Identify green silk wrap flatwounds

cosmic53 · #1 03-07-2011, 05:21 AM

i bought a new fretless Yamaha BB614F and like it a lot.
It has flatwounds and they seem to be in good shape. The whole bass seems to have been played very little, no dings, no scratches, plastic still on the cavity cover. I think I will let them on until I make up my mind about which strings might come next.
All I can say of these strings is that they have a bright green silk wrap at the bridge. Last time i saw a green silk wrap it was a set of Thomastik Infeld on the six string TRB of a friend. I would not throw away a set of TI.
Can you identify my strings?

fretlessguy · #2 03-07-2011, 06:21 AM

Congrats on your new (to you) Yamaha. They make fine basses.
As to your question about the flats, I presume that they are Fenders flats, since they are a bright (lime?) green. I know of no other that currently does flats in green. It is rumoured D'Addario makes their strings now, so they are very similar to Chromes.

tjh · #3 03-07-2011, 06:27 AM

the older Fenders used a bit darker green, I think the newer ones are brighter from what I am reading ... how does the guage and tension feel?

Edit to add: wrap at the bridge only, nothing at the headstock?

m0ntels · #4 03-07-2011, 06:27 AM

My new Fender flats are bright green silks with colored ball ends.

cosmic53 · #5 03-07-2011, 07:03 AM

Yes, lime green is quite accurate, and it is only at the bridge. If they are Fenders, i might consider them for replacement. I have only used Chromes flatwounds, so far. Have more experience with roundwounds.
As for gauge and tension they look medium to me, not too light. very comfortable as with all flatwounds and I have been able to setup the action very very low, so the bass is feather light to play.

**Lazarus.Bird** · #6 03-07-2011, 07:14 AM

If you like them why replace them?

I love Chromes to death, but one of my basses recently came with what I think are Rotosounds (yellow silk windings) and it plays and feels great so I'm leaving it that way!

cosmic53 · #7 03-07-2011, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fretlessguy

Congrats on your new (to you) Yamaha. They make fine basses.

Yeah, this one is amazing. A honest P split and a honest J at the bridge, flawless neck, really good tuners, metal knobs with rubber rings, a decent preamp.
I have tried a passive five string version of the same bass that was besides this and with roundwounds it was fairly growly.
The looks initially did not impress me, but they impressed the rest of the family very favorably. I think that with that metal around the pickups it is not too dark and a bit classy.
Here is a pic:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

The BB604 I traded for this bass was too bright for me. This feels quite right.

sneha1965 · #8 03-07-2011, 07:20 AM

It's possible they are Pyramids. Hofner used to use these on their basses.

Groover · #9 03-07-2011, 07:38 AM

A set of Fender flats I bough a year or so ago are light green at the bridge only (no wraps at tuners)

I also have another set of flats that came on a used bass I bough a few years ago, but have that light/fender green silks at the bridge and at the tuners as well. Anyone know what those are? They seem to be a pretty hefty gauge too, like a .110 - .055 maybe

tjh · #10 03-07-2011, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazarus.Bird

If you like them why replace them?

I love Chromes to death, but one of my basses recently came with what I think are Rotosounds (yellow silk windings) and it plays and feels great so I'm leaving it that way!

Lazarus, were the Rotos with the yellow silk on the headstock end, and were they flats? thanks

**Lazarus.Bird** · #11 03-07-2011, 10:03 AM

They are flats with yellow silk at the headstock end, yes. I have nothing that guarantees they are Rotos, I just think that's what they are after googling =P

tjh · #12 03-07-2011, 10:38 AM

LB, then we are rowing in exactly the same boat, as I also have an unidentified set of flats with yellow/gold silk on the headstock only end, and I have been thinking they were DR's, as they also have a flat that fits that description ...

**Lazarus.Bird** · #13 03-07-2011, 10:53 AM

Hmm! Maybe they are DRs then... I just remember reading about yellow silk windings on some Roto flats and just assumed that's what they were. Now that I think about it, I wish I did know exactly what they were because I like the strings a lot :|

**gard0300** · #14 03-07-2011, 11:04 AM

My Rotos have red silks.

jasper383 · #15 03-07-2011, 11:08 AM

Bright green silks at the bridge, but bare at the pegs sounds like the old Fender 9050 flats to me.

DR flats are pretty bright yellow at both ends.

Roto and TI flats are red at both ends.

The only other option I can think of are the old Dean Markley flats, which had green silks, too. I think they had silk on both ends, though.

**Lazarus.Bird** · #16 03-07-2011, 11:31 AM

So is it the DR Hi Beam Flats I might have? I was trying to find on Rotosound's web page what strings I thought I had but their page is down :|

Actually looks like only the black rotos have yellow silk. I must have DRs. Thanks!

tjh · #17 03-07-2011, 12:07 PM

well, maybe not ... the gold silks I have, (and thinking DR) are only at the headstock, and jasper said both ends ...

this might be too obvious, but what color silk does Pyramid Gold use?? ... I have an email into them, but have never heard anythng back ...

now that we have the Fender ID dilemna taken care of ...

jasper383 · #18 03-07-2011, 07:20 PM

Pyramid Flats have light purple silks.

tjh · #19 03-07-2011, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasper383

Pyramid Flats have light purple silks.

thanks ... the plot thickens ... can you think of any with just yellow/gold at the tuner?

Jay2U · #20 03-31-2011, 12:00 PM

Fender 9050 flats have bright green silks now. They are steel flatwounds and sound quite brightly compared to D'addario chromes. They also feel a little stiffer. Having examined both brands, I'm almost sure that the Fenders are produced by D'addario.