Fender Flats

Bassist4Life · #1 09-18-2006, 08:14 PM

I just got a fretless Fender J-Bass in the mail today. It's a decent bass for the price, but what the heck is with the strings?! Why are these things so tight?! You've gotta' be kidding me!

Out of the box they felt really tight, and then I realized they were tuned a 1/2 step down. As I tuned them up to pitch I thought I was going to snap the neck in half.

Who would make strings with tension like that, and why?! It's ridiculous. Is there anyone out there that loves the Fender flats? I can't imagine someone loving these strings.

Sorry... I needed to get that out. I feel better (not really). Now I have to dish out the $40 to put TI Jazz Flats on it. I really wanted to take this bass to the gig on Wednesday night.

Fender flats just need to relax.
Joe

canopener · #2 09-18-2006, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

I just got a fretless Fender J-Bass in the mail today. It's a decent bass for the price, but what the heck is with the strings?! Why are these things so tight?! You've gotta' be kidding me!

Out of the box they felt really tight, and then I realized they were tuned a 1/2 step down. As I tuned them up to pitch I thought I was going to snap the neck in half.

Who would make strings with tension like that, and why?! It's ridiculous. Is there anyone out there that loves the Fender flats? I can't imagine someone loving these strings.

Sorry... I needed to get that out. I feel better (not really). Now I have to dish out the $40 to put TI Jazz Flats on it. I really wanted to take this bass to the gig on Wednesday night.

Fender flats just need to relax.
Joe

I love the high tension! Plus, I don't think you can get a better tone out of a fretless with anything other than Fender flats. Keep them on, you won't be disappointed.

SherpaKahn · #3 09-19-2006, 10:54 AM

I actually play Fender Flats in that same gauge on my neck-through Ibanez Musician, and althought the tension is a little insane, they do have some very nice sounds on certain basses. On my other Musician which has EMGs and an ebony fingerboard they sounded terrible and lifeless, but on my "bean bass" which has a rosewood board, passive PJ setup, and a smaller body, it sounds great. Especially when played with a pick. The second set of strings I ever bought were these Fender Flats (okay, it was still less than a year ago), and I played them for about a month or so.

The tension is somethin' fierce, especially the G string, which feels like a bridge cable, but after playing them for a little while, you get used to it. Then you feel really manly when playing other people's basses with strings designed for puny humans. Seriously, though: they can sound amazing with a pick. Think all of the quick attack of a pick, without the absurdly trebly sound you get from picking roundwounds. Just punch and pang with no zing.

Don't let the tension scare you; try 'em out for a week or two!

The Craw · #4 09-19-2006, 02:55 PM

The stock set is their heaviest gauge. They do make two lighter gauge sets. And as flats go, they're inexpensive.

Trevorus · #5 09-19-2006, 02:59 PM

I cannot remember what gauge I use on my jazz, but it's been great!

Bassist4Life · #6 09-19-2006, 05:56 PM

It's actually pretty cool to see that there are people that appreciate the tension these strings provide. It's just not for me. I love the smooth supple feeling of my TI Jazz Flats.

Someone suggested using a pick. I play finger style, but I can see where a pick would get a nice quick attack.

When I saw the post from "Canopener"; I thought, you needs a can opener to play these strings.

Thanks for the response guys.

Joe

James Hart · #7 09-19-2006, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

I can't imagine someone loving these strings.

I've got the heaviest, tightest flats I could find on my 5 string! LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass Flats.

Nick Ioannucci · #8 09-19-2006, 06:17 PM

the tighter they are the more i can dig in. im really digging the tone from my rotosound rounds on my fretless, but not liking how floppy they are. this could also be because the only gauge at GC was something like .100-.45 possibly the lowest tension ever. im thinking im more of a 110 or 115 kinda guy. i guess i get it from starting on upright.

Bassist4Life · #9 09-19-2006, 06:31 PM

I played double bass in college, but on my electric basses I don't like a lot of tension.

I can really dig in on the TI flats. In my jazz trio I sometimes pluck them in a similar way to an upright string by using the outside edge of my index finger. I get a nice dynamic range for the TI Flats.

I just can't imagine playing a 3 hour jazz gig on the Fender strings.

Joe

SherpaKahn · #10 09-19-2006, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

ying a 3 hour jazz gig on the Fender strings.

I know what you mean about how much easier it can be to play lighter gauge strings, although it's not absolutely necessary to dig in on high-tension strings. Still, you do build up a bit of stamina after playing high-tension strings for a while.

Bassist4Life · #11 09-19-2006, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SherpaKahn

Still, you do build up a bit of stamina after playing high-tension strings for a while.

True, but I don't want to make that transition if I don't have to.

This thread started as a rant when I felt how different the stock strings were from my TI's. I know they would be a little different, but the difference was astronomical. I have made peace with the difference, but I'm still gonna' change 'em.

Joe

Bassist4Life · #12 09-19-2006, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hart

I've got the heaviest, tightest flats I could find on my 5 string! LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass Flats.

Hey man, I checked out your website. Nice. I enjoyed listening to your fretless sound clips. High tension obviously works for you. I'm gonna go back later and check out some more content on your website.

Joe

James Hart · #13 09-19-2006, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

Hey man, I checked out your website. Nice. I enjoyed listening to your fretless sound clips. High tension obviously works for you. I'm gonna go back later and check out some more content on your website.

Joe

thanks! I'm actually got that on hold for the moment... I'm redoing a website for a pretty well known pro at the moment

If you are looking for dark flats with medium tension, the clip you heard was SIT powerflats (nickel groundwounds). It's got DR Fat Beams on it now... only my fretted 5 has the High Tension flats.

here are 2 old songs of my Defretted Hamer 5 with a pair of old Bart jazz pickups run passive.

clip 1

Clip 2