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Confessions of a flatwound convert pt 2.

#81
If you read through this read, you will find that the OP talks alot about how the band can feel him better and groove better with the Flats, but his tone isn't as present to the ears. It really does depend alot on the type of music and your overall setup. Flats of any type, even TI flats will be less overtoney for sure-having more fundamental is the whole point! This still may not work great with YOUR band, or YOUR Bass. You may need to try Chromes or Sadowsky flats for more overtones, or more highs.
 
#82
check out this link of my jazz trio paying "Footprints". This is my Sadowsky m5-24 going through a Avalon U 5 with no eq on the bass or board. This is with TI flats and using the front pickup only on the Bass.
This is a great example of why I love TI Flats. They sound amazing over the whole neck, and I am hittin the highest frets. THis is a trio though, with lots of sonic space.
 
#84
Yes, nice sound and great playing!

Been on chromes for a year now, and I don't think I will ever go back to rounds.
I also used to think that rounds were still mandatory for slap sound, but since I've been practicing more slap, I actually dig the sound I get from my chromes a lot. Even sounds great when mid-scooped, something I had imagined wouldn't work at all with flats at first.
This might be due to the highs that are still very pronounced in chomes though.
Also, the reggae sound I get out of them, with tone all rolled off and the bass boosted on my amp is really strong.

I need to try more diffrent brands of flats, LaBellas are the next on my list.

Sundogue put it really nice. I grew up not knowing that flats even exsisted, but the day I put flats on, I was hooked. It was "real bass" all of a sudden. I tried them mainly for monetary reasons (strings you can play for years? Cool!) and out of curiosity.

When I play rounds now, they feel like barbed wire and sound like a saw.
 
#86
I love how flats make those booties move. True warmth and true bass. It's interesting to have gone from being a sort of trebley bass player to one who prefers a round tone. It is tone by the way, just a different kind. You sure don't have to worry about getting lost in the mix either. Trebely toned bassists lose their tone right about when the rest of the band starts playing most of time (LOL!)
 
#87
So I brought all 3 basses to practice last night. We are a classic rock band - 70's era, CCR, James Gang, Eagles, etc.
I set my amp flat and cranked up the volume, then tried each bass.

Peavey Cirrus with Chromes
I love this bass. Playes so smooth and sounds full. But, It got a little boomy on the bottom and disappeared above D. I couldn't hear any fills or runs very well.
I rolled to the neck pu, cut my trebble a lot, boosted mids a tad, cut bottom a smudge, added a little gain, and got a polite warm and even sound.

Squier VM Jazz with Sunbeams
Much brighter (happier) sound. This is my favorite bass for Contemporary Christian, but it just didn't have the presence to handle 3 guitards playing classic rock. Maybe with some eq fiddling it would be better. But it has a long way to go.

Peavey Fury (P) with Deep Talkin Flats
Eq flat, tone rolled off 75%.
Tight, thumpy, full up to a high C.
Tone all the way off and I was slinging mud like Pino.
Simply awesome sound.
I changed to Chromes, and got a similar warm sound like from the Cirrus, but lost the tight thumpy sound.

In the end, I can confirm a universal truth.
P bass with flats is perfect for rock.
 
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#89
I put a set of Labella Deep Talking flats on my P/J build and man I love them. Hits you right in the gut, I found that I was actually eqing this bass to sound like a bass with flats when It had GHS Boomers on it.
 
#90
Long-time thread follower, first-time poster (at least first time with any substance)

I've heard a lot of good stuff about flatwounds and I'm really gravitated towards them because of it. If I wasn't dead broke, I'd have a set of Chromes on my Ibby already.
But I'd like to know if they'd fit the kind of style I'm going for. I'm one of those guys who is very much attracted to the Cliff Burton-esque style of playing. I like to use lots of chords in my playing and would some day like to utilize effects, lots of them and bring together the rhythmic, melodic and atmospheric. Which is why I'm making this post, really, since from Sundogue's posts I've mostly read that they're especially good for mostly keeping to the low end and give a bottom to the band and a player should refrain from being flashy. So would flats be better for my kind of play style or should I stick with rounds?
 
#91
Nolifer said:
So would flats be better for my kind of play style or should I stick with rounds?
Click to expand...

I would probably suggest staying with rounds. Flats in general don't seem to work as well with effects and I don't care for them as much for chordal type passages. Each to his own however, you may really like it. Flats really excel for fingerstyle work. You will notice that bass players only developed advanced techniques (slapping, tapping, chording, using effects) after rounds were invented. I do understand that Steve Lawson uses flats, and he does all that stuff you say, but in a soloist venue-may not work as well for a band, or unless you have a Modulus 6 string! Flats and rounds each serve a unique purpose depending on your style.
If you want rounds with more fundamental, that are warmer, DR sunbeams are good, and I hear good things about DR Hellborgs, although I haven't used them myself.
 
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#92
Let me share a few more words. I was a bit disappointed the first time I tried flats, but as I'm getting used to them things are getting better.

What I like the best is much cleaner sound of the whole band. Bass doesn't struggle with guitars and guitars don't have to struggle with bass any more. Flats just removed the unnecessary part of my tone that wasn't heard well in the band anyway. I can still track my bass well and so do my bandmates. Slap and tapping feel funny, but our music newer relied on these techniques.
 
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#93
Shoewreck said:
I was a bit disappointed the first time I tried flats, but as I'm getting used to them things are getting better.
Click to expand...

I can relate. The first time I tried flats I wound up taking them off a few weeks later. But then I tried them again and it clicked. Now I almost always reach for my bass that's strung with flats. I do have my Jazz with rounds standing by for the times I want a brighter, clackier tone, but it's definitely the standby bass, not the main bass.
 
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#95
I took the plunge today. I picked up a set of Chromes. When I had the old P I used half rounds for acoustic driven rock, but that was as close as I ever got, and yes I'm aware that they aren't remotely the same. I'm back in that genre again and now I have an Urge and thought what the heck, I'll try out some flats. I have rehearsal tomorrow night so I'll report back how they worked. Any advice, tips, whatnot? I've been playing for 23-24 years and have only tried flats once, but that was when I was in my early teens and I hated them.
 
#98
madbassplaya said:
i just bought a set of chromes .45-.100 to go on my jazz bass.
Click to expand...

I just got mine on (had to wait for the kiddos to go to bed). Holy crap! The jury is still out for a band setting, but even acoustically these strings sound phenomenal. A little bit of zing, but not nearly the same as the round wound zing and they seem to be very, very focused. Each note seems to absolutely sing. I think I'm the latest victim of flats. If they sound half this good at rehearsal I won't ever go back.
 
#99
Coop Soup said:
I just got mine on (had to wait for the kiddos to go to bed). Holy crap! The jury is still out for a band setting, but even acoustically these strings sound phenomenal. A little bit of zing, but not nearly the same as the round wound zing and they seem to be very, very focused. Each note seems to absolutely sing. I think I'm the latest victim of flats. If they sound half this good at rehearsal I won't ever go back.
Click to expand...

i've tried chromes before on active basses and didn't really care for the sound that much...i know longer have any active basses right now and i want to try them on my passive Jazz bass.
 

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