Best Flats For Gibson EB-3 For Upright-Like Sound

[PolkaHero]

Looking to bring my 1970 EB3 out of retirement for jazz gigs and currently have roundwounds on it. What are some good flatwounds to replace those with to give me an upright-like sound using the neck pickup in position 1 of course! I haven't bought flats in so long I'm not sure what's even out there anymore!

[PolkaHero]

Anyone? I would also prefer the string tension to be on the lower side.

[BassBob1]

i use d'addario chromes but for flats they are on the brighter side. thomastick i hear are lower tension then most. tapewound strings would get you a (for lack of a better word) duller sound.

[REAPER52]

T I is it.

[bassobrutto]

Consensus seems to be that Pyramid Golds are the best for old school, short-scale flatwound tone, but they are very pricey. A solid cheaper alternative might be GHS Precision Flats, 45-95. To my rather inexperienced ear, they sound very like the more expensive LaBella Deep Talking flats, but with a little more tonal definition. Also pretty low tension for a flatwound, without being floppy. For nice video demo, see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE5R3rUoU58

[PolkaHero]

Originally Posted by bassobrutto

Consensus seems to be that Pyramid Golds are the best for old school, short-scale flatwound tone, but they are very pricey. A solid cheaper alternative might be GHS Precision Flats, 45-95. To my rather inexperienced ear, they sound very like the more expensive LaBella Deep Talking flats, but with a little more tonal definition. Also pretty low tension for a flatwound, without being floppy. For nice video demo, see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE5R3rUoU58

Thanks, I search around on here and the consensus was the GHS flats are warm and not that high-tension. My truss rod is pretty torqued out right now with medium roundwounds so a lighter guage flatwound set like these would probably work well.

[Fly Guitars]

On my Gibson EB3s I use Labella Deep talkin', TI jazz flats and d'addario chromes. The Rotosound flats are really light, but I still use them from time to time. But I play fingerstyle. If you are a pick player they may be too light.

[GM60466]

Rotosounds 77

[thumpybumper]

For more of an upright sound you want tapewounds.

[jasper383]

Originally Posted by thumpybumper

For more of an upright sound you want tapewounds.

+1

The Rotosound or La Bella tapes will get you closest to upright, imo.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by thumpybumper

For more of an upright sound you want tapewounds.

+2!

[prd004]

LaBella Deep Talkin Bass 760N Black Nylon Tape wounds. Or the Rotosound Black Nylon Tape wounds (I forget the model #). These are the strings McCartney used on his Hofner for "Abbey Road" to get that great acoutic-y tone!

[PolkaHero]

Do the tapewounds come in short scale? How is the string tension on these? Are these the ones that are black in appearance?

[nouroog]

I found it hard to find short scale strings that fit my 1970 EB3. To allow good intonation with the two point bridge nylon saddles and to fit the slotted headstock Schaller keys, not all short scale strings do the trick.
I found the La Bella deep talking for Hofner Beatle Bass to fit perfectly the bass (that's labelled 760FHBB, in my case gauges 50 65 80 100). Great tone and great feel under the fingers.
But that might not be the best choice for a jazzy sound.
Nylon Tapewound strings are usually black, but I think red exist.
Short scale Tapewound strings exist, like RS 88 Tru Bass (Black Nylon), Gauges .065, .075, .090, .115.
I'd be afraid to lack highs hence attack, and sustain with those strings, but that might fit walkin' bass style.

[lmfreeman9]

+3 on the tapewounds. They best approximate the upright sound. I like the Labellas and the Fenders which are very inexpensive and I have seen them in short scale.