flats on a boring 5 string?

[benedict1115]

hey everyone i currently own a Yamaha RBX 375 and i feel really bored with it since i can't really do much with it. the string spacing feels really tight and i can't really slap and pop on it without hitting other strings so i figure ill keep this as a permanent finger style bass. With my current round wounds i feel like the strings are really tight and is really hard to get the nice warm sounds from it that i would like so I'm not really sure if putting flats on my bass will make it any better for finger style than it already is?

[Marton]

Try it, worst that can happen is that you don't like it.

[Mirios]

Originally Posted by Marton

Try it, worst that can happen is that you don't like it.

Only way to know is to experiment. The fact you have the thought seems to me like you should try it. At least that's how I operate.

[darkstorm]

Sounds like you need to switch to a lighter gauge string set or at least lower tension strings. Flats from what ive read are ussually higher tension then roundwounds so theyd be even tighter feeling then what your using now in all likelyhood. What brand and gauge of strings are you using now?

[Mirios]

It would be good to get some clarification I guess. I thought you had tight string spacing. Not tight tension on strings, did I misread that? As in the reason you are hitting other strings isn't from your strings hitting each other, but from your thumb/fingers causing the interference?

[benedict1115]

well i have BOTH tight string spacing and string tension

[Oobly]

Well, I have read that the Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats have a lower tension than roundwounds. Just ordered a set last night for my Ibanez SR506 which also has pretty tight spacing. I can report back here when they arrive to give feedback if you like. From looking at the choice of string guages on a set (33, 43, 56, 70, 100, 136) they should have pretty even tension string to string also which is one of the main reasons I am choosing them.

[Oobly]

Hi,

Got the strings today. They are definitely lower tension than the Elixir strings that came with the bass. They are nice and warm sounding, although you can still get some "pop" from them if you play harder and use the bridge pickup or bring up the treble on your eq. They have great feel and very even tension across the strings. They are also very "responsive". In other words, they are fantastic for finger style playing and can be very expressive. The low tension allows you to use quite light pressure to fret them and this combines nicely with the tight string spacing for "efficient" playing.

They are so much better than the stock strings on this bass, at least to my fingers and ears. I just couldn't put my bass down this evening

So I can highly recommend trying them out on your yammy 5. They are pricey, but I have heard they last and last (and even get better with age), so IMHO it is worth the investment.

[alec]

Originally Posted by benedict1115

hey everyone i currently own a Yamaha RBX 375 and i feel really bored with it since i can't really do much with it. With my current round wounds i feel like the strings are really tight and is really hard to get the nice warm sounds from it that i would like so I'm not really sure if putting flats on my bass will make it any better for finger style than it already is?

For reference, have you ever changed the strings on it? Do you know what's on there now?

I just put Fender 9050-5M flats on my 5er and I'm pretty happy with them. They're punchy and full. Sticky to start with, which makes them a bit hard to play but hopefully that will settle down quickly.
The tension is pretty good, but I have a 35" scale tuned down to Bb.

[tom once dead]

I've always though the 375's had a really solid tone with a ton of bottom end.