How long to wait for flats to break in?

[Mastermold]

As I've posted elsewhere here, the La Bella 760FL set I've got on my P-bass isn't thumpin as much as I'd hoped, but I've only had them on for about 3 weeks (albiet playing them daily for at least a few hours). How long should I give them to die (or season if you prefer) before moving up to a heavier guage in my search for thump?

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Mastermold

As I've posted elsewhere here, the La Bella 760FL set I've got on my P-bass isn't thumpin as much as I'd hoped, but I've only had them on for about 3 weeks (albiet playing them daily for at least a few hours). How long should I give them to die (or season if you prefer) before moving up to a heavier guage in my search for thump?

If you've been playing them daily for a couple hours for three weeks they should be worn in enough by now to give you an idea of what they sound like. Maybe you don't like the sound of those strings. Maybe you're after something unobtainable. Define "thump" first.

Usually it's a combination of strings, bass, playing technique and amp settings that give you the final sound.

[DavePlaysBass]

I have 760FLs on a P with a high mass bridge. I am not sure I would call them thumpy. They have surprisingly good sustain. I would call them punchy not thumpy.

[Mastermold]

Originally Posted by DavePlaysBass

I have 760FLs on a P with a high mass bridge. I am not sure I would call them thumpy. They have surprisingly good sustain. I would call them punchy not thumpy.

That's a great way to describe it. I want the notes to kick you in the chest. These are more of a smack.

I've got Fender 9050MLs on my 57 AV P-bass and my 51 reissue and they thump. I think La Bellas can too, but the 760FL guage just isn't enough tension. I'll play these for a while since I paid like $42 for them and want to get some use from them (they aren't bad strings), but eventually I'll ditch them for a heavier guage, probably the 760FS set.

[One Drop]

Give them a bit more time, IMO.

Also a bit of foam under the strings might give you the thump you are after. The Labellas keep their character when muted this way due to the strong mids.

[Moe Monsarrat]

You may look to your EQ settings as well as "waiting for them to die". Different brands of strings accentuate different frequencies. For instance, Sadowsky flats are quite mid range heavy. Ernie Ball flats & the Dogal flats I use are much more bottomy & thumpy. I have the LaBella Jamerson strings on a 36" scale Wishbass & they're pretty darn thumpy. Maybe pull some mids out of your EQ & try that.

[nemo]

in my search for thump

I had LaBellas, and while they will settle down in time, they still retain a good deal of definition.
Depends on how much thump / clarity ratio you expect.

For more thump, go for Fenders 9050ML now
The classic, early P-bass type thump.

FWIW, Sadowskys (my go-to flats now) are more defined than LaBellas.

From my flats testing period, I can give you the lowdown of strings I have tried, in order of decreasing thump and increasing clarity:

most thump, least clarity
Fenders 9050ML
La Bellas 760FL
Sadowsky regular
TI
Chromes
least thump, most clarity

Edit - OP:
I just noticed that you also wrote you have the Fender flats on other basses.
Why you don't stick to them? What are you missing?

[fretlessman71]

My LaBella flatwound E string has a chorused sound to it on ever note, where the other 3 don't. What might be causing this?

[scottyg11]

Hi Fretless off of the top of my head the pick up might be too close to your e-string.

[fretlessman71]

Just checked it; the sound is there acoustically as well as electrically, and the pickup is a standard uniform height across all four strings about 3/8" away. Thanks for the idea though.

[One Drop]

The thumpiest strings I've ever played are the Jamerson set. With some foam under the strings at the bridge they are thump monsters, indeed.

[Kael]

Originally Posted by fretlessman71

Just checked it; the sound is there acoustically as well as electrically, and the pickup is a standard uniform height across all four strings about 3/8" away. Thanks for the idea though.

Try lowering the E side of the pickup. It might be that the pickup is too close to the string. When the pickup is too close the magnetic field from the magnet in the pickup will adversely affect the strings vibration. Sounds a lot like the sound you are describing.

[Pilgrim]

Want thump?

You're on the right track with Labella flats, although IMO it takes years to really season them well. I'd suggest that you wait at least six months before evaluating them.

I also agree with the suggestion to add foam under the strings or between strings and bridge cover - that's the 60's sound.

Also, play finger style - not with a pick - and if needed, roll off the highs with the tone control on your bass.

[fretlessman71]

Originally Posted by Kael

Try lowering the E side of the pickup. It might be that the pickup is too close to the string. When the pickup is too close the magnetic field from the magnet in the pickup will adversely affect the strings vibration. Sounds a lot like the sound you are describing.

Went ahead and tried it; no difference.

I'm wondering if the Badass Bass III bridge (which has grooves already cut into it, but smaller than my flats would like) is causing some of the problem. Maybe filing the saddle to accept a .110 Flatwound E would help a bit...?

[fretcrusher]

Yes that would help totally. Flats need support. Look at an upright the bridge is fitted exactly to each string diameter. When changing gauges with flats I either replace the sadlles and nut or open it up depending on if I go larger or smaller. Also check the nut. Is the string hitting hard on the sides and not fully seated on the bottom of the groove?

Dale

[fretlessman71]

It's seated well at the nut.

Plus, the closed notes have as much of an issue as the open note.

I wonder where I can get a "bridge file"... Hobby Lobby, maybe?

[fretcrusher]

for the low E you can use a round needle file. pick one up at lowes or sears. Or buy a nut file set from Stew Mac if you want to have the proper tools. I use both depending on the string diameter.

[fretlessman71]

Stew-mac dot com is out of that size right now... maybe I'll just have the repair guy at the store do it (I try to do as much as I can, but this may call for a steadier hand).

[JimmyM]

Just rub butter on them every day for a couple weeks and don't clean them. Coca-Cola is also good for making strings go dead quickly, but they get stickier than butter. 3 weeks isn't long enough for most people to make them go really dead like a year-old set. Some people don't have the skin chemistry to make a set of strings go dead quickly. Plus, fret dents contribute greatly to deadening a set and getting that thump. So don't bail on your LaBellas yet. I have a 8-year-old set on one of my basses, and trust me...it thumps.

[fretlessman71]

I bet it does... but what I'm really going for is that thump-y, punchy, midrangey honk with lots of sustain and glassy highs.