Yet Another Best Flat-Wounds Thread...

[miles'tone]

Tried T.I.'s on my 2001 jazz strings-thru and although they are a damn well-made string, I just didn't get on with the low tension. Now I'm using Rotosound 77 (105-45) and I'm very happy with them. They really cut thru the mix with a loud band. Every note's pure and "there". I'm usually just a fingers player but with the Rotos on I'm using a pick more and more because of the Carol Kaye-like tone I can acheive now. Cool!

[ravlin]

"though I think I'm gonna just ignore the warning, rustle up a set of La Bella 760FM-XLEs, and string 'em through."
i didnt see the warning until i had been playing them for months(strung thru). i love them.

[Il Basso]

When I first started using flatwounds I went with the chromes (heavies) on a '01 MIM Jazz because they were the easiest to find. Interestingly enough (or not at all) the tension actually broke the nut (easily n cheaply remedied at 30th St Guitars in NYC). I'd say they're a good starting point but whenever you get a chance to try others too.

I then threw GHS' flatwounds (heavies again) on my 74 P. Loved 'em but had to throw roundwounds back on for a rock group.

I bought new p-ups n a fretless neck for the jazz and put the GHS' on there. For me, it was too cumbersome on the fretless neck. I switched to TI's on there and DAAAAAMMMMMMNNNN. Perfect tone and great playability with those bad boys. I'm stoked too - apparently their gonna last 8+ years haha.

With the P I currently put on a set of Bella's Original Oldies. To be honest I don't know how I feel about them yet. Does anyone else find their E to feel to similar to a roundwound? Also, they don't stay in tune as well as the GHS' did. The grooves aren't set together around the tuning post - I think this has something to do with it. I'm gonna let them settle in for the next couple of months and take it from there.

Loooooooooonnnnnnnnngggg story short - I'd say TI's if you take the time to boost the bottom with your amp's eq and use their lightness to your advantage. GHS' if you're lookin to plug and play and like pluckin hard on the strings.

[rbonner]

I have a brand new set of Chromes XL, that were on my 2007 J bass for three days and taken off when I put a Bad Ass Bridge II on the bass and had to restring due to length issues. Wanna try them? If you like them we can work out a deal. BOB

[ihassiphilus]

Originally Posted by Mastermold

Yeah Chromes are pretty safe in that scale. I'm using their heavier guage (.050-.105) and the tension is okay.

Is it just me or do they feel really stiff? The .50-.105 gauge flats, I mean. It almost feels like I'm fighting the strings.

[rbonner]

These I use are the .050-.105's they call them medium gauge. With the long scale bass they are stout animals. The heavier the gauge the tighter the strings will be to get the same tuning. Of course a short scale bass like an EB-O or SG Bass will have really loose strings. With the flats I try and get a really LOW action. I played a fretless and just recently went back to frets after 25 years and I HATE FRET BUZZ, so for me the tighter strings isnt an issue. Strings are cheap, try them out and see if you like them. Just dont buy two pairs within a week like I did. That was a waste. BOB

[JLS]

Unlike any other string; I've had a a set on my 5 string since 2002. A lot of the blues bassists here in the Bay area use them.

What I noticed, was that my bass became a BASS, not a guitar with big strings on it; I like that part of the musical spectrum, I can hear it, and I stay out of everyone else's register (except for the kick drum...)

[CB3000]

daddario chromes are my favorite-
i have tried most flatwounds and keep ending up back with chromes. i can play anything on them. plus they are reasonably priced and easy to find.
i absolutely love TI flats-i have them on a fretless now but for me they have not been as versatile as chromes.

[Dwiggs]

I think this has more or less been answered already in this thread, but could somebody please confirm that the standard 34" scale TI Flats will fit an '08 Fender American Standard P strung through the body? I want to make absolutely sure before dropping this much dough for a set of strings. Thanks in advance.

[Jeff Michael]

Originally Posted by Dwiggs

I think this has more or less been answered already in this thread, but could somebody please confirm that the standard 34" scale TI Flats will fit an '08 Fender American Standard P strung through the body? I want to make absolutely sure before dropping this much dough for a set of strings. Thanks in advance.

They fit fine on my string-through SCPB. And again, if you want a pre-broken in set...

JAM

[pjmuck]

You really owe it to yourself to try both the TIs and the Labellas. But you also need to give each time to acclimate. Flats don't really come to life until they're broken in, and for me that's at least a good 2-3 solid weeks of playing. I see too many players complain about high tension on flats or Labellas specifically when, in all likelihood, all they did was slap a new set on and formulate an immediate opinion before the break in period. The tension relaxes and settles over time.

I've got Chromes on my Jazz, Labella Jamerson's on my P, and TIs on my Tele SCPB. I love them all, though I did not like the TIs at first on my P due to the low tension. For some reason, however, they work great when I moved them on to my Tele bass (perhaps due to the string thru design?). So try them all and see what works best for your specific bass(es).

[FenderP]

Rotosounds are great. Some of my basses are body strung - no issues. I'm not a fan of the LaBella flats.

But as everyone says, it's all subjective. Try some out and see which set you like.