Can someone ID these flats?

[Joris 55]

Hi y’all!

Years ago, I bought an old Pearl P-bass. Turns out I still like the 3 flats on that thing, but I have no clue what they are. Much rougher feeling than my TI’s, and they have a bit more tension. They seem less mid-forward, but sit well in a mix. I’m not talking about that G-string.

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[michael_t]

The G is D'Addario Chromes Flatwound. Obviously, someone replaced the original G with a single Chrome G.

As for the other three, I have no idea as I've never seen flatwound strings with the tuner ends that look like that. Very unique to say to least.

 

[Joris 55]

The G is D'Addario Chromes Flatwound. Obviously, someone replaced the original G with a single Chrome G.

As for the other three, I have no idea as I've never seen flatwound strings with the tuner ends that look like that. Very unique to say to least.

Thank you for your reply! Should have mentioned I replaced the G-string myself, as I bought it with some roundwound string I didn't like

 

[HaphAsSard]

Hi y’all!

Years ago, I bought an old Pearl P-bass. Turns out I still like the 3 flats on that thing, but I have no clue what they are. Much rougher feeling than my TI’s, and they have a bit more tension. They seem less mid-forward, but sit well in a mix. I’m not talking about that G-string.

Any help is much appreciated!

Have a look at the posts and picture below:

Hello fellow bassys,

I found these strings on an old Italian Hofner copy and they sounded incredible. The string broke so I'm trying to find a replacement set. Can anyone help me identify the brand?

This one is a round metal core, cloth wrapping, round bronze winding, topped with a flat ribbon wrap on the outside. Also the ball ends are smaller than modern ones. They sounded phenomenal.

I couldn't say it is them, but a flatwound made like that (with a copper underwinding - not sure about the silk inlay) has been made since 1959 - the Dogal Traditional System flats:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/dogal-traditional-vintage-flats-review.1321642/

The long-scale set is the R 44 (the short-scale one is the R 45):

Currently out of stock at Gitaarsnaren/Lord of the Strings
Dogal R44 Traditional Long Scale, Chrome, flat wound 4string Bass Guitar 4 string bass guitar sets Flatwound
Dogal R44 Traditional Long Scale, Chrome, flat wound 4string Bass Electric 4 string
In stock here
BASS TRADITIONAL SYSTEM FLAT WOUND - R44 - Set Basso Guitar Traditional Long scale - Andbadguitars
and from the manufacturer
Link Removed

Link for Americanos:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/dogal-traditional-vintage-flats-review.1321642/

 

[Joris 55]

Have a look at the posts and picture below:



I couldn't say it is them, but a flatwound made like that (with a copper underwinding - not sure about the silk inlay) has been made since 1959 - the Dogal Traditional System flats:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/dogal-traditional-vintage-flats-review.1321642/

The long-scale set is the R 44 (the short-scale one is the R 45):

Thanks for the idea, those look sweet!

I still don't think they're the same strings. Mine don't have a wrap near the ball end, and they feel pretty rough. I'll keep looking

 

[HaphAsSard]

Thanks for the idea, those look sweet!

I still don't think they're the same strings. Mine don't have a wrap near the ball end, and they feel pretty rough. I'll keep looking

As I said, I can't be sure the Dogal R 44 are the same strings as yours or @selassie1's. In both cases, at the very least they'd have to have had their silk removed. (At both ends, right? Not just at the bridge.) But they're the only flats I'm aware of that have a copper winding under the flat ribbon, that's all.

 

[Joris 55]

As I said, I can't be sure the Dogal R 44 are the same strings as yours or @selassie1's. In both cases, at the very least they'd have to have had their silk removed. (At both ends, right? Not just at the bridge.) But they're the only flats I'm aware of that have a copper winding under the flat ribbon, that's all.

Totally worth the shot, thank you
No silk indeed, looks like I got me an obscure set of strings alright.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Have a look at the posts and picture below:



I couldn't say it is them, but a flatwound made like that (with a copper underwinding - not sure about the silk inlay) has been made since 1959 - the Dogal Traditional System flats:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/dogal-traditional-vintage-flats-review.1321642/

The long-scale set is the R 44 (the short-scale one is the R 45):

Good suggestion but they don't look quite like Dogal flats. The Dogal Traditionals have black silk at both ends and the visible copper strands around the silk at the headstock end are much thinner.

The Dogal Traditional flats are SUPERB strings though. They're one of my favorite long scale flats (Pyramid Gold will always be my favorites for short scale basses).

The Dogals actually feel tighter/stiffer than the relatively light gauges and round core would suggest. I was actually surprised by the tight feel because out of the box, before I installed them, they felt EXTREMELY supple, almost rubbery. The closest I can compare them with are probably Optima RBs but with a noticeably stiffer/tighter feel. Not TOO stiff though. They definitely have the lovely "bouncy" dynamics I always look for in flats. The "feel" under the fingers is perhaps more comparable to the LaBella 760FLs but the Dogals have a clearer tone and a much more articulate feel than LaBellas.

They're definitely "old school" flats but not as dark/thumpy as GHS or LaBellas. Maybe more like Optima or short scale Pyramid Golds (or A-D-G with long scale Pyramids, the E-string is nowhere near as "dead" as Pyramid Gold long scale).

The Dogals are also extremely smooth/glassy under the fingers. I love them!

They are noticeably lower output than most strings though, presumably because the mid layer is made from copper. But the tone is absolutely superb, if you like the tone of old school flats. Like many flats they are surprisingly bright out of the box (except the E-string) but they mellow out and develop a wonderful warm, balanced tone relatively fast.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Dogal Traditionals for reference. Notice the EXTREMELY smooth surface of the strings! The copper is actually a middle layer between the core and the outer wrapping, even though it's somehow ends up on top of the silk at the headstock. Superb strings, highly recommended if you like old school flats and can handle the slightly lower output than most strings.

 

[HaphAsSard]

even though it's somehow ends up on top of the silk at the headstock

That's not the copper layer somehow emerging from inside the string onto the silk: that's just golden-coloured thread intertwined with the black one for aesthetic purposes. Again from @e-flat's thread I linked to above:

View attachment 2867921
[...]
View attachment 2867923

The golden thread in the first pic is very obviously not the same as the red wire peeking through close to the ball end in the other.


EDIT. OK: the above is at least my humble impression. I've been wrong several times since I woke up this morning, there's still plenty of time for me to be before bedtime...

 

[Deleted member 271037]

That's not the copper layer somehow emerging from inside the string onto the silk: that's just golden-coloured thread intertwined with the black one for aesthetic purposes. Again from @e-flat's thread I linked to above:

The golden thread in the first pic is very obviously not the same as the red wire peeking through close to the ball end in the other.


EDIT. OK: the above is at least my humble impression. I've been wrong several times since I woke up this morning, there's still plenty of time for me to be before bedtime...

Ah, interesting, it looks like you are right. I had never looked closer at the ball ends on mine. I just assumed it was the same copper because I knew there was a copper layer inside. So the actual copper inside is more like actual windings then. I kinda assumed it was a finer mesh, comparable to the silk layers in some types of strings. But I guess it makes sense that there's a full layer of copper wrapping inside. Especially with the rather low output.

They still sound and feel amazing though!

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Looking closer on mine the color is different too. The copper is... reddish, copper colored. And the golden thread is... more golden (maybe more like brass). Definitely not the same.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

As for the strings in the OPs post... Didn't DR have a type of strings with alternating nickel/bronze wrapping (or possibly steel/bronze)? Some kind of electric/acoustic hybrid strings? I think they're discontinued as I can't find them on the DR website. I think the name had some kind of animal reference... Not Dragonskin, that's DRs coated strings.

I think theses DRs I'm thinking about were probably roundwounds though, and possibly just guitar strings...?

 

[HaphAsSard]

As for the strings in the OPs post... Didn't DR have a type of strings with alternating nickel/bronze wrapping (or possibly steel/bronze)? Some kind of electric/acoustic hybrid strings? I think they're discontinued as I can't find them on the DR website. I think the name had some kind of animal reference... Not Dragonskin, that's DRs coated strings.

I think theses DRs I'm thinking about were probably roundwounds though, and possibly just guitar strings...?

DR Zebra (which makes sense, given the premise). Hey, it's true, they're discontinued, I didn't know.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

DR Zebra (which makes sense, given the premise). Hey, it's true, they're discontinued, I didn't know.

That's the ones! I should have remembered the zebra reference. Did they ever exist for bass? I only vaguely remember the guitar strings. I think they were introduced only a couple of years ago? Probably not a great success then...?

 

[HaphAsSard]

That's the ones! I should have remembered the zebra reference. Did they ever exist for bass? I only vaguely remember the guitar strings. I think they were introduced only a couple of years ago? Probably not a great success then...?

DR Zebra strings never existed in bass form, yet this very forum - talking guitar happens here from time to time - can be used to establish a quick terminus ante quem ("line before which") for their introduction.
First mention is from this early 2006 post by @Verne Andru
https://www.talkbass.com/posts/3018908/
^ [And what a post/thread it was! I would love to get a hollowbody Longhorn guitar sometime! ]

EDIT - Oh, an even earlier one (May 2005) by @bass-shy:
https://www.talkbass.com/posts/2101441/