Confessions of a flatwound convert pt 2.

[TRob1293]

Ok, all you converts. I have been loving flats for awhile and am about to get my first Fender American. I am not fond of Chromes in the least, love TI's, but the looseness just pushes me towards excessive fret clank, and love the LaBella FL's. I want to keep the string-thru capabilities of the Am Std - what flatwound can I use?

 

[Commreman]

i just bought a set of chromes .45-.100 to go on my jazz bass.

My Jazz wears Chromes .40-.100. I love 'em!

Check out a couple of live mixes with them:

 

[bassist4dalord]

I just ordered a set of D'Addario Chromes for my Squier Standard Precision V (5-string set, $29.66 shipped from Amazon ). This will make for a trio of Chromed-out basses; my Fender BG-31 acoustic and Squier Affinity P both have them, as well.

My SX fretless P has Fender flats on it, but I don't play it much at all. Needless to say, I'm a flatwound convert

EDIT: I should mention; the Squier Precision V has five strings (obviously) and two Jazz Bass pickups. It's kind of obscure, so I just thought I'd let ya'll know!

 

[tripp2k]

I've been reading through both threads and have learned a huge amount...thank you all.

HOWEVER, I have a J bass and a P bass that I'd like to equip with flats.

Are there general opinions about using TI Flats with one versus the other over using Chromes?
What guages would you recommend and why?

Thanks.

 

[Moving Pictures]

Are there general opinions about using TI Flats with one versus the other over using Chromes?
What guages would you recommend and why?

Thanks.

TI's only come in one guage. For Chromes I like the 45-100 set.

 

[ilovenofrets]

I agree that there are so many things involved in creating the sound of bass that to say flats are best is oversimplifying.

What is counterproductive is some generalizing that flats are muddy, dull, lifeless and rounds can cop any flatwound tone while flats are a one trick pony.

I'm all for people using rounds and good for them if they are able to cut through the mix. But I find "cutting through the mix" to be a never ending battle for roundwound users, as evidenced by all the threads on the subject.

The "I need an amp/cab/bass/string/effect that can help me cut through the mix" threads that are so prevalent here on TB are a result (IMO) of using roundwounds.

There is a quality to rounds that make a bass sound more like a guitar or piano. Nothing wrong with that and I happen to love that bass tone too. But, think about it...rounds make a bass sound more like a guitar or piano and then we spend the rest of our time trying to stand out among guitars and piano.

I'm not against roundwounds or the users of them. I'm against the decidedly oversimplification and generalization of flatwound strings because it is counterproductive.

+1
Both strings have their "pros and cons', and even those are a matter of personal taste/opinion. I am a roundwound user myself, but I'm looking for that "one" bass(WILL be a fretless) that I can keep a nice set of flats on all the time. There's something about that nice warm tone from a good flat that just can't be beat. FWIW-I like the Fender nylon tapewounds, and the Ernie Ball flats are pretty good too. Happy New Year!!!

 

[dogbluedrummer]

I've been reading through both threads and have learned a huge amount...thank you all.

HOWEVER, I have a J bass and a P bass that I'd like to equip with flats.

Are there general opinions about using TI Flats with one versus the other over using Chromes?
What guages would you recommend and why?

Thanks.

Try some DR Sunbeams (nickle) on the Jazz. They really bring out the upper frequencies without adding zing.

 

[tripp2k]

Finally finished with the original thread and leaning towards:

J bass - Chromes, also looking at the Sunbeams recommendation above ;-)
P bass - TIs

I tend to play with a pick but not always. Should this be of a major consideration on which strings to choose, e.g. I read that TIs need to be played really closely to the bridge.

BTW, Happy New Year everyone!

 

[engedi1]

I find that TI's don't work so great with a pick, unless you set the action pretty high, or pick really really softly. Carol Kaye has some sound clips using TI's with a pick, and I think the clips sound pretty aweful! I have used them myself with pick's from time to time and they can bottom out pretty quickly. TI's are the ultimate fingerstyle string for what I play, but if someone slaps or uses a pick alot, Chrome's might be a better flat.

 

[dtsamples]

Ok, I'm going to give it a try. I think this might be just the ticket. I ordered a set of chromes for my MIA J V STD. I can't wait after reading this thread.

 

[JSK5String]

Ok, I'm going to give it a try. I think this might be just the ticket. I ordered a set of chromes for my MIA J V STD. I can't wait after reading this thread.

What kind of music do you play?

I'm in a classic rock cover band and I've got chromes on my MIA P and my MIM J, love them on both. Still bright enough for me, yet they have a huge fundamental sound and fit our mix like a glove. I couldn't be happier with them. Well, them combined with my VT Deluxe...

 

[dtsamples]

What kind of music do you play?

I'm in a classic rock cover band and I've got chromes on my MIA P and my MIM J, love them on both. Still bright enough for me, yet they have a huge fundamental sound and fit our mix like a glove. I couldn't be happier with them. Well, them combined with my VT Deluxe...

I play in a pop/rock band, and in a theater pit. I don't really play funk, but I like playing with some ghost notes and some feeling. They're supposed to show up on saturday, and I can hardly wait to try them out. I'll leave rounds on my corvette incase I feel like having a trebley slap spasm.

 

[EndlessNameless]

First post on these (awesome) forums, so a little about me... I'd been playing guitar for around 15 years and a few months ago I decided to get a bass just to flesh out my dabblings in home recording. I'd never really found the bass interesting and if I'm honest, I never even really paid attention to anything but the most prominent bassline in a song so my plan was to plod along playing root notes then shove the bass back in the corner where it belonged.

To cut a long story short once I started dabbling with the bass and gaining an understanding of it, I became completely hooked on it (as well as consumed with self loathing at all those wasted years NOT playing bass).

So... Back on topic, I just picked up a set of Chromes for my Squier J (due to this thread and a couple of Youtube vids demoing the strings) and played for an hour or so. I had high expectations which were completely surpassed. The difference in tone, feel and playability between these and the Ernie Ball Super Slinkys I had on my bass before is beyond night and day. It honestly feels and sounds like I just replaced my bass with one costing at least $500 more.

I'm not really the type to rave about anything, but I am raving about these strings!

The only negative I can come up with is the slight stickiness which I understand is due to their newness and will fade with time.

So I just wanted to thank everyone who's posted in this thread for helping to make something I already loved doing even more enjoyable! Cheers!!

 

[tobin999]

i just put some chromes on my p-bass so far i love the sound but we will see if that feeling lasts.

 

[JSK5String]

I play in a pop/rock band, and in a theater pit. I don't really play funk, but I like playing with some ghost notes and some feeling. They're supposed to show up on saturday, and I can hardly wait to try them out. I'll leave rounds on my corvette incase I feel like having a trebley slap spasm.

You're going to love them, just make sure you give them time to break in and find their sweet spot. I was all fired up when I put on my Chromes, but it took them a little while to really start sounding good. Now, the more I play them the better they sound.

 

[flyingfinbar]

I have nylon tapewounds on my fretless Ric 4003 that have been on the bass since I've owned it (at this point, probably over ten years, not the original owner), and they sound great! I have a Lakland 5 string P bass on order, and am considering trying chromes on it. I play, for the most part, pretty aggressive, fast music. I still want some high end, but am looking to do away with some of the sizzle of my current warwick/rounds setup.

How do Chromes deal with a somewhat heavy right hand?

 

[Funkfaker]

Ok, all you converts. I have been loving flats for awhile and am about to get my first Fender American. I am not fond of Chromes in the least, love TI's, but the looseness just pushes me towards excessive fret clank, and love the LaBella FL's. I want to keep the string-thru capabilities of the Am Std - what flatwound can I use?

+1

Any rec's?

 

[dtsamples]

You're going to love them, just make sure you give them time to break in and find their sweet spot. I was all fired up when I put on my Chromes, but it took them a little while to really start sounding good. Now, the more I play them the better they sound.

Thanks, JSK. I haven't received them yet, and the more time I've had to think about it, I'm not sure if I want them on my J or my Corvette. It'd be nice to dull down that Warwick, but I'm also thinking about trading it for a P. I think I'll throw them on my J as planned. Just not looking forward to giving up Portrait of Tracy. Hopefully it will be worth it in the long run.

 

[engedi1]

I have nylon tapewounds on my fretless Ric 4003 that have been on the bass since I've owned it (at this point, probably over ten years, not the original owner), and they sound great! I have a Lakland 5 string P bass on order, and am considering trying chromes on it. I play, for the most part, pretty aggressive, fast music. I still want some high end, but am looking to do away with some of the sizzle of my current warwick/rounds setup.

How do Chromes deal with a somewhat heavy right hand?

You can beat the crap out of chromes. They have a stiffness to them that makes them feel great on the right hand, even the lightest gauges.

 

[turbo2256b]

I began learning bass on my roomys 67 J bass. He didnt like the sound of round wounds neither did I. Fingering most of the time could duplicate the sound of the round wounds. My personal dislike was do to how calloused my hands and fingers are. Frome doing mechanic work and innitally from weight lifting and gymnastics. At one time in Junor high I could put out a cigerette in my had and could not close my hand completey do to callouse bild up.
So imagine that zipping sound x10 compaired to most. Because of this I couldnt hold a pick so fingers and thumbs were it.

Between the two of us we purchased about every new style flat wound we saw. This was in the early 70s.

About 75 or 76 I walked into a real high end music store in Nobilesville IND. Looked at a 8 string Alebic for 4000 new. Wanted it bad but that was big cash back then.
Any rate the flat wounds on it were great. I ask the tech guy there about them. He said they were Pyramid Gold's. Bought a set for my telly base that I installed a Rick pup on. Never wanted to use anything else again. Next bass bought a set.
Finaly about 15 years later couldnt fint those strings anywere most had never heard of them.
Well in a vist back to Indiana stopped at the shop first found them at. The father had died and the son turned it into a crap shop. He could no longer get the strings but he did scrape togeather enough strings to supply me with a set and a half.
Not exactly shure but I think they started importing them again about 98 or so but didnt find out untill a few years ago.

I talked to the sole importer of the Pyramid strings in the US. What I found out was. This company practicly invented metal springs instead of cat gut agess ago. They are all hand made. Because of this the core is round. All other wound strings I know of have hex or octomom cores. This is because using machines that wrap need a sharp edge to keep the wrap from slipping off the core. This hex coring hurts the sound. Pyramid has tried for years and have not found a way to use round cores on a machine has to be by hand. Most strings wire is what ever spec. Pyramid has ther own specs and wire.
These are the strings the Beatles as well as other euro groups and Beach Boys and such used back in the day.
Custom strings can be had special order. Great tone for me the right amout of grip for string bending yet smooth. Of course they make round wounds too.