Flats for 08 Am Std P bass

elBandito · #1 01-05-2009, 04:37 PM

I bought a set of roto flats, but the fitment wasn't too great. Chunkier bridge on the 08 gets in the way and couldn't fit them. I couldn't dtring them thru the body because the break angle on the e string was too great and I couldnt get the string to even touch the saddle piece. When strung thru the bridge, recessed mounting holes in the back gets in the way and cant get the balls to seat flush. E string can not be wound because the taper runs out and the string gets too thick to wrap around the tuner. I need to know which strings will work before I waste another $40... Please help. Thanks in advance.

KingOvHell · #2 01-05-2009, 05:51 PM

I had some d'addario's. They fit good But they sounded terrible. i took them off 3 days later.

Balkan · #3 01-05-2009, 06:04 PM

I use TI flats on my P-Bass (a 1972 but I doubt it matters) - and I freakin love them when I play through my Ampeg B100R - such a warm, gooey, old school sound. I haven't tried other flats, but some people here say the TIs are almost somewhere between a flatwound sound and a roundwound sound. They are also a bit lighter gauge which I like as well - they are easy to bend, and less stiff than other strings.

Jo6Pak · #4 01-05-2009, 06:42 PM

I put D'A Chromes on my '08 Am Std Jazz, with some success. Only real issue was that stringing thru the body brought the silk at the other end down VERY close to the nut. In fact, one of the strings is actually resting on silk at least halfway thru the nut groove. Something like that would normally annoy the hell outta me, but since it set up ok and sounds right, I'm ignoring it.

elBandito · #5 01-05-2009, 06:44 PM

Now Im thinking about putting on a traditional bridge..

jmceachern36 · #6 01-06-2009, 08:06 AM

Do you have to put the string thru the body? I had a new Fender for a while the had the string through the body option but you could also string it up the normal way....Also to the previous poster with the problem with the silk resting on the nut. You can just trim some of it off with a razor or knife.

BillMason · #7 01-06-2009, 08:27 AM

I am using Chromes currently (first set of flats that I have given a fair chance). E&A are strung through the bridge, and D&G are strung through the body. Seems to work ok.

dave_bass5 · #8 01-06-2009, 09:42 AM

Im using Chromes on my 2008 P5.
E-G through body and B through bridge.
I had to take the silk off the B to get it through the hole in the bridge (its .132") but it works fine.
Not 100% in love with the tone but it allows me to have a lower action and i dont need to keep buying new stings every other month.

david fitch · #9 01-06-2009, 07:12 PM

I have used GHS Precision Flatwounds,Rotosound 77 Flatwounds,Fender Flatwounds,D'Addario Chrome Flatwounds all through the body on my MIA Fender Precision and all have worked fine.

Pilgrim · #10 01-06-2009, 08:58 PM

The answer on any P-bass is: La Bella Deep Talkin' flats. They come in three gauges....and they sound wonderful. La Bellas are the schnitz - but they are NOT string-through. I''m not convinced that you need to string-thru in any case.

Laredo · #11 01-06-2009, 09:10 PM

I usually use the Rotosound RS77LD Monel Flats as my flatwound of choice, but changed to the Rotosound SM77 Monel Flats (40-100 guage). The lighter guage of the SM77's worked better with the through body design and bend over the saddle. They also stayed better on the thin Fender saddle grooves.....................The sound is a very good, traditional flatwound style, but I may try stainless steel roundwounds for the next set just to experiment a little!...................

elBandito · #12 01-06-2009, 09:51 PM

How are you people winding the roto flats around the tuning machine? When I string thru the bridge, the tapered part doesnt reach the tuning peg and I have to wind the fat part. It doesnt bend smooth and I stopped before breaking the string. Also, Is such high tension ok for my p? Strining roto flats loosened my bridge screws a bit and afraid itll rip right off.

Laredo · #13 01-07-2009, 12:06 AM

As I mentioned, I went through the body, so I did not wind the string part on to my tuners...............Yes, the tension can be slightly more with flatwound strings, but should not ever be near almost "ripping the bridge off"!

Were your screws loose to begin with (no pun intended

)....................I can't imagine what would cause that much tension with any set of strings?

Not quite sure what to say with out some futher details, or photos of the tuner and bridge (with strings)................

elBandito · #14 01-07-2009, 12:33 AM

I tried stringing thru the body and it was pretty much the same senario. I didnt want to bend the string too far and end up snapping the e string. I have an 08 am std, so the bridge is held on by only 3 screws. The tension was high enough to add more relief on the neck compared to roundwounds.

BillMason · #15 01-07-2009, 06:38 AM

Bridge and tuner screws come loose from time to time. It's good practice to give them a tighten every now and then, whether they need it or not, as a nice solid fit for all hardware is important for tone as well.

Webtroll · #16 01-07-2009, 06:47 AM

'81 P Special wired passive (traditional P) with chomes and it sounds great

Bassorama57 · #17 01-07-2009, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jo6Pak

I put D'A Chromes on my '08 Am Std Jazz, with some success. Only real issue was that stringing thru the body brought the silk at the other end down VERY close to the nut. In fact, one of the strings is actually resting on silk at least halfway thru the nut groove. Something like that would normally annoy the hell outta me, but since it set up ok and sounds right, I'm ignoring it.

Same same. The had a "twangy/metallic" sound for a while, but have broken in. Just trim the excess silk out of the way or ignore it, which I did. Allegedy Fender flats don't sound too bad on this either (and are pretty darn inexpensive).

kraigo · #18 01-07-2009, 07:05 AM

I've used and after two years of trying to like them, finally took TI flats off my five string. Perhaps four string sets would work better, but even without the silly-fat B string, I wasn't all that happy with them.

I've used LaBella Deep Talkin' and didn't care for them.

GHS Brite Flats (half rounds) were just plain awful. Let's never talk about them again.

I tried Fender 9050s on three different basses and never warmed up to them. They had a weird twang.

I have some Chromes on a bass I'm going to consign today. They're the second best set I've tried.

What I've used for the last eight years on a few basses are the Lakland Joe Osborn stainless steel flats. I love them on my five string fretless and my P-Bass.

What I will probably order the next time I get strings is a set of Sadowsky's.

The other flats I should try but haven't are the Rotosound (77's?).

In short, I've tried most of the flats out there and so far the Joe Osborn's have been the champs.

KO

kraigo · #19 01-07-2009, 09:31 AM

I should add that I primarily play a P-Bass. This bass does not string through body. When I've used them on my Lakland I still strung through the bridge.

KO