What are the brightest flatwound?

jay800 · #1 03-14-2007, 04:11 PM

Just looking for the flatwounds that are at the top of the brightness scale?

thx.

tdogg · #2 03-14-2007, 04:13 PM

try half-rounds. they have a flat exterior with a round core. best of both worlds ive heard

Atomik Rooster · #3 03-14-2007, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdogg

try half-rounds. they have a flat exterior with a round core. best of both worlds ive heard

I like D'Addario half rounds, but I've heard they're an acquired taste. I've also tried different flatwounds and thought Dean Markley Flatwound Bass strings sounded pretty good. I found out after the fact that that's actually their version of the half round, but polished smoother than D'Addarios to play more like a genuine flatwound.

Kael · #4 03-14-2007, 04:32 PM

D'addario Chromesteel flats are pretty dang bright for a flat. They are my personal choice when it comes to flats. Strangely enough, they are the only D'addario string I actually like. Had these on my fretless jazz till I recently epoxied the fingerboard and popped some rounds on.

TI flats are almost as bright, but they also have a more pronounced midrange. The TI jazz flats sound great but they are super floppy. Some love that feel. I don't. Felt looser than most roundwounds to me.

The D'addario halfrounds felt more like the worst of both camps to me. They sounded pretty close to a dead roundwound (which I like), but the feel wasn't something to which I could grow accustomed. More grabby than rounds with all the tension (or at least most of the tension) of flats. I gave 'em a week of regular play on my fretless J then took them off. Not for me. If anyone wants these suckers, you are welcome to them. PM me.

BellBottomBlues · #5 03-14-2007, 05:52 PM

I'd say the Rotosound Monel Jazz flats are pretty bright from the get go.

I use them on 2 of my basses (aka half) and I've never had problems. Someone told me that the steve harris signatures were a little more bright sounding but I haven't noticed anything spectacularly different. I've played both sets (granted several months apart) and I think they're the same cept the Signatures cost you about $5 more.

jay800 · #6 03-14-2007, 07:18 PM

I'm kinda stuck in between, love everything about flats except when I need that shot of brightness for a particular tune.
So, I've tried the in-betweens including halfrounds, and I have the Rotosound pressurewounds SM55 on right now, both are good (especially the SM55's) but for sure they both lean toward rounds.
I have the TI rounds on my 80's style Ibanez to bring out all the brightness it can muster up, cause the EMG avtive's are really dull compared to the factory jazz pups - got to change out the EMG actives some day...

thanks for the info.

BellBottomBlues · #7 03-14-2007, 07:31 PM

Have you tried boosting the treble and mids on your amp?

EthanTheHeathen · #8 03-15-2007, 04:04 PM

How do the black nylon ones compare? I seem to remember those sounding pretty decent.

Phalex · #9 03-16-2007, 07:00 AM

GHS Brite Flats (Ground Round) are brighter than flat wound flats.

I'm not sure if I just made sense, but there you have it.

BellBottomBlues · #10 03-16-2007, 12:17 PM

Black Nylona are good, I used to use them on my Warwick Thumb BO