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04-11-2011, 09:45 PM
| | | | What flatwounds do you recommend??
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I've recently purchased a MIM 50s reissue precision bass and I'm having a hard time deciding on what brand of flatwounds to buy. Im currently using some old GHS half rounds on it but I'm looking for a warmer tone still. Any recommendations for a fellow bass player???  |
04-11-2011, 10:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: sin city baby... | | | It'll help if you're more specific about your "tone goal"
and the type of music you play
maybe even what rig you play through
That said, my top 5
1 TI jazz flats - killer mids, not as thumpy as others (but not bad), age well
2 GHS precisions - thump, super thick, retain articulation with age
3 LaBella 760FL - thump, sweet upper mids
4 the old Fender 9050's haven't tried the new ones - THUMP
5 toss up between Chromes and Steve Harris signatures - brightish, Rock
ymmv, these are my first hand findings through the years
ps: P bass / flats .. I shoot for a thick, round, percussive note.. with plenty off heft and percussive upper mids
with no harshness or sizzle
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Last edited by unclekebm : 04-11-2011 at 10:13 PM.
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04-11-2011, 10:05 PM
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04-11-2011, 10:14 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: sin city baby... | | | ime, the 9050's (old ones) and the LaBellas are the "warmest"
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04-11-2011, 10:51 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Central Minnesota | | possibly a question you may not have considered, it tension ... I have found that to be just as important with flats as sound, as many are able to achieve a variety of voicings with EQ ... that and the smoothness in feel are very important to me ...
I really like the Labella 760FL's that I have on one Jazz, but I wouldn't call them strictly 'warm', but a very full range flat .. there M's would probably be warmer, but also more tension ... Labella's have a good feel to me, not slippery, but smooth
DR Flats are quite warm, and a bit more 'percussive' in sound and feel ... medium tension, also very smooth
Dean Markleys have a LOT of punch, on the warmer side, and about the same tension, and also no longer available
TI's a sound of their own, least amount of tension, and the 2 sets I have had were not the smoothest, but I probably didn't give them enough time ... I have one set on a P, that wont be there long once I start experimenting I am suspecting
Pyramid Golds very nice, warm, smooth, not quite as much tension as a couple above, all in all a very pleasing string, but quite expensive
Chromes, are a fuller spectrum flat, the set I have is very smooth, tension is just about right to me
I did not care for the old style Fender 9050's at all, but I did not try the lighter guage .. felt like playing cable, and the bass I had them on had a maxed out truss rod, and they bent that like a banana, so maybe not a fair trial .. but then I used them back in the early 70's, and now I wanted to see what else was out there also ...
Keep in mind, the flats I listed were mostly all on J's at this point, so your P may be a different issue ... if I had to buy one set right now for a P, knowing what I know, I would choose Labella Deep Talkin flats, probably try the FL's first, then if I wanted more heat the S or M next ... and, I haven't even tried either of those yet, but based on what I have used from Labella, and comments I have seen from the users that I bought used strings from, I have an idea of what they are after ... The Pyramind Gold's could be also be VERY interesting on a P, as the Markleys, and the DR's and the new Fenders and Sadowsky's and GHS Precisions that I have yet to try .. Jeesh, it never ends ...good luck in your hunt ...  ...JMHO's
Last edited by tjh : 04-12-2011 at 12:39 AM.
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04-12-2011, 11:58 AM
|  | Gettin' crazy with the Cheez Whiz! | | Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Visalia CA | | | Rotosound 77's...I love that, even after they've worn in, they still produce some nice harmonic overtones.
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04-12-2011, 12:01 PM
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04-12-2011, 12:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | Chromes
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04-12-2011, 12:10 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Brooklyn, NY | | | I recommend the Thomastiks, very low tension, they last ages and I find the tone very pure and well rounded. Suitable for jazz or non-compressed, 'acoustic' music. Not cheap, but worth it IMO. On the other side of the spectrum Ernie Balls, high tension, and in my book better for say, thumping out rock lines on a Precision in high-energy situations. |
04-12-2011, 01:55 PM
| | | | Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I'm thinking I might go with the La Bellas or the chromes. I have some GHS flats on the fretless jazz now so I might just change those as well and try both |
04-12-2011, 10:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Santa Cruz, CA | | | La Bella 0760M. The Jamerson Set. The tension really isn't as bad as people make it out to be, and the tone is second to none.
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04-12-2011, 11:04 PM
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Hatred obscures all distinctions. | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: South of LA | | | Funny, I just went from Chromes to La Bella 760Ms and the jury is still out. But my Chromes are 1.5 years old and the La Bella's just a couple of weeks. Like a good wine I wish they would age quicker!
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04-13-2011, 03:03 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Belleville,New Jersey USA | | | +1
Quote:
Originally Posted by theretheyare I recommend the Thomastiks, very low tension, they last ages and I find the tone very pure and well rounded. Suitable for jazz or non-compressed, 'acoustic' music. Not cheap, but worth it IMO. On the other side of the spectrum Ernie Balls, high tension, and in my book better for say, thumping out rock lines on a Precision in high-energy situations. | that is what I have on my MIM Fender P |
04-13-2011, 03:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Louisville, KY | | | TI's are awesome! I love the lower tension and they sound great! Chromes sound and feel great, but too high tension for my tastes, but that's all preference.... they're still great strings. Just picked up a set of Labella's, and am liking them alot.... so far!
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04-13-2011, 03:13 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: norwich, ct | | Quote:
Originally Posted by SundanceChile La Bella 0760M. The Jamerson Set. The tension really isn't as bad as people make it out to be, and the tone is second to none. | +100 I love these strings. Definitely more tension than Chromes, but this is a good thing. Pluck them softly and they sound quieter but responsive. Dig in and they will happily hold up, and growl beautifully. Very responsive to your right hand technique. |
04-13-2011, 03:46 PM
|  | The older I get, the better I was. | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Pasadena, CA | | As posted recently in another very recent thread about flats... Quote:
Originally Posted by EricF LaBella flats and a P bass go together like pizza and beer. Perfect! | |
04-13-2011, 03:55 PM
| | | | I have only tried rotosound 77s and chromes. I have had the chromes on my jazz bass since this past november and love them. Chromes are kind of bright right out of the package but after a week or two they lose that. My chromes have gotten a lot of playing and have held up and been aging well. I just didnt like the feel of the rotos. |
04-13-2011, 03:59 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Austin, TX | | | TI flats are on my J now, and i doubt they're ever coming off!
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04-15-2011, 04:44 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Dallas FtWorth Texas | | Quote:
Originally Posted by dannylectro | im with this guy... but i like to turn the tone all the way down and get that smooth thumpy sound... mine are 1.5 years ... and still keeping tune ... they do mellow out after a couple months ...
flats are more about the feel to me than the tone ... i think i'd be happy with just about any flat.
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