flats for 7 string?

Jumbotron · #1 10-02-2006, 12:48 PM

Maybe my search chops aren't great, but I haven't been able to find any info on the following issue. Just got me a 7-string fretless (LowEnd Jazz. It's 1000% awesome), and because I prefer flats, I'm restringing it. It's easy to find sets of 6-string flats, which I purchased, but for the life of me, I can't find a flat string that will fit for the high F. The thinnest bass flats seem to be about a .028, and I've got a .029 on the C string, so want something thinner. .022-.025 would be ideal. I found some guitar flats, but the ones I've tried are too short. The GHS .024's, for example, need at least another two inches on them. They reach the tuning peg, but because they're skinny, they pop out of the hole in the middle of it (Hipshot ultralights) whenever any tension is applied.
Any ideas? I really don't want to use rounds here.

saxnbass · #2 10-02-2006, 02:23 PM

Get a set of 6-string flats and get a single high F flat wound. Not sure on the size for flats, but I use a roundwound 0.025 as my high F on my 6-strings tuned EADGCF.

Jumbotron · #3 10-02-2006, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saxnbass

Get a set of 6-string flats and get a single high F flat wound. Not sure on the size for flats, but I use a roundwound 0.025 as my high F on my 6-strings tuned EADGCF.

Yeah, that's the plan (got the 6-string flats already), but I've got to figure out where to GET a single high F. It's easy to find a single roundwound that size. Not so easy with the flat.

Jumbotron · #4 10-06-2006, 05:47 PM

Does anybody know the answer to this? Anybody?

bassist324 · #5 10-07-2006, 12:25 PM

Conklin sells single strings for erbs so you can try their website

bassplayer2106 · #6 10-07-2006, 01:48 PM

Have you thought about coated strings instead, Elixirs or something maybe ?.

bassteban · #7 10-07-2006, 02:56 PM

I have a fretless 7, so I've been watching this thread. Perhaps you could put a g****r string on as your high F; to combat the slipping on the tuner issue, try tying it around the post prior to winding.

Jumbotron · #8 10-08-2006, 07:32 AM

Thanks for the replies, guys.

The Conklin site appears only to sell rounds, unfortunately.

That's a good idea, for the gtar string. If I can find one long enough, I might give it a shot.

Just Strings sells a thin unwound string by SIT, and that's what I'm using right now, but I don't like it much. There's just too much tonal contrast with the other strings, and the left hand feel is very different. After hunting around on that site more, I see that GHS has a .027 brite flat and a .028 regular flat. Though those gauges are a little high for an F, I might try them out, along with any guitar strings I can locate. I'll report back here with the results, in case anybody is curious.

Yell03SpecV · #9 10-08-2006, 01:44 PM

d'Addario has the "Chromes" series flatwound guitar strings. A friend of mine uses them on his LP -- maybe give one of those a shot. A set of strings for a guitar is so cheap, just buy a whole set if you can't find a single. Sometimes, GC will break up sets for singles.

Jumbotron · #10 11-01-2006, 08:31 AM

UPDATE:
The following strings will NOT fit on my bass (if you had different tuners, like locking Sperzels or some such, they'd probably fit): TI .021 Nickel Flats (guitar), GHS .024 Precision Flats (guitar), DR .024 Flats (guitar). These were all candidates for the high F.
I'm currently using a D' Aquisto .020 flat, again a guitar string. It fits, and sounds better than a plain string. It's pretty bright compared to the LaBellas that I have on the other strings, though, and the D'Aquisto winding is different--not as smooth as other flats I've seen. I'm still on the lookout for something better, but this will work for now.