Best flats for that "clank" sound of Steve Harris/Geezer Butler and so on..

ChorusPedal88 · #1 03-23-2008, 07:10 PM

Ok after about 3 or 4 months of serious experimentation with my sound, I have come to love that dirty clanky sound of flatwounds with metal

Theres just something about the sound that connects me with my bass emotionally and I have ALOT of fun jamming to Geezer Butler and Steve Harris basslines and the very occasional improv, weird I know.

And I'm just really wondering what the best set of flatwounds that you can get to get pretty close to the clanky sound? Sort of a mix between Geezer and Steve

Thank you in advance!

king_biscuit · #2 03-23-2008, 07:12 PM

Any flat will clank with low action, and "proper" tenique. Chromes are pretty bright and Rotos are too.

markdavid · #3 03-23-2008, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Any flat will clank with low action, and "proper" tenique. Chromes are pretty bright and Rotos are too.

+1 , low action will get you that clank, Rotos or Chromes are probably your best bet for that type of sound and get a set in a light gauge as this will help as well. I know what you mean about flats , they have a different type of clank to rounds

steve66 · #4 03-23-2008, 07:33 PM

Steve Harris uses Rotosound. His own signature series strings.

bassnug47 · #5 03-23-2008, 07:49 PM

TI jazz flats are very very low tension strings

king_biscuit · #6 03-23-2008, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassnug47

TI jazz flats are very very low tension strings

But they are much more mellow than Chromes or Rotos. The Rotos especially have an almost angry sound when new!

Joe Gress · #7 03-23-2008, 08:23 PM

Yeah, to me the TI flats just sound old, and feel like a flopping fish.

A maple fretboard really helps with any clank. It really adds alot of snap to the sound.

whereeaglesdare · #8 03-26-2008, 09:25 AM

I've tried using Rotosounds a couple times but each time they wore out verrry quickly. I wouldn't recommend them. Plus I heard they chew up your frets quicker than certain other strings after a couple years. I'd highly recommend DR strings. Geezer himself uses DR Hi-Beams heavy gauge if I'm not mistaken. After trying DR strings (the hi-beams to be exact) i haven't looked back. I bought a pack of DR Lo-Riders to try and they should be arriving in the mail today, I've heard good things about those too. Not to mention DR strings last a good while.