Great forum guys! I should have joined here years ago!
Anyway, I have been combing the posts and again I am one of those guys that have been playing for almost 30 years and never bought a set of flats. However, I built a pretty high end studio and one of my buddy's projects I am playing on is a 60 mod sound. I've been fighting with getting an old, round tone, and I managed to borrow a 1958 P bass with what looked like the original strings on it except for the A string (foam specks from the mute were virtually petrified onto the strings at the saddles!). Anyway, it wasn't the exact sound I was looking for at first attempt, but after switching up to a pick, running it in throught an Avalon 737 Pre, and processing the track with the IK Multimedia SVT Classic plugin, the track came alive in a wonderfully dated sort of sound.
So this little experience has pushed me to want to venture into flatwound waters. However, I dont personally own a 4 string bass, and doing internet searches for product has been frustrating.
My main bass is a Tobias Classic 6 (African Zebra), and I string it with the Dean Markley Will Lee series. I will probably leave this setup.
My other 6 is a green Yamaha John Myung model, the one with the infinity symbol dotted out with the neck inlays. I bought this thing originally thinking it would be a good 'bar gig' bass that I wouldn't mind if it got trashed. I strung it with various strings (round wounds), but it always gave me an annoying high end spike somewhere between the "ping" and "clatter" range. Also, there is a low mid harmonic missing (or so it would seem) so that when I get up to a volume that I can hear it with the band, the weird notch in the high end is very annoying.
After reading various posts, I have a feeling that flatwounds would do this instrument some serious justice, and would be cheaper than loading it with some Bartolini's and more practical than using it as a boat ancher ( I swear the thing must weigh in over 20 lbs!). I'd just like to get the tone under control - tame down the high end and round out the lows and mids.
Any suggestions for the Yamaha 6 string?
Secondly, I have a Tobias Classic 5 (Quilted Maple/Wenge/Wallnut) that was originally fretted and I sent off to have converted to fretless with the grooves filled and nut lowered. When the bass was fretted, I used the Tobias string on it and the thing was amazing. Since going fretless, it's OK, but I have heard other fretless basses with a bit more of that expanding 'wah' expression and I have a sneaky feeling again that the flats are a way to go.
So a recommendation for the 5 string is also welcomed.
A couple more things to note:
I'm a finger player. I rarely ever use a pick. I am one of those guys that beats the string against the frets when I need more attack, so I am thinking I may want flats that maintain a little high-end over time.
Help teach this old dog some new flatwound tricks!
