Rank Your Flats

Ole Rumblekat · #1 04-07-2008, 06:48 AM

On a scale of 1 to 10, How would you compare all the flatwound strings you've ever played or heard in terms of their characteristic tone? Give the brightest sounding strings a rank of 1, and call the least bright 10. Feel free to comment on just one set, or as many different sets as you like. Mention the name or model of the string because some companies make more than one kind of flatwound. Should be interesting.

GeneralElectric · #2 04-07-2008, 07:22 AM

I'm a big flatwound guy. I can't really rank them on a 1-10 system though...

LaBella Tapewound Flats: Bright and smooth in terms of tone. Feel is very nice as well. The tone on these never changes because of the wrap. Not really thumpers but they're good for playing melody. Harmonics jump out of these strings.

LaBella Jamerson Signatures: Ultimate thump machines in my book. Very dark and deep sounding, very old school tone. These take a bit to break in, but when they do, you're set for life.

LaBella Deep Talking Flats: Some say they sound the same as the Jamerson signatures, but I tend to disagree. An old school flat for sure, but they don't make your tone as meaty if you ask me.

Rotosound Jazz Flats: Very bright and crispy when they're new but they mellow out kind of quickly. Not very thumpy but they sound good when you're playing a lot of fast lines. Think of Roger Waters tone when they're broken in.

Rotosound TruBass 88s: Nylon wrapped flatwounds, very smooth, dark, and thumpy. Think of Paul McCartney's tone on Let it Be. Very smooth feeling string.

Fender Flats: Deep sounding, but to me they were always a little on the hollow side as well.

Thomastik-Infled Jazz Flats: Low tension, harmonically pleasing overtones. These are some of the best sounding flats I've laid my hands on BUT then low tension gets me.

I'll post more reviews later if I can...

Britbonic · #3 04-07-2008, 02:25 PM

I'm in the midst of a flat odyssey at the moment. After reading a bunch of posts on flats I decided to try some for myself. A trip to a few local stores and I returned with a set of Lakland Joe Osbornes and some La Bella Deep Talkin which oddly enough came from GC.

So far I am love, love, loving the Lakland on my 62 RI Jazz. They feel great and sound awesome. Maybe it's cause I also did a little neck adjust when I put them on but I can't put this bass done. At home, I find that I can get a huge range of tone just with volume controls. The neck pickup sounds nice and deep - best tone ever - and I can blend in bridge to adjust level of growl. Last night I had first rehearsal with them and my sound was much darker and fuller than before. Anybody else use these strings? Oh, and they were cheap - about $35.

I'm still not sure about the La Bellas. I put them on my spanking new 57 AV P Bass. To me they feel very stiff and not quite as smooth as the Lakland. Is there a break in period where this changes? I've also just ordered a set of TI Jazz Flats that I will try on the P as well so may have a set of "pre cut for P Bass" La Bella for sale soon. I played the TI's on a Pino Pallidino signature bass and really liked them.

fuNKmaster83 · #4 04-07-2008, 03:03 PM

i must say i have tried a few labellas and TIs... but they didn't convince me to be a flat beliver!!!

but when i put pyramid Gold flats on a friends bass i knew i had to have a bass strung with them!!! really the pyramids are the real thing... true old school, bass as it should be warmth to spare and the G is pop able
now i play on these flats in most musical situations that i get my self into!!! i would recommend them to any one!!! they are da BOMB!!!

**butchblack** · #5 04-07-2008, 08:33 PM

Since there are a lot of TI users I have a question (actually 2)
What is the difference between the TI JF344 and JF364 other then the 364 is for a 36" scale. Could you use the 364's on a standard 34" scale bass. Is the added tension a result of the longer scale and would it revert to close to the 344's tension on a 34" scale bass. I find often my E string is louder then the rest and the 364's have a slightly heavier A,D,G string and lighter E string then the 344's, which makes them appealing.

svtb15 · #6 04-07-2008, 08:37 PM

where would you rate the dadarrio chromes?

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

I'm a big flatwound guy. I can't really rank them on a 1-10 system though...

LaBella Tapewound Flats: Bright and smooth in terms of tone. Feel is very nice as well. The tone on these never changes because of the wrap. Not really thumpers but they're good for playing melody. Harmonics jump out of these strings.

LaBella Jamerson Signatures: Ultimate thump machines in my book. Very dark and deep sounding, very old school tone. These take a bit to break in, but when they do, you're set for life.

LaBella Deep Talking Flats: Some say they sound the same as the Jamerson signatures, but I tend to disagree. An old school flat for sure, but they don't make your tone as meaty if you ask me.

Rotosound Jazz Flats: Very bright and crispy when they're new but they mellow out kind of quickly. Not very thumpy but they sound good when you're playing a lot of fast lines. Think of Roger Waters tone when they're broken in.

Rotosound TruBass 88s: Nylon wrapped flatwounds, very smooth, dark, and thumpy. Think of Paul McCartney's tone on Let it Be. Very smooth feeling string.

Fender Flats: Deep sounding, but to me they were always a little on the hollow side as well.

Thomastik-Infled Jazz Flats: Low tension, harmonically pleasing overtones. These are some of the best sounding flats I've laid my hands on BUT then low tension gets me.

I'll post more reviews later if I can...

ljazz · #7 04-08-2008, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

I'm a big flatwound guy. I can't really rank them on a 1-10 system though...

LaBella Tapewound Flats: Bright and smooth in terms of tone. Feel is very nice as well. The tone on these never changes because of the wrap. Not really thumpers but they're good for playing melody. Harmonics jump out of these strings.

LaBella Jamerson Signatures: Ultimate thump machines in my book. Very dark and deep sounding, very old school tone. These take a bit to break in, but when they do, you're set for life.

LaBella Deep Talking Flats: Some say they sound the same as the Jamerson signatures, but I tend to disagree. An old school flat for sure, but they don't make your tone as meaty if you ask me.

Rotosound Jazz Flats: Very bright and crispy when they're new but they mellow out kind of quickly. Not very thumpy but they sound good when you're playing a lot of fast lines. Think of Roger Waters tone when they're broken in.

Rotosound TruBass 88s: Nylon wrapped flatwounds, very smooth, dark, and thumpy. Think of Paul McCartney's tone on Let it Be. Very smooth feeling string.

Fender Flats: Deep sounding, but to me they were always a little on the hollow side as well.

Thomastik-Infled Jazz Flats: Low tension, harmonically pleasing overtones. These are some of the best sounding flats I've laid my hands on BUT then low tension gets me.

I'll post more reviews later if I can...

I agree with all of this, but would add that the Fenders have a little bit of high end zing.

TI's do tend to stiffen up after they've broke in.... I can't explain why, and wish I still had access to a force gauge or tensile tester to prove it. These are my favs.

DA Chromes..... they get some luv on TB, but I'm completely unimpressed. If you want a zingy flat, then go with the Fenders or Rotos. The DA's have a horribly "woofy" and "boomy" E string, and even after they're broke in, the G string does not sound like it belongs in the set. Also, I have a real big problem with DA's QC.... The tolerancing they have on their gauges is big enough to drive a truck through. When I buy a .100 E string, I want a .100.... not a .103....not a .098.... a .100 dagnabbit.

GeneralElectric · #8 04-08-2008, 04:28 AM

I've played the D'Addario Chromes twice before on a P and a J, since I used to be a big fan of their XLs a few years ago.

I'm going to have to agree with lJazz on this, though I didn't know about the lax QC.

The Chromes didn't feel bad on the fingers, weren't too stiff or loose. But they didn't sound like anything special, and reminded me of a Thomastik-Infeld knockoff strings, but nowhere near as pleasing to the ear. The G string on that set DOESN'T FIT! Its very bright and punchy in contrast to the E A and D strings. They are pretty cheap though.

GeneralElectric · #9 04-08-2008, 04:32 AM

Other major flats I forgot to mention:

Pyramids: A bit pricey in the US, a very smooth and musical string. To my ears they remind me of the LaBella 760FLs with a lot more presence in the low mid making these very thumpy. Old school tone all the way, but does a more than respectable modern tone.

Ernie Ball Flats: Ugh... There is nothing good I can say about these strings either, other than the fact that there is 4 of them and they bend easily.

WayneS · #10 04-08-2008, 04:37 AM

Rotosound RS77 Monel flats. These rank a 1 with me. Great strings, will never use anything else if I can help it. Rotosound SH77 (Steve Harris sig) also rank a 1. They are the same as the RS77, but with different color silk wrappings. I would play the SH's because I like bigger strings, but they blister the hell out of my ring finger.

GeneralElectric · #11 04-08-2008, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WayneS

Rotosound RS77 Monel flats. These rank a 1 with me. Great strings, will never use anything else if I can help it. Rotosound SH77 (Steve Harris sig) also rank a 1. They are the same as the RS77, but with different color silk wrappings. I would play the SH's because I like bigger strings, but they blister the hell out of my ring finger.

They're the exact same string, the RS77LE and the SH77s...

Bassist4Life · #12 04-08-2008, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by butchblack

Since there are a lot of TI users I have a question (actually 2)
What is the difference between the TI JF344 and JF364 other then the 364 is for a 36" scale. Could you use the 364's on a standard 34" scale bass. Is the added tension a result of the longer scale and would it revert to close to the 344's tension on a 34" scale bass. I find often my E string is louder then the rest and the 364's have a slightly heavier A,D,G string and lighter E string then the 344's, which makes them appealing.

The 36" will probably be way too long for a 34" bass. I'm going to guess that the silks will go across the nut and over the fingerboard. Also, putting 36's on a 34 will decrease the already low tension. The 36's might work on a bass where you string through the body, but I don't know for sure.

I have a 35" Yamaha TRB1006. I'm getting the 34" 6-string set for it. The 36" set would be too long for it. I know that the 34's will work for sure because I got the TI measurements directly from:

Kevin Reynolds
Connolly Music Company: US Source for Thomastik-Infeld, K&M stands, Realist transducer pickups and Wolf products
Phone: 800.644.5268
kevinr@connollymusic.com

Quote:

To be sure, here are the measurements for the 34” scale Jazz Flats from the ball to the beginning of the silk-wrapping at the peg-head end.

C=37.26"
G=37.63"
D=37.38"
A=37.50"
E=37.75"
B=36.88"

From here you can measure from where the ball anchors on your bridge up to the nut on your bass to ensure they’ll fit.

By putting the 34" set on a 35" bass the tension will increase slightly.

I hope this helps.

Joe

bfc · #13 04-08-2008, 06:01 AM

Rotosound RS885LD nylon (5)--9
Carvin Flatwound steel--7

GeneralElectric · #14 04-08-2008, 07:30 AM

Carvin Flatwounds are made by LaBella.

lonote · #15 04-08-2008, 07:54 AM

Generally speaking, I use D'Addario Chromes on my J-Style basses and my semi-hollow Ibanez and Fender flats on my P-Basses. My Audere equipped Bacchus J-style is sporting Fender flats currently but only because the shop had no D'Addarios when I stopped in. I am an old-school blues guy who needs lots of thump so my strings are changed only when I can't accurately set the intonation (some of my basses have strings that have been on them for 4+ years). The Fenders and D'Addarios both lose their initial brightness and provide serious thump. The Fenders seem to acquire a slightly more hollow sound that works great on P-Basses. I like a high tension, smooth string so no TI's or Rotosounds for me. I don't care much for Ernie Ball or GHS flats and I haven't played LaBellas in almost 40 years but I'd give them a try if I found them in a shop.

walruswaspaul · #16 04-08-2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

Other major flats I forgot to mention:

Pyramids: A bit pricey in the US, a very smooth and musical string. To my ears they remind me of the LaBella 760FLs with a lot more presence in the low mid making these very thumpy. Old school tone all the way, but does a more than respectable modern tone.

Ernie Ball Flats: Ugh... There is nothing good I can say about these strings either, other than the fact that there is 4 of them and they bend easily.

What didn't you like about the Ernie Balls ? , I think they are very good flats

nasaldischarges · #17 04-19-2008, 09:50 AM

The RS77LE is what i use. They're better after breaking them in for a week or so, unless you really like that zing

troyus · #18 04-23-2008, 11:48 AM

I like the Fender ML's for a P-Bass. The Ernie Balls have a nice attack but the tension is out of control unless you go shortscale.

walruswaspaul · #19 04-23-2008, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troyus

I like the Fender ML's for a P-Bass. The Ernie Balls have a nice attack but the tension is out of control unless you go shortscale.

Strange I would have thought the Fenders would be higher tension , I haven't found the ERnie Balls to be high tension

troyus · #20 04-23-2008, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walruswaspaul

Strange I would have thought the Fenders would be higher tension , I haven't found the ERnie Balls to be high tension

You know you are right... I just realized it was Fender MLs (100), and I tried some Ernie 105's, so it's not a fair assessment. It was a huge increase in tension. I put those on a shortscale and now it's OK.