Chromes or TI flats?
 

Hi,
I just acquired a Veilette fretless arch top 5 string used and I absolutely love it!

I'm not loving the Labella Nylon Tapes however, at all. The B, E, and A are great but the D and G did not cut through at band practice at all. Even with the tone knob dimed!

I'm thinking Chromes Vs. TI Flats. I've used TI flats in the distant past and was bummed out that I couldn't get them to sound "vintage" at all. I do want a low tension flat for this bass, however.

Any ideas would be welcome!

try the low gauge chromes they are pretty loose.

I'd try Labellas or Roto's. Labellas will have a pretty high tension, though, just like the chromes will. I personally like TI's as well, but it you want the "vintage" sound the Labellas are probably going to be your best bet.

You might look into GHS flats. Not too stiff feeling and great sounding.

Hadn't considered roto jazz... Great string but I wouldn't consider it low tension! Still tempting....

Agree. They are the only strings that never get lost in the mix for me.

I went with Chromes. Due to scheduling issues, the first time I will be able to plug in with these strings will be about 9am.
I love the feel, and they sound good unplugged on a Quasi Hollow bass like this Veilette.
I really hated the tape wound. They just felt WRONG to my fingers!
One mans pleasure is another mans poison.

I found I overplayed TI's. As a DB player, I'm not trying to tickle the strings. They truly are great strings though. Chromes are my favorite right now. They break in nicely but keep a little edge for a flat. Tons of mwah for a fretless.

Ok I just got to plug in for a few minutes- I'm digging these Chromes with the tone rolled off! Overall, I dig the bass with the tone rolled back and more piezo than magnetic pickup in the blend-I DID buy it to get as much upright sound as possible after all!

I'm here to plug the string I love to hate, and hate to love. There are few among "us" that like this "premium" string...

Pyramid flats are a chrome nickel flat wound, like TI flats, but with just the right amount of tension, and fuller tone. It can take a bit of fussing to get a complete set that works (such is the love/hate of the Pyramid experience), but once settled, they sound AND feel great! Nothing else compares (IME/IMO).

D'Addario Chromes (stainless) flats are nice, but sound more like RWs than flats. The chrome "feel" is very nice!

LaBellas are nice (also stainless), but have higher tension... Plus there's a definite difference in tone from the Pyramids - mostly due to stainless vs nickel (respectively).

I found, especially for "The Beatle Bass" that the Hofner/Pyramid strings not only lasted longer, without tonal changes, they didn't stress the neck like LaBella flats did...

I find it odd that LaBella claims the James Jamerson connection... Jamerson supposedly bought a new Fender Precision bass, and never changed his strings... Did LaBella manufacture Fender's flat wound strings at that time??? If not, what's the connection???

Bottom line (pun considered) is, if you like TI flats, you will appreciate the Pyramids! Once you have a good set, they will also out-last the TI set (again, YMMV), making the seemingly exorbitant price worthy.

Happy hunting!

By the way, Carol Kaye says TI flats are the bomb!

Pyramid Golds. Higher tension than either the Chromes or TIs, IMO, and more pleasant to play.

Jamerson immediately took the Fenders off any bass he bought and put LaBellas on them.

Same here

Pyramids and TIs for me too! Although I have found that I once got a really dead sounding E on a set of Pyramids once but my supplier swapped me for a new set so no big deal!

I found Chromes too stiff and bright, lost patience trying to break them in. Chromes and LaBellas feel much stickier than the Pyramid Golds and TIs which both play like they've been dipped in oil in comparison!

I love Pyramid Golds too! Somewhere, in this House Where I Never Find Anything, I have a custom wound 5 string set I had made for my Certainbass 5. However, my life is run by 3 Filipino women who hide everything from me except basses, amps.
Someday my band will get permanent practice space and I will keep EVERYTHING there (including clothes these women don't like lol!)

Pyramids for my Hofner. Everything else gets GHS Precision Flats.

No matter if you go TI or chromes you must let them break in and age to get the true tone out of them .With TI's it took 5 basses and about a year to get it right for me.

Chromes = highest tension (of 3 mentioned)
Pyramids = medium tension (and need no break-in period)
TI Jazz flats = lowest tension

Last 2 are the only nickel flats I've used, and prefer over stainless.

The Pyramids DO feel like they were dipped in oil! Very smooth and silky (almost slippery)! IME/IMO/YMMV, of course.

JimmyM, where did you "learn" of this?

Not that I'm any expert on Jamerson (I just love his playing an sound!), but I'd not heard this heretofore...