Help Me Choose the Next Flats for My P Bass

DavePlaysBass · #1 06-30-2011, 10:33 AM

I have a MIM 50's P with alder body and maple board. I play a lot of traditional gospel at church which is a bit of walking and lots of thumping countrish / blue grashish swing stuff. I throw in arpegios and penatonics as they fit and like them to have some definition to them. We also throw in the occasional modern contempory song. Its kind of like a classic contemporary song list from the last 25 years at times which can cover a wide range of feels. The band leader loves the sounds of this bass with the nickel rounds and the VT Bass pedal (more than the Sadowsky RV5 with Rounds or the 61 Jazz with TIs). I am looking for something with more subdued highes and more of the flat articularion in the quiet sections but still want some definition if we decide to rock it out a bit.

To date I have used the following on this bass

Labella 760FLs: Love the feel. Love the thump. Not enough definition / cut after they broke in.

TIs: Better definition. Not as good on the thump. Not crazy about the tension. Not as good getting under the band when you need it if that makes sense.

My next thoughts are:

Chromes: I like 45-100 sets on a P bass given the phase change from the A to the D. These should get some definition. Do they still retain the thumpy old school feel for my traditional gospel band walks?

Sadowsky Flats: I have these on a SX Fretless. I dig them. I would probably go 40-100 given the 45-105 set feels stiff to me on the SX Fretless (particularly when I swapped on a fretted neck and raised the action at one point). Anyone run a 40-100 set on a P bass. I think I read some folks saying these where not as good on a P.

GHS Precision Flats: 45-105. How do these compare to Labellas? Do they have a little more definition? How's the tension? I am not a fan of too high of tension.

DRs?
Pyramids?
Others?

Shovelbone · #2 06-30-2011, 10:42 AM

I have a 50's Road Worn P that I put the Labella 760FLs on and it really thumps and like you I really love the feel. I have had them on for quite some time now and they seem to get better with. I play Praise and Worship at my church as well and I have gotten several compliments from the other players on the deep rich sound the flats make.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavePlaysBass

I have a MIM 50's P with alder body and maple board. I play a lot of traditional gospel at church which is a bit of walking and lots of thumping countrish / blue grashish swing stuff. I throw in arpegios as they fit and like them to have some definition to them. We also throw in the occasional modern contempory song. Its kind of like a classic contemporary song list from the last 25 years at times. The band leader loves the sounds of this bass with the nickel rounds and the VT Bass pedal (more than the Sadowsky RV5 with Rounds or the 61 Jazz with TIs). I am looking for something with more subdued highes and more of the flat articularion in the quiet sections but still want some definition if we decide to rock it out a bit.

To date I have used the following on this bass

Labella 760FLs: Love the feel. Love the thump. Not enough definition / cut after they broke in.

TIs: Better definition. Not as good on the thump. Not crazy about the tension. Not as good getting under the band when you need it if that makes sense.

My next thoughts are:

Chromes: I like 45-100 sets on a P bass given the phase change from the A to the D. These should get some definition. Do they still retain the thumpy old school feel for my traditional gospel band walks?

Sadowsky Flats: I have these on a SX Fretless. I dig them. I would probably go 40-100 given the 45-105 set feels stiff to me on the SX Fretless (particularly when I swapped on a fretted neck and raised the action at one point). Anyone run a 40-100 set on a P bass. I think I read some folks saying these where not as good on a P.

GHS Precision Flats: 45-105. How do these compare to Labellas? Do they have a little more definition? How's the tension? I am not a fan of too high of tension.

DRs?
Pyramids?
Others?

ironrat · #3 06-30-2011, 10:53 AM

Right now I am using Chromes.....roll of highs = nice thump, put highs back = almost roundwound sound. The tension is OK, I like a low action with out the fret clank. Chromes give me that.

TIs.....well they thump nice but I had to raise the action a bit. And the low tension can impair very fast plucking (IME).

Go Chromes, can't go wrong with them.

DavePlaysBass · #4 06-30-2011, 11:08 AM

Do the chromes get you that old school flat sound when you roll back some tone, or do they sound / respond more like nickels with the tone rolled off?

kenfxj · #5 06-30-2011, 11:14 AM

My favorite p-bass strings are LaBella 760N Black Nylon Tapewound.

They are the most playable strings I've ever had. They give me everything I want from a p-bass. Once I start on that bass I never want to put it down.

makkE · #6 06-30-2011, 11:25 AM

What you seek sounds like chromes to me.

WilliamSandoval · #7 06-30-2011, 11:27 AM

Fender Flats Stainless Steel 50-100

DavePlaysBass · #8 06-30-2011, 11:29 AM

Ken,

Have you compared tapes to flats? Thump? Definition? Feel?

DavePlaysBass · #9 06-30-2011, 11:33 AM

I think Fender flats have changed their recipe. Aren't they pretty much Chromes now?

WilliamSandoval · #10 06-30-2011, 12:29 PM

I use the new Fender Flats, and they sound fine to me.

DavePlaysBass · #11 07-01-2011, 06:32 AM

The majority is telling me to try a set of Chromes which I have contemplated many times before. So I picked up a set at my local music store for $21 (first time I have been able to do that in a while). I was going to swtich them out, but the Steel Lo Riders on the P right now sound a lot better than they did the other night. They are settling quicker and nicer than I thought they would. I am going to get thru a few more services with the Lo Riders and then give the Chromes a shot. The Labella tapewounds and GHS Precision are still on my todo list. I hear the Fenders are now made by D'Addario and are very Chrome like. But keep the conversation going...

rayzak · #12 07-01-2011, 07:15 AM

Love everything about Chromes except the high tension. FWIW, I LOVE DR Black Beauties on my P.

boristhespider7 · #13 07-01-2011, 07:24 AM

How do Rotosound 77's compare to Chromes? Anyone tried both?

Firesalt · #14 07-01-2011, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boristhespider7

How do Rotosound 77's compare to Chromes? Anyone tried both?

I'm currently using Roto 77's on my P. They are a lot more articulate than I expected. Reminds me of nickel rounds without the rattle/pop and with a little more thump. Nice sound but not quite what I'm looking for. I want more thump and less high end for more of a motown feel.
I think I'm gonna try some LaBellas next, maybe tape wounds.

Laurent · #15 07-01-2011, 08:02 AM

I use two set of flatwond strings and tend to alternate.
Thomastick flats: superb feel and tone. Drawback: currently expensive and only comes in one size but what a set. Many studio bass players have been using this for years.
Ernie Balls Group II flatwound: these have a big more mids and cut through but they don't quite feel as good and sound as warm/complex as the Thomastick. They are a lot less expensive.

CapnSev · #16 07-01-2011, 09:53 AM

Out of that list: Sadowsky.

They make incredibly versatile flatwounds.

J-O · #17 07-01-2011, 11:15 AM

To the OP: The chromes sound like exactly what you are looking for. The Roto 77's might fit the bill as well, just be aware that they are very stiff/ high tension.

One Drop · #18 07-02-2011, 04:42 AM

Sadowskys. They are basically labellas with a bit more cut and growl, and slightly less thump.

Amazing on a P, absolutely no worries.

BTW I love Chromes, too, but the high mids bump makes their voice different from the Labellas. personal preference is the key here, both work splendidly.

boristhespider7 · #19 07-05-2011, 10:31 AM

I've just ordered some Chromes and some Roto 77's for my P to find out for myself. Anyone know which one will be the brightest?

JTE · #20 07-05-2011, 10:45 AM

I like the GHS Precision Flats for the reasons you're looking at. I tried to like LaBella, and used some "Deep Talkin' Bass" flats for a long while in '78, and had a set of "Old Originals" (now the "Jamerson" set) that was on and off my P bass since about 1982. I've also used TI Flats, some awful Fenders (9050ML), some nice Fenders (both now long discontinued, the original 850s that were the stock strings on Fender basses until about '81) and Studio Bass flats (the ones that were shipped on my Vintage Series '62 P in 1983). That bass also has worn D'Addario nickle rounds, GHS Brite Flats, and at least one set of D'Addario HR-72 (the original nickle ones).

I didn't like the LaBellas because 'though they had the essential flat-wound thump and body I wanted, they never had a definite note. I don't want to sound like a kick drum which is where the LaBellas so often stuck me. The TI's are a wonderful string, with plenty of note definition and a very lively sound with an equally lively flexibility to the string. However that physical flexibility sometimes degenerated into floppiness. But the real problem is that they just don't have the fundamental flatwound thump I was after. To me, TI's fall much more into the sonic range of modified rounds like the GHS Brite-Flats and the D'Addario Half-Rounds. While not at all the same sound nor same feel, they're more like an attempt to get the presence and twang of a round out of a flat string. Great strings, but not for me- much like Rick Bass just don't work for me.

So, then I tried the GHS Precision flats (well, it started with the same strings carrying the Lakland Joe Osborn brand), and they were perfect. Imagine a kick drum with a specific precise note in it. All the thump I'd ever want, but you can tell what note I'm playing. The feel of the strings (I use the 45-105-ish set- they've been on for so many years I don't really know the precise gauges any longer) is similar in tension to the DR rounds I use on my other 34" basses (either Sunbeams or Hi-Beams in 45/65/85/105- both have round cores and slightly less tension than either the hex-core DRs or D'Addario's hex-core nickle round strings).

Highly recommended!
John