Another thread about first flatwound strings

[Baffenstein]

As a rule of thumb, go 1 gauge thinner with your flats. I.e. if you use 45-105 rounds, go with 40-100 flats, as they're generally stiffer than equivalent gauge rounds.

Thank you! A very useful advice!

 

[Baffenstein]

+1 on chromes. Slightly bright but a great tone straight out of the package. I've also tried fender 9050 but found the chromes a little more flexible. The Roto 77s had a good feel, but slightly more metallic clang to them. Chromes hit the sweet spot for me, And sounds like what you're looking for

I use mainly 45-100 round wounds, and found the 40-95 chromes set to be easy on the fingers and a good set for me.

Thank you! It seems Chromes are going to get a medal, while Rotosound 77's are hitting the bottom...

 

[Baffenstein]

For your reference, here's how the tension figures compare between D'A XL Nickel 45-100 (EXL170), D'A Chromes 40-95 (ECB80) and GHS Precsion Flats 45-95 (3025)...

D'A EXL170:

G 045 - 42.52 lbs
D 065 - 48.35
A 080 - 40.05
E 100 - 34.72 (Total 165.64)

D'A ECB80:

G 040 - 37.83 lbs.
D 060 - 46.49
A 075 - 42.58
E 095 - 36.20 (Total 163.10)

GHS 3025:

G 045 - 41.5 lbs.
D 060 - 46.5
A 075 - 38.5
E 095 - 36.7 (Total 163.2)

Wow! Awesome! I tried to set up a spreadsheet comparing string tension values I found here and there on the internet , finally I gave up because there were too many models and information was too inconsistent, so I left my homework unfinished but this was my goal! That's a very useful and valuable piece of information! I read somewhere here in TB that, beside objective tension, stiffness is to be considered, and this is much more subjective. What do you think about it? Thank you again!

 

[Baffenstein]

Labella 760-FL short scale strings should go well with that O-bass. The Chromes will be a bit brighter, and they sound real good, but they feel so rough, I don't get the flatwound feel from them. So if it's about experiencing the feel of flats, I say Labella - but Chromes might sound a little closer to a roundwounds, which you may like better.

Thanks a lot! Since the O-Bass is 34 inches I never considered short scale strings. I'll check if they fit. Do you think there will be any advantage or difference as opposed to long scale ones?

 

[Baffenstein]

I'll put in a plug for Fender flatwounds. I use 9050s (45-100) on a Precision and they sound good and are less expensive than Chromes. I use Labella nylon covered flats on my Rob Allens.

Thank you! I'll consider them too

 

[DeepHz]

I have tried many different flats over the years. After listening to the peeps on this forum I took the plunge on the TI Jazz Flats. I absolutely love them and would buy another set for my P bass in a minute!

 

[packhowitzer]

One comment about Chromes: I really like them and they are my choice for flatwound strings. But they often have a slightly tacky or sticky feel to them that takes a couple of weeks to wear off. After that, they are slick and smooth and have a very nice feel as one would expect flats to have.

So for you, or anyone, who is new to flats and new to chromes - just be aware of that. I think there have been numerous instances on talkbass of first time chromes users discarding them before really giving them a chance to break in. just my .02

 

[Black Sabbatical]

I agree with GHS P Flats. I was in your situation a couple years ago and took Talkbass advice. They feel similar to rounds tension wise(to me). Plus they sound great, I can get a thumpy sound or really aggressive punk, just depends on how I'm playing them. Good luck.

 

[Baffenstein]

Welcome to TalkBass! Your English is fine!

When I started playing bass back in 1965 I had a no-name Japanese bass with flat wounds. I was not actually aware there were anything but flats until the 70's. Luckily in 1966 I got rid of that piece of junk Japanese bass (before Japan figured out how to make good basses) and got a 1965 Jazz Bass. It came with a set of Fender Flat Wound strings on it. I used those for about 5 years. In 1971 I started touring with a night club group playing 5-nights a week, 50-weeks a year for 3 years. I broke the G string a few months in and decided to replace the set. So I bought a set of Fender Black Nylon Tape Wounds and used those until 1976 when my bass was stolen

Finally found another Jazz with the same neck shape, profile, and radius in 1985 and bought it. It's an '82 Jazz with maple neck and it's in Olympic White will white pickguard, pickups, control knobs and binding on the neck. It came with round-wounds and over the next 33-years I replaced with round wounds. I originally used the Dean Markley Blue Steel, and then switched to the DR Black Beauty strings. Eventually those became Gray-speckled strings.

Replaced those about 4-years ago with LaBella White Tape Wound strings and I'll never go back. They handle like flats but still have some nice high harmonics that you normally get on round wounds, but not on flats. Plus they have the best balanced sound from string to string of any that I've played. No need to go up to the 7th fret to get some body in a note that otherwise sounds too thin on the second fret of the next string. I'll play that octave E and A at either location depending upon where my hand is at the time.

They make 4 versions of these strings. Black has the darkest sound; White has the brightest sound, and white over copper core is brighter than the Black, and white over gold core is brighter than the copper. I picked the white to match my white bass. The white ones are semi-opaque and you can see the color of the core through them. Those just happened to be the best for me and my bass. They didn't seem to need time to break in and they haven't gone dead yeat after 4-years of playing them. I'd recommend you give these guys a shot.

TalkBass sells them at the store. Here's a link to the Tape Wound, use the options in the left column to choose your color:
https://store.talkbass.com/collections/la-bella?pf_t_winding=Winding:Tapewound

Thanks for the advice, and the useful details! I thought tapes were generally darker than flats, I guess i'll have to lister to more samples and demos, but they seem worth a try. I checked the link in your post and I noticed that gauges are generally heavier than the average. Are they stiffer too?

 

[staurosjohn]

I used Roto SS 66's (.105) on my RIC for (almost) all of the 35yrs I had it… 'changed course' a few years back…
I've cycled thru various flats - over the past few yrs (my first time, ever, using flats) - here are some, random, thoughts:
- I play 'hard' so TI's & Labella LTF's were too loose (for me)
- Echoing what others have said - def. went with (.100) as flats 'feel' fatter (& more tension)
- I have used Chromes… will probably get some again!
- EB Cobalts retain a 'crisp' sound… have a nice feel
- I, recently, put GHS Precision Flats (.095) on my Oly White P - I'm finding them easier on my fingers (as I'm older & my hands not as strong as they once were)
- I've used, pretty much, all of the (widely available) flats - and the ones shown give me a variety (of tone & feel)
- Jason at Fret Nation takes time to answer questions (www.fretnation.com) don't hesitate asking him for suggestions
- @michael_t (seen above) shares a vast array of great, useable info

Still have Roto rounds on my 'Geddy Lee P'

 

[Baffenstein]

All flats sets I've tried were good and liked them all, for different reasons. At the moment I have a custom 50-70-85-105 set of Dunlop flats on my Pbass (for across-the-board dub fatness ). Nice versatile strings, can sound old school but also new school depending on how you EQ them. You could try the standard 45-105 set, which seems to have about the same tension as a D'Addario set of rounds of the same gauge, possibly due to a thinner core wire). Jah Rastafari!

Thank you Phaidros! In fact I didn't put the core width in the equation. Should I consider core shape too?

 

[Baffenstein]

Five out of six basses that I own wear flats. Two with Dunlop, one with La Bella, one with Fender, and one with DR Legends. All a little different, and all sound good, but the La Bella's are my fave. Just bought another set of La Bella but not sure which bass I'll put them on. The only one not sporting flats has GHS Pressure wound, also a great sounding string and nice between flat and round feel.

Thanks! I'm curious about pressurewounds, too... Maybe I'll try them on my Jazz Bass in the future. Those, or maybe some half rounds or goundwound strings. But I'm going out of topic here...

 

[Baffenstein]

Casting an oddball here: Optima Flats.
They are quite middle-of-the-road in many aspects. I'd recommend them to a flatwound beginner.

Thank you! Never heard of them, I'll do some research

 

[el murdoque]

Thank you! Never heard of them, I'll do some research

https://optima-strings.com/shop/en/electric-bass/flatwounds/

 

[BarfanyShart]

Thanks a lot! Since the O-Bass is 34 inches I never considered short scale strings. I'll check if they fit. Do you think there will be any advantage or difference as opposed to long scale ones?

No, sorry, I thought the O bass was a short scale bass. My bad. Ignore any suggestion of short scale strings.

 

[Baffenstein]

I went with the La Bella "Deep Talkin' Flats": 760FL-B 5-String - Light.

On my 4-string, I use Di Addario EXL165 (nickel hex-core), and find the light DTF strings similar in tension/stiffness. The DTF strings also come in heavier gauges which are very stiff, but the 760FL strings are similar in stiffness to the rounds I use.

I never tried La Bella Low Tension Flats, but many here like them.

With any flats, check the length of the string, and where the silk winding starts. Depending on your bass, it is possible to get a string where the main part of the string (rather than the silk winding) starts wrapping around your tuning-peg. La Bella has a good string-guide on their site to help you pick the right string-set.

Thank you!! I'll follow your advice!

 

[Baffenstein]

Be sure your bass can handle the added tension of flats - a medium set might be too much for your o bass - neck looks skinny

Thank you! I'll consider that. The neck is not chunky, but it doesn't seem thinner than the Jazz Bass neck (I haven't measured, so it's more a feeling than a fact. ); in any case I'm going to have the bass set up by a tech becausa i can't do it at home, so I'll discuss the issue with him. Thanks a lot!

 

[Phaidrus]

Thank you Phaidros! In fact I didn't put the core width in the equation. Should I consider core shape too?

You're welcome! Core shape does play a role too in terms of the flexibility of the string - and also in terms of tone, some say. Round core is more flexible than hex core. So the end result is a combination of diameter and shape. For example, D'Addario Pro Steels (rounds) and Dunlop strings in general (flats and rounds) have hexagonal core wire but because it is - apparently - thinner, it is quite flexible.

 

[Baffenstein]

No, sorry, I thought the O bass was a short scale bass. My bad. Ignore any suggestion of short scale strings.

Yes! It's quite common, I read reviews describing it as a short scale before buying it, it's been one of the reasons that had me hesitant about it. I don't know, it must be because many single cut shape basses are short scale, or because the body is actually quite small...

 

[michael_t]

One comment about Chromes: I really like them and they are my choice for flatwound strings. But they often have a slightly tacky or sticky feel to them that takes a couple of weeks to wear off. After that, they are slick and smooth and have a very nice feel as one would expect flats to have.

The D'A Chromes and the Fender 9050 flats, which come from the same factory, are notorious for being sticky when new. This has to do with the residue of the compound used in the final polishing process left on them. All it takes is a wipe-down with an isopropyl alcohol wipe BEFORE INSTALLATION to make sure they're free of any gunk from the factory.