Bright and thumpy

[PrimitiveMan]

Hi all,

I picked an Ibanez SR 755 in October. I have a SR 5005 as my main bass and love it. But I wanted the SR 755 for a more traditional passive tone. I keep it in passive mode and favor the neck pickup and it sounds great. But I haven't found the right strings for it yet, I want some old school thump but still with good clarity, I have been through the following sets with it-

LaBella Gold tapewounds- I really loved the sound overall but the B string was way too dark and undefined.

GHS Pressure wounds- good strings that I have used in the past, but I find them too high tension generally, and not quite thumpy enough.

DR Legend flats- I was surprised how great the B string sounded and liked the overall tone and feel. My fav of the 4 sets of strings I tried so far. But they have gotten a little too dark over time, maybe I just like newer flats?

DR Sunbeams- sounded awesome but not really the overall sound I'm going with for this bass.

So I'm thinking either tapes or flats for this bass. Maybe tapes by a different brand than LaBella will have a better B? Or please recommend some brighter flats that aren't too high tension (I know people like chromes but their tension is too high).

Thanks, and here is a pic

 

[michael_t]

please recommend some brighter flats that aren't too high tension (I know people like chromes but their tension is too high).

Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (aka Slinky Flatwound).

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (aka Slinky Flatwound).

I was thinking of trying these next. Have you played the 5 string set? How was the B string if so

 

[michael_t]

I was thinking of trying these next. Have you played the 5 string set? How was the B string if so

I have never used them for myself, but they do fit the bill for being "bright and not too stiff".

 

[PrimitiveMan]

I have never used them for myself, but they do fit the bill for being "bright and not too stiff".

Thanks, I will likely order a set.

Still interested in what others recommend as I want to try a few different sets to find the best one for this bass

 

[DaveAceofBass]

Dogal Jaco flats

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Dogal Jaco flats

A bit pricey but interesting. Have you used the 5 string set? What is your experience?

 

[iiipopes]

"Bright and thumpy" is an oxymoron. It's hard to have both, because the same things that dull a string down (string gunk, etc.) also impedes the sustain of the string to get the thump.

Go a different direction, like studio players in the 60's did: La Bella flats with a pick and a damper sponge under the strings at the bridge. The pick gives the articulation, and the sponge damps the sustain. Listen to any recording where the backing band was the Funk Bros. (Detroit) or the Wrecking Crew (L. A.).

 

[PrimitiveMan]

"Bright and thumpy" is an oxymoron. It's hard to have both, because the same things that dull a string down (string gunk, etc.) also impedes the sustain of the string to get the thump.

Go a different direction, like studio players in the 60's did: La Bella flats with a pick and a damper sponge under the strings at the bridge. The pick gives the articulation, and the sponge damps the sustain. Listen to any recording where the backing band was the Funk Bros. (Detroit) or the Wrecking Crew (L. A.).
View attachment 4489105 View attachment 4489106

I appreciate the point. Maybe thumpy with clarity would be a better description. Just looking for the best compromise that I can find

 

[Riff Ranger]

Hi all,

I picked an Ibanez SR 755 in October. I have a SR 5005 as my main bass and love it. But I wanted the SR 755 for a more traditional passive tone. I keep it in passive mode and favor the neck pickup and it sounds great. But I haven't found the right strings for it yet, I want some old school thump but still with good clarity, I have been through the following sets with it-

LaBella Gold tapewounds- I really loved the sound overall but the B string was way too dark and undefined.

GHS Pressure wounds- good strings that I have used in the past, but I find them too high tension generally, and not quite thumpy enough.

DR Legend flats- I was surprised how great the B string sounded and liked the overall tone and feel. My fav of the 4 sets of strings I tried so far. But they have gotten a little too dark over time, maybe I just like newer flats?

DR Sunbeams- sounded awesome but not really the overall sound I'm going with for this bass.

So I'm thinking either tapes or flats for this bass. Maybe tapes by a different brand than LaBella will have a better B? Or please recommend some brighter flats that aren't too high tension (I know people like chromes but their tension is too high).

Thanks, and here is a pic

View attachment 4488785

Flats don’t really fit what I do, so I have no useful input on that subject, but I remember you looking and I’m happy to see that you found a take on a 5-string P that suits you I have half an eye on those, though I went with the Ibanez RGB305 and might try a Yamaha BB something or other.

 

[iiipopes]

I appreciate the point. Maybe thumpy with clarity would be a better description. Just looking for the best compromise that I can find.

Yes. Try it. You can hear the clarity in all the old records.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Flats don’t really fit what I do, so I have no useful input on that subject, but I remember you looking and I’m happy to see that you found a take on a 5-string P that suits you I have half an eye on those, though I went with the Ibanez RGB305 and might try a Yamaha BB something or other.

Thanks bro! It's a sweet bass

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Yes. Try it. You can hear the clarity in all the old records.

Why be snarky?

Just looking for other string options to try to get closer to what I want. Wether they are flats, tapes, or something else. Lots of string options available nowadays that weren't available before

 

[iiipopes]

Why be snarky?

Just looking for other string options to try to get closer to what I want. Wether they are flats, tapes, or something else. Lots of string options available nowadays that weren't available before

Sorry. Didn't mean to come off as snarky, just encouraging. I always try to be straightforward when posting on a forum, because humor, satire, sarcasm, and disdain never come across properly, even with the use of smileys or other emoticons.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Sorry. Didn't mean to come off as snarky, just encouraging. I always try to be straightforward when posting on a forum, because humor, satire, sarcasm, and disdain never come across properly, even with the use of smileys or other emoticons.

No worries, my misunderstanding

 

[thisheregiraffe]

I am not exactly a flatwound connoisseur, but I quite like the Ernie Ball Stainless Steel flats (not the Slinky / Cobalt flats). There is only one 5-string set, but I think you can buy them in singles to make a custom set ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed]). Looks like you'd be limited to a .130 gauge for the B string though...

I had the Group IV set (40-60-70-95) on one of my basses for a bit and really enjoyed the feel and sound. I think they are a bit brighter and clearer than a traditional flat, though perhaps not as bright as the Slinky / Cobalt flats.

 

[PrimitiveMan]

Those look promising too. I'm thinking of getting a set of these and the cobalt to compare them. That will likely be my Christmas gift to myself

 

[iiipopes]

I am not exactly a flatwound connoisseur, but I quite like the Ernie Ball Stainless Steel flats (not the Slinky / Cobalt flats). There is only one 5-string set, but I think you can buy them in singles to make a custom set ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed]). Looks like you'd be limited to a .130 gauge for the B string though...

I had the Group IV set (40-60-70-95) on one of my basses for a bit and really enjoyed the feel and sound. I think they are a bit brighter and clearer than a traditional flat, though perhaps not as bright as the Slinky / Cobalt flats.

Yes! EBSS flats are probably the most underrated string out there. They have just a hint of growl to them to make them present in a mix, and yes, you can mix-and-match singles.

 

[DCCat]

You say you like the LaBella Gold tapes. Have you tried the others (black, white, copper white)? I don't know about the B strings on any of those sets, and maybe they're all like the gold one you don't like, but it might be worth investigating the others. In particular, the whites are the brightest, and their underlying metal construction is more conventional than the coppers or golds, so it's possible the B might be better.

Dunlop flats might work for you. They start off pretty bright and retain some of that over time, but they also develop a nice thump as they break in.

 

[Abner]

I think there's a little more to it than just strings. I do use the Ernie Ball stainless flats (Group I, .055 to .110 tuned to D-standard), but what contributes is a Diamond compressor (or sometimes a FEA Labs Dual Band Compressor-Limiter) and a Broughton Audio high-pass filter. And for live thump, sheer horsepower is critical. You are not going to get any serious thump with a 30 watt amplifier.