What have I done??!!!!!

[Mr. Mig]

Ok guys, here is the situation. I have a 79' P Bass that I love and would NEVER get rid of and for as long as I can remember i always used Blue Steel Medium strings. I thought I 'd try something different so I got RotoSound Flatwound Mediums. I always stayed aways from Flat because I was told they were dead sounding, but now that I have tried them I thing they are pretty awesome. I like the Jazzier sound. Mind you they are a little dead for slap and pop playing, but they don't really give any fretboard sounds. "Duller"? yes, but "cleaner". Has this happened to anyone else?? Any other converts to flatwound? Have I walked out on my beloved Blue Steel forever?

[Baird6869]

Steve Harris from Iron Maiden uses flats as an example and he sounds great.

I play flats on a Sadowsky, Stingray and a 1974 Fender. Flast are easy on your fingers, nail that old school tone (rounds weren't even invented until the mid-'60's) and sound suprisingly good for almost all music. I wouldn't play any RHCP that has lots of slap with flats, but you never know....

BTW... my love affair with flats started only 2 years ago and I am still predominantly a rounds player.

[Strongjag]

I have my p string with flats, has been for about... 8 months now. It's weird, some days I love them, others they sound.... sterile? I think thats the best way. I keep thinking maybe I should upgrade my PU but its a love/hate thing. Its odd.

[flewis]

I used Flats (Chromes .045-.100) on my 62RI CIJ Jazz, 62RI CIJ Precision, my 97 AM Precision and my 76 FrankenJazz. I use Nickels on the rest.

Enjoy them!

[GradyBass]

You know you can always like... change the strings again, right? I don't think Blue Steels require a life-long contract =)

[Mr. Mig]

Maybe I'll use round on my P Bass and flat on a Jazz I am looking to get.


You guys Rock !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bassdoubler]

About 2 years ago, I really got into the D'angelo/Pino Palladino sound and bought a '69 P-bass with 10 year old flats on it. I fell in love, and gave up all of my slapping and tapping for my newfound style. 2 years later, I'm playing a lot of gospel gigs that require me to slap, so I have replaced my flatwounds with DR Sunbeams which are very warm and have learned how to get that muted sound with roundwounds. I look back at those two years as a learning experience of feel. If I had a clone of my '69 I would string one with rounds and one with flats because I will always love that flatwound thump, but for live playing, I find rounds to be more versatile. The studio is a much different story....

[Dave Bassincus]

As soon as I tried a set of flatwounds years ago, I knew they were the only string for me, whether I'm playing dub, punk or metal.

[snyderz]

Flats only.

[P Bodie]

New guy here but been playing a long time. I started out with flatwounds then as I started reading and seeing and playing more got into roundwounds, mostly the classic Rotosounds. I would go back and try flatwounds or half-rounds occasionally but never cared for them after the Rotos. Fast forward to the last few years when I started to hear about Thomastik flatwound's and tried them and fell in love. It's not about the brand, just that I'm glad people are making really good or better flatwounds these days. For me, a slightly old schooler, there's no sound or feel compromise anymore so I'm a flatwounder to stay.

-Bodie

[Nyarlathotep]

Flats FTW. Rock, blues, reggae, death metal. Just some examples where flats sound awesome IMHO.

[basslinejam]

I loves me some flats. Roto Monal flats sound phat on my SB-2 and I use Labella 760M's on my SX P blues machine.
The Bella's have to broken in for a few months...

Definitely try some different brands/gauges. It plays havoc with your setup but... IMHO, There is much more variety among flatwound strings in terms of how they each sound than rounds.
You're in a whole new world... and it's flat.

[Surly]

Flats are cool, but they don't growl the way rounds do on a P-bass. Different tones, neither is better. Just my opinion.

[tapp01]

Flats on my PJ, rounds on my T-bird and fretless jazz. I love both and have found their place in my setup. I think you have the right idea with putting flats on your soon to buy Jazz. That is a great sound!

[Baird6869]

Originally Posted by Surly

Different tones, neither is better.

That pretty much nails it IMO.

[J-chot]

flats are the greatest. hands down.

I use nylon flats on "the carpenter's daughter", and I play super overdriven stuff and they sound fantastic....last longer and are easy on your fingers.

[saxofunk]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mig

Has this happened to anyone else?? Any other converts to flatwound? Have I walked out on my beloved Blue Steel forever?

Maybe a couple converts...

Any complete flatwound converts?

[P-BASSLOVER]

Try D'Addario Chromes! They are the most slappable flats out there! They aren't all thud like other flats, they actually have a nice slap tone with your tone or treble knob turned up.
They are also reasonable. Going $25.00 for a four string set, {Iv'e seen them for $21.00 in some places} they are quite a bargain too. You can't beat the bottom, warmth, attack, thud, and beefiness you get with Flats! Go For It!!!

[standupright]

i was blue steel roundwound player for YEARS.....when i got my schecter a couple years back, i decided to throw some flats on there because i love the way it feels to play my upright. loved it. the bass practically plays itself. dr flats for me......except on my new wish bass. it's got rounds on it and for some reason i love it.

[Sub5ound]

Ouch, Stainless Steel on a vintage bass? Arent you worried about your frets?