First time flats - And I love it!!

vbchaos · #1 09-29-2011, 05:00 AM

Last week, I put flatwound strings on my Ibanez SR 605 - for the first time ever I now play flats, and I have to admit: I DAMN LOVE IT!!
I had no idea, but these d'addario chromes do feel very good! I play with a lot of slides (especially chords) and on roundwounds, you always here these slide-noises and the string gets damped... With flats, you only here the tone sliding higher, but no RRRRRRTSCH on the strings!
The sound is something I have to get used to - It is different... not that I don't like it, but it's just different.
I guess I will try half-rounds also to compare, but the flatwound world has one more happy citizen now!!

**BLDavis** · #2 09-29-2011, 05:46 AM

Life is better without the "RRRRRRTSCH"

......Welcome to the DARKSIDE.
B.

BROKEN OHMS · #3 09-29-2011, 08:04 AM

Welcome Brother. Did you learn the secret handshake yet?

carlos840 · #4 09-29-2011, 08:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BROKEN OHMS

Welcome Brother. Did you learn the secret handshake yet?

man, you can only tell the secret handshake to people who have been playing flats for more than 6 months!
He might not have completely turned yet!
We wouldnt want him to learn the handshake and go back to rounds would we?

BROKEN OHMS · #5 09-29-2011, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlos840

man, you can only tell the secret handshake to people who have been playing flats for more than 6 months!
He might not have completely turned yet!
We wouldnt want him to learn the handshake and go back to rounds would we?

Haha, don't worry. I'm just testing him.
Who rigs every Oscar night? WE DOOOO

vbchaos · #6 09-29-2011, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BROKEN OHMS

Welcome Brother. Did you learn the secret handshake yet?

Well, I got the manual

Secret Handshake

I have to admit that my picking fingers have to get used to it - strange enough I sometimes hit the wrong string or miss it completely. May come because I am used to these cheap Warwick red Labels

Quote:

Originally Posted by BROKEN OHMS

Who rigs every Oscar night? WE DOOOO

HEHE

I only know that song in german, but probably recognise it in every language

tjh · #7 09-29-2011, 01:53 PM

well, if your Chromes are new, you wont have to get used to the sound for very long, probably about 8-10 hours of play time, and then it will start to change a bit ... about 30+ hours they will start to become more 'solid', and then from then on you will be noticing they will be coming even smoother to the touch and upwards of 50-60 hours or so you can be deciding if they are your cup of tea or not soundwise as they continue to become even more solid ... enjoy

genericusername · #8 09-29-2011, 01:57 PM

Yeah, I didn't like them at first, too much treble without the roundwound ( I was using Rotosound) zing. Now they're much better though.

Farfetched · #9 09-29-2011, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlos840

man, you can only tell the secret handshake to people who have been playing flats for more than 6 months!
He might not have completely turned yet!
We wouldnt want him to learn the handshake and go back to rounds would we?

i dunno. you know what they say.. "Once you go flat, you don't go back."

traxeman75 · #10 09-29-2011, 11:58 PM

what did you used to play, forum starter? wondering about switching myself

vbchaos · #11 09-30-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by traxeman75

what did you used to play, forum starter? wondering about switching myself

I used to play Warwick red labels usually, because they are cheap (10 euros for a 5string set). But hmmm, your fingers feel like glued to the strings, fast sliding is nearly impossible. I later bought one set of ROTOSOUND SWINGS for my Washburn bass for recording in studio - they feel much better, but if I listen to these records now, I do not like the sound. I have to admit I never really mind the strings these days, but since I formed a new band in 2010 I am on the look-out for a new/other sound of mine!

I now play the chromes on my Ibanez and have the red labels on my washburn. While practicing at home, I sometimes switch the instruments for direct compare. Quite funny that my picking fingers do fancy the roundwounds, while my left hand and my ears fancy the flats

I guess that's a question of training

VanillaThundah · #12 09-30-2011, 01:31 AM

Flats and rounds sound pretty similar early on....give it a month or two and you'll decide where you draw the line on "thump". With an active bass like that, I'm sure you can dial in and out the undesirables, but be ready for some serious thump lol

musicon197 · #13 09-30-2011, 02:38 AM

I started with DR chromes on a passive fender jazz baandroid years ago and loved what they brought as I had always used rounds. They do settle in and flats just get better with time. I'll say this though, since that first set I've tried a few different brands always returning to the chromes and about six months ago I put a set of Thomastik-Infeld JF344 flats on that same bass and was blown away with the improvement of tone and feel. I hadn't tried them sooner because they're more expensive, but I'd heard so much about them I figured to go ahead instead of spending more on other strings to try that cost so much less per set. They aren't quite as stiff as the Chromes, which bothered me at first, but I'll probably never use another type of flatwound string.

marcencabo · #14 09-30-2011, 02:49 AM

The Chromes are definitely like butter to play on, and they settle in real nice over time. They just seem to fit in great on whatever you're playing on.

Russell L · #15 09-30-2011, 06:02 AM

Welcome aboard. I just put Chromes on my passive Jazz about two weeks ago, and love 'em. I've put many hours on them, and three gigs so far. They still sound like new to me. I'm coming from nickel rounds. I like the extra tension so far.

Still an apprentice, so don't have my handshake yet, but I have seen the light.

vbchaos · #16 10-06-2011, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjh

well, if your Chromes are new, you wont have to get used to the sound for very long, probably about 8-10 hours of play time, and then it will start to change a bit ... about 30+ hours they will start to become more 'solid', and then from then on you will be noticing they will be coming even smoother to the touch and upwards of 50-60 hours or so you can be deciding if they are your cup of tea or not soundwise as they continue to become even more solid ... enjoy

True! I guess the strings now have somewhat around 20 hours of playtime and they sound a bit more present - which I just like even more

Crabby · #17 10-09-2011, 12:58 PM

I have Chromes on my fretless Ernie Ball Sterling and never bought I would want flats on a fretless. But they are a joy to play! Lots of growl and bloom in the notes, smooth feel, good sustain and punch. I am still blown away as I always thought rounds were mandatory on a fretless to get that classic fretless tone.

shrimpflea · #18 10-09-2011, 01:23 PM

I went flat about 7 years ago, never looked back. Just this morning I re-installed my LaBella med flats (760FM) on my P-Bass after trying Chromes for about 2 mos. I liked the Chromes but the LaBella's are the best strings in the world IMO. I have the LaBella 760FLs on my Jazz Bass.

silentmike · #19 10-09-2011, 03:19 PM

I'm also a recent convert to flats (about 2 weeks) and I'm really happy too! My left hand has needed some adjustments as I was used to the feel of finding notes without looking when using rounds. I find it's slightly different with flats because there's a lot less friction when moving. I'm getting used to it though and I'm really enjoying the results!

Doctor Dirt · #20 10-09-2011, 03:41 PM

The World IS flat according to LaBella!!!! The perfect score is to have a flat set up and another with the popular strings of the day. Down the road try some "deep talkin" LaBellas and play the big boy strings hahahaha!!! "Thers a hand shake" ??????? Doc