I Need A Change !

p-bass · #1 10-12-2008, 10:35 AM

I landed in a really good Blues band awhile back and we are doing alot of old Chicago Blues and my Chromes just won't die down. I have had them on for months and they just sound too crisp. I want a very old Flatwound tone on my 50's Classic P. A local shop has GHS Precision Flatwound strings 45-105 and the sales man who works there says they sound alot like the La Bellas when the break in,is this true ? I have thought about trying the Fender Flatwounds also but have heard they don't age well and are stiff playing and I don't want that. Thank You

NKUSigEp · #2 10-12-2008, 10:46 AM

If you're looking for dead, I have a set of Ernie Ball Earthwounds that I bought in 2002. They have been on a few different basses but the last was a Rickenbacker which is a smaller scale than a Fender so they probably won't fit.

watspan · #3 10-12-2008, 10:53 AM

have you tried a little foam under the strings at the bridge? or turning back/off a horn if your cab has one or amp eq? some of those things can take the zing out of your tone--the foam especially can put some thump in the bump! I like the d'addario flats myself or SIT flats, but I don't mind a little zing in the thing or a little growl with the howl!

anyonefortennis · #4 10-12-2008, 11:22 AM

A set of TI flats may be what you need.

p-bass · #5 10-12-2008, 11:28 AM

I have tried the foam under the strings and thought it sounded too dead. I don't want a totally dead Flatwound tone,I just don't want the Roundwound type zing I am getting from the Chromes. I am using a Fender Jazz with Nickel Plated Roundwounds for about 70% of the stuff but when we get to the real Trad. Chicago set I want to get as close to the Dixon and Myers tone as I can. The La Bellas are a little too much scratch for me now since money is tight and the GHS strings are only twentyfive bucks no sales tax out the door,I think I will try them,Thanks guys !

Fretless Bill · #6 10-12-2008, 05:24 PM

+1 0n muting with a peice of foam under the strings at the bridge, cheap, easy and verrrry effective. Just ask Bob Babbit. If the foam you tried sounds too dead, try alittle smaller chunk of it.

ibnzneksrul · #7 10-12-2008, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by p-bass

The La Bellas are a little too much scratch for me now since money is tight

The La Bellas are pretty affordable from this vendor:
http://imperialguitar.stores.yahoo.net/760fl.html

metalmariachi · #8 10-12-2008, 09:19 PM

I don't know if the GHS Precision Flats sound like Labella's, but they do sound very good.
Once broken in they should have the sound your looking for.
I use them on my '51 P, gives it a very old school sound.

MM