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10-12-2011, 10:30 AM
| | | | DR Hi Beam Flatwound Bass Strings (aka LEGEND or FL-45)
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Has anyone had any experience with the DR Hi Beam Flatwound Bass Strings (also called LEGEND or FL-45)? Do they sound modern or old school? Are they low tension? How do they compare with other flatwounds, especially the Sadowsky Black Label Flats (SBF45)? |
10-12-2011, 10:35 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: TX, USA | | | they are old school thumpy. very smooth. kinda similar to labella 760fl except maybe a little less tension. |
10-12-2011, 02:15 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Durham NC | | | I have had a couple sets of them over the years.
To be honest, I can't tell them from GHS Precision Flats, to the point where I think they might be the same string.
Smooth to the touch, the E and A are quite thumpy to start with. The D and G take a while to mellow, but once they do, it's a well matched set.
They are in the old school, vintage sounding camp. Nice strings. |
10-12-2011, 02:35 PM
| | | thanks for replying. hmmm... I was hoping for a more modern sound...
By the way, I discovered a very extensive review of DR strings by Ed Friedland where he describes the flatwounds as having a "well-balanced tone, rounded low, punchy mids and a hint of glass on top".
Would you agree with this account which gives me a bit of hope for attaining a somewhat contemporary sound with relatively low tension flatwound strings? The Bass Whisperer Reports: DR Strings | Bass Emporium Blog |
10-12-2011, 02:44 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Durham NC | | | Flats with a more modern sound?
Chromes, Sadowsky, the new Fenders. |
10-12-2011, 02:49 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: TX, USA | | | to be honest most flats are very similar once broken in except for TI's. best way to know is just to try a set. |
10-12-2011, 03:07 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jasper383  Flats with a more modern sound?
Chromes, Sadowsky, the new Fenders. | Have you had any experience with the Sadowsky Black Label or the new Fenders? |
10-12-2011, 07:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Albany, NY | | | I have a set of Sadowsky Flats that are about 3 weeks old now. They are a modern sounding flat, but they retain a tone that has some flat sounding characteristics. They have a bit of round wound punch, but they are mellowing out a bit now. They thump a little, but not like an old school flat. They're nice and smooth and with a medium amount of tension that plays nice. Never tried the DRs mentioned, but they sound what I'm looking for. |
10-12-2011, 07:21 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JB36 I have a set of Sadowsky Flats that are about 3 weeks old now. They are a modern sounding flat, but they retain a tone that has some flat sounding characteristics. They have a bit of round wound punch, but they are mellowing out a bit now. They thump a little, but not like an old school flat. They're nice and smooth and with a medium amount of tension that plays nice. Never tried the DRs mentioned, but they sound what I'm looking for. | Yes, I have ordered the DR Hi Beam flats and I'm looking forward to playing some bouncy basslines! Ed Friedland's review is promising and the sound sample (fingerstyle) sounds good. He mentions that in the fingerstyle samples, he starts playing with the right hand near the fingerboard and moves towards the bridge as the sample develops - it is exactly at this point where the "hint of glass" comes in, and it sounds groovy!
I got mine from Welcome to Bass Strings Online - Lay it down... |
10-12-2011, 10:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Albany, NY | | | I forgot about Ed's DR review and that Flats were even one of the strings. I think these are in the same ball park tone wise. Very similar slap tone. They're also $10 bucks cheaper than the Sadowsky. I'll probably give them a try sometime. Post your thoughts of them. |
10-13-2011, 04:36 AM
| | | | Will do! |
10-13-2011, 11:00 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Durham NC | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Phaidrus Have you had any experience with the Sadowsky Black Label or the new Fenders? | Yes, I have used both.
The Sadowskys are made by La Bella to Sadowsky specs. They feel like La Bellas, but seem to be a little brighter soundwise.
The new Fenders are a lot like Chromes.
"modern sounding flat" = a little more high end, correct?
And yes, after a year or two, all flats (except maybe TI Jazz Flats) will sound a lot alike. |
10-13-2011, 02:58 PM
| | | | By "modern sounding flat" I mean a crunchier sound in general. More alive, more upfront and energetic. That could be too much to ask from a flatwound string. Yet the DRs' sound sample by Ed Friedland sounds perhaps not far from that... |
10-13-2011, 03:27 PM
| | | | Of course, that's Ed Friedland playing... |
10-13-2011, 04:27 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Durham NC | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Phaidrus By "modern sounding flat" I mean a crunchier sound in general. More alive, more upfront and energetic. That could be too much to ask from a flatwound string. Yet the DRs' sound sample by Ed Friedland sounds perhaps not far from that... | Did he just put them on? All flats will have a lot more top end for the first few hours. |
10-13-2011, 04:44 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jasper383 Did he just put them on? All flats will have a lot more top end for the first few hours. | I would assume so. Still, the DRs sound quite modern, even audacious... which is a good thing.
Here's the link again: The Bass Whisperer Reports: DR Strings | Bass Emporium Blog |
10-13-2011, 05:17 PM
|  | Sponsored by Jagermeister | | Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Seattle / Tacoma | | | I still have a set that I bought about four years ago. I brought home my old P bass from visiting the folks last month, and those strings were still on it, and I still dislike them. If someone wants em' pay some postage and they're yours!
But anyway, HB flats are way old skool thumpy, very thuddy sound. They are also stiff, high tension. Probably remind me most of Labellas.
The livelier stuff by far is Sadaowsky, Smith, new Fenders, GHS, Ernie Ball, and of course TI. |
10-13-2011, 05:48 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Caca de Kick I still have a set that I bought about four years ago. I brought home my old P bass from visiting the folks last month, and those strings were still on it, and I still dislike them. If someone wants em' pay some postage and they're yours!
But anyway, HB flats are way old skool thumpy, very thuddy sound. They are also stiff, high tension. Probably remind me most of Labellas.
The livelier stuff by far is Sadaowsky, Smith, new Fenders, GHS, Ernie Ball, and of course TI. | hmmm...
Would you be so kind as to check Ed Friedland's sound sample and see whether it sounds like what you've experienced with your P bass?
By the way, in the samples he plays a J bass. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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