Yet another comparison of flats

[Chris K]

D’Addario Chromes, Rotosound Jazz Flats, La Bella 760-M, Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats

Playing:
Rotos: A pleasant feel. Need much time to break them in. High tension after breaking them in, requiring me to ‘hammer’ the strings instead of plucking them, thus reducing my options for expression through different types of plucking. Hard on the left hand in low doubles.
Chromes: Very smooth. Windings can hardly be felt. No time needed to break them in. Stay in tune quickly. Tension is mid-high, acceptable to the left hand, but stubborn to the plucking hand.
La Bella 760-M: Smooth, thick strings. Needed some time to adjust the touch of my pinky to the E and B string, that has to be very precise. This will not do good to control in the lower areas. Mid-tension, easy on both hands.
TI’s: Strings are light gauge. A pleasant feeling of grip for the left hand. Lowest tension, very easy to pluck, allowing a lot of speed and control.

Sound:
Rotos: Large tone spectrum from low to bright, easily adjustable by equalizing. Well defined, clear tone, like low piano strings, especially on A, D and G. Decent sustain. Tone isn’t very consistent across the strings. B and E are less clear.
Chromes: Large tone spectrum also, but less definition, especially in the high register where they become unclear. Relatively little sustain, hampering the ‘singing’ qualities of fretless playing. Good tonal consistency across strings. Very good, bassy G.
La Bella 760-M: Very, very deep, as advertised! Very, very thumpy. Yet a reasonable definition in all registers. Large sound output, but, with modern amps, this might not be an important issue. Decent sustain. Good consistency of tone across the strings.
TI’s: Very large tone spectrum, allowing all colors desired by adjusting tone controls, from deep to bright. Good punch. Excellent definition all over, striking clarity of doubles and chords in the high register, also with brights turned down. Very good sustain, even gaining intensity after the pluck. Good consistency of tone across the strings.

[ljazz]

Great stuff Chris.....

I'd be interested in knowing the gauge of the chromes you tested. While I don't play fretless, and with the exception of the "thump", I could almost flip around the description of the chromes and labellas. I find a drastic difference in the midrange detail of the chromes (lots) and labellas (lacking)...... although the labellas I have here are several years old, and I don't remember what gauge..... the chromes I'm currently playing are the .100 - .045.


spot on with the TI description.... although mine are almost three years old now, and there hasn't been a whole lotta bright for a couple of years now.

[Chris K]

[quote=ljazz;8712354]Great stuff Chris.....

I'd be interested in knowing the gauge of the chromes you tested. the chromes I'm currently playing are the .100 - .045.
QUOTE]

Those are the ones... liked them a lot, good mids like you said, but too stiff on the plucking hand for me. I'm mostly a jazz player, like you. Right now the TI's are fav. I can assure you, there's enough brigthness there. Strings do not just wear out from playing, but also from being strung, I'm afraid.

[Shakin-Slim]

Have you had a problem were flats tend to be thinner strings and (particularly the A string) rattles in the nut?