Flatwound Convert

beelzelboss · #1 03-06-2010, 12:33 PM

Just strung up my peavey with some flatwounds. All I can say is wow these are amazing. This was exactly what I was looking for in my tonal quest. I'm a very happy camper.

snyderz · #2 03-06-2010, 12:37 PM

Kewl. What flavor did you get?

MikeyP-Funk · #3 03-06-2010, 12:42 PM

Yeah, what did you string up and what did you discard?

cossie · #4 03-08-2010, 10:25 AM

I was gonna start a new thread about the same thing but figured I'd post here instead.

I put D'addario Chrome flatwounds on my jazz bass last night and absolutely love the sound - should've done it a long time ago!!!

shawshank72 · #5 03-08-2010, 10:29 AM

Just wait for about a month till they break in and settle down, its even better.

**BLDavis** · #6 03-08-2010, 03:03 PM

Welcome to the darker side.

Pilgrim · #7 03-08-2010, 05:10 PM

Achieved wisdom, he has.

canadian_man_44 · #8 03-08-2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cossie

I was gonna start a new thread about the same thing but figured I'd post here instead.

I put D'addario Chrome flatwounds on my jazz bass last night and absolutely love the sound - should've done it a long time ago!!!

This is exactly what I did to my Squier Jazz Fretless. It sounds awesome.

BigOldHarry · #9 03-08-2010, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

Achieved wisdom, he has.

Feh. I played a bass in a store over the weekends with flats and it was just awful. I'm convinced that the current craze for flat-wounds is yet another "older is better" thing. You can always muddy up roundwounds with mutes or tone controls - but you can't add zing to flats...

And here comes the flamage....!

superhand · #10 03-08-2010, 05:27 PM

I switched to flats a while back and thought they were the best thing ever. Then a couple weeks ago, I started to miss all the overtones you get from rounds, so I switched back.

They both have there pros and cons. The only solution I can think of is to buy myself another bass and put flats on it (I'm thinking P-bass) and keep rounds on my Jazz.

Rex Hussler · #11 03-08-2010, 05:34 PM

Take a little bit of the best of both worlds and try half rounds.

Hoover · #12 03-09-2010, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rex Hussler

Take a little bit of the best of both worlds and try half rounds.

ime, that's just like a "hybrid bicycle" which ostensibly acts as a dual-purpose on-road/off-road vehicle, but in practice offers absolutely none of the benefits of a good road bike or good mountain bike.

Every time I've tried halfrounds, they seemed like a compromise, not a "best of both worlds". The didn't have the sound or feel of a good flatwound or a good roundwound, and so instead you had a string that sounded and felt like poop. YMMV.

ChrisB2 · #13 03-09-2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

Feh. I played a bass in a store over the weekends with flats and it was just awful. I'm convinced that the current craze for flat-wounds is yet another "older is better" thing. You can always muddy up roundwounds with mutes or tone controls - but you can't add zing to flats...

And here comes the flamage....!

No flamage, but I do disagree with you. I think it's hard to accurately judge an entire category of strings and the resulting tonal possibilities by playing one flats-strung instrument in a music store. I also don't know that there's a "craze" or that there is anything driving their popularity other than the fact that some people simply prefer them (myself included). Maybe there was a time when rounds became popular and pushed flats to the sidelines for a while, but I don't think they ever went out of style or that there's a craze. Just my opinion.

I'm not after "mud." I'm after the sweet thump and smooth slides that I only get with flats. I'm not interested in zing, clank, or string zonk. And the flats I use are most definitely not muddy or "feh." But you're entitled to your zingage!

Femto · #14 03-09-2010, 02:57 PM

The D'Addario Chromes on my P Bass aren't very muddy through my GK amp and Ampeg 8x10. Especially when I kick in the Tech21 XXLB dirt box. It seems to be able to melt faces just fine and when I run clean, there's all that lovely smooth pick attack to lock in with the kickdrum.

**StrangerDanger** · #15 03-09-2010, 03:17 PM

P-bass with flats isnt a trend or a craze. Its what the instrument was supposed to sound like. It still is.

jimydug · #16 03-09-2010, 03:37 PM

I just joined and wow, first thing I saw was naked bass club. Naked is only cool if you are female or asked to be naked (by a female). At least do the sock on the cock thing. And for the guy who sits on the can playing bass, admitting this is the sick thing...... I want other people to crap their pants when they are in range of my SVT. But I don't want my bass near the toliet or a naked man.

I hate clankyness and don't want to sound like a low guitar, try nylon tapewounds (i usually get fender 9120s) these are roundwounds with a black nylon tape coating. They have just the right balance, much more exicting than round wounds and yet you can get a very clear thud. If you really bear down you can get some zing.

I only play fretless 4 string, Jazz Bass and a Gibson Ripper. I don't do much slapping and I am one of those players that lets the amp do the work. So I have found this to work great for me.

makkE · #17 03-09-2010, 03:55 PM

I don't think it's a craze - it's just that by the help of the internet, more, especially younger people learn that flats exsist, and some just like them - like me.

When I look back at the early 90ies when I started, noone I knew even knew that there was a diffrent type of string - all we knew was "strings" and they were always roundwound.

The first time I saw flats was on a fretless, with the explanation "so the groves won't hurt the fretboard" - I would have never thought of trying those on a fretted bass, even the guy with the fretless didn't know those where the only type of string in older days...

Just when I started playing again, I learned about flats on forums - and got them primilarily because I can't afford to get new rounds every month - turned out I really like their sound

It's not a "retro craze" imho - it's just another possible type of string string and tone, and also a financial option.

Ur2funky · #18 03-09-2010, 04:43 PM

I've only tried flats on a friend's fretless...love the "waah" sound and love the feel of them.

I play an outdoor gig on Sunday, and sometimes my bass stays in the gig bag until Friday night's gig (since I have other basses sitting out at home, I'm a bit lazy). Living the humid Florida Keys, those strings can feel like they're half rusted come Friday night, and tear my fingers up but good.
Really makes me want to try flats on my gigging bass. I'm sure they would sound good for the thick bass rock tunes...and they would feel great!

Heres the stupid question:
Are they gonna kill the slap n' pop sound? I've never tried them on a fretted bass. Am I wasting my time/money to buy a $50 set of TI's to find out I can't "pop" with them?

Thanks for helping the unexperienced (Me)

What is your experience?

Thanks in advance~

~S

makkE · #19 03-09-2010, 04:55 PM

D'Addario Chromes are always mentioned when it comes to "slappable" flats.

I use them too. I think the slap and pop sound is great, it's of course not as cutting as on rounds, but more thick - definately not vain or silly to slap those.

I like the overall sound of chromes. They are warm and thumpy, but still have some roundish bite to them - and they are decently priced, imho the best choice to try flats.

Played with picks you get a great rock sound, with fingers they have nice thumb, and they still slap nicely.

In the end, you must try yourself, for a test I would recommend the chromes "EC81" - remember, chromes feel thicker, so if you play .105 rounds, a set with a .100 e-string will feel much alike - IME.

JustDavid · #20 03-09-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

Feh. I played a bass in a store over the weekends with flats and it was just awful. I'm convinced that the current craze for flat-wounds is yet another "older is better" thing. You can always muddy up roundwounds with mutes or tone controls - but you can't add zing to flats...

And here comes the flamage....!

Me, I'm waiting for the "Confessions of an Ex-Flatwound Convert" thread

Though I've been a massive fan of Flats for about a decade (though decomposingly-dead nickel Rounds will do in a pinch), I don't particularly think they are for everyone. But I do believe they are a welcome option, & for that reason am glad for the current wave of popularity herein.

I think the fad will die down with time. It will leave some converted, but will lose quite a few. But those who return to Rounds will have chosen Rounds, & I think choice is always better than no choice.