Best Flatwound Strings?

[Frenchy-Lefty]

I did not read all the responses but did establish whether the OP was trying to get the best flatwounds for metal already?

 

[Christian Joseph Allbee]

I did not read all the responses but did establish whether the OP was trying to get the best flatwounds for metal already?

Personally, I think the best flats for metal would be D'Addario Chromes or Fender 9050's.

 

[svtb15]

Personally I like the Dadarrio Chromes but a couple of years ago i converted to the Fender 9050s.... They are more lively and take longer to settle in. But they sound great throughout their range.. The LIVE new sound is great as well as the other set that is now 2 years old and slamin good in the thump area

 

[rafitoprtx]

I'm a fan of labellas use to have them in my ltd pj bass. Today I bought a set of Fender 9050L. I love the tone of them they have the flat foundation but they are less dull than labella. I try the with the foam and I get the traditional Motown sound I was searching for. I'm planning to install a set of chromes in my 5 string later. But in my P the 9050l work perfectly.

 

[Fit4pain]

Sadowsky Black Label flats are my personal favorites. I think they fit right in the middle of the spectrum. They are not as floppy as TIs, but much looser than LaBellas. They have a modern brightness (truly flat response, every bit of the spectrum is featured equally), but can be made to really thump with just a little palm muting.

I agree Sadowsky flat are great. Perfect feel and sound. Fender flats are my 2nd choice with a little more old school sound but still have a nice feel to them. I have tried TI flats and really like the sound but I can not get past the floppy feel.

 

[Tim Marshall]

i try a set of rotosound flats on my jazz 40/100 and the bill lawrence j45's pickup's, alder body.

 

[JustForSport]

i try a set of rotosound flats on my jazz 40/100 and the bill lawrence j45's pickup's, alder body.

And...?

I've been noticing page update delays lately, and sometimes text doesn't finish getting entered.

 

[aguacollas]

I love my Thomastik Infeld flats, put on a fretless, but I agree the low tension may be hard to get used to, and the dragonskin feel, too.
I'm buying another set for a fretted W Streamer, though, I want to know how that will sound.

 

[Pete Langford]

I've tried 'em all, Thomastik's are the bomb.

 

[Sons of Thunder]

That's true of any string, though. Funny thing about TIs, I love them on other people's basses, but they always sound like Sh!t on mine.

I couldn’t agree with you more lol. They sound great on other bases but when I put them on mine, they sound like crap.

 

[GIBrat51]

Well... TL;DR, but... after 10 years, either the OP has found the flat wounds that make his heart go "pitty-pat" - or, he stuck with rounds...
Personally? My first response to "which flats are best?", was "Best - for what?" I learned to play bass in 1968, on a friend's '68 Rick 4001. Which wore it's factory German Maxima flats. In all the years since, I'm pretty sure I could count the basses I've played - not fooled around on, but actually played - that wore rounds, on the fingers of one hand. I have 2 basses with tape wounds on them, but... only one of my basses has rounds on it. TI JR324's on a Gretsch Broadkaster . All the rest of them, wear flats. Several different brands; scales; and gauges of flats. If I've learned anything about flat wounds in the decades since I started playing, it's that flat wound bass strings can sound very, very different from each other. Which is why I use so many different ones. Since I have... well, a lot of basses, I like to set a bass up to sound... appropriate... for the music I want to play with it. If that turns that bass into a "One Trick Pony"? Fine with me; I currently own 27 of them. I can easily set one up to play something else. Or, if I feel like it? To be "versatile"... And, over the years, I've done exactly that...
Bottom line? If you can answer the "For What?" part of the question? There's definitely a set of flat wounds that will be "Best"...

 

[TwototheValley]

For the best flats I’ve tried with a pick on my maple neck P, these are my, uh…..pick…..

 

[shadven]

I couldn’t agree with you more lol. They sound great on other bases but when I put them on mine, they sound like crap.

Dito

 

[HaphAsSard]

View attachment 7041425

For the best flats I’ve tried with a pick on my maple neck P, these are my, uh…..pick…..

Sadowsky flats?

 

[TwototheValley]

Sadowsky flats?

Dean Markleys

I have Sadowsky Blacks on a jazz bass which they suit very well.