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Advice for '51 P-Bass Flats
- Thread starter oasis02
- Start date
I tried them back when i was first starting on bass - they just sounded way too dead and lifeless - and this is coming from someone who loves the sound of most flatwound strings. If you can try them out first I recommend you do so before dropping your hard earned dough on them.
I happen to be a tape wound fan. I've been using LaBella's on my fretless but I've recently installed a set of GHS tape wound stings on my Douglas Pisces (replica 50's P-bass). I went with GHS initially because they're less expensive however, there seems to be quite difference in tone. From what I understand, LaBella's are tape over flat wound as opposed to tape over round wound as in the GHS strings. As a result, the GHS's are brighter which I happen to like.
I just ordered a set of GHS nylon tape wound strings for my fretless which I hope to have by the weekend. I may do a sound clip of both. Going back to dcbluesbass' post, here are sound clips of the GHS tape wounds on my Douglas Pisces to give you some idea.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Fajah?gl=CA&hl=en#play/all/uploads-all/0/Noxejf1ZF2o
IMHO D'Addario groundwounds are the only strings that are worse than tapewounds - not because they sound worse (they actually sound pretty good), because they feel gritty and disgusting to me.
Ground wound (half-round) strings always felt the same to me. Ground wound strings tend to be brighter.
I can definitely tell you that the D'Addario groundwounds absolutely DO NOT feel the same as flats. Maybe others do, but those definitely do not - and I am not nitpicking at all - they are extremely different. They feel like 300 grit sandpaper. Some people might like that, but not me. Most flats are very polished and slick.
Check out this thread: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486831
I can say that the Fender Flats that I have are very smooth. They almost feel coated.
I haven't tried them all (yet) but I'm enjoying the Fender set I just threw on. Went for their "medium" offering: 50-65-85-100. (They're cheap, my preferred online retailer ships them for free and I knew they'd fit.)
I wanted to try something different after 10 years of TIs on my other P-bass. These are different, all right! You've got to fight for each note and it sounds like it - in a good way.
I wanted to try something different after 10 years of TIs on my other P-bass. These are different, all right! You've got to fight for each note and it sounds like it - in a good way.
One of my Labella tapes broke so I removed some of the tape and there's a roundwound string underneath.
Well, so far on my '51 reissue I've tried the Fender stainless and some old TIs.
The Fenders just didn't seem musical to me (forget my positive spin from the prior to last post
). Seemed like more than just a tension thing - they just always felt cold and unresponsive.
The old TIs were better - much more friendly to play. But I'm ready for some real thump.
After putting on some Roto 77s, I can immediately tell I'm getting somewhere. Suddenly, the bass has some real warmth and punch. I love the feel, too. (What can I say? I just like nickel.)
I got the extra long version, just to make sure it would fit. (Not sure that was necessary, though - the silk is a good 3 1/2" beyond the nut.)
The Fenders just didn't seem musical to me (forget my positive spin from the prior to last post
). Seemed like more than just a tension thing - they just always felt cold and unresponsive.The old TIs were better - much more friendly to play. But I'm ready for some real thump.
After putting on some Roto 77s, I can immediately tell I'm getting somewhere. Suddenly, the bass has some real warmth and punch. I love the feel, too. (What can I say? I just like nickel.)
I got the extra long version, just to make sure it would fit. (Not sure that was necessary, though - the silk is a good 3 1/2" beyond the nut.)
I have a MIJ 51 P RI that has been strung through body with LaBella Deep Talkin flats for over a year and I have not had any problem with them yet. LaBella does not recommend using them on string through body but that does not mean you can't.
I tried TI's right away when i first bought my 51. I could not find a tone i liked with this bass and even thought of selling it....we were not bonding.
I then switched out the bridge to a Fender reg and added DA' chromes. The bass is awsome now and goes neck and neck with my 50's classic P when i pick a bass to use at gigs.
I then switched out the bridge to a Fender reg and added DA' chromes. The bass is awsome now and goes neck and neck with my 50's classic P when i pick a bass to use at gigs.
