Recommend me some Flatwounds

markdavid · #1 08-22-2007, 01:42 PM

Hi all,

Will be changing the strings on my bass soon as the Daddario Chromes Flatwounds I have are way too bright. Looking for something with less zing and more boom. Here are the strings I am considering

Fender 9050s Stainless Steel Flatwound Bass
Ernie Ball Bass Flatwound Strings
Elites Flatwound Bass Strings
La Bella Deep Talkin' Flatwounds
Galli Jazz Flatwound

I am after a warm sound with not much highs , I am thinking about the Ernie Balls as there roundwounds are quite warm it makes sense that there flatwounds should be warm sounding,

What do you think?

All suggestions welcome

lowerclef · #2 08-22-2007, 02:20 PM

Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats.

They aren't great-sounding at first, but once they're broken in, they are AWESOME and get better with age.

Bad news: they're expensive. Good news: they last forever, so you only have to buy them once!

Warmth city, baby!

markjazzbassist · #3 08-22-2007, 02:54 PM

im really digging my ernie ball flats.

markdavid · #4 08-22-2007, 02:59 PM

Quote:

im really digging my ernie ball flats.

How do you find them tone wise, are they dark or bright sounding?

markjazzbassist · #5 08-22-2007, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdavid

How do you find them tone wise, are they dark or bright sounding?

right in the middle. after breaking them in they've mellowed a lot (like all strings). they've got enough bite to be heard but have bottom for days.

i love all EB strings. Their slinkies are great rounds on my Stringray.

ElectroStompbox · #6 08-22-2007, 03:21 PM

i use rotosounds long scales.....45-105

SuperSnake2012 · #7 08-22-2007, 03:38 PM

I'd recommend letting the Chromes break in for a while. It took a little bit over a month before they broke in and sounded thumpy. The brightness wears away after a while. Also try rolling off the treble with the tone knob!

crazyfish · #8 08-22-2007, 03:42 PM

I've heard that Labella Jamersons are probably your best bet for thumpy, warm flats. TI jazz flats are probably NOT what you're looking for.

edit: I have Sadowsky flats on my jazz, but I'd put them somewhere in between warm and bright. Certainly not TI jazz flats bright but not Labella Jamerson deep.

Hotblack · #9 08-22-2007, 04:16 PM

I really like TI's, but from the choices you listed, I would go with the Fenders.

Be forewarned, they are very high tension strings.

Kael · #10 08-22-2007, 04:21 PM

How old are those Chromes? They do mellow with age, but they will always be a little brighter than most flats. Seems to have more high mid content than other flats even when broken in though. Might not be the best choice for "a warm sound with not much highs".

Fender flats will deliver that tone. They are too dark for me. I prefer that chromes as flats go, although I should probably point out that I currently have zero basses strung with flats. The Fenders deliver the traditional flatwound tone pretty effectively. The TI's sound very nice, but they are quite low tension. I like to pluck the strings up around the neck quite a bit and the TI's forced me to keep my right hand rooted within a couple inches of the bridge. If I played normally the were unplayable. If you always pluck down near the bridge that will probably be a non-issue for you. Too bad, as I have to admit that those TI's are the best sounding flats that I've heard. Lots of mids from them. They don't really have the traditional flat sound however.

nasaldischarges · #11 08-22-2007, 04:21 PM

Rotosound RS77LE

Pilgrim · #12 08-22-2007, 04:22 PM

Every bass on which I have installed Labella Deep Talkin' flats or Labella Hofner Custom flats has been improved. Some of them have sounded MUCH better. The sound is exactly what you have described, and the strings are lower tension than Fenders.

For half the price of the TIs, give them a try.

James Hart · #13 08-22-2007, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdavid

La Bella Deep Talkin' Flatwounds

my favorite for deep and thumpy out of your list. I use the Medium Gauge on my fretted 5 string (same thickness as the Jamersons).

Silas Martinez · #14 08-22-2007, 04:40 PM

I love my chromes on my bongo. Good synergy. The bass itself has more bottom (neck pup, treble rolled off, bass boosted) than any other bass I've tried - the chromes get very smoooth and almost dubby. However, go bridge, crank in some treble, level off the bass a bit, and I can get a nice middy sizzle.

They are the most versatile flats I've used. They made me love my bongo again.

I just wish they had more even tension - 40 - 63 isn't so great.

markdavid · #15 08-23-2007, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kael

How old are those Chromes? They do mellow with age, but they will always be a little brighter than most flats. Seems to have more high mid content than other flats even when broken in though. Might not be the best choice for "a warm sound with not much highs".

Fender flats will deliver that tone. They are too dark for me. I prefer that chromes as flats go, although I should probably point out that I currently have zero basses strung with flats. The Fenders deliver the traditional flatwound tone pretty effectively. The TI's sound very nice, but they are quite low tension. I like to pluck the strings up around the neck quite a bit and the TI's forced me to keep my right hand rooted within a couple inches of the bridge. If I played normally the were unplayable. If you always pluck down near the bridge that will probably be a non-issue for you. Too bad, as I have to admit that those TI's are the best sounding flats that I've heard. Lots of mids from them. They don't really have the traditional flat sound however.

The chromes are a couple of months old and I've finally bitten the bullet and accepted that there not gonna get the way that I like my strings to sound, Ive heard the Fenders are very high tension, If I got a set gauged - 45, 60, 80, 95 (there light gauge). Would the tension still be high?

Groover · #16 08-23-2007, 07:25 AM

I've tried Chrome Flats, Labella Deep Talking Flats, and TI Flats.... Out of those, my favorites are the Labellas.

The TI's... Hmm... I'm really giving them a chance. - mainly because everyone here says that they get better with age. I have those on a Fender Jazz, they sound nice, but the low tension doesn't quite mesh well with my heavy finger style. I may raise the action to compensate for that, otherwise I'd say they are nice, but not super boomy.. More of a nice tone if you have busy playing style.

The labellas have "the" sound I love the most, and the feel works well with my style. I have a set of those on a Precision and on another Jazz. They are in your face thumpy, yet have a clean sound.

The chromes came on one of my Jazz basses when I got it. They were old and dirty. The sound was alright, but I took them off quickly because they were just dirty and sticky... so I can't really comment much on them.

I want to try the Fenders some day, but I'm taking a break from buying strings right now...

JKT · #17 08-23-2007, 08:26 AM

I just recently put on a set of LaBellas Deep talkin Flats and so far I have been real pleased.

JKT

Stu Rose · #18 08-23-2007, 10:59 AM

Greetings

I only play TIs, flat or Jazz for 10 years now. They're the best IMO in every way sound, tension, gauges, etc....

Rotosound flats are my next choice!

hbarcat · #19 08-23-2007, 11:05 AM

Last year I switched from Roto flats to La Bella deep talkin flats.

I love them.

PaulMacCnj · #20 08-23-2007, 11:07 AM

I really like the La Bella flats. I use the medium gauged set on a 34" scale P-bass and the standard gauged set on a 35" Spector 5'er. Great sound and feel. The tension is comparible to like gauged La Bella rounds.