6 string Flat Advice

Naveed Afzal · #1 01-01-2007, 08:13 PM

I play a Stingray5 and i tune EADGC, on my old FenJazz Bass i used flatwounds when i turned Standard.

I want to toss some flats or halfwounds on my stingray and keep the tuning...

Can you point me in the right direction for some dope flats?

I was using Fender Flats on my Jazz i enjoyed that tone... but anything else will do. I currently use DR HI-Beams, DR MM Sigs, and D'addario Prosteels on my Stingray.

Daniel Baskin · #2 01-03-2007, 11:27 PM

If you've never tried halfrounds, then that's what I suggest you buy. I also suggest that you try them on your jazz and any other basses you may have so you can better understand what strings might be able to really sing with what basses. You may be surprised at what you like.

I recently restrung my first bass with semi-old strings off of one of my newer basses. I was astonished at how crisp the tone was considering that I didn't think very highly of the quality of my first bass (though it really can't be called a cheap-O bass). I failed to recognize this earlier because of my lack of--then--technique and having almost never changed the strings. And none of the ones I put on were new strings either.

Anyway...

engedi1 · #3 01-04-2007, 10:00 AM

Thomastik-Infeld Jazz flats are your ticket. If you have the bass strung with the high c which I assume is for chords and lead parts, you will love TI Flats. The are very soft, and very light gauge, but the highs and mids are the best of any flatwound string. I think you will like them. The only bummer there is the the price, expect to pay about $50-$60 bucks for a 5 string set.

rickstrong · #4 01-04-2007, 11:33 AM

(I thought this was a 6 string thread...?)

TI Jazz Flats made one of my basses (6-string 36" scale) the happiest it's ever been. Much sadness, however, as after becoming habituated and asking, begging, etc. I learned that TI does not and probably will not ever make a 36" high C string to fill out a 6-string 36" set of flats.

Other than that, though, they're great - soft feel, low tension, excellent sound, good intonation, all the wonderful things I had learned many years ago to NOT expect from flats.