flats for a six string, or something else? help appreciated

cadence · #1 03-09-2011, 05:30 PM

Hi guys and gals, (if this is TLDR, skip to the last paragraph

)

I am a upright player who is somewhat new to electric but not so much to fretted instruments (jazz guitar). Anyhow, I bought a LTD (ESP) B-206SM for myself at Christmas this year, and I love it. I am now getting to the point where I would like to replace the strings. The pre-installed strings were SIT, and they are ok but I would like to try some other options.

I am leaning towards flats because I am playing primarily jazz, groove oriented stuff, and generally prefer a warm, round natural sounding bass tone (not looking to sound just like an upright, as that is impossible, but I'm not really into super bright electric sounds). I had a set of Chromes (4 string) on my old kicker and put them on the middle 4 strings today. Perhaps they need time to settle, but the tone is pretty much what I didn't like about chromes on any of my guitars - bright, lacking warmth and depth.

I have always gone with TI flats on guitar and love the tone (also love their roundwound tone - double nickle wrapped). I'm looking on some input on those, but they're like a hundred bucks, so buying them to find out they are too muddy or something would be disappointing, and money is a bit tight now. At the same time, Once I put them on guitar I never take them off because they just keep sounding better, so I would not have a problem if I knew I would use them.

Any opinions on the TI set? Also, is there any sort of roundwound option that might also get that kind of warm and deep sound? Any other flats that I should be considering? Luckily these prices are not anything like upright strings, but still money is tight now and I am working with this bass more than other instruments these days, so I would like to tweak my sound. I would love to buy a bunch of sets and try them all but it won't be happening for a while, too long to wait.

Thanks for any advice, I really appreciate it if you made it through all of that!

e: Also, playing mostly in a piano trio, so having a tone similar to a guitar, as is said with round wounds, is not too big of a deal, if you have rounds to recommend.

**colcifer** · #2 03-09-2011, 05:40 PM

TI FTW.

FretlessMainly · #3 03-09-2011, 06:44 PM

Chromes take a month or so to mellow and once they do, I really like them. I use them on my 5-string FL (ECB81-5) and 6-string FL (ECB81-5 plus a CB032). These will run you $32-$40 from juststrings.

But it sounds like you find the chromes too bright. The TI JF346 is $90 from juststrings, and these do not change tone as much as the Chromes. They will last for 10 years (as will many flats) or more, but what I don't like about TI jazz flats is their lack of tension. I find them too floppy to dig in (despite having the biggest low B I've seen: 0.136). Since you play upright (as I do), you may find them to be just not resistant enough. But, my aggressive upright style translates to my electric bass and yours may not.

So, the TIs are great strings with a nice even tone, but they're not for me.

I'd suggest LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass flats, and they make two 5-string sets (760FL-B and 760FM-B) but the lightest flat they have as a single is 0.039. You might make that work with the 760FM-B set, which is 0.049 - 0.128, but that's probably too much tension for a high C (maybe drop that like a guitar to high B???).

Hopefully someone else will have other options.

cadence · #4 03-09-2011, 08:33 PM

Thanks for the info guys. I sprang for the TI's, as I have been really pleased with their guitar offerings and hearing a few positive words about them pushed me over the edge. I expected the lower tension (as it's the same on the guitar side), but I'm finding that my lighter guitar technique is taking more of a hold on electric than my more aggressive upright technique...probably the nails.

I was really tempted to try those LaBellas, as I was also impressed by their heavy gauge flats on guitar, but I really like having a high C and keeping the bass in straight 4ths and didn't want to go mixing sets when I am still pretty new at this - but thanks very much for the suggestion. Someday I'd like to get a fretless and those might be the strings I go to. Unless I fall in love with the TI's. Which I just might given how much I like their upright strings and guitar strings.

Now is the hard part...waiting.

FretlessMainly · #5 03-09-2011, 09:11 PM

If you are comfortable with lower-tension strings, then I suspect that you will be very happy. The TI's have a strong fundamental along with rich harmonic overtones - I know lots of players who swear by them.

Since you will be putting them on a fretted bass, you may not get the 10 years I mentioned, but they do last a good long time without loss of much tone.