Good P Bass stings.

VanzKantDanz · #1 11-05-2007, 10:12 PM

I'm somewhat new to Fender basses. I bought a MIA Fender P bass off a guy from New York a few months ago and now the strings are in a pretty horrible shape and I need to replace them. Now I've always been a fan of Rotosounds strings because they always went well with my Iceman bass but I'm down a new path and I'm not sure which way to turn.
Fender makes alot of good roundwound strings but I wanted to go flatwound, so I was just wondering what was the best fender flatwound option for me, I play alot of rock, sometimes using a pick, sometimes drop d but most of the time it's just fingers and slap. So what should I do?

bassbully · #2 11-05-2007, 10:22 PM

I love Chromes most of us do around here on P basses.But not all

king_biscuit · #3 11-05-2007, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanzKantDanz

I'm somewhat new to Fender basses. I bought a MIA Fender P bass off a guy from New York a few months ago and now the strings are in a pretty horrible shape and I need to replace them. Now I've always been a fan of Rotosounds strings because they always went well with my Iceman bass but I'm down a new path and I'm not sure which way to turn.
Fender makes alot of good roundwound strings but I wanted to go flatwound, so I was just wondering what was the best fender flatwound option for me, I play alot of rock, sometimes using a pick, sometimes drop d but most of the time it's just fingers and slap. So what should I do?

I can tell you these sound great on my P bass:

http://www.juststrings.com/fnd-9050ml.html

VanzKantDanz · #4 11-05-2007, 10:31 PM

Thanks alot, I'll definatly check those strings out.

Gashaponcito · #5 11-05-2007, 11:37 PM

I had the same question, and by posting and researching I came up to 3 options
Daddario Chrome
Fender Stainless 9050s
Rotosound Jazz 77

All of them Flats (I think I'll keep the Flat on P tradition)

Drucocu · #6 11-05-2007, 11:56 PM

nothing beats the LaBella deep talking Bass Strings, IMO, I dont know, why they arent that popular in the states, in europe, everybody is craving for them!

VanzKantDanz · #7 11-06-2007, 01:27 PM

Hey thanks alot for the suggestions I'll check those strings out.

DavePlaysBass · #8 11-06-2007, 04:22 PM

If you want a middle of the road round wound, Fender 7250s are a good starting point. Nice definition. Can bit. Tone control reacts well with them. Not overly coarse. Low cost.

Rounds on a P is all right too.

Dave R · #9 11-07-2007, 12:27 PM

I have a set of the Fender flats above on my Jazz, now. Very happy with the sound. But will probably try LaBella's next. That's what a couple of my idols used. (James Jamerson and Joe Osborn.)

ishouldbeking · #10 11-07-2007, 04:25 PM

of all the flats I've tried I liked the Labellas the best... had a really nice feel to them and a nice old school thump. TI (thomastik infeld) strings weren't for me, though they felt like quality strings and people seem to love them. I've played webstrings flats and they're not bad considering the ridiculously low price.

That said... I've switched back to roundwounds. I found flats very difficult to pull off live as the sound tended to get mushy and lost within the mix. I like them for recording though. A nice warm alternative (i've found) to flats are DR sunbeams which seem to be darker than most other nickel roundwounds. YMMV. Good luck!

BellBottomBlues · #11 11-07-2007, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gashaponcito

I had the same question, and by posting and researching I came up to 3 options
Daddario Chrome
Fender Stainless 9050s
Rotosound Jazz 77

All of them Flats (I think I'll keep the Flat on P tradition)

The Rotosound Jazz flats (I use the RS77LEs) are very bright and clanky when you first get them but when the mellow out they turn into a very warm and midrangey string. Definitely not thump strings at all, but are very good if you're playing a lot of smooth fast bass lines. Hence Jazz flats.

Another good string is the LaBellas. I use the Jamerson Sig set, but they're really just a reissue of their original set. Before Fender made its own strings they used to ship out with LaBellas. Turns your bass into a thump machine.

So I guess it just depends on what you're going for.

david fitch · #12 11-07-2007, 08:06 PM

I seem to remember reading that Leo Fender had The V.C. Squier Co. make the strings for Fender Basses...Dave

BassSurfer · #13 11-07-2007, 08:16 PM

always liked roto's flat wise... but it kinda depends on what kind of music your after

BellBottomBlues · #14 11-08-2007, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david fitch

I seem to remember reading that Leo Fender had The V.C. Squier Co. make the strings for Fender Basses...Dave

The Squier Brand didn't make strings for Fender until CBS bought them out.

LaBella strings were the original stock strings up until the mid-early 60s.

Baird6869 · #15 11-08-2007, 09:38 AM

I use and like EBMM Regular Slinkys, DR Highbeams, Rotosound Rounds but really prefer Chromes (flats) on my P-basses.

david fitch · #16 11-08-2007, 01:17 PM

BellBottomBlues..This is news to me..Where did you get that information ? The book I got the info. on The V.C.Squier company producing the strings for the 1951 Precision Bass is from Jim Roberts book "How The Fender Bass Changed The World" ...Dave

BellBottomBlues · #17 11-08-2007, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david fitch

BellBottomBlues..This is news to me..Where did you get that information ? The book I got the info. on The V.C.Squier company producing the strings for the 1951 Precision Bass is from Jim Roberts book "How The Fender Bass Changed The World" ...Dave

Some book on Fender I picked up at the local music shop a few years ago. Don't recall the name off hand but I'll dig around to find it.

I remember reading in it that when CBS Fender bought a bunch of string making companies they acquired the Squier brand name, and later revived the name when they wanted to produce a budget line of instruments. Or something like that

La Bella's were the stock strings on Fender basses as they were supplying them to Fender at a very low price and Leo Fender was very cost conscience. Also explains why Jamerson never changed his strings and had La Bella flatwounds.

Gimme about a day or so, I got a lot of books to sort

EDIT: Squier did make the guitar strings though... I think... bleh... my head is mush...

david fitch · #18 11-08-2007, 01:30 PM

Labella started making Flatwound Bass strings in 1954...I believe that is why they call the Jamerson set "Original 1954 Fender-Style" If you ever check out the book "Bass Heros" it has a Jamerson interview and he talks about changing the stock Fender strings for La bellas as he liked them better...Dave

david fitch · #19 11-08-2007, 01:35 PM

Oh Ya.....I love D'addario XL 160's on my P-Basses the best...I do keep Chromes on couple but LOVE the nickelwounds...Dave

BellBottomBlues · #20 11-08-2007, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david fitch

Labella started making Flatwound Bass strings in 1954...I believe that is why they call the Jamerson set "Original 1954 Fender-Style" If you ever check out the book "Bass Heros" it has a Jamerson interview and he talks about changing the stock Fender strings for La bellas as he liked them better...Dave

hmmmmmmmmm