Putting Flats on my new bass just BLEW MY MIND ! Thank you TB

[sanderic]

[quote=vin*tone;13853851]Yeah strings can make a bigger difference than a $1000 amp.



Absolute truth. Strings produce the sound, and the speaker cabinet is what we listen to. These are the two most important components in the signal chain. Attn flamers: I'm not discounting the importance of a good bass or amplifier.

[Pimmsley]

Originally Posted by AMJBASS

Chromes don't tend to settle down until you have at least 2-3 weeks of playing on them. I have a love/hate with them as well but I do have them on my main recording bass('02 Precision). While they are bright at the moment, they feel terrific on this bass. The TI's are killer strings. They are super low tension though so may not appeal to everyone.

You guys were so right ! The Chromes are great too.
They did take a while to settle in and also, like magic, the almost tacky feel of them has turned to a silky smooth finish. about 8+ hours playing them in, over a week, can imagine they will get even better over time now.

I am so impressed with all three flat sets I have tried... they are all excellent strings in their own right and I can't believe how lucky I was in matching the strings to the basses... very very cool.

[jomosiam]

Thanks Pimmsley for this thread. As a newby I am experimenting with bits & bobs and having bought a s/h bass which needed restringing, I decided to fit flatwounds as I thought they might be kinder on virgin fingers. Being heavy handed, I broke a couple working out how to to use the tuner and seeing as they were the only set in town, had no choice but to go buy round wounds (EXL170's). Although I find them OK they have always sounded a bit light & twangy . So a few days ago I fitted the left over flatwound E string and found I love both the sound and the feel. Over the last few days it's a mission to find out what strings I think would suit me and the information on this thread has been invaluable. From info gleaned, choice now narrowed down to La Bella 760FX's followed by GHS Precisons and so its off to Bangkok in the morning to see what's available and at what price
Thanks again to all who posted and also to BassStringsOnline for a rough price guide (would order them from you but afraid the postal system here is at the mercy of light fingers so best not risk it ... #;0)

[Pimmsley]

Originally Posted by jomosiam

Thanks Pimmsley for this thread. As a newby I am experimenting with bits & bobs and having bought a s/h bass which needed restringing, I decided to fit flatwounds as I thought they might be kinder on virgin fingers. Being heavy handed, I broke a couple working out how to to use the tuner and seeing as they were the only set in town, had no choice but to go buy round wounds (EXL170's). Although I find them OK they have always sounded a bit light & twangy . So a few days ago I fitted the left over flatwound E string and found I love both the sound and the feel. Over the last few days it's a mission to find out what strings I think would suit me and the information on this thread has been invaluable. From info gleaned, choice now narrowed down to La Bella 760FX's followed by GHS Precisons and so its off to Bangkok in the morning to see what's available and at what price
Thanks again to all who posted and also to BassStringsOnline for a rough price guide (would order them from you but afraid the postal system here is at the mercy of light fingers so best not risk it ... #;0)

My pleasure... and good luck on your quest !

I found a picture of me and my friend on drums jamming with a local band in Koh Samui while we were on holiday with friends in Thailand about ten years ago so friendly and a fun jam !

[Ian_Flash]

GHS flats have a great harmonic content and they are extremely well-constructed and QC'd. I wish they were more readily available in the brick-&-mortar shops. Have fun with them!!!!

[jomosiam]

Originally Posted by Pimmsley

My pleasure... and good luck on your quest !

I found a picture of me and my friend on drums jamming with a local band in Koh Samui while we were on holiday with friends in Thailand about ten years ago so friendly and a fun jam !
Attachment 323931

Nice one

[Bongolation]

I'm not great on the new Fender 9050* series as they're too bright and too long to properly fit the E on a Fender toploader. I'm not crazy about the old 9050* series, either.

I have a set of flats I got off a used bass and they are great, but I have no earthly idea what they are. Not a clue.

I bagged some EB 2804 (.105") sets for about $15 per off Amazon, but haven't used them. What are they like?

For the most part, I can't stand rounds. Fender 8050Ms aren't too bad as they're mildly thumpy, but that's about it.

[bassnyc1]

Originally Posted by Ian_Flash

GHS flats have a great harmonic content and they are extremely well-constructed and QC'd. I wish they were more readily available in the brick-&-mortar shops. Have fun with them!!!!

Once again, I shamelessly plug Jason's great site. Everything you'll want is there with the option to order custom sets. Fast, reasonable shipping and great prices!

bassstringsonline.com

[Pimmsley]

Originally Posted by bassnyc1

Once again, I shamelessly plug Jason's great site. Everything you'll want is there with the option to order custom sets. Fast, reasonable shipping and great prices!

bassstringsonline.com

If I could get the same shipping price to Australia as Amazon does for a set of strings, I would be there 100%, maybe I should chat to Jason

[exidor]

I have tried and tried to like flats I put them on and a half hour that's about how long there fun for me. then I take them off.I've done this several times,and this last time I forced myself to leave them on.and darn it I'm leaving them on this time!!! I'm going to like them!!!! well I made it one day. they feel fine the tension is fine,it's the sound,to me it's like driving a turbo charged car with a governor. I'm not saying I'm done trying them.just for now.this has been over a period of 6mo.

[RadioRob]

Do what I did and buy a Squire P Bass for the Flats.

[Lo-E]

Originally Posted by Bongolation

What are they like?

I can't make a fair comparison to any Fender flats, as I don't have enough experience with them, but I've found the EB flats to be more flexible in feel and warmer in sound than D'Addario Chromes. Not quite as floppy as TIs. They're somewhere in between. I like them, as they have some of the thump of LaBellas, but not the bridge-cable tension.

Hope that helps a little.

[nlaird]

I love flats as well. Moreover, I enjoy having fretted, fretless, flats, and rounds for variety. Switching types from song to song keeps things very interesting. Also switching out pick and fingers, etc. I love the flexibility of this instrument.

[Pimmsley]

Originally Posted by nlaird

I love flats as well. Moreover, I enjoy having fretted, fretless, flats, and rounds for variety. Switching types from song to song keeps things very interesting. Also switching out pick and fingers, etc. I love the flexibility of this instrument.

Really well put ! Totally agree

[Ian_Flash]

Ordering from BSOL next week. Need to get ready for the "Spring Re-String". THX

Ian

Originally Posted by bassnyc1

Once again, I shamelessly plug Jason's great site. Everything you'll want is there with the option to order custom sets. Fast, reasonable shipping and great prices!

bassstringsonline.com

[lazyone2]

I know TI Flats are expensive but I have had the same set on my bass for 5 years and they still sound great.

[NYCbassist]

Everyone says the TI Flats settle in after a few weeks +/-. Can anyone describe the change to be expected once they "settle in"?

Thanks,
Gerry

[chuck norriss]

I used to use rounds on my fretted now I'm all-flats each bass. Labella dtb on jazz; Ernie balls on upcoming fretless build. I got used to flats. Now I dislike roundwounds & can still thump flats on a fretted bass. Still gets the point across just not as hot as Marcus Miller.

[jomosiam]

Originally Posted by Pimmsley

My pleasure... and good luck on your quest !
Attachment 323931

Mission accomplished although Bangkok was not exactly awash with flatwounds.
Three shops in Central World near Siam Square had none, including the Fender & Music Man dealer. Out of approx. fifteen shops in China Town, found one set of Rotosound's @ 1550 Baht ($52) and one set of GHS M3050's @ 800 Baht ($27). Not a sniff of La Bella's anywhere.
Obviously the GHS's won hands down.
Initial impressions?
As a beginner playing through headphones via a Vox amPlug Bass (don't want to annoy the neighbours with repetitive exercises, scales & screw ups) all the distracting fret buzzes due to poor lift off technique have all but been eliminated.
Actually sounds like I can pluck & fret reasonably now and that has given me one hell of a boost regarding feeling I have actually made progress since first picking it up about three months ago.
Sound wise the twang I had with rounds has gone and it now sounds like a 'proper bass' (cockney talk). Plucking seems more consistent and apart from a slightly sticky feel, which I hope will wear off in time, the instrument feels far more playable.
Quality wise, the E A & G string wrappings appear to be very close together and smoothly finished but the D string has a slight gap between the wounds, enough to feel it if I run my finger nail along the string. Probably the cause of the roughness some people mentioned. Whether it makes any difference to its playability remains to be seen. At my level probably not.
Love them to bits and miles ahead of the EXL170's but saying that, I will still pick a set of La Bella's when I visit the UK later in the year as they have had such a good write up here I am intrigued to see just how good they are.
Hopefully by that time I will be far better equipped to judge.

[Pimmsley]

Originally Posted by jomosiam

Mission accomplished although Bangkok was not exactly awash with flatwounds.
Three shops in Central World near Siam Square had none, including the Fender & Music Man dealer. Out of approx. fifteen shops in China Town, found one set of Rotosound's @ 1550 Baht ($52) and one set of GHS M3050's @ 800 Baht ($27). Not a sniff of La Bella's anywhere.
Obviously the GHS's won hands down.
Initial impressions?
As a beginner playing through headphones via a Vox amPlug Bass (don't want to annoy the neighbours with repetitive exercises, scales & screw ups) all the distracting fret buzzes due to poor lift off technique have all but been eliminated.
Actually sounds like I can pluck & fret reasonably now and that has given me one hell of a boost regarding feeling I have actually made progress since first picking it up about three months ago.
Sound wise the twang I had with rounds has gone and it now sounds like a 'proper bass' (cockney talk). Plucking seems more consistent and apart from a slightly sticky feel, which I hope will wear off in time, the instrument feels far more playable.
Quality wise, the E A & G string wrappings appear to be very close together and smoothly finished but the D string has a slight gap between the wounds, enough to feel it if I run my finger nail along the string. Probably the cause of the roughness some people mentioned. Whether it makes any difference to its playability remains to be seen. At my level probably not.
Love them to bits and miles ahead of the EXL170's but saying that, I will still pick a set of La Bella's when I visit the UK later in the year as they have had such a good write up here I am intrigued to see just how good they are.
Hopefully by that time I will be far better equipped to judge.

Great stuff Jo ! the M3050 set are the ones I have and also really enjoy..
If you think there is a problem with that 'D' string, maybe email GHS about it and they may be able to help you out with a replacement. Just let them know what you see, as it would be a shame if the set you got had a problem considering the effort you made to get them. The wrapping on mine as all very close together on all strings.