Flatwounds on a P-bass?

jimmys · #1 12-26-2005, 11:34 AM

I've heard and played on Jazz basses strung with flatwounds and really like the feel- I'm wondering--- Do you play a P-bass with flatwounds? What do you like it? I'm thinking about buying a P-bass, hope I can find a deal on a used 80s model- I love the feel and simplicity of a P-bass but wonder how flatwounds match up with it. (I really don't have a particular tone I'm shooting for, just something a little different).

WillBuckingham · #2 12-26-2005, 11:39 AM

I don't play a p-bass or flatwounds, but I don't think you're gonna get a very "different" sound. I think it'll be very smooth, deep, and classic sounding. Think James Jamerson.

fourstringdrums · #3 12-26-2005, 01:16 PM

There's been alot of discussion about flatwounds on a P-Bass. In short, they are a classic combination, basically because they were the first in electric bass.

Squidfinger · #4 12-26-2005, 01:58 PM

I swear by P's. I swear by flats.

People will tell you that the combination is one dimensional but truthfully I don't see it. Just like any bass you can just turn some knobs and it'll sound completely different. I play metal, hard rock, and classic rock and it sounds GREAT in all of them. I also play with a pick which isn't the "traditional" way to play a P+flats but who cares!!!! The tone is amazing.

BTW I highly suggest Thomastik-Infeld Jazz flats. They are very unique strings and I cannot express how much I love them. Half my tone comes from these strings!!!!

zongeek · #5 12-26-2005, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squidfinger

I swear by P's. I swear by flats.

People will tell you that the combination is one dimensional but truthfully I don't see it. Just like any bass you can just turn some knobs and it'll sound completely different. I play metal, hard rock, and classic rock and it sounds GREAT in all of them. I also play with a pick which isn't the "traditional" way to play a P+flats but who cares!!!! The tone is amazing.

BTW I highly suggest Thomastik-Infeld Jazz flats. They are very unique strings and I cannot express how much I love them. Half my tone comes from these strings!!!!

I also string all of my basses with flats. Although, I am sad to say (but I am working on it) I don't own a p-bass. However, I also play with a plectrum and use flats and it IS a very, very good sound. Love it.

JimmyM · #6 12-26-2005, 05:43 PM

I've got a P copy I built with Labella flats. It's the only bass I have with flats, but I love it.

fourstringdrums · #7 12-26-2005, 05:47 PM

I owned a Read Custom P w/ flats and it was awesome. I'm getting my MIM Jazz on Wednesday and I'm putting Labella Flats on it.

SGT. Pepper · #8 12-26-2005, 06:25 PM

Flats actually go better with the P-Bass. The neck on the P can handle the extra string tension better than a Jazz neck.

JimmyM · #9 12-26-2005, 07:50 PM

Actually, there's no difference in how the two necks handle the extra tension. The J is just a little thinner at the nut. But neither a J nor a P neck have a problem handling the tension. Remember that up until the mid 80's, all Fenders came stock with flatwounds.

**Chef** · #10 12-26-2005, 08:16 PM

I played rounds on everything for 30 years or so (except on Double Bass of course) until I bought a Lakland hollowbody this summer.
I'm pretty well digging the flatwound sound, and the Lakland flats are a nice combination of whompin' lows and high end clarity. I've heard the same the about DA Chromes.
I can say that rolling the tone off on rounds and really having flats on a bass records very differently.
I have a P-Bass I'll be ordering flats for, and I've been listening a lot to old Motown stuff

While I dunno if I'd be happy with only one bass and having flats on it, I am definately gonna be happy with one or two of my herd wearing flats....

#11 12-26-2005, 08:44 PM

I use LaBella 760FL flatwounds on my P/J basses and that combination IMHO works for almost everything that I play style wise; Classics, Rock, Country, Folk, Blues, etc. Although for ballads I also like the Lakland Hollowbody with the same 760FL flatwounds.

George

Gene Leone · #12 12-27-2005, 09:25 AM

I have a 66 P bass and believe me, I tried a ton of strings on it over the years.

Then I matched it up with TI jazz flats. (Set JF344)

Whoa.....a match made in heaven!

lonote · #13 12-27-2005, 09:32 AM

I use Fender 9050's on my P-clone and I love them. They are relatively high tension strings compared to the TI's, though. I think P-Bass + flats = tone heaven.

tornadobass · #14 12-27-2005, 09:43 AM

My '74 Jazz has Fender M/L flats...a large, full sound with decent clarity. I think these strings are more stiff that high tension. Put light Chromes on my L-1000 and these are a very different string...much more flexible, more mids and sustain...a different tone and feel. Also have a P Bass with Brite Flats and they're yet again a different feeling and sounding string...not as bright as the other two, a flatwound sound, but more of a roundwound feel (they're ground wounds).

RLT · #15 12-27-2005, 10:04 AM

Flats on a P classic! Of course the string companies make very little money off of me. I have a 84 P that has had the same set on it since about the beginnig of of it's life.
I LIKE the Jamerson sound.

Dave Siff · #16 12-27-2005, 10:20 AM

Fender Precision + D'Addario Chrome flatwounds =

eots · #17 12-28-2005, 08:51 AM

I fell in love with my 'P' all over again after putting flats on it.
Incidently, I tried flats on my Carvin lb70p (modern tone)and didn't like them on it.

fourstringdrums · #18 12-28-2005, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eots

I fell in love with my 'P' all over again after putting flats on it.
Incidently, I tried flats on my Carvin lb70p (modern tone)and didn't like them on it.

Yea I only prefer flats on a more classic bass like a P or a J. I tried flats on my Peavey Cirrus that I had and they didn't feel right.

Mojo-Man · #19 12-29-2005, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gene Leone

I have a 66 P bass and believe me, I tried a ton of strings on it over the years.

Then I matched it up with TI jazz flats. (Set JF344)

Whoa.....a match made in heaven!

Me too.
My 1966-P-Bass has had TI-flats on it for 2-years.
P-Bass-Flats-Heaven.

bgavin · #20 12-29-2005, 01:51 PM

I have a 5-year old set of TI Flats on my MIM-P with DiMarzio DP146 pickup.

I recorded the strings new, then again after 5 years. They aged into a very upright and "woody" sounding, ka-chink, ka-chink.

I'm thinking the perfect use for this bass is putting my fretless neck on it and making it into an upright impersonator. This will give me a roundwound, fretted Jazz with a P neck (my favorite size), and a fretless P with woody sounding flats.