Someone explain flatwounds to me please??

[cameltoe]

I just bought a MIM P.Bass and am very happy with it, the thing is amazing, the first bass i've had that you can really feel. I've been playing only a year, and have been through a few basses in that time, but this is the best yet, easy to play, and i just love the thump! It is a bit of a one trick pony and i would like a bit more tonal range, but long term i'm thinking more SD quarter pounders. In the meantime though i was wondering about string options. I've only ever used roundwounds, as i'm fairly new to this game, and as i've only had to change a couple sets in the short time i've been playing I have no opinion on what I like or dislike. It's usually a case of whatever the local shop supplies me with.

I'd like to be a bit more educated on my choice of string, to know what type does what, what sound i will acheive with nickels, SS, Flatwounds, Groundwounds, etc etc.

Having had a bit of a search through the forum i have seen people rave about flatwounds on a P.Bass. One poster wrote "Flatwounds on a P.Bass are like a pair of high heels on a fine set of legs" ! In particular some people mention Chrome flatwounds, others say groundwounds.

Now, I know what flatwounds are, but i've never played them, and have always assumed they are for mellow basslines, reggae etc, where you just want to lay a warm bed of bass, spreading the low end rather than punching it. But the way some of the guys were talking made me think they could easily be used for any kind of music, and that they really just complement a P Bass endlessly. Also i don't understand the tension issue, are they looser or tighter? would tighter mean i could set the action slightly lower? I like a low action, and my bass is set up with the lowest action i could have without fret buzz.

Well times being what they are I really don't want to fork out £30 on a set of Flatwounds to find they'll be useless to me. the strings on my bass are nearly ready to be changed, and i want to explore my options before I fork out, or just go to the local music store wallet in hand and come away with another set of SS Elite's.

I play in a Folk/Rock band, although it is more Rock than Folk. I need a certain amount of clarity to my bass playing, not too much, but i need to be able to hear the notes clearly, rather than just filling my ears with wool (as was the effect from the rickenbacker 4003 i used to borrow).

I don't like twangy and thin, i never play slap so i don't need that funky feel at all.

What I really like about the P Bass is that thump. That real punchy low end that makes you feel like someone is hitting you in the chest with an invisible pillow. Along with that i like the clarity, i always play with the tone knob open all the way, and usually have the high's on my amp's EQ fairly high up, although not far enough up to make the bass sound 'trebely' and thin, if that makes any sense, i just like it clear.

Right now the P Bass is still using the strings it came with, stock fender strings, and these are not terrible, they're ok, but seeing as these are the only strings i've used with this guitar I don't really have any opinion about them, they're all i've known! I do quite often fiddle around with the EQ though, so that tells me I might have better results if I experimented.

If any of you guys out there can recommend a few types of string (as well as brands) that might compliment the sound i'm after, as well as complimenting the P Bass, i'd be very grateful.

[Ric5]

Flats sound like rounds that have been left on the bass a long time and played a lot ...

[RickenBoogie]

Check out a set of Rotosound 77's. My personal favorite flatwound strings. Nice thing about flats is, they last alot longer. (and sound smoother, less ringy or punchy.)

[mambo4]

just try cranking the tone knob on your bass all the way down, or the highs on your amp. Similar tho not exactly like what rounds will sound like.

listen to any pre-1970 pop recordings and chances are your hearing a Pbass or jbass with flats.

[cameltoe]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

Check out a set of Rotosound 77's. My personal favorite flatwound strings. Nice thing about flats is, they last alot longer. (and sound smoother, less ringy or punchy.)

I dont want to lose any punch! Im just going to have to take a punt to find out, aren't I?

[kissmybASS01]

Yes, to flats depending on your style of play. Flats IMO will not work for slappy stuff, but can work for metal apparently. If I'm correct, Steve Harris of Iron Maiden used flats (exclusively). Two more points: if you love the sound of new/fresh rounds (like me), look elsewhere.Secondly flats are also a lot easier on both your fingers and the frets/fingerboard. Best luck to you

[senorblues]

The only way to know if you like them is to try them. They have a very different feel and sound. They feel smooth and stiff and the sound is less twangy and there is no noise when you drag your fingers. I like DR High Beam flats but DR Low Riders (round) are my favorite string.

[cameltoe]

I'm not keen on the sound of new rounds, i must admit. I don't particularly like the brightness much, and i really dislike the excess 'noise', the finger noise and the rubbing sounds over the frets.

This also leads me to another question: Nickel rounds?
As far as i'm aware, i've always used stainless steel, and i don't like the metallic sound, that metal on metal chime against the frets and so on.

I'd like to try Flats, but they are expensive, and may be too mellow for what i'm looking for. I still want defined lows, i used to have an Epiphone EB-0 and hated the way the lows were just spread out and a bit murky with that sidewinder pick up. I wanted a real low thump out of them, to be able to actually hear the notes, and I've got that with the P Bass.

Stainless rounds are definitely too bright for me. I just put a new A string on, and I hate it! the rest of the strings feel o.k-ish, they are just the standard Fender strings the bass came with, which i presume are still stainless. A few months on they are sort-of sounding what i'm after, but not quite. I had to change the A string as the shop had cut too much off the end of the string when fitting, and the approach angle to the nut was too high, so i wasn't getting enough tension at the nut. I hate the way this new A string sounds! It's just noisy.

So nickels could also be an option, but then there are various types of flats, some which sound brighter than others. So i'm lost.

[BillMason]

If you like the thump, don't use the quarter pounders...

I tried flats several times, having been turned off by them shortly after putting them on. I think I'd always tried the Fender flats, which I found to be high tension compared to the Fender 7250 rounds. They also felt a little "sticky" on my plucking hand. Many times I tried, and always gave up and put rounds back on. Finally I tried some D'addario Chromes (because of Talkbass) and felt kinda the same way when I put them on, but decided to stick it out, and try them for at least a month. I think it's been a year now, and the same set is still on there.

Lots of thump! I really don't notice any lack of punch either, that's an EQ thing IMO. With rounds, I always had the tone knob dialed almost off, and with flats, it's wide open.

Flats are not just for mellow music or reggae - most players throughout the 60s and 70s used flats. Most classic rock you hear, that's what you hear - Alice Cooper, Lynrd Skynnrd, Sabbath, Ozzy, old Motown and Stax (both anything *but* mellow, except for the ballads), America, Neil Young, Stones, etc. All flatwounds.

[BillMason]

Before trying the Chromes, I also tried Fender's nickel round wounds, the 7150s. I really liked them...

[cameltoe]

why not use quarter pounders?

People rave about them, from what i've read they are just an improved version of the stock pickups, almost.

I was offered a new set of the SPB-1's the vintage set, for a good price, but i had talked myself into the quarter pounders.

Yes i like that thump. It's awesome!

What about the tension issue with Flatwounds?

[Gintaras]

I have to second the DR LoRiders. they make them in stainless and nickel and would recommend nickel.

I have just changed the strings on my P to DR Jonas Hellborg's and love them. got more clarity and as my instructor said after playing them that there is a Piano tone to them. they are very even across the strings but still have the Pbass thump. I have had them for about 5 days and they sound better every day. Looking forward to about a months use.

[Bassman316]

Originally Posted by cameltoe

That real punchy low end that makes you feel like someone is hitting you in the chest with an invisible pillow.

Well put, man!

So far in my endeavours, I've only tried Fender flats and D'Addario Chromes.... the Fender flats were pretty decent, but I have a set of Chromes on my SX P-bass, and it's just plain awesome. I've had them on there for 1 1/2 to 2 months, and they're breaking in nicely. If I had to suggest a particular brand, from my experience I'd say Chromes. They won't let you down.

[Bassman316]

Originally Posted by BillMason

Finally I tried some D'addario Chromes (because of Talkbass)

Oh yeah... I tried my set of Chromes because of Talkbass as well. Thanks guys!

[Darkstrike]

D'addario Chromes do indeed sound like what you are looking for.

[cameltoe]

And nickels?

are they somewhere in between flats and SS in terms of sound?

[Darkstrike]

Less harsh than SS, but still very much rounds. Far closer to SS than flats.

[PaulMacCnj]

I've tried several different string sets on my 2006 MIA Fender P-bass. Here are my findings on them...

Fender Super Bass 8250 - These are the factory installed strings with a taperwound E string. They sound and feel good, but I don't like taperwound strings because they vibrate too easily (sympathetic resonance) and that makes right hand muting too unnatural for me. I also don't like how they sound. The smaller string mass against the bridge saddles seem to give less punch in the low end.

Dean Markley NickelSteel - Nice strings when they are new, but go dead very quickly. The "new" sound is clear and warm. Not excessively bright.

Ernie Ball Regular Slinky - These are nickelwound strings that sound like stainless steel. Very bright and clanky. Rough feel and a lot of finger/string noise. I didn't like these at all.

La Bella Deep Talking Flats 760FM - Pure flatwound heaven! These strings made the P-bass thump, thump thump. A really great traditional bass tone. I had these on the bass for about a year, but I missed the sustain that you get from roundwounds too much. Ideally, I should buy another P-bass and keep flats on it, rounds on the other. Can I get some bailout $$$ for shiny new bass?

DR Nickel LoRiders - My favorite strings on a Spector bass, but I don't like them on a P-bass. These strings have a nice growl that couples up perfectly with basses like Spectors and Warwicks. I prefer the clearer, thumpy sound from a P-bass. Otherwise, the feel and intonation is great. The string surface is smooth for roundwounds; very easy to play slides without the stickiness of flats.

Dunlop Nickel Plated Steel - A great bargain at $20. These strings have a nice feel and sound. Good intonation and string to string balance. They are just a bit too bright for me and that also means that the finger/string noise is a bit pronounced.

Fender Super Bass 7250 - The non-taperwound version of the 8250s. These are currently on my P-bass and have been on for about 2 months. The "new" sound was great and the "settled in" sound is even better. They have a balanced sound between the lows, mids and highs with a great thump on the bottom end. It's that traditional P-bass with rounds tone. The string surface is a medium feel (not as smooth as DR LoRiders), but the finger/string noise isn't bad at all. I'm very happy with these.

Hopefully, this helps.

[cameltoe]

amazing post, answers (nearly) all my questions thankyou.

I have an electro-acoustic bass that is a killer for excess 'noise', finger slides and fret noise etc, so i may try Flats on that first, as it REALLY needs to calm down alot, and I don't think nickels will be enough seeing as these are 3 month old SS and still sound mega-harsh

[cameltoe]

Originally Posted by PaulMacCnj

I prefer the clearer, thumpy sound from a P-bass

well you and me are like two peas from the same pod!