Another flats convert

[moon-bass]

I've never been the biggest fan of flats. When I got a bass and it had flats, I couldn't get them off fast enough. A few weeks ago, I realized that I never gave them a chance.

I have a few sets here, including a set of TI Jazz flats and a set of Rotosound flats. I put the TIs on my 72 Jazz and the Rotos on my 93 Thumb fretless.

I wonder why I waited so long! Love the tone and the feel! Granted they will never replace my nickel wounds, but I could kick myself for not giving them more of a shot sooner!

 

[marchone]

I've had a '68 Tele bass since '71. I had Rotosound 66s on it from the start because I wanted Ron Wood's sound on Beck Ola. The midrange treble boost Rotosounds gave cut through the mix muddy flats couldn't do in a power trio.

Ten years ago I put D'Adderio flats on it to get closer to a Country or even Motown sound.

Now I have TI Jazz flats on my Precision and the roundwounds are back on the Telecaster. The TIs give me a nearly acoustic tone that is gorgeously rich. Yet boosts up impressively with the single tone control on the Precision's split pickup.

Best of both worlds IMHO.

 

[WillyW]

All my fretted have flatwounds and all my fretless have roundwounds.

they just don't feel right any other way.

I recently got a new fretted and was going to give roundwounds a chance for a week or two, but that only lasted about 20 minutes...

Pyramid golds are my favorite, followed by EB cobalt, and Dunlop and TI tied for third.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

After having installed them in my J-bass, Pyramid Gold 45-105 have now become my favourite flatwound strings, also in consideration of their lower price when compared to TI JF344!
Snappy sound with just the right amount of tension

 

[WillyW]

After having installed them in my J-bass, Pyramid Gold 45-105 have now become my favourite flatwound strings, also in consideration of their lower price when compared to TI JF344!
Snappy sound with just the right amount of tension

pyramid golds are my runaway favorite, on a good day I can get them under $50.

ernie ball extra slinky cobalts can be had for under $30, the pyramids are just barely worth the extra $20, but they are worth it.

I lucked out and got a set of ti's for around $55, but the eb extra slinky's are way better.

 

[moon-bass]

pyramid golds are my runaway favorite, on a good day I can get them under $50.

ernie ball extra slinky cobalts can be had for under $30, the pyramids are just barely worth the extra $20, but they are worth it.

I lucked out and got a set of ti's for around $55, but the eb extra slinky's are way better.

I've heard good stuff about the pyramids I may give them a try. I just bought a P Bass and thinking about putting some Steve Harris flats on it ...

 

[dagrev]

I have many sets of flats on various basses. They all do their own thing. But Pyramids on my '64 are a fantastic match. The search for that bass is over.

 

[moon-bass]

My Ritter came with Labella nylon coated flats. Insane how great they feel and sound!

 

[Hummergeist]

I have recently picked up a Steinberger Synapse 5 string, which is a fretless with lines. The previous owner had flats on it. First time I've ever used them, and now I can't imagine anything else. Honeymoon period? Not sure yet, but my fretted bass with round wounds has not been touched in weeks. it really does feel like a 'where have you been all my life?' deal.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I tried a lot of flats sets as well, I believe the equivalent of 700/800€ in the last couple of years .. all in all the best flats I tried and played are the TI JF344; there are reasons why they are highly coveted; I'm not going to state them here, also because some of them may be judged as being subjective.
I believe that one should find them by buying and set and playing these strings (it may be a very expensive experiment in the US, though).
Fender flats are stiff and too bright; strength point? They are dirt cheap.
Chromes? Very good all-rounders and cheap! Good product.
Optima 4440L RB? Very good vintage tone and flexibility; they are definitely too expensive, though, even in Europe.
LaBella LTF-4A? yeah .. snappy vintage tone a-go-go; however, somehow stiff and prone to get damaged when installed on more than one bass (I've also experienced problems in setting the bass neck's relief after their installation).
Pyramid Gold? aahh .. cheap (in Europe of course), well coated, ends plasticized and tonally really full (same can be said about Dunlop's flats but they are expensive in Europe) .. my J bass has never sounded better HIGHLY recommended !

 

[moon-bass]

I tried a lot of flats sets as well, I believe the equivalent of 700/800€ in the last couple of years .. all in all the best flats I tried and played are the TI JF344; there are reasons why they are highly coveted; I'm not going to state them here, also because some of them may be judged as being subjective.
I believe that one should find them by buying and set and playing these strings (it may be a very expensive experiment in the US, though).
Fender flats are stiff and too bright; strength point? They are dirt cheap.
Chromes? Very good all-rounders and cheap! Good product.
Optima 4440L RB? Very good vintage tone and flexibility; they are definitely too expensive, though, even in Europe.
LaBella LTF-4A? yeah .. snappy vintage tone a-go-go; however, somehow stiff and prone to get damaged when installed on more than one bass (I've also experienced problems in setting the bass neck's relief after their installation).
Pyramid Gold? aahh .. cheap (in Europe of course), well coated, ends plasticized and tonally really full (same can be said about Dunlop's flats but they are expensive in Europe) .. my J bass has never sounded better HIGHLY recommended !

Yeah - the TI JFs are on the Jazz, and wow. Love them. It's like a whole new world has opened up.

 

[moon-bass]

I have recently picked up a Steinberger Synapse 5 string, which is a fretless with lines. The previous owner had flats on it. First time I've ever used them, and now I can't imagine anything else. Honeymoon period? Not sure yet, but my fretted bass with round wounds has not been touched in weeks. it really does feel like a 'where have you been all my life?' deal.

I'll never give up my rounds - can't imagine my fretless Jazz with anything else - but yeah - definitely having some "where have you been all my life" moments ...

 

[thabassmon]

I'm glad you like them. Flats on a bass guitar emphasizes the bass functionality of the instrument, a good choice for a bassplayer even if it is only one instrument.

At one time flats are what came on new basses, I think that it really should still be that way, there would be more people exposed to using flats, possibly encouraging more users and more sets to be available.

In that scenario, if a player wanted to sound less bassy they could choose to switch to rounds, and that would be the alternative choice.

I use both because they are different flavours, D'Addario Nickel Rounds, GHS Precision Flats and Thomastik Nickel Flats. D'Addario Nickel Rounds were my string of choice for years but I am favouring the Flats these days, they simply sound better at bass than the rounds to me.

Currently my #1 bass wears D'Addario Rounds, my #2 bass wears Thomastik Flats and my #3 wears GHS Flats. I have ordered a set of Thomastik JF346 (I already have quite the stockpile of D'Addario XLs) so that will be switched to
#1 Thomastik Flats E1,A1,D2,G2,C3 + F3 D'Addario Steel Plain,
#2 D'Addario Rounds E1,A1,D2,G2,C3,
#3 fretless four will remain strung with GHS Precision flats E1,A1,D2,G2 for now, but I can see me switching that either La Bella Deep Talking Flats or D'Addario Tapewounds. I don't think I'll ever put roundwounds on a fretless again, I know it's the norm but I just really detest that sound.

So as time goes on, less and less on my basses or guitars have rounds. For approximately two decades they were always strung with rounds, now and in the foreseeable future only one bass and only one guitar will have rounds.

 

[dagrev]

I tried a lot of flats sets as well, I believe the equivalent of 700/800€ in the last couple of years .. all in all the best flats I tried and played are the TI JF344; there are reasons why they are highly coveted; I'm not going to state them here, also because some of them may be judged as being subjective.
I believe that one should find them by buying and set and playing these strings (it may be a very expensive experiment in the US, though).
Fender flats are stiff and too bright; strength point? They are dirt cheap.
Chromes? Very good all-rounders and cheap! Good product.
Optima 4440L RB? Very good vintage tone and flexibility; they are definitely too expensive, though, even in Europe.
LaBella LTF-4A? yeah .. snappy vintage tone a-go-go; however, somehow stiff and prone to get damaged when installed on more than one bass (I've also experienced problems in setting the bass neck's relief after their installation).
Pyramid Gold? aahh .. cheap (in Europe of course), well coated, ends plasticized and tonally really full (same can be said about Dunlop's flats but they are expensive in Europe) .. my J bass has never sounded better HIGHLY recommended !

Nice summary, Gianni!

I have TI's on a couple of basses. They may not be for every bass, but when they are a good match, it's magic. And, they will last well over a decade.

 

[moon-bass]

I put some TI Jazz flats on my Precision today. Again, what took me so long. Just killer.

I have a jar of about 20 different types of picks, gonna have a blast going thru and trying all of them tonight!