How long have you kept your flats on?

gully_P · #1 04-06-2011, 02:22 PM

I am coming up on two years with my d'addario chromes on my Fender P and I can't see a reason to take them off yet. They just keep getting better with age which, I know is the whole point. It just amazes me having come from rounds for years and changing them out all the time. They are my first pair of flats I ever purchased and might be my last as long as they keep doing what they're doing. They also get me quite a few compliments at gigs.

krustwell · #2 04-06-2011, 02:26 PM

my 1 bass currently with flats was purchased (used) in 2008 and i strung it with a set of flats (used). so assuming the strings were at least a year old (a conservative guess), they are going on 4 years! i also see no need to change them. they just keep getting more and more perfect.

Delta_Petra · #3 04-06-2011, 02:30 PM

Mine are still going. I don't know how many years. It was the first set I bought and for a few years the only ones I liked and could never find, so they didn't get replaced. They still sound good to me and are not rusty, so I still have them around.

**garmenteros** · #4 04-06-2011, 02:31 PM

I've had flats on a bass for 4 years and saw no need of changing them.

5StringBlues · #5 04-06-2011, 02:32 PM

I have a set of GHS flats about 10 years old.They were on my fretless first but have now made their way to a fretted '51 style P bass.

Yodhan · #6 04-06-2011, 08:44 PM

The Roto's on my Jazz have been on for over 2 years.

JTE · #7 04-06-2011, 08:51 PM

I don't know. I bought the set of Lakland Joe Osborn flats that are on my Precision around 2001 or so. They've been off and on that bass a few times, but I've not changed them at all since about 2004 or so. The set on the Sting Precision are much more recent, having been installed around 2006.

John

Billnc · #8 04-06-2011, 08:54 PM

2 years each on fretless and fretted. One year and going strong on the archtop guitar. All are TIJF's. The chromes on the fretless (bought used) were 5 years old, I used them for a few months but chromes (they are good ) just aren't my thing.

Gizmot · #9 04-06-2011, 08:56 PM

I've been using flats on my Warwick and Rickenbacker for a year now with no appreciable loss of tone. I've got a couple of new sets of flats sitting in my desk drawer, but I don't see, feel or hear any reason to change them yet. I don't envision going another year without changing them - but I've already gotten my money's worth from using flats and I can say positively that I'm not back to round wounds.

Stilettoprefer · #10 04-06-2011, 09:15 PM

The set I have on my Schecter is about 4 months old and were on my fretless before for about a month. No reason or desire to change them and judging by everyones experience with flats I won't have to for a couple (maybe 10) years:P

unclekebm · #11 04-06-2011, 09:26 PM

I had a set of Fender 9050's on a P for 8 years, fairly steady gigging .. never lost that Thump!

I've had TI jazz flats on my P for 3 years (steady gigging, 5 nights per week one year), they keep feeling and sounding better with age

Mike M. · #12 04-06-2011, 09:36 PM

I've got a set of Fender flats that I bought about 6 years ago. Had them on my Jazz bass for about a year and took them off. Let them set for about 4 years until I put them on my Squire P bass about 3 months ago.

They sound great and they're NOT coming off that bass!

spaz21387 · #13 04-06-2011, 09:36 PM

3 years

Grateful · #14 04-06-2011, 10:47 PM

I've got a ~4 year old set of Chromes on my 5 string P-bass strung through the body. No plans at all to change them anytime soon. They just get better. They've been on and off at least 4-5 basses, all 35" through-body.

I have an identical set that's not quite a year old sitting in reserve, so I'll likely never need to buy flats for that bass again.

Mojo-Man · #15 04-07-2011, 09:57 AM

5 year old set of TI-flats, on my fretless P-Bass.

I ave a new set if of TI's on one of my Jazz basses. (3 months)

JumboJack · #16 04-07-2011, 05:12 PM

Phil Chen says the flats on his P bass are 45 years old...

leegreenman · #17 04-07-2011, 08:32 PM

Just finished throwing a set of TIs on my G&L JB-2. I plan on keeping them on for as long as I have the bass!

Radicus · #18 04-07-2011, 08:42 PM

I have a Spector NS2 from 1989 that still has the original strings from when Michael Anthony of Van Halen brought it into the Covina Guitar Center.

I have no idea what they are, but that bass has been in the recording studio a dozen times over the years as well as @ numerous gigs recently (although I was primarily a keyboardist before 2007.) It always get raves on the sound.

It still has a perfect setup, rings sweet and low.

P.S. I ain't touching the strings. Knock on wood...

LouisV · #19 04-07-2011, 08:44 PM

TI flats on my jazz bass for as long as possible (4+ years!)

Grebnaws · #20 04-07-2011, 09:12 PM

I just installed a set of tarnished old flats on a '68 Ric that were found in my parents attic. They were cut to the perfect size so I imagine they were previously installed on this bass over 30 years ago. Dad said he never used flats so I'm curious where they came from or how old they are.

I boiled them in water with baking soda added and boiled them again to rinse. Lots of crud left behind. How do they sound? I can't really say. Intonation seems impossible and my 15w amp doesn't help with the sound. They sound better than the dead Dead DEAD rounds they replaced.