cheapest not-too-nasty flatwounds

hanx · #1 05-23-2010, 01:21 AM

Just a quick question, I did a search and this question doesn't seem to have been covered as such, but feel free to link me if it has.

What are the most affordable flatwounds that aren't too rubbish?

I just got a new fretless which has roundwounds on it, and i can see just from it's time in the shop that they're scratching up the fretboard a fair bit. (Do you still call it a fretboard on a fretless?) Also flat wounds seem like they'd feel really awesome to play, so i appreciate the excuse to get some.

I'm a grad student, so low on cash, and only messing round in my apartment, so i can't justify anything too extravagant in the way of strings (i can't really justify the new bass, but i've been looking at it in the shop for over a year and saw it was on a 40% off sale). But i don't want to waste money on really rubbish strings.

It's a 34", 4-string, Cort Curbow. It's got a sythetic fret board, i thought it was called ebanol, but the sales guy kept correcting me to ebonite?

I'm in Australia so American made will probably be more expensive for me than they are for people in the USA.

Also, this will be my first attempt to change strings (my other basses have the ones they came with) so anything unusually tricky to fit is a draw-back.

Marton · #2 05-23-2010, 01:48 AM

hanx · #3 05-23-2010, 04:29 AM

seems i might not exactly be spoilt for choice...

so far this is the only set i can find anywhere in town
http://www.billyhydemusic.com.au/sho...el-flat-wound/

i've heard of nickel and steel, but never chrome? or is that just a brand name?

jasper383 · #4 05-23-2010, 05:07 AM

The Chromes would be an excellent choice. They are not rubbish.

Evanseveneleven · #5 05-23-2010, 05:29 AM

George at bassgeardirect.com.au can set you up with a set of Sadowsky Flats for $50 delivered to your door.

http://www.bassgeardirect.com.au/Strings.htm

Meatrus · #6 05-23-2010, 05:51 AM

Fender flats are some of the cheapest here, and not rubbish IMO. The chromes mentioned are made by D'addario, I believe the chrome isnt a different material like Nickel, and Stainless just a polished surface (I think stainless?) giving them a chrome look.

PS you call it a fingerboard when its fretless

.

Boguszewivz · #7 05-23-2010, 06:13 AM

I bought a set of Fender 9050's for my fretless a few months ago and I really like them.

**TheMutt** · #8 05-23-2010, 06:28 AM

Chromes are my bass string of choice for flats personally. Best part about flats is, they last almost forever (or at least as long as you can stand the tone of them). I changed out the last set of chromes on my bass when the G string broke.

You might also think about some nylon tapewounds like the Fender 9120M's, the GHS 3060's, or my favorite the RotoSound RS-88 Tru Bass strings. You can get a really good upright like tone out of them while still maintaining your fingerboard's condition (the fingerboard on my fretless is also ebonol) and you can still get that fretless mwah thing going on. They definitely do take some getting used to and you may need talcum powder if your hands are moist/sweaty or generally stick to bass strings (I don't personally have this problem).

hanx · #9 05-23-2010, 06:40 AM

intriguing... is the nylon on the inside or the outside? does that effect how they interact with a pick-up?

seems obscure, and obscure tends to mean expensive?

Meatrus · #10 05-23-2010, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hanx

intriguing... is the nylon on the inside or the outside? does that effect how they interact with a pick-up?

seems obscure, and obscure tends to mean expensive?

I have the Trubass on my fretless also (rosewood) they are a little expensive over here (approx £30), but not really obscure. But as said above, like all flats they will last a veryyy long time, and can not mark your board no matter how heavy handed you are.

The nylon is on the outside of the string, and they are black, so look cool (to me)! The only problem with the pup you may have is grounding, if your bass is noisy when you dont touch the strings (I seem to remember my Curbow wasnt though) that noise will not go when you touch the strings like it would without the tape/nylon.

To check to see how noisy they could be, plug your bass in, and dont touch the strings, see if you hear a loud hissing. I'm pretty sure you wont as I used to have a Curbow and remember it being quite quiet. You probably will hear some noise though, especially if you play with higher treble. This is the noise which will be there even when you are touching the strings with tapes/nylons, whereas with uncoated strings this sound will dissapear when you touch them.

(sorry if this post is unnecessarily long, I may have repeated myself a few times

)

hanx · #11 05-23-2010, 07:48 AM

long posts are fine

and that one's certainly not excessive

actually this ties in with another question i asked earlier about a loud hiss, but i seemed to fix that by optimising my settings.

There is a distinct loud hiss if i turn up the volume and the treble to the max (i think it's the treble, i only bought it yesterday, not positive what all the knobs do yet), but that doesn't disappear when i touch the strings. It is drowned out by playing, but not by effected by quietly touching the strings.

here's the link
hissing sound on new bass
not too much of an issue, cos it seems totally fixed by just getting the settings right, but since you bring it up, i'm kinda curious to know what it is?

Meatrus · #12 05-23-2010, 09:35 AM

Nothing to worry about I'm sure, probably just there is more treble coming from it compared to your other bass causing a bit more hiss. I'm sure you know, but one of the control knobs on the bass is for treble as its active, if it gets louder when you turn this up and quieter when down its just the treble creating a bit of hiss. If your bass has the Bartolini pickup I think I remember this on mine, it happens with most active basses when the treble is dialed high. The same is true for amp settings.

Flats arent generally used with lots of treble so I wouldnt think this will get in the way.

88ric2030 · #13 05-23-2010, 07:31 PM

Recently there seems to be a consensus here(haven't tried 'em yet myself) that the new Fender 9050s are just repackaged D'Addario Chromes, and a cheaper alternative. Musicians Friend has them for $18.99 right now, most likely an introductory price. Might be a good time to try a set.

hanx · #14 05-23-2010, 08:36 PM

that seems a bit odd, D'Addario Chromes have a reputation for being very 'bright" while the Fenders have a reputation for being very "mellow"

also, it seems musicians friend won't ship fender products to Australia