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11-08-2011, 06:10 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: US | | | Low tension flats
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Can anyone recommend some low tension flats that aren't TIs or Rotosound? I'm looking to replace my La Bella Deep Talkin' on my P bass because they're bowing my neck! The reason I don't want TIs is because I don't think they sound that great on a P bass. And the reason I don't want Rotosound is because I hate the feeling on my fingers. So what's the next best low tension flats? (I think bass string companies really need to make more flatwounds) |
11-08-2011, 06:22 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Leeds, England | | | I use Ernie Ball. Some thin ones of those would do. I think they feel great and sound great.
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11-08-2011, 02:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portsmouth, VA | | | GHS Precision flats, I have them on my basses and you can't beat the price for flats. |
11-08-2011, 03:04 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Brooklyn Park, MN. | | | Are you using the "Original 1954" strings?
They are very tight.
Try the .043-.104 light's or even the .039-.096 extra light
They made a huge change for me.
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11-08-2011, 08:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: US | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by hdracer Are you using the "Original 1954" strings?
They are very tight.
Try the .043-.104 light's or even the .039-.096 extra light
They made a huge change for me. | I'm not looking for tight. I'm looking for low tension. I like the TI tension, but they don't sound that great on the P bass. |
11-08-2011, 08:23 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: US | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Ron G GHS Precision flats, I have them on my basses and you can't beat the price for flats. | Hmm, might have to give these a try. |
11-08-2011, 08:37 PM
|  | Bass Inflicted, and lovin' it! | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX | | | Well, if you find some that you like the general tone on, try lighter gauge strings of the same kind to lower the tension. Maybe someone can ring in on the DR Legend Flats. I know a lot of their strings are round core and lighter tension than most and the Legend Flats are round core, so that would be lower tension. They are stainless flat wounds so might still retain good brightness.
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11-08-2011, 08:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portsmouth, VA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by u84six  Hmm, might have to give these a try. | I was looking for flatwound string that had less tension then Chromes. So I ordered (2) sets of GHS strings they have less tension and sound better to me. After changing strings I was reading a old issue of Bass Player Magazine December 2009:
Ben Kenney (Incubus)
The GHS flats are more pliable than a lot of other flatwonunds so I can have high tension, but still bend notes. Other flats sound great, but you can hardly get vibrato with them they're like high-tension wires. The question he was asked, What impact does the extra scale length have on tone and string tension?
He's playing a Jazz-style Lakland 4-string with a 35" scale. (45-105)
I'm using 45-95 on my P-Bass and 45-126 on my 5.
Last edited by Ron G : 11-08-2011 at 08:41 PM.
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11-09-2011, 01:56 AM
|  | Registered User
Owner: BassStringsOnline.com | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: LA California | | | You also may want to look into "Half Round" strings...
All the benefits of a flat with the flexibility of a round. |
11-09-2011, 03:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portsmouth, VA | | | GHS Precision flatwound (45-105), $19.73 juststrings.com |
11-09-2011, 05:46 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Texas | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron G GHS Precision flats, I have them on my basses and you can't beat the price for flats. | Agreed! The best flats! Try 45-95 gauge; you will love them!
!
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Last edited by waynobass : 11-11-2011 at 05:28 PM.
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11-09-2011, 06:24 PM
|  | Now 10% Less Offensive! | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Anchorage, Alaska | | Quote:
Originally Posted by u84six Can anyone recommend some low tension flats that aren't TIs or Rotosound?... | Is there anything particular that you don't like about the TIs?
I'm asking because I just bought a set online (for my 5-string) and they haven't arrived yet so I haven't been able to try them yet. I'm currently running a Medium gauge set of Chromes on my P-bass so I'm kind of expecting the TIs to feel like rubber bands when I get them on my 5. Heck, I've been playing these Chromes for so long now that all nickel roundwounds feel like rubber bands to me already.
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11-09-2011, 06:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portsmouth, VA | | | |
11-09-2011, 07:31 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Halifax | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by u84six Can anyone recommend some low tension flats that aren't TIs or Rotosound? I'm looking to replace my La Bella Deep Talkin' on my P bass because they're bowing my neck! The reason I don't want TIs is because I don't think they sound that great on a P bass. | Have you tried the TIs or do you just suspect that they won't sound good? On my '68 P-bass they sound unbelievably good. The best strings I've ever had on it---after trying lots and lots.
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11-09-2011, 10:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: US | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by totallyfrozen Is there anything particular that you don't like about the TIs?
I'm asking because I just bought a set online (for my 5-string) and they haven't arrived yet so I haven't been able to try them yet. I'm currently running a Medium gauge set of Chromes on my P-bass so I'm kind of expecting the TIs to feel like rubber bands when I get them on my 5. Heck, I've been playing these Chromes for so long now that all nickel roundwounds feel like rubber bands to me already. | I use the TI flats on my RIC and I love the feel and sound. And you're right, it's like putting rubber bands on your bass (to me it's a good thing). They're so easy to press and bend; I can do much more with them than any higher tension strings. These are generally the lowest tension flats out there. My issue with them is that they are very dead strings with almost no attack. That kind of thing works well with my RIC, but not so much for my Fender P. For my P bass, I like the classic 60's deep punch that you hear in Motown songs (James Jamerson). He used the La Bella flats that I use now. But these things are really high tension and they bow my neck just after a few months. That's why I'm experimenting with lower tension sets. |
11-09-2011, 11:13 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing: Ampeg | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Apopka, FL | | | Chromes at 40-95 are pretty low tension for flats. So are the Labella 39-96 set, though they feel a little tighter than the Chromes IMHO.
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11-09-2011, 11:15 PM
| | | | I have Sadowsky Black Label Flats..... Tension is lower then La Bella but higher then TI. I like them, they have some zing but still have that dub sound which I like.
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11-10-2011, 12:37 AM
| | | | i'm lookin for low tension flats as my current ones (45-105) are bowing the neck and the truss rod is already at the tightest.
the lightest i've seen online are rotosound 77 (40-90), anymore flats that are lighter than this? | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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