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Best flatwound strings for the G&L L2000

#21
The G&L MFD pickups are extremely sensitive to strings. My L-2000s have worn a wide variety of strings, including flats, but I always keep coming back to either GHS Boomers, which were what the MFDs were originally designed around. I used rounds on my first L-2000 for 15 years and there was barely a mark on the frets when I sold it. I think you're being a bit absurd if you're limiting yourself based on saving a little money on fretwork 20 years down the road.

Edit: My L-1000 recently got TI Jazz Flats and I love them on that bass. It lets me really run it a lot more wide open and I can spend a lot less time tweaking the bass and treble controls.
 
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#22
Thank you for all of the feedback! Great stuff. It sounds like the Chromes may do the trick. I'll try those. I also have some rotosounds rounds I have laying around. I'll try those too. I'll definitely check out Steve Harris' as suggested. Good info all.
 
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#23
lakefx said:
The G&L MFD pickups are extremely sensitive to strings. My L-2000s have worn a wide variety of strings, including flats, but I always keep coming back to either GHS Boomers, which were what the MFDs were originally designed around. I used rounds on my first L-2000 for 15 years and there was barely a mark on the frets when I sold it. I think you're being a bit absurd if you're limiting yourself based on saving a little money on fretwork 20 years down the road.

Edit: My L-1000 recently got TI Jazz Flats and I love them on that bass. It lets me really run it a lot more wide open and I can spend a lot less time tweaking the bass and treble controls.
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My favorites flats, all different, but all really worked on these basses in their own ways: TI Jazz, Chromes, Optima Pyramid Golds, Sadowsky (Blue I think). The TI, Optima, and Sadowsky were more expressive, the Chromes more thunderous. The ones I didn't like were the labella and, actually, the GHS pressure wounds.
 
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#24
lakefx said:
The G&L MFD pickups are extremely sensitive to strings. My L-2000s have worn a wide variety of strings, including flats, but I always keep coming back to either GHS Boomers, which were what the MFDs were originally designed around. I used rounds on my first L-2000 for 15 years and there was barely a mark on the frets when I sold it. I think you're being a bit absurd if you're limiting yourself based on saving a little money on fretwork 20 years down the road.

Edit: My L-1000 recently got TI Jazz Flats and I love them on that bass. It lets me really run it a lot more wide open and I can spend a lot less time tweaking the bass and treble controls.
Click to expand...

I'm looking 50 years down the road. How about 100? These instruments can last a long time. Fretwork wears them down, including the board. Absurd? Probably, since I'm hoping to pass these on to my kids. That said, I've seen some beat frets on bases 10 - 12 years old, and I've seen some jacked up fretwork. I've had so many things jacked up by professional repair people, I usually do things myself whenever possible.

I can do it, but it's not easy to do it right.
 
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#25
Lots of people have their own idea of what flatwounds are "best," but most (including me) haven't even tried all the options. So don't let someone else's opinion make you myopic. Disclaimer complete, with that said, I loooooveeeee Chromes, and YMMV but I don't like pressurewounds or halfwounds (both of which I HAVE tried). Too much of a compromise, too much like rounds, not enough like flats in my book. I say go all the way to flats.
 
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#26
michael_t said:
Instead of being stuck with the idea of needing flats for the sake of protecting the frets, you should consider the GHS Pressurewounds. Easy on the frets, easy on your fingers, but they will still give you the tone you're looking for - "articulate, warm and growly".
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Thanks for the tip! Never heard of these!
 
#27
lermgalieu said:
Lots of people have their own idea of what flatwounds are "best," but most (including me) haven't even tried all the options. So don't let someone else's opinion make you myopic. Disclaimer complete, with that said, I loooooveeeee Chromes, and YMMV but I don't like pressurewounds or halfwounds (both of which I HAVE tried). Too much of a compromise, too much like rounds, not enough like flats in my book. I say go all the way to flats.
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I love the Chromes too. I have on everything so far anyway, except an MJ-4. That G&L (active Jazz bass) loved the TI flats and did not like the Chromes. I also liked the TIs on P Basses w SPB2 SD pickups, but the P bass does Chromes well too. I tend to play a little heavy handed. Before I just slapped the Chromes on the L2000 I just thought I'd ask around.

Every time I put a set of strings on or take them off, they seem to wear slightly around the thread no matter how careful I am. I've heard this wear was a problem for string life or playability, but never really noticed issues. They do look a bit crappy when worn though.
 
#28
Sands said:
I love the Chromes too. I have on everything so far anyway, except an MJ-4. That G&L (active Jazz bass) loved the TI flats and did not like the Chromes. I also liked the TIs on P Basses w SPB2 SD pickups, but the P bass does Chromes well too. I tend to play a little heavy handed. Before I just slapped the Chromes on the L2000 I just thought I'd ask around.

Every time I put a set of strings on or take them off, they seem to wear slightly around the thread no matter how careful I am. I've heard this wear was a problem for string life or playability, but never really noticed issues. They do look a bit crappy when worn though.
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Yep - I use them mainly on my P, although I liked them on my Stingray as well. I am using the LaBella white tapewounds on my fretless jazz and I really like them, although it hasn't seen much amp/band battle action yet, so not sure on how they will strike me through the amp with other players. Same on the threads for me! It just happens no matter how careful I am.
 
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#29
Flats are such a personal taste deal and just about every answer you're going to get here will be different. I'm one of the guys that can't stand the feel of Chromes. Even though I like their sound, the feel is enough of a turn-off for me that I'm not going to play them. I did try out some DR Legend flats on my L2500 and really liked them. That was after trying some LaBellas that I wound up not liking on that bass even though I do love them on my Hofner. I have a suspicion that the Fender flats would work well on the L-series basses as well.
 
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#31
Sands said:
I love the Chromes too. I have on everything so far anyway, except an MJ-4. That G&L (active Jazz bass) loved the TI flats and did not like the Chromes. I also liked the TIs on P Basses w SPB2 SD pickups, but the P bass does Chromes well too. I tend to play a little heavy handed. Before I just slapped the Chromes on the L2000 I just thought I'd ask around.

Every time I put a set of strings on or take them off, they seem to wear slightly around the thread no matter how careful I am. I've heard this wear was a problem for string life or playability, but never really noticed issues. They do look a bit crappy when worn though.
Click to expand...
Chromes tend to be a much stiffer string than most rounds of the same gauge. If you like the sound of Chromes, I'd suggest going down in gauge one step from what you use in rounds. Of the strings suggested in this thread so far, Chromes would most likely be the brightest sounding - which, IMO, would work well with an L2K. Sadowsky Black Label might also be nice on there.

Several folks also suggested Pressure Wounds, and I concur that they might be something you'd like, too. Smoother on the fingers and frets, but retain much more of the roundwound sound than half-rounds do.
 
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#39
So I installed the Chromes (ECB-81s), loosened in a bit of relief, plugged into the handy battery Vox plug amp, and they sound great. Now, I definitely hear a growl. Not when passive, but definitely when active. I'll try it on the amp tomorrow. I need to set this thing up and call it good.

Have to say I'm considering a wierd set up. High action at the E, straight line, string to string, to low action for the G. This neck has a flat 12 radius. Adjust to give a similar angle for the MFDs (Elevate the E side). Picked up a Jazz bass with that set up and had so much fun with it, I never changed it. Then I sold it.
 

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