Fender stainless flats

[bassplayer48]

I have been looking for a more oldschool sound for my P Bass playing quieter contry blues type material, and tried out a fretless jazz with fender flats on it anyway i really liked the sound and feel and thought hey maybe this what i am looking for on my P.
Anyway bought a set and put them on and wow they sound great!

I always thought flats woud sound dulll and although they are not as bright as rounds i'm surprised they are as bright as they are, be interesting too see how long they maintain the brightness, also i love the higher tension (was using GHS boomers before) the gauge is 100 , 85, 65, 50. I find i get a fuller more defined sound with these strings and also a nicer warmer kind of tone overall i'm pretty impressed. Has anyone out there had the same experience with the fenders or any other brands? Thomastick, Daddario chromes, GHS bright flats, etc?

[bigd4207]

I have had the most luck finding the sounds - I - want through Ernie Balls. I love their flats. They are really deep and thumpy, but somehow the still have that bright zang to em. I use group 2 which is 50, 70, 85, 105. I've had them on about 3 months now, and that's playing at least 2-3 hours on that bass every day. They still sound as good as the day I put em on. GHS Fast Fret helps a lot.

[snowdan]

one gig with these fender flats and my hands would be ruined for a while. D and G have too high tension in comparion, too.

but it sounds nice, yes. but doesn't cut through too well.

[lillitnn92]

for as long as i have been playing (since late 80's), i have never tried Flats or Half-Rounds.....until about a week ago. don't know why, just never thought about it. i must say WOW! i like it a lot, but i think i'm going to try Half's now to get some of that brightness back. on my BTB with the mids cranked and the the p/u balanced about 60/40 toward the bridge i can get a nice fretless-esque sound.

[bigd4207]

Half-rounds to help add back a little tone lost from rounds to flats, but with the right company, thus materials and design, some strings don't lose too much. This is my experience from EB's, I figured they would completely boom instead of zang, not much different from the rounds really. The sound is a little thumpier but the bright zang is still completely there, only a little deeper in tone. Of course naturally the Stainless flats will add a certain brightness just because of the metal.

[P_bass]

I've been using D'Addario Half Rounds on my 73 P Bass for 15+ years, everything from Country, Blues, Rock, Pop, etc. Can't say enough good about them.