A request for all bass string manufacturers

[u84six]

Please give us more types of flatwound strings. As you can see just by perusing this forum, there are many players who prefer flatwounds either as their main string of choice or for a specific bass. Why so many rounds is beyond me, but what I do know is there are not enough choices for flats. And when the choices are slim, we're lucky to find one set that we do like. I actually use flats on my p bass that hurt my fingers when I play, but I use them because I like the sound. On my other main bass I use a set that feels easy on my fingers but is missing any dynamic range and punch. My favorite set that both feels good and sounds great have quality issues and they are way overpriced, so I don't even buy them.

Seriously, if each manufacturer came out with some nickel based, low tension flats, that would be a really good start. From there you could vary tension, guage, and scale length.

Pretty please, with sugar on top?

[Jazz Ad]

Flats last maybe 10 times as much as rounds and people don't buy them.
They're expensive, they don't sound bright and they're expensive.
If people asked for them, Guitar Centers would fill up on flats.
No market I'm afraid.

[JimmyM]

The market is getting bigger, but still pales in comparison to rounds. I'm afraid that other than the bright thing (that's half the reason we buy flats...they're not bright), Jazz Ad is correct.

But I do agree in principle that there should be more than one type of flat per manufacturer. I just don't think it's cost effective to do it.

[fjadams]

Also wish GHS made the 3060s in short scale. They'd probably be on about every bass I own.

[tylerwylie]

Originally Posted by fjadams

Also wish GHS made the 3060s in short scale. They'd probably be on about every bass I own.

Send them an email, I've heard they'll work on requests sometimes.

[u84six]

Because the market is so oversaturated with rounds (bright), that's why most bass players think they want that sound. If there were more flats to choose from, the table would turn a bit.

The reason players ask for them at Guitar Center is because that's what their favorite players use, and so on. If players had more string options, today's songs would sound different.

I see young players asking how they can get Paul McCartney's sound all the time, and little do they know it's merely stringing up flats and playing with a pick and muting the plucked string as you play.

When I play live with my RIC and warm sounding flats, other bass players come up to me after my set and ask me if I use a sustainer device and questions like that, and my response is that I use flatwound strings. They kind of stand there with a puzzled look on their face.

I do agree that there is/was a boom where every player wanted a bright sound, but times change and will only change if we have more options. I don't always want bright, and when I look for thump instead, there are very few choices.

I just think thump can become popular again.

[JimmyM]

Please allow me to be a picky Maccanerd, but Paul McCartney never palm muted in his life. Occasionally he'd use a piece of foam, but never palm muted.

Trust me, there are way nerdier Maccanerds than me

[seanm]

I am actually surprised at how many flats there are. The real money is in rounds. JazzAd said flats last 10 times as long as rounds, but that assumes you only replace your rounds every year and a half or so. I bet most people change them a lot more than that!

[u84six]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Please allow me to be a picky Maccanerd, but Paul McCartney never palm muted in his life. Occasionally he'd use a piece of foam, but never palm muted.

Trust me, there are way nerdier Maccanerds than me

You're not much of a Maccanerd if you haven't even seen his bass lesson on youtube. He is CLEARLY muting with his palm:

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_u...?v=obFcsEtFIKA

edit: oops that link might not work. Just go to youtube and search McCartney bass lesson

[mordechai]

I think another thing is that flats are generally expensive. So even if there were more options, there would be even fewer people willing to dish out the cash to try them all. Not to mention a lot of flat players find their set and spend the rest of their life breaking them in.

I'd like to see a wider variety of gauges and scale lengths. I'd appreciate if TI made a more balanced set, tension wise. Also I think it'd be hilarious if DR came out with neon flats.

[JimmyM]

He's not muting it at all. The palm of his hand never comes near the strings.

[u84six]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

He's not muting it at all. The palm of his hand never comes near the strings.

He mutes when he needs to, like any player who uses a pick or their thumb. Go listen to the beginning of "Tomorrow Never Knows" and tell me how he does the variable mute with foam. Good luck with that.

[u84six]

Originally Posted by mordechai

I think another thing is that flats are generally expensive. So even if there were more options, there would be even fewer people willing to dish out the cash to try them all. Not to mention a lot of flat players find their set and spend the rest of their life breaking them in.

I'd like to see a wider variety of gauges and scale lengths. I'd appreciate if TI made a more balanced set, tension wise. Also I think it'd be hilarious if DR came out with neon flats.

They are more expensive because A) they last longer (i.e easier to keep clean) and B) less demand (because most players think they need the bright sound of a roundwound).

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by u84six

He mutes when he needs to, like any player who uses a pick or their thumb. Go listen to the beginning of "Tomorrow Never Knows" and tell me how he does the variable mute with foam. Good luck with that.

I just listened to it and heard no palm muting.

So if you don't believe me, maybe you'll believe Paul himself:

Can you describe your basic technique? Do you do any slapping or muting?

I use either a pick or my fingers; I don’t really do any muting or slapping. I’m pretty straightforward. I normally use my thumb and index finger; I use thumb downstrokes when I’m chuggin’ eighth-notes, like on “Fine Line,” which is the first single [and opening track] from the album. It’s a light thumbstroke. You don’t need to bash it—especially on the Hofner—but it still gives a nice, thick sound.

Paul McCartney interview with Chris Jisi | October 2005

I'd say that about settles it.

[FunkMetalBass]

I think every string manufacturer makes at least one set of flats, and a few make two or more. What are you looking for with "more" flats?

[mmbongo]

Plenty to choose from here:
Flatwound Bass Strings from Bass Strings Online

There's only so many ways to make a string sound dead.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by mmbongo

Plenty to choose from here:
Flatwound Bass Strings from Bass Strings Online

There's only so many ways to make a string sound dead.

I used to think the same thing until I started trying different flats. There are PLENTY of ways to make a string sound dead.

[One Bad Monkey]

Originally Posted by tylerwylie

Send them an email, I've heard they'll work on requests sometimes.

Check with the GHS Custom Shop; that might be something that they can do. My GHS strings are all custom sets, mainly because they don't commercially offer a lot of 6 string bass sets, but it was fairly quick to cobble together a custom set.

[One Bad Monkey]

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

I think every string manufacturer makes at least one set of flats, and a few make two or more. What are you looking for with "more" flats?

It sounds like the OP wants the variety of flats that companies show to rounds.

However, something to keep in mind. Since flats last far longer than rounds do, any type of R&D that would be involved would hypothetically take that much longer so the ROI on creating a brand new set of flats wouldn't be as much as rounds (or, a set of strings that go dead within a couple of months).

It might be one reason why there aren't different varieties of flats, in addition to Jazzy's comment of there being no market for it.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I used to think the same thing until I started trying different flats. There are PLENTY of ways to make a string sound dead.

True! I find that leaving rounds on a bass for 10 years does a fine job of getting rid of that offensive "zing." A mere three or four years gives them a good start.