FAVORITE Flatwound Strings

[Mr. Ray]

Hi I've seen a lot of threads talking about flatwounds but I would like to know your favorite(s) and why? Sound, feel, price etc.
My favorite flatwounds are the Pyramid Gold Nickels..they just work great on my Wasburn AB-90 Hollowbody...fat warm easy to play.
I also love the Labella Flats on a Fender...instant old school r & b tone and you can really dig into them when laying down a groove.

[RicPlaya]

I've been waiting for this thread to start, was even debating about doing it myself.

I'm running GHS flats on my jazz, but gotta go with Labella's for the oldschool motown tone

[Wayne8]

It'd help in determining which flats if everyone could say what style of music they play. Like, most everyone will probably say Labellas for old school Motown, but if you're playing a different flat, for a different type of music, it'd be helpful to know that. IMO.

If, in a week or so, I see that the majority of folks voted for Chromes, I might think that's what I need. But if most of those folks play metal or some such, and I don't, Chromes might not be the string for me.

[Sundogue]

So far I like the D'Addario Chromes best...no wait, the TI Jazz Flats...no wait, yeah the Chromes.

Currently I have the Chromes on but I won't know how much I'll like them, or if I'll like them better than the TI's until my next gig, next week.

Playing by myself, I'm preferring the Chromes. Something about them I like better. But the sound I get playing by myself is really irrelevant. For me it's all about the sound of the rhythm section with the whole band playing. That's the ultimate test for me.

The Chromes are bright, but so are my 2 year old TI's...just in a different way. I think the Chromes have more mids and the TI's have more "thump" and highs. The TI's are lower tension, so the Chromes feel and play better for me.

EDIT - Just read the previous post. Good point. I play in a loud, 5 piece (2 guitars, keyboards, drums) classic hard rock band (AC/DC, Whitesnake, Ozzy, Led Zeppelin, Sammy Hagar, Scorpions, Poison, etc.). I want a powerful, tight rhythm section. No soloing, and my playing is about as subtle as a brick to the head.

[etoncrow]

It depends. I have LaBella DTB flats on my fretted Lakland Bob Gaub and Joe Osborne. I have TI Jazz flats on my Warwick Corvette fretless and my parts P-bass fretless. I have Chromes on my Birdsong fretless...

[markjazzbassist]

labella deep talkin flats

[starKee]

Hi,for me the DR flats are just perfect,feel,tension and fantastic string to string balance,not so happy with TIs the D and G strings feels very different compare to E and A string,but I've TIs on my AEB just for lower tension because I'm afraid of neck issue.
IMO DR rulezzzz

[ExaltBass]

Sadowsky Flats are where it's at for me on my fretless. Tried TI Jazz Flats, but... you know it's right when you find it!

[edbutler3]

Originally Posted by starKee

Hi,for me the DR flats are just perfect,feel,tension and fantastic string to string balance,not so happy with TIs the D and G strings feels very different compare to E and A string,but I've TIs on my AEB just for lower tension because I'm afraid of neck issue.
IMO DR rulezzzz

I didn't vote because so far the TI JFs are the only flats I've tried. What you say about the D and G strings agrees with my experience too. The B, E, and A strings sound very good to me (except for a bit more ~800Hz "goose honk" than I'd like) but when I reach for a higher note it doesn't seem to have enough "girth" in the low mids, so it gets a little lost in the mix -- which is the opposite of what I was expecting with flats. (This is with a nearly flat EQ.)

I'd like to try some other brands of flats, but I'm not sure which ones to try first. And it can be quite an investment, especially for 5-string sets. (These would be going on a Mike Lull P5, BTW.) Based on my tone issue described above, do you think I'd like the DRs better? I haven't heard many people talk about the DR flats on TB, but I'm a big fan of their rounds (esp. the Sun Beams) so they are tempting to try. But I hear so much praise for the LaBellas that I'm tempted to try those first.

[adge]

for me- Labella's sound the best, however i really like the tension of Thomasik's..

[Mr. Mig]

Labella

[basslinejam]

I voted once for Labella (I love 760 FMs) on my modded up SX 57P and once for Rotosound Monels on my G&L SB-2. I am all for different strings for different axes...

[boamedt]

i ghs flats on my jazz and i play reggae. they sound alright. i have tried rotosound jazz flats, and roto tapewounds. i liked the jazz flats, but i didnt like the nylon tapewraped ones. i think i will try la bellas next.

[bluesfan216]

Love my Labella (760fl) on my 76 p-bass. Pure tonal heaven through my B-15. Just my opinion.

[johnnycat42]

I play in an Electronic Rock Band--I use the TI flats and like them. Wanna try the Chromes.

[NorCal Dog]

three sets of JF-344's
one set of JF-345's
one set of JF-365's
two sets of 760FL's

oh ya,, love dem flats

[fretlessguy]

The only flats I have used I still use: Chromes, GHS precision flats and TI JF344s. (Come to think of it, I think I used a set of Fenders for two gigs before I took them off).
I like all three for thier differences. While they all sound like flats, each has it's own niche and unique charateristics.
FG

[lmfreeman9]

1. TI Jazz Flats
2. Labella FS
3. DR Flats
4. Fender Tapewounds (Do they count as flats?)

[Mastermold]

#1 TI jazz flats
#2 DR flats
#3 La Bella flats

I like Fender, D'Addario and Rotosounds too but those three are my favorites in that order.

[Ole Rumblekat]

LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats have the right tension for me.