For the past month or so I have had my Squier Precision Bass strung with GHS Precision Flatwounds, and I began to miss the treble and agressive tone. I thought I would string my new SX Jazz Bass with some D'Addario XL's so I would have two basses with different tones. After a week with the SX, I find myself wanting to put flats on it. There is just something about that warm, fat, mellow tone that flats give you. My main inspiration to even purchase flats in the first place was Ben Kenney of Incubus, who is one of the few hard rock bassists to use flats. I have fallen in love with tones like this - - and I don't appreciate rounds anymore. Has this happened to anyone else?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Any complete flatwound converts?
- Thread starter Ryan Mohr
- Start date
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
My two uprights and three electric basses are all strung with Thomastik-Infeld flatwounds, and I couldn't be happier.
No clank and rattle for me
No clank and rattle for me
Thangfish
...overly qualified for janitorical deployment...
I've finally gone to flats on everything... except the Geddy.
DR Black Beauties on it, which are slightly mellower than some rounds (IMO) after break-in.
Hey, clank and rattle has it's place!
Waiting on a set of TI flats to come in now!
DR Black Beauties on it, which are slightly mellower than some rounds (IMO) after break-in.
Hey, clank and rattle has it's place!
Waiting on a set of TI flats to come in now!
I put Joe Osborn flats on my Lakland 55-01 a couple of months ago just to see what they were like. From the first note I played, unplugged, I knew. I have never been as satisfied with my tone. Just yesterday I plugged in my Fender Jazz Bass Special that is strung with some old Elixirs. I was almost repelled by the brightness.
My experience has been that if I need a mellow tone, I can nearly always "roll it off" from a broken-in set of nickel roundwounds. Whilst I like the feel of flats, I don't use them on my magnetic pickup basses. On my piezo-powered Carvin AC40, I use nylon tape...sorta like a flat but with a more upper-mid focus.
I don't think I'll ever be a flat convert, but they do have their place.
I don't think I'll ever be a flat convert, but they do have their place.
I've got flats on all my basses except my Rickenbackers now. Fenders (P or J) are best with flats IMO, but I don't slap, finger pick only.
Only one bass I own is sans flats, and I never play it. I don't put flats on that since I can't justify the $$$ plus the bass itself is across the country.
The basses I have are all strung with different brand flats. Kinda like different flavors of ice cream if you will.
This P-Bass over here is pistachio mocha chip.
The basses I have are all strung with different brand flats. Kinda like different flavors of ice cream if you will.
This P-Bass over here is pistachio mocha chip.
Only one bass I own is sans flats, and I never play it. I don't put flats on that since I can't justify the $$$ plus the bass itself is across the country.
The basses I have are all strung with different brand flats. Kinda like different flavors of ice cream if you will.
This P-Bass over here is pistachio mocha chip.
I've done the same thing --
'59 P-bass has La Bella 760FLs
'57 P-bass has Fender 9050MLs
Squier VM Jazz Fretless has TIs
Squier P5 has D'Addario Chromes
SX P-bass has Rotosounds
I've done the same thing --
'59 P-bass has La Bella 760FLs
'57 P-bass has Fender 9050MLs
Squier VM Jazz Fretless has TIs
Squier P5 has D'Addario Chromes
SX P-bass has Rotosounds
57 RI Pbass has LaBella Jamerson Flatwounds
Fretless Franken P has TI flats
2008 American Standard P has GHS flats
My jazz has LaBella Tapewound flats
And my Ric has an ancient set of Rotosound Jazz Flats that need to be replaced soon.
Someday I want to try a set of Jamerson's on a P-bass but not on either my '59 CS or '57 AV reissues because the truss is a pain to adjust, and all that tension is going to require an adjustment.
I just can't commit to flats. I have a couple basses with them and for some things they're great, but rounds are my thing and I think they always will be.
I'm waiting to get my SX Jazz back with flats on it. I was inspired by Ben Kenney too to try flats. His tone on the Red Rocks DVD is great.
Just put a set of Fender 9050ML's on my P and find that I'm looking for Flats for my other basses too, who makes a good 5 string set?
1970-fretless P-bass-TI-flats.
1966-Gibson EB-O- GHS-flats.
Lakland USA Glaub-TI-flats.
1976-Fender Jazz- with 1971-P-neck- Chrome flats.
Custom 4-string fretless-TI-flats.
The only bass that I use rounds are my MTD J5. (DR Sunbeams)
