Affordable Flats?

[aero58]

I just saw that S.I.T. Power Flats are on sale for $29.99 on their website. I haven't tried them, but perhaps someone else has and can chime in; it's close to your price range.

 

[wellshuxley]

Jeez, flats have gotten expensive! I would’ve recommended “open box” Chromes from Amazon, as they were sold for something like $12 only a few years ago, but not so much anymore.

 

[sxaxsx]

Fender Flats 9050's are your best bet, inexpensive, last a long time, great strings. Amazon $29.00
Just Strings has them for $25.61
I use both ghs precision flats and
Fender 9050m both great (IMO)
Prefer Fender Flats...Good luck!

I'm looking to experiment with flats on my G&L Kiloton, but the flats I have looked at are all in the $30 to $50 range. Are there any cheaper flats in the $20 range that sound good?

I agree with Fender flats, those tend to be the cheapest well regarded flats around here. But 9050M are a little bit thicker and higher tension than I would recommend for your first set of flats. I would suggest the 9050L pack. I don't want you to get the thicker gauge and be scared off flats.

 

[sxaxsx]

Do they really last that long? My experience is limited to rounds and they certainly go dead. I have heard they last longer, but do they not go dead as well?

No they don't. I almost exclusively play flats and people try to say the last for a year but that's not true. I notice a big difference after a few months.

Sure they change after a few months, that's when most people start liking them. They dull after a couple months and then people play them for the next ten years. That change is what most of us flats players are waiting for.
I don't think flats sound like dead rounds at all as others have said. I hate the sound of dead rounds, but flats I love. The flats on my two basses have been there for at least five years.

 

[BarfanyShart]

You're never going to change them, so what do you care what they cost? Buy the Fender 9050L's, you will like them.

 

[MdC64]

Check the classifieds here if you're looking for a deal. Sometimes people will sell slightly used or almost new flats at a discount since they tried them and went with something else. For example, here's a set of Labellas recently sold on Talkbass for a great price.

Bought these a couple days ago in the classifieds for 20.00. New in box. Great deal.

 

[Chrisk-K]

The most expensive flats will cost you less than $5 per year, given their long lifespan.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You don't have to buy TI flats, but don't ruin your experiment while trying to save $10.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I'm looking to experiment with flats on my G&L Kiloton, but the flats I have looked at are all in the $30 to $50 range. Are there any cheaper flats in the $20 range that sound good?

Fenders

 

[jpmcbride]

I'm looking to experiment with flats on my G&L Kiloton, but the flats I have looked at are all in the $30 to $50 range. Are there any cheaper flats in the $20 range that sound good?

As other have suggested, you might consider the Fender 9050 flats for $29 on Amazon.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

GHS Precision Flats. You will love the tone you get from these strings... mellow yet punchy and they're smooth as glass. $35 isn't outrageous and they will last you years!

 

[Kipp Harrington]

I've been playing expensive Thomastik Infeld JF344's for the past 10-12 years. But recently I've been really liking these Ernie Ball Cobalt flats. Both the light and regular gauge. They are less than $30 as well.
**ERNIE BALL FLATWOUND COBALT SUPER SLINKY 45-100 ELECTRIC BASS STRINGS 2814** 749699128144 | eBay

My "go to" string. I have 6 basses and 5 of them are wearing these... soon to be all 6!

 

[bolophonic]

I'm looking to experiment with flats on my G&L Kiloton, but the flats I have looked at are all in the $30 to $50 range. Are there any cheaper flats in the $20 range that sound good?

Instead of trying to find the cheapest flats, I would recommend buying high quality used sets out of the TB Classifieds. I have tried several different types and the most I ever paid was ~$35 for a set of TI’s.

 

[longfinger]

Do they really last that long? My experience is limited to rounds and they certainly go dead. I have heard they last longer, but do they not go dead as well?

One set can last several years. The more "dead" they get, the more like "flats" they sound. Only replace them once the intonation goes off.

 

[jbhaugh]

Do they really last that long? My experience is limited to rounds and they certainly go dead. I have heard they last longer, but do they not go dead as well?

After 10+ years they might stop intonating properly, but if they stay on the same bass they're good for a LONG time (at least the ones I've tried). The dead flats sound is what most people are looking for so that's not really an issue.

 

[Hutch801]

I was not sure if the flats lasted long enough for the extra money to be worth it but judging from most responses on here they sure are. Thanks for all the great info.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

...GHS Precision Flats (old-school).

I second this suggestion.

I love them because while they aren't "dead thumpy" out of the box (usually the tone you want from flats, something with a fat low end and mellow highs like Jamerson had), you can get them there with less abuse and time than other flats I've tried. The E string on the mediums after some breaking in is phenomenal, I like them better than Labella DTFs, Chromes, RotoSH77, and Fender 9050s (all ones I've tried before).

 

[Jazzdogg]

Do they really last that long? My experience is limited to rounds and they certainly go dead. I have heard they last longer, but do they not go dead as well?

I have TI Jazz Flats on eight of my basses. They all sound great, and some haven't been changed for twenty years or more; of course, I use flats because I abhor the brightness and finger noise endemic to most rounds.

 

[JeffTCS]

I'm looking to experiment with flats on my G&L Kiloton, but the flats I have looked at are all in the $30 to $50 range. Are there any cheaper flats in the $20 range that sound good?

I have a set of Chromes or Labella low tension flats I could send you, not sure the labellas would work they are cut for 2x2. Let me know

 

[Engineer_Josh]

I have fender 9050’s on one bass and Ernie Ball cobalt flats on another, a third bass was wearing chromes until recently, of the three my favorites are the cobalt flats