ive only got flats on my babies! love um. I have a 69 p bass with la bella deep talkin 54's, a 66 hofner club with la bella beatle bassers, and a pre gibson tobias basic 4 fretless with thomastik infelds on it...its all touch and tone knobs!
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Confessions of a flatwound convert pt 2.
- Thread starter john turner
- Start date
Commreman
Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets
Light Chromes, Passive Jazz Bass, Supplied SVT Backline = Bliss.
This is a live house mix taken through a camcorder, but the tone is there!
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1815567231131&oid=138269055301&comments
This is a live house mix taken through a camcorder, but the tone is there!
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1815567231131&oid=138269055301&comments
recently i bought a sub woofer for my monitoring system(i dont have a bass amp), I just plug directly to the interface, I was using thomastik infeld roundwounds, pretty cool strings... but...well with the new subwoofer i though.. maybe i give a set of labellas deep talking a try, and to my surprise, the punch of the low end is there, very nice tone with a uniquie voice, now I really feel the bass
I'm loving the TIJF's on my 2010 P bass! they are pretty much broke in now (cpl months) and I like the feel and sound out of the three sets of strings that I've had on her. 1st set was stock Fender rounds, They sounded great for slap and pickstyle punk rock. 2nd was the D'addario half rounds, they cut alot of top end, and seemed more controlled, fundamental was clearer, and they were thumpier, 3rd are the TIJF's just more of a good thing and the feel is WAY better than the halfs {they were kinda grippy}. since this is my first set of flats I was worried about everone saying they [tijf] are loose and floopy. but coming from rounds or halfs they feel about the same tension, in fact being a lil on the light side is better for me cause I like to bend and add vibrato, compared to other flats the TIJF's probably do feel too floppy for alot of guys. ...in short: FLATS RULE
Howdy. I've been playing on Chromes for a while now, and something's not seeming right to my ears. A backstory: Played them on a Dean Playmate, SX Jazz, T-40, and a Squier Jag(PJ). Right not I'm having trouble dialing in a couple things. They're starting to seem a little stiff to my taste, and I feel like the high end is a little bit much for my tastes. I still want to stay in the flats camp, as I don't like how often I'd have to change rounds out.
I've heard good things about Labellas, but I'm wondering if they'd solve some of my main complaints about the Chromes: Flexibility is a little tight for me, and the top end seems off on my set. I'm not talking piano-bright or anything like that, I don't mind a reasonably bright string, but...I'm struggling to find the words. It's almost like I press the string down to the fret and I get a glass-like sound. Like the inside of the string is hollow, or something. My pickups are positioned right, they're strung correctly, so I dunno what's up. Just something my ears started nagging me about lately. I mainly play four strings, and I'm looking into playing with a pick more. Any advice?
I've heard good things about Labellas, but I'm wondering if they'd solve some of my main complaints about the Chromes: Flexibility is a little tight for me, and the top end seems off on my set. I'm not talking piano-bright or anything like that, I don't mind a reasonably bright string, but...I'm struggling to find the words. It's almost like I press the string down to the fret and I get a glass-like sound. Like the inside of the string is hollow, or something. My pickups are positioned right, they're strung correctly, so I dunno what's up. Just something my ears started nagging me about lately. I mainly play four strings, and I'm looking into playing with a pick more. Any advice?
I too felt chomes were lacking something, sort of hollow sounding, like you describe it. Just changed to a set of labellas, much more rounded tone (but high tension, 760fm set). If you care about tension, TI's have the lowest they say, and a sweet sound.
Commreman
Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets
Thanks! It's a fun room to play, and they always treat us very well there.
I love both of these strings and been using the Chromes (heavier guage) but overall sort of agree that the Labellas have a better, rounded tone.
Chromes sort of make a weird click when using a pick, especially the lighter ones (although this isn't always heard in the mix). The Labella's don't have that from what I can hear. They really have a sweet tone, and may be the best flats I've heard with a pick sound (to my ears)
I just read Sundogue's opening post in Part 1. I won't live long enough to read all the replies and probably cannot add a comment that has not been offered. But......
Sundogue's comments were VERY meaningful to me. I've never been impressed by bass players who were guitarist wannabees. (All due respect to the folks who slap their instruments to glorious notoriety) As a bass player, I've only wanted to be felt. Not really heard. I've wanted to be rhythm. Only. I've heard it said (and you have too) that the drums make people tap their feet, but the bass is what makes them want to dance. Drums move the music up and down. Bass makes it flow side to side. When I listen to music, I don't even hear the lyrics. Seriously.
Yes, I believe Sundogue. He outlined some important principles very eloquently.
I am just returning to bass playing after inexplicably being away for a LOOOONG time. And I'm here hoping to learn stuff. I need to make one or two string decisions, and am wishing I understood more about stainless, etc. Anyhoo.....FWIW, from my perspective, you can keep your Rickenbachers and roundwound strings. I'll take a simple Fender Jazz or Gibson Thunderbird with flatwounds please. But then, I feel my role is to be invisible and send the audience home tired and smiling.
Sundogue's comments were VERY meaningful to me. I've never been impressed by bass players who were guitarist wannabees. (All due respect to the folks who slap their instruments to glorious notoriety) As a bass player, I've only wanted to be felt. Not really heard. I've wanted to be rhythm. Only. I've heard it said (and you have too) that the drums make people tap their feet, but the bass is what makes them want to dance. Drums move the music up and down. Bass makes it flow side to side. When I listen to music, I don't even hear the lyrics. Seriously.
Yes, I believe Sundogue. He outlined some important principles very eloquently.
I am just returning to bass playing after inexplicably being away for a LOOOONG time. And I'm here hoping to learn stuff. I need to make one or two string decisions, and am wishing I understood more about stainless, etc. Anyhoo.....FWIW, from my perspective, you can keep your Rickenbachers and roundwound strings. I'll take a simple Fender Jazz or Gibson Thunderbird with flatwounds please. But then, I feel my role is to be invisible and send the audience home tired and smiling.
Chromes sort of make a weird click when using a pick, especially the lighter ones (although this isn't always heard in the mix).
Try the heaviest pick you can find, that will go away. I use Dunlop Gator Grip 2.0, the black ones. Sound great with Chromes...
Having played flats for a few months i decided to try rounds once again. The TONE was to die for - the beauty and the beast in one package. Bright singing slap tones, snarling fingerstyle, great sustain - you know it all. Bandmates immediately noticed how great my tone was and even asked me to keep rounds on.
Nonetheless, I installed flats back during a break and it was worth it. The tone was still seducing, but tamed, mellow, with more bottom, but the most important part was how good did bass and guitar sound together. NO INTERFERENCE at all! Both instruments could be clearly heard, regardless somewhat overpowering bass.
For conclusion, I would recommend rounds if you're selling a bass or playing solo and flats for everything else.
Nonetheless, I installed flats back during a break and it was worth it. The tone was still seducing, but tamed, mellow, with more bottom, but the most important part was how good did bass and guitar sound together. NO INTERFERENCE at all! Both instruments could be clearly heard, regardless somewhat overpowering bass.
For conclusion, I would recommend rounds if you're selling a bass or playing solo and flats for everything else.
I appreciate what both flats and rounds have to offer but I always come back to nickel rounds in a band situation. For recording or playing at home I love flats especially TI jazz flats but when my classic rock band is playing loud outdoor shows I just feel more at home with rounds. The flats are pure and sweet tone wise but lack that edge that I sometimes need live. I gonna leave it with flats for recording and nickel rounds for live shows as my 2 cents.
A good point, but standing next to amp provides me enough edge to control my playing.
Flipping the topic a tad...
Am I to understand correctly that Sadowsky flats have the thump of LaBellas, the (near) tone of TIs, and the tension in-between the two?
Sounds like the perfect Flat, no?
Way too many threads that are all over the place on the topic, thought it best to take it to the experts.
Am I to understand correctly that Sadowsky flats have the thump of LaBellas, the (near) tone of TIs, and the tension in-between the two?
Sounds like the perfect Flat, no?
Way too many threads that are all over the place on the topic, thought it best to take it to the experts.
This is a conclusion more than a few of us have reached over the years. I agree..
thmsjordan said:
And in reading this thread, many have come to the opposite conclusion.
Definitely a 'to each their own' situation.
- Jan 4, 2008
- 232
- 28
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: CallowHill Guitars; Aguilar Amplification; MonoCases
tlr1293 said:
I'd love to hear more about sadowsky flats in reference to labella and TIs. Any thoughts?
Who's manufacturing sadowsky strings?
