Flats with lots of Thump and No treble... Ideas?

::::BASSIST:::: · #1 02-04-2008, 08:13 PM

For the longest time I have been using Labella Jamersons and a capo on the second fret which makes it a shortscale bass.

Recently I have decided to go back to a 34" scale. This is with my Fender P, by the way.

So I dig out a previously used set of Labella 760FLs and I find they have way too much zing for my taste... though I love their feel and tension.

Any suggestions for some flats with very little zing/treble yet smooth to the touch. I am a P bass with flats guy and thats the tone I prefer.

ducatiman · #2 02-04-2008, 08:28 PM

Fender Electric Bass Guitar Stainless Steel Flatwound Long Scale 34 , .055 - .105, 9050M

thick , high tension, ALL thump, keep them on about a month before judging. fender should rename them thumpers. precisely what you're asking for.

ishouldbeking · #3 02-04-2008, 09:25 PM

webstrings make some reallllllly dead flatwounds that cost less than $20... i prefer Labella's, but i've had the webstrings on my MIM jazz for almost a year now and I have no intention on changing them.

69nites · #4 02-04-2008, 09:34 PM

play them for a couple months...

::::BASSIST:::: · #5 02-04-2008, 10:45 PM

You really think that couple months will do it? That would be nice.

::::BASSIST:::: · #6 02-04-2008, 10:46 PM

So apparently nickel strings have the best thump / least zing. Which flats are nickel?

mellowgerman · #7 02-04-2008, 11:01 PM

don't get cheap fender ones! i made that mistake jsut to try them out. they get disgusting twangy trebly sound. go for some pyramid gold flats. they might be expensive but you'll have them for a long long time. they get a really great 60s paul mccartney type thumpy sound. no crappy treble.

::::BASSIST:::: · #8 02-04-2008, 11:09 PM

Yeah, I've been looking into those pyramid golds. I found one retailer that sells them for $53 but of course, they're out of stock.

Oh yeah, they're nickel too.

markjazzbassist · #9 02-04-2008, 11:47 PM

dude labella's are pretty much the deadest sounding IMO, just play them a lot more. keep em on and beat on that bass for a couple months, they'll get where they need to be tonewise.

::::BASSIST:::: · #10 02-04-2008, 11:53 PM

Well, the amount of treble I'm getting from them is incredible. I turn the treble off and high mids way down on my LMII and still get way too much treble for my taste. I can see how others who like sheen in their strings would like them but as I said I like thump.

markjazzbassist · #11 02-05-2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Well, the amount of treble I'm getting from them is incredible. I turn the treble off and high mids way down on my LMII and still get way too much treble for my taste. I can see how others who like sheen in their strings would like them but as I said I like thump.

first off, your playing a SS amp (treble city IMO), check your cab as well, if you've got 10's (trebly as well) and a horn/tweeter that's on (more treble), that all could be adding to your sound. try turning off the horn/tweeter.

Also, how long has it been since your bass has been setup? a new set of strings (a switching of sets) deserves a setup IMO. Your action might be too low, hence the too much treble.

::::BASSIST:::: · #12 02-05-2008, 12:24 AM

I use a schroeder 1212R with the tweeter always off. My bass is well setup, but maybe I should lower my pickups to get a more thuddy sound?

Aside from that, the only thing that changed, in terms of my gear, was the move to a different set of strings and hence the drastic change in tone. I think moving from 30" to 34" might be a factor as well.

king_biscuit · #13 02-05-2008, 12:30 AM

I going to second the Fender flats. I have been playing flats since the early 80s, and the current Fender flats -- once broken in -- have more thump and bump than any other flat available today. I like La Bellas, but they have more midrange clank than the Fenders.

GeneralElectric · #14 02-05-2008, 12:47 AM

I'm going to have to go with Rotosound Trubass 88's, just to be different.

svenbass · #15 02-05-2008, 01:01 AM

Doesn't matter what kind of amp or speaker size, the thump is really going to come from technique, the character of your bass, and a set of strings that responds to your touch. As far as the age of the strings, a good month of steady playing will let you know how a flatwound is going to sound for the next long bit. If you aren't digging them after a month or two, I'd try another brand as the character really isn't going to change until serious metal fatigue sets in and at that point intonation becomes an issue.

LaBellas tend to popular because of Jamerson. I've used them, dug them, but whatever on the 'mojo' factor, as if anyone can sound like him anyway.

I was a big fan of the Lakland Joe Osborn's

One of my students gets a great sound out of a set of brand new Rotosound flats -though, most folks here seem to concur that Rotos are twangy.

The Fenders are my personal preference for down home thump, but as stated before, it's going to be in your touch.

::::BASSIST:::: · #16 02-05-2008, 01:08 AM

I guess I should mention I play fingerstyle with my thumb anchored on the butt-end of the neck.

I admit that the science of touch eludes me, but I dont play excessively hard, not super soft either.

svenbass · #17 02-05-2008, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

I guess I should mention I play fingerstyle with my thumb anchored on the butt-end of the neck.

I admit that the science of touch eludes me, but I dont play excessively hard, not super soft either.

Try playing with your thumb and your fingers anchored on the bridge!

On a slightly more serious note, and I mean slightly, I wouldn't consider the 'touch' a science ..... more a process of refining things until you achieve the desired result. This process may take up to 30 years!

I certainly have a strong opinion on my preferences for gear - but it only pertains to me and my sound. The only thing I can really advise is that there is no magic string or amp or vintage Fender that is going to do it in one fell swoop; it's going to be experience, experience, experience.

ljazz · #18 02-05-2008, 02:56 AM

So, how long does it take for those fenders to break in and start to thump? I've got a 10 year old set here that's brighter than broken in Chromes.

KrispyJones · #19 02-05-2008, 04:01 AM

fender 9050L are great ones like said ! but you have to give them about a month !
than there will be zero zing ! only thumb !
at least thats what i recognised !

ljazz · #20 02-05-2008, 05:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrispyJones

fender 9050L are great ones like said ! but you have to give them about a month !
than there will be zero zing ! only thumb !
at least thats what i recognised !

I must have a bad set then, 'cuz you can darn near slap-n-pop with these things.