flatwound strings

[dub]

I did a gig recently using la bella flat wound strings on a EB Stingray 5. The last time I used these was about 25 years ago.
At the start of the gig I missed the top end a bit, but by about half way through I really got into it.
Immense low end, as you would expect. The sound sits really well with other instruments.
They were a bit strange on double stops as the lower harmonics are very pronounced on the higher notes.
I would say that there is a more even response (less difference in tone between the B and the other strings) with these la bellas in comparison to round wound strings.

Edited October 19, 2009 by dub

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Welcome to the deep side. I absolutely hate roundwounds. Especially new zingy ones.

Edited October 19, 2009 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[Musicman20]

Just bought Clarky's 2009 Fender P and it has TI flats on it.

I LOVE how they feel.

I have yet to amplify this bass properly as everything is in different rooms!

I will no doubt miss the bite, but I wanted something totally different.

Are they normally a little fatter in the low end?

I noticed when I had a brief 5 mins at very low volume through a friends Marshall guitar combo that the tone control is much better for flats...eg roll it back and 'whump'...half way and its perfect!

[pal1972]

I've only ever gigged with flats! I love the sound of them I too HATE zingy strings, and with flats you dont get that even fresh out of the packet, My warwick has flats on and has had the same set on for the last 7yrs+ theyre really growly now and i'm loathed to change them!!! FLATS ARE BEST!!!!!!!

[retroman]

+1000 for flats!!!

I am a very recent convert to the world of flatwounds, but I'm now sold on it. They made a huge difference to my Ric, and the Stingray still has plenty of bite, and attack with them on too.

SOOOO.........Here's a thought, I wonder what a set of short scale flats would sound like on my EB2! :brow:

[doctorbass]

Flats on both my Jazz and Precisions here - 110 guage on the P bass's. I love that low end thud for blues

[Beedster]

Flats - especially TI Jazz and La Bella Deep-Taliking - are hugely under-rated strings. They're all too often considered limiting and dull in comparison with rounds. Certainly if you're used to the zing of a new set of bright rounds flats can sound that way initially, but once you've tuned into the flats they are often extremely rewarding to play. I put a set of rounds on my Ric last night and really find the zing very unbassy indeed. Furthermore, I really miss the honest thump I get from my La Bellas.

They're going back on tonight!

C

[dannybuoy]

I use flats too, Pyramid Golds. I started out on a Yamaha fretless with Status half-rounds (which feel just like flats but have a bit more zing) and when I got my next bass, a P with rounds, my missed the thump until I got the Pyramids on there.

[stevie]

[quote name='dub' post='630406' date='Oct 19 2009, 03:06 PM']I did a gig recently using la bella flat wound strings on a EB Stingray 5.[/quote]
I've got flats on my Yamaha BB and love the thud. I can't imagine flats on my Musicman copy though. Anyone else tried it on a MM?

[Stag]

I used them for a while but preferred the zing of fresh rounds on my Ric... bu this thread is making me think I may want a change!

[wateroftyne]

Flats all the way, man.

Mind you, for the crack I put some steel rounds on my 'ol P for a gig over the weekend and it was clangy fun.

But... back to flats.

[dub]

I'll keep round wound strings on my G+L just in case of a slap bass emergency.
I started out going duh duh duh "pretty vacant" on a P copy with flatwounds in the 70s moving to mwa on a fretless precision once I heard jaco, got a bit pretentious with a wal in the 80s, found the funk went zunk and clank on a G+L in the 90s got a bit dubby when I felt like it and now I'm quite happy to go duh duh duh duh again

[EssentialTension]

Once I went flat, I never went back. -_-

[henry norton]

Is it OK to like both? I like zingy rounds [i]and[/i] flats. Unfortunately this means I really want two of each bass I play (fretted, fretless, short scale, semi).

Now, what about coated strings eh????

[Beedster]

[quote name='henry norton' post='630711' date='Oct 19 2009, 08:07 PM']Is it OK to like both?[/quote]

Yep, I have very zingy rounds on my fretless Jazz to give me some range, but flats are my go to strings

[stefboltonfc]

What do people think of half wound strings? I was considering getting some flatwounds recently, but discovered this half-breed hybrid, and was intrigued.

And from a non-biased view, do the style of strings matter as a whole? Flatwounds are a bit bassier in my very limited experience (I had a go of a mate's American Jazz with flats on), but mega thumpy bass is not always what you want, is it?

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='henry norton' post='630711' date='Oct 19 2009, 08:07 PM']Is it OK to like both? I like zingy rounds [i]and[/i] flats. Unfortunately this means I really want two of each bass I play (fretted, fretless, short scale, semi).[/quote]

I've got La Bella flats on my Jazz, Slinkies on my Warwick, it just seems wrong to put flats on a Warwick somehow...

[Tinman]

To all those users of flats, can I ask what genres of music you're playing. I've been thinking about a set of La Bellas for quite a while now but I'm concerned as to whether they'd suit the general rock/indie that I play.

[wateroftyne]

Classic rock, blues, country, folk...

[EssentialTension]

Rock, blues, soul, ska, reggae, country, n'orleans, rock 'n' roll... anything really... all with TI Jazz Flats.

As a reviewer says at Stringsdirect: 'Don't be fooled by the name! I use these 'jazz' strings to play hard punk rock - and nothing beats 'em! Worth every penny.'

[Sean]

I got into flats a few years ago when I was playing in a Blues Brothers tribute band and had them on a Jazz, an Aerodyne (P/J) Jazz and a Precision California Series (P/J) and loved them. I always keep one of my Lakland DJs strung with TIs and recently recorded some songs with my covers band with them on the DJ.

I've recently bought a CIJ P from Jonthebass and that came with TIs and it's really made me nuts about them again, they suit a P even more than a J for my taste. I've started gigging with the P and it's given the band a huge textural change when I swap between the P and my Spector NS5 with Elixirs. I use a plectrum with the flatstrung P on a couple of songs too. It's almost as much of a difference as when our guitarist switches from his PRS Custom 24 to his Epiphone Mandobird!

You can hear the tracks if you click [url="http://www.amyandtheaviators.co.uk/Music.htm"]here[/url]

Walking On Sunshine, She Will Be Loved and Take Me To The River (All Lakland DJ with Aero pups)

Edited October 28, 2009 by Sean

[Tinman]

Beautiful tone there Sean.

[BB2000]

[quote name='Tinman' post='639371' date='Oct 28 2009, 07:39 PM']Beautiful tone there Sean. [/quote]

+1

Loved all these tracks.

[Sean]

Cheers, guys.

If you want a good idea of how versatile flats can be listen to some tracks off the new REM live album. Mike Mills uses flatwounds on his Precision and strikes them with a pick. His tone is just fabulous.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='Sean' post='639689' date='Oct 29 2009, 07:38 AM']Cheers, guys.

If you want a good idea of how versatile flats can be listen to some tracks off the new REM live album. Mike Mills uses flatwounds on his Precision and strikes them with a pick. His tone is just fabulous.[/quote]
On a lot of 60s pop in both US and UK the session bass players - e.g. Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn, John Paul Jones - were using a Precision or Jazz with flats and a pick.

Edited October 29, 2009 by EssentialTension