Do all Flats have the same "Dead" sound after a while?

[markjazzbassist]

Let me explain first.

Do all flats have the same "Dead" sound after a while. Meaning, they loose the inherent tone they have (ie. chromes bright, TI's middy) and all sound as one (just dead and deader) after a while (think year or more).

OR

Do the flats keep some of the inherent tone they start with after deadening, making them all sound different, even after a long time?

THoughts?

[seanm]

They sound different. My one year old chromes are still much brighter than my LaBella flats ever where.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by seanm

They sound different. My one year old chromes are still much brighter than my LaBella flats ever where.

i figured as much It was just a question I was pondering.

Cause if you think about it, one man's "Dead" may very fact be different than another's, and Therefore when people talk about flats the "dead" tone is really not much different from the inherent tone, just a little tamer. make sense or no??

[seanm]

It makes sense yes. It is easy to compare say chromes and LaBellas. But do the LaBellas sound different at two years than three? Hard to tell since I kept playing them all along. I wouldn't notice any subtle changes.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by seanm

It makes sense yes. It is easy to compare say chromes and LaBellas. But do the LaBellas sound different at two years than three? Hard to tell since I kept playing them all along. I wouldn't notice any subtle changes.

great point.

[One Drop]

Yes, they sound different, i.e. dead in different ways.

Sadowskys and LaBellas are similar, but they both keep their inherent differences as they deaden, namely the Sads stay more aggressive and a bit less thumpy, even though both sets get thumpier when they break in.

Chromes and Fenders keep a certain amount of high mids after the highs go away, etc.

I feel most of a flat strings' character is in the mids, and these tend not to budge too much as they age. It's the highs that fade, and the bottom seems to marry better with the mids as they age.

[Darkstrike]

My Tomastics sound like the day I bought them, about a half a year ago.

[glwanabe]

I prefer to use the term subdued.

They all have a certain character that remains even after breaking in.

Fender 9050's have a great open blossom tone yet really growl well on my jazz bass. Lots of lows with smooth top end.
Very uprightish sound.

LaBellas have a little tighter lower fundamental but are very articulate throughout there tone range. They don't growl as much as fenders or Roto's. (on my basses at least)

Chromes are sort of inbetween the other two, but are almost rouundwound bright to start. I've never kept them long enough to hear there total decay once well worn. They sounded very good on my Geddy, but not my standard jazz.

Roto's are close to the Fenders but a bit brighter to start with. Fairly well balanced tonally. Great growl because of their tension, like Fenders. Not as much blossom as fenders, but a nice string for an aggressive tone.

I don't mind the higher tension of flats. I've learned to work with it, and don't play hard to get the tone. I let the string do the work. I do dig in when needed from time to time, but that is the exception rather than the norm.

Watch JPJ play his jazz with flats He gets a huge sound without really having to dig in hard. Same with Jamerson, big tone without killing your fingers.

[62bass]

My oldest set of TI flats on my P bass are past 7 years now. They sound the same as they did after about a week of playing in. Less bright and crisp as when new, but still a nice balanced sound with lots of definition. And they still intonate just fine. They're not at all like any other flatwounds I've played. My other basses are also strung with TIs and all of varying ages. So at about $50 a set they're quite a bargain.

I don't find they go dead after playing them for a long time. Of course, if you want the sound of roundwounds, any flats will sound a bit dead to you.

[One Drop]

Good point about the word 'dead'. I never think of them as dead, or even subdued (though that is a nice expression), but rather 'optimised'.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by One Drop

Good point about the word 'dead'. I never think of them as dead, or even subdued (though that is a nice expression), but rather 'optimised'.

that's a better way of putting it

[lovemybasses]

flats are made to sound that way. i thought we all knows that? some calls it "dead" but they just arent bright and growly. they have nice that thumpy, upright-like sound and they sounds better with time IMO.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by lovemybasses

flats are made to sound that way. i thought we all knows that? some calls it "dead" but they just arent bright and growly. they have nice that thumpy, upright-like sound and they sounds better with time IMO.

i understand that, that wasn't the question. the question was do flats retain their inherent tone even after going dead/optimum.

[teej]

Originally Posted by One Drop

Good point about the word 'dead'. I never think of them as dead, or even subdued (though that is a nice expression), but rather 'optimised'.

To me, bass strings are like wine and cheese -- they get better (softer, smoother, more mellow) with age.

[lovemybasses]

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

i understand that, that wasn't the question. the question was do flats retain their inherent tone even after going dead/optimum.

sorry, i misunderstood that.
in any case, flats retain their tone for long time - like said,they gets better. lots of flats players keeps theirs for years,infact. you know about jamerson?

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

i understand that, that wasn't the question. the question was do flats retain their inherent tone even after going dead/optimum.

I prefer to think of it as flats reaching their TRUE sound after a few months, after losing the inconvenient brightness.

[seanm]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I prefer to think of it as flats reaching their TRUE sound after a few months, after losing the inconvenient brightness.

+1 I like that description. They don't go dead, they get their true sound!

[Marley's Ghost]

My Labella Deep Talkin flats just had their first birthday, and they still have plenty of sustain. They do seem more punchy than they were new, and still have good intonation. With them on my SB2, I am a vintage tone monster!