preferences then you can interpret the rest of the review accordingly. Having tried many of those strings myself, the most worrying part is that judging from the sound clips he tested brand new flatwound strings, which for me, with some variation, tend to be some of the most foul sounding strings on the market What's 760FX like? Both heavy and normal La Bella sets have a dead E string on my basses. All thump, no tone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ped Posted November 27, 2020 Share Posted November 27, 2020 3 minutes ago, Sida79 said: Having tried many of those strings myself, the most worrying part is that judging from the sound clips he tested brand new flatwound strings, which for me, with some variation, tend to be some of the most foul sounding strings on the market What's 760FX like? Both heavy and normal La Bella sets have a dead E string on my basses. All thump, no tone. I find them similar in tension to the TIs but a little smoother feeling. They have a rich sound with a lovely ‘plastic’ click/fret noise which cuts through the mix. Hard to describe but I would sum it up as ‘chocolatey’ 😂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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