Flatwound string advice

[fretmeister]

I wasn't aware of those ones!

 

Interesting.

[chris_b]

I've always preferred the sound from the bigger gauge strings. My round wounds were 130 and the TI flats B string on my P bass is 136.

 

My preference is for deeper, warmer tones so I use the thickest strings I can find.

[Supernaut]

21 hours ago, chris_b said:

I've always preferred the sound from the bigger gauge strings. My round wounds were 130 and the TI flats B string on my P bass is 136.

 

My preference is for deeper, warmer tones so I use the thickest strings I can find.

You do know that thicker gauge strings doesn't mean warmer tone? 

[Supernaut]

On 17/10/2024 at 12:29, Linus27 said:

Why are Dunlop flats so expensive? Surely they can't compete with LaBella or are they so superior?

Dunlops were around £45/£50 when first released but due to inflation, all their prices have rocketed. 
 

Dunlops are more 'modern' than La Bellas but still have that classic flatwound sound. I really enjoy mine on my P bass. 
 

I bought them for $45 when I was last in the US so around £36/£37. 

[StingRayBoy42]

Adagios are decent and cheap, worth checking out to see if you like flats.
LaBella DTFs on a P give you 'that' sound, great for Motown/Reggae/Jazz.
Ernie Ball Cobalts are great for rock stuff, almost sound like rounds.

And they last forever!

[Schnozzalee]

Anybody else trying half-rounds?

[franzbassist]

11 hours ago, Schnozzalee said:

Anybody else trying half-rounds?

 

The new La Bella Super Polished strings are really good. Only £40 for a 5 string set at Bass Direct too, which is a good price these days.

[ghostwheel]

12 hours ago, Schnozzalee said:

Anybody else trying half-rounds?

Just my two penn’orth.

I once had a Ray34CA fretless which came strung with D'Addario ENR70, if I remember correctly. 

They were okay, but nothing special. Not utterly bad, but also nothing more than that.

I tried some ENR71 afterwards and hated them from the day one. They were rather dull, a way worse than Chromes. The latter ones weren't even broken in, so quite bright.

[Supernaut]

I would rather have old rounds than any half round I've tried. 

[fretmeister]

On 26/10/2024 at 23:02, Schnozzalee said:

Anybody else trying half-rounds?

 

I did use GHS Pressurewounds for quite a while for 4 string basses but their B string was really bad.

I moved away from them but these days as I've developed a nickel allergy I couldn't try them again anyway.

[fretmeister]

I've ordered some La Bella Low Tension Flats to try.

I've been curious about them for a while so hopefully I like them!

[Reggaebass]

3 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I've ordered some La Bella Low Tension Flats to try.

I've been curious about them for a while so hopefully I like them!

They are on nearly all my basses, a slightly warmer sound compared with the other labellas I’d say ,which suits what I play , they match very well with precisions for that Motown kinda sound, but they certainly don’t lack any brightness if you want to eq them up , look forward to seeing what you think 

[fretmeister]

Seems like they will be delivered today!

I'll put them on over the weekend.

[acidbass]

I tried most and my flat of choice is La Bella Deep Talkin.  I found Thomastiks to be too loose, tension-wise.  760FL or the slightly heavier 760FS La Bellas are just perfect for me.

[fretmeister]

I really like TI flats but unfortunately they are nickel so I can't use them.

[Schnozzalee]

I'm using ENR71 half-rounds (along with my usual Rotos and TIs) and the jury is out on the D'Addarios at the moment, although they do feel a bit light.

 

I've always used D'Addario and Elixir rounds.

[fretmeister]

On 30/10/2024 at 18:21, Reggaebass said:

They are on nearly all my basses, a slightly warmer sound compared with the other labellas I’d say ,which suits what I play , they match very well with precisions for that Motown kinda sound, but they certainly don’t lack any brightness if you want to eq them up , look forward to seeing what you think 

I put  them on my Sandberg TT4 this evening.

 

I cleaned them with isopropyl alcohol wipes first to get rid of the manufacturing stickiness. 
I’ve played for about half an hour and they sound very good. Certainly in the same ballpark as DTF but easier to play.

Quite a chewy thick sound which is the sort of thing I really like.

 

I think the truss rod will need a tweak but I’ll let it settle for a day before I do.

 

So far, so good!

[Reggaebass]

52 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

I put  them on my Sandberg TT4 this evening.

 

I cleaned them with isopropyl alcohol wipes first to get rid of the manufacturing stickiness. 
I’ve played for about half an hour and they sound very good. Certainly in the same ballpark as DTF but easier to play.

Quite a chewy thick sound which is the sort of thing I really like.

 

I think the truss rod will need a tweak but I’ll let it settle for a day before I do.

 

So far, so good!

Good you’re getting on well with them fretmeister, they do the low end very nicely don’t they, I’ve had some of mine on for many years and they still sound really great, if ever I sell a bass I always take them off and put them on my new one , I’ve tried most flats over the years and they are the ones I prefer,

the only ones I’m itching to try now are the Olinto signature flats but haven’t got around to getting any yet 

[fretmeister]

My main amp is quite bright and so is that bass so these strings counter that very nicely. 
 

How long do you find the LTF last? I’ve had 5 years out of DTF before.

[Reggaebass]

1 minute ago, fretmeister said:

My main amp is quite bright and so is that bass so these strings counter that very nicely

That’s cool, sounds ideal 

 

2 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

How long do you find the LTF last? I’ve had 5 years out of DTF before

For me even my oldest ones haven’t changed much over the years, maybe mellowed a bit so I can’t see me changing them, I like heavily played in strings so they will probably outlast me 😁

[Supernaut]

7 hours ago, fretmeister said:

I really like TI flats but unfortunately they are nickel so I can't use them.

If you like Thomastik flats, the La Bella LTF are very similar. I will say the La Bella's definitely have more of a traditional flatwound tone compared to TIs. 

[fretmeister]

10 hours ago, Supernaut said:

If you like Thomastik flats, the La Bella LTF are very similar. I will say the La Bella's definitely have more of a traditional flatwound tone compared to TIs. 

 

Fitted some last night!

 

Definitely needs 1/4 turn on the truss rod this morning. I like a low action but right now the gap between the strings and the frets is just enough for a few individual photons to squeeze through.

 

I think I'm going to get a set of the shortscale ones for my Lionel as well. That's a really resonant bass that can sound a bit like a hollowbody so thumpier strings suit it well.

 

It seems my journey to flats is nearly complete. I only have 1 bass with rounds on it now - a Jim Deacon shortie precision. I recently got that and I'll be modding it quite a bit when I find some money. I have another one that I've owned for a good few years that was modded too. Hipshot ultralights and an Aguilar 1960s wind P pickup. La Bella DTF on that one. Very Motown / old RnB sounding.

 

I'll definitely put Ultralights on the newer one as well, but I might go super modern on the pickup as I've got a set of EMG PJX lying about. 

[fretmeister]

I am loving the La Bella LTF on my TT4. Sound ace, feel superb under the fingers.

 

I got a short scale set for my Lionel and I’m not quite sure about them on that bass as they might be a little too flexible for the short scale but they feel so nice to play I’m torn! That bass also has relatively low output pickups compared to the fire breathing TT4.

 

I have been planning a pickup change in the Lionel to a set of EMG PJ-X so I’ll leave them on until I do that, and then decide.

 

They are definitely staying on the TT4 though.