The World Is Flat

BulbousMoses · #1 03-25-2011, 11:34 AM

Ok...I have never used flats but I want to try them. In this regard, I'm a complete noob so I need some input as to brands and types. My current rig is a Godin Shifter 4 and Ampeg Micro VR stack. So...passive 4 string and classic Ampeg tone. What flats would be best here?

FunkMetalBass · #2 03-25-2011, 12:05 PM

TI's are probably the most highly recommended, followed by D'Addario Chromes.

chadhargis · #3 03-25-2011, 12:26 PM

The only flats I've played are the Chromes and the TI's. I prefer the TI's. They have better tone, and are lower tension and easier on the fingers.

DTF · #4 03-25-2011, 12:43 PM

you just have to try a bunch and find what you like, everyone has an opinion.

Ive used roto 77's didnt like them , almost every gauge of labella DTB , some guages I like on some basses others I dont but like them on other basses , I have the 45-105's on a '70s jazz, love it , 43-104's on a highway one body reggie hamilton necked poor mans '62 RI love them ,49-109 didnt work for me on the jazz's, but on my stingray 5 with the 128 B they are great ,I liked them on my 62 RI P bass as well , but recently replaced them with Pyramids which I like more.

Tried TI's on a pbass with a roadworn neck didnt love them ordered a B string so im gonna try them on the ray ,I want to like them because theyre unique .

Ive hated every set of chromes ive tried ,everyone else seems to love them , i just didnt.

its really trial and error what everyone else likes you wont necessarily like If I had to chose one and only one Id buy pyramids , they feel like glass on your fingers (not broken glass) and they sound great but theyre small gauge and expensive , still sound huge

stiles72 · #5 03-25-2011, 12:48 PM

La Bella Deep Talkin Flats are "thee" flatwound bass strings. But they have a really high tension and can be a little stiff if you are new to flats.

I'd go with GHS precicion flats (purple windings). They have a warm mellow tone like La Bella's, but have a nice medium tension that wont kill your hands. They also break in rather quickly compared to other brands of flats.

G00D+~VIBES · #6 03-25-2011, 12:50 PM

To me, Chromes always just sounded 'OK', but I think roto 77's have a certain 'barky' quality that compliments passive J basses. They are high tension though, and I feel like I have to really dig in to make them sing.

purpletornado · #7 03-25-2011, 12:50 PM

I like LaBellas but I have a pretty hard aattck so I really go for the heavier gauge.

tjh · #8 03-25-2011, 01:01 PM

perhaps trying to explain the sound you are after, or the type of music you play would help eliminate ... it can get expensive to keep trying, and not to mention very time consuming .. if you buy new it can take a fair amount of time for them to 'come in' as I am learning ... also, there are a LOT of soundbytes on YouTube about flats on a variety of basses, that may help .. it is surprising how brite some flats can get ...

the other thing is 'Feel' ... I am finding a big difference in feel of the strings, both in tension and stick/grab/rough/smooth .... I have found a couple I really like, but have yet to really play them in a group setting as to see how they sit ... I will this weekend

It is kind of funny how tastes vary on these ... I thought flats were pretty much flats, with a little give and take, before I started on this venture ... I used old style Fender flats back in the early 70', so these were the first ones I got this go around ... didn't care for them at all now ...

Interesting to read the threads and see how adamant the ardent flat users are to their brands/situations ... good luck on the hunt

Toneman · #9 03-25-2011, 01:27 PM

" the world is flat "

right on

ATKINSON BASSES - LIBRARY

Sleeq · #10 03-25-2011, 01:36 PM

Find an set of the older version of Fender Flats...

tjh · #11 03-26-2011, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sleeq

Find an set of the older version of Fender Flats...

... there just happens to be a set of the older version Fender Flats in the TB Classifieds ...

BulbousMoses · #12 03-26-2011, 10:01 AM

Seems the TI Jazz flats are hard to get here in Canada. The D'Addario Chrome flats are very plentiful. I hear many great things about the TI's though and I'd love to get my hands on some.

mccartneyman · #13 03-26-2011, 10:10 AM

Look into Sadowsky flats. I have them on my Lakland 55-94 and they are my new No. 1 choice, followed by TIs and Chromes.

BulbousMoses · #14 03-26-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mccartneyman

Look into Sadowsky flats. I have them on my Lakland 55-94 and they are my new No. 1 choice, followed by TIs and Chromes.

Does Sadowsky actually manufacture their own strings? I wasn't aware of that.

mccartneyman · #15 03-26-2011, 10:33 AM

Don't know if they manufacture them or have them made by someone else, but they sell them:
Sadowsky Guitars | Black Label Strings

$22.50 for 4-string, $48 for a 5-string set. The tapered B is very nice. They have a bit more snap and tension than TIs, but less tension than Chromes. Pretty even tonal response all the way up and down the neck.

**lowendfriend** · #16 03-26-2011, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mccartneyman

Look into Sadowsky flats. I have them on my Lakland 55-94 and they are my new No. 1 choice, followed by TIs and Chromes.

They are great flats....I found the heavier gauge to be the better of the the two sets.

D'addario chromes seem to be the most popular flats (there was a well taken survey on TB a while back that had DD chromes the most popular by leaps and bounds. I like them because digging in helps keep me on course somehow.

I'm toying with a return to my first flats, Roto 77's. A little concerned about quality grumbles I've been hearing of late.

bassboysam · #17 03-26-2011, 06:29 PM

I have tried several sets of flats:

Chromes 105, 100, and 095.
Fender 105
Sadowsky 100
La Bella 104 and 096
GHS (can't remember the gauge)

The worst were by far the GHS, complete garbage, clacky, wouldn't intonate, sounded really artificial.

I don't know why people say La Bellas are high tension. I have not found that to be true at all. In a similar gauge, Chromes were stiffer. In my experience any flat in a 100 or less gauge will not be any stiffer than a standard set of rounds.

The Sadowsky (made by La Bella) are similar to the DTFs but a little less aggressive in the low mids and a bit more highs.

Chromes are nice, cheap, readily available and once the initial brightness wears off can sound very sweet in a band mix. A little less "sophisticated" sound than the more expensive brands, not as complex in the mids. But it's up to you to decide if the extra cost is justified.

It's not easy finding the right string. One brand may work on one bass and not work at all on another. The la bellas did not work for me on my Ric, but are great on my p-bass.

You just need to start some where, try different brands and gauges, it won't be quick and it won't be cheap but once you find your set, you will be very satisfied.

My recommendation would be the Sadowsky 100-40 or the la Bella 760FX. Start from there and see what you think.

jbednarski · #18 03-26-2011, 06:32 PM

Just got the new Fender 9050 CLs yesterday. Amazing!

Toneman · #19 03-26-2011, 06:36 PM

I've used Lakland Jo Osborne flats made by GHS and they're a nice middle of the road flat. I tried Chromes which are not for me as far as tone and tension, I tried Ernie Ball flats an all around good string and value imo but settled now with TI JF344's which have a nice easy tension and a rich organic/woody tone.

tjh · #20 03-26-2011, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbednarski

Just got the new Fender 9050 CLs yesterday. Amazing!

... and what bass did you put them on? what did you have on prior and were they smooth, sticky or rough out of the package? thanks