Balanced, characterful flatwound strings

[iiipopes]

I was getting ready to post about Fender Flats and then I read iipopes comment. Exactly! The old Fender Flats were made in Mexico of USA materials and they had the turquoise silk only on the ball end. I've heard that the new Fender Flats are made by D'Addarrio and they have silk on both ends.

The old Fender Flats had a really nice classic flat sound and high tension. I find the new Fender Flats to be on the bright side but they have less tension.

Thanks for the comment, but there are actually three generations of Fender flats. I was referring to the "golden age" original flats made by the V. C. Squier company, the original OEM supplier, which Fender eventually bought. These are the woody, organic strings I am referring to. Then production was transferred to Mexico for a few short years a couple of decades or so ago, but I don't have much information on those strings. And now, or as of the last few years, we have the "new" Fender flats with colored ball ends and green silk that have the growl.

 

[hotbass57]

What bass do have them on?

The SD Curlee in my pic. They help tone down that hot Dimarzio pu

 

[droberts444]

How would you describe the difference between the Pyramid Gold and the DR Legend, in terms of tone and playability?

The Pyramid E feels a little stiffer but the other strings flex more than the DRs. I like the DRs quite a bit actually, but my hands got tired. They are a bit more modern sounding too, which is cool. If I liked real low action, they’d be great for me. Unfortunately I like medium action so the Pyramids just work better for me. Also I should add that the DRs seem more consistent string to string tone wise, but I find the string to string tonal variations part of the Pyramids’ charm. I’m not sure if you are a Phil Lesh fan, but I always liked his mid 70s tone, how when he played low it was tubby, but up high his notes sang. It’s not for everyone, but I love it. The DRs are more balanced tonally in my experience, which others might prefer. Both sets are super smooth and superbly polished.

 

[Phaidrus]

The Pyramid E feels a little stiffer but the other strings flex more than the DRs. I like the DRs quite a bit actually, but my hands got tired. They are a bit more modern sounding too, which is cool. If I liked real low action, they’d be great for me. Unfortunately I like medium action so the Pyramids just work better for me. Also I should add that the DRs seem more consistent string to string tone wise, but I find the string to string tonal variations part of the Pyramids’ charm. I’m not sure if you are a Phil Lesh fan, but I always liked his mid 70s tone, how when he played low it was tubby, but up high his notes sang. It’s not for everyone, but I love it. The DRs are more balanced tonally in my experience, which others might prefer. Both sets are super smooth and superbly polished.

Thanks for the input. It can be difficult, when it comes to string choice, to strike a balance between possibly antithetical qualities, like a deep sweet round tone that is also somewhat bouncy and not just thumpy - and all that with not too much tension and with good playability/flexibility. I have D'Addario Tapewounds on my flat string Pbass at the moment. I like them, for my reggae-dub project, but perhaps they're not quite what I'm looking for. I strung this bass with a Pyramid 45-105 set the other day (salvaged from my string drawer...) and found the sound too one-dimensional, if I may so put it. Lots of thud but not much punch nor melody nor bounce. Also the 105 E string felt like a cable. I'm considering DR Legend or perhaps Thomastik Jazz flats or some lighter La Bella set (760FL) or the La Bella Low Tension Flats (LTF-4A). Not sure whether they're the right choice though.

 

[Pier_]

over the OEM Hofner (which are really Pyramid) flats.

actually, they are not the same strings! they might look identical, with green silk and smooth nickel surface, but they are different strings.

the tension is different, the surface is actually different, and the gauges are not the same.

Hofner: 44-59-75-99 (actual gauge)

Pyramid: 42-58-78-102 (actual gauge)

the Pyramid are less "smooth" compared to the Hofner, the surface is slightly rougher and the overall tension is higher.
the sound is also brighter and the E-string sounds better.

I thought they were the same strings, until I had some basses with both sets (actually 2 Hofner sets and 4 Pyramid Gold) at the same time

 

[HaphAsSard]

actually, they are not the same strings! they might look identical, with green silk and smooth nickel surface, but they are different strings.

the tension is different, the surface is actually different, and the gauges are not the same.

Hofner: 44-59-75-99 (actual gauge)

Pyramid: 42-58-78-102 (actual gauge)

the Pyramid are less "smooth" compared to the Hofner, the surface is slightly rougher and the overall tension is higher.
the sound is also brighter and the E-string sounds better.

I thought they were the same strings, until I had some basses with both sets (actually 2 Hofner sets and 4 Pyramid Gold) at the same time

There are two different Höfner-brand flatwound sets:

model no. HCT1133B are (probably) Asian-made flatwounds, stock on some Ignition models (IIRC)
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

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as opposed to the (probably) German flatwound set (H1133B), also found stock on more expensive models
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

https://www.thomann.de/it/hoefner_h1133_beatlebasssaiten.htm
https://www.thomannmusic.com/hoefner_h1133_beatlebasssaiten.htm

Which are you referring to?

 

[GIBrat51]

It was a while ago that I read it , lots of companies claim that they don't release tension data but sometimes it seems that if you are lucky enough for the right person to answer your query you will get the answer, I know Rotosound don't release tension figures and often refuse to give this information but I remember someone on here asked them a while ago and got the information. Really though anyone with a decent, very sensitive set of scales and a set of wire cutters to cut the string to the appropriate length can work out tension information, I can't remember what the formula is though.

Rotosound absolutely does publish their string tension figures; for every freakin' string that they make. Type "Rotosound string tension" into your search engine, and with a little messing around, you'll be looking at spread sheets with enough tension figures - for every single string in every single set - to make your eyes cross. I have the site bookmarked... But, yeah; some companies act like you're asking for the formula for Coca Cola, if you ask for tension numbers. I have no idea why... Normally, I simply don't worry about it. Flats usually have more tension than rounds; just a fact of Life that I just live with. None of the basses I own - or have ever played - have had a problem with flats, in the 50+ years I've used the things; I doubt I'll have a problem with them in the future...

 

[Pier_]

Which are you referring to?

I'm talking about the german made; I had them on two Hofner 500/1, one on a re62 and one on a re61.

I firstly noticed the difference when I bought the 62, because I had an Ignition with the Pyramid set, and I felt that the strings on the german made hofner were smoother and much lighter, in particular on the A string, and sounded dull.

so I measured them with a caliber, and noticed the difference in gauge.

I switched to Pyramid on the re62 and found the same feeling and sound of the Ignition, with a less smooth surface but clearer sound and more sustain on the E-string.

then I bought a re61, and noticed the same thing: light, smooth and dull strings, with the E-string sounding sull and dead.
same here, I measured and found the same gauge, switched to Pyramid, and found the same feel and sound of the other basses.

although the difference could have been only in the gauge, the fact that the surface is so different made me think that they are not the same strings in different gauges.
they actually are different strings, even the ball end is different, smaller and grey on the Pyramids; the only thing they have in common is the green silk.

 

[shoulderpet]

Rotosound absolutely does publish their string tension figures; for every freakin' string that they make. Type "Rotosound string tension" into your search engine, and with a little messing around, you'll be looking at spread sheets with enough tension figures - for every single string in every single set - to make your eyes cross. I have the site bookmarked... But, yeah; some companies act like you're asking for the formula for Coca Cola, if you ask for tension numbers. I have no idea why... Normally, I simply don't worry about it. Flats usually have more tension than rounds; just a fact of Life that I just live with. None of the basses I own - or have ever played - have had a problem with flats, in the 50+ years I've used the things; I doubt I'll have a problem with them in the future...

Yeah they do now, I am guessing I must have posted this before they made this information available.