TI's do have a very crisp sound when new, but they are nowhere near as bright as Chromes. But they DO get kinda thumpy. And unlike Chromes, old TI's really SING.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Bright flats vs "real" flats
- Thread starter Bassdude15
- Start date
TI's do have a very crisp sound when new, but they are nowhere near as bright as Chromes. But they DO get kinda thumpy. And unlike Chromes, old TI's really SING.
The best are La Bella flats (my favorite) or GHS Precision flats....and if you can find them the old Fender flats before they changed them to sound like Chromes.
DAMMIT!!! The new Fender flats DO NOT sound like Chromes. Chromes, when new, have a top end sizzle. Fender Flats have midrange grind.
wow, a lot of hate for half-round types! i think they have a decent tone, kind of a thick "pre-deadened rounds" sound, and they can be good for excessively buzzy short-scale basses, or for fretless folks who don't like flats but don't want to chew up their boards either.
they are all kind of "grabby" on the fingers though, aren't they? has anybody tried the GHS pressurewounds as maybe a way to get a smoothed-out rounds string without the square corners on the windings that make them so grabby?
they are all kind of "grabby" on the fingers though, aren't they? has anybody tried the GHS pressurewounds as maybe a way to get a smoothed-out rounds string without the square corners on the windings that make them so grabby?
Yes, it is worth yelling about. The day the new Fender Flats came out, a g##d### urban myth started about their construction and tone, and it just isn't true. Whoever may make the strings, they are made totally differently:
1) the cores are different;
2) the wrap is a different alloy;
3) the wrap ribbon is a different width;
4) the wrap wound the opposite direction;
5) of course, the silk is different, as minor a detail as that is;
6) when you hold them side by side, they are different colors;
7) the feel is different - for the same gauges, the Chromes seem to have a little more tension.
8) the Fender flats, somewhere on this forum is a spectrograph that shows after each has settled in, the Chromes have a spectrum peak at @200 Hz, and the Fender flats have a spectrum peak at @600 Hz.
The only thing that can be said in comparison is that they both sound great on Fender P-basses, depending on what kind of tone the player wants. BUT THEY ARE DIFFERENT!
So YES, I am going to KILL this urban myth, whatever it takes.
Yell it from the rooftops brother.
Cant stand the urban myths either.
Another one is chromes and EB's are the same.
Not even close.
Had both on a bass and sounded totally different from one another.
And i agree with this chromes and fender BS too.
Played with both and they are nowhere near the same either.
All you half round haters are nuts! 
I use D'Addario Half Rounds and find them to be very, very versatile strings.
I've never bought a set of GHS Brite Flats but I've played them - they were good too.
I wonder if some of you are more averse to the idea of them than the reality of what they are. Versatile!
I use D'Addario Half Rounds and find them to be very, very versatile strings.
I've never bought a set of GHS Brite Flats but I've played them - they were good too.
I wonder if some of you are more averse to the idea of them than the reality of what they are. Versatile!
I've never tried the TI's because I'm scared off by how soft or "floppy" they are said to be: not my thing. So, as expensive as they are, I haven't been willing to chance it when they seem unlikely to provide the feel I want.
Haven't tried Pyramids either, and they are also very expensive and also supposed to be far less bright.
I've found Roto flats to be okay, depending on the bass. I tried Chromes and found them far too bright, even after many months. I replaced the Chromes on my L2000 with Labella Deep Talkin' Flats and really really like them better than any of the others I've tried, and they aren't even broke in yet. Much thumpier/bassier than the Chromes and significantly more than the Rotos.
Edit: My apologies for actually returning to the questions put to us by the OP.
Yes, I've used them a lot. Great sound; VERY low tension
I've used them a lot as well. Very warm and mellow, low-tension but higher than TI; the E-string can be thumpy vs. the rest of the set. Uniquely flexible. Amazing unique strings, but yes, very expensive.
I've used them a little. They seemed very high-tension and twangy. I didn't give them a chance to really age and see how they mature. I moved them along pretty quickly.
They do mellow some. I like them, they are my second choice; for me, the winner is...
My favorites as well after many years and many trials (I started out on them!). They address all the issues raised above. They sound a little twangy at first but only for a few gigs. They mellow and mellow over time. Be sure to avoid string through body --- they WILL break.
...a nice summary.
I also have used Fender flats quite a bit over the years and they've been solid performers as well. I haven't tried the new Fender flat wound product.
No love for Ken Smith Compressors ?
These are by far the best groundwounds I've played.
The are brighter than flats, but darken fast after you string them.
Then they even out and last a long time.
Very smooth feeling to.
Spelling IS important! The original post's title says "bright", but the text of the list specifically says "Brite Flats" when discussing the GHS strings. Title may refer to flat wound strings that have more treble than what is generally considered normal for flats. But the mention of GHS's trademarked name for their modified round wound string (much like D'Addario Half-Rounds) steers the discussion to a totally different realm.
John
John
