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Convince me to get Flats

#21
I recently started using chromes on my bass and really loved em! After a month or so of using them, I wanted a little more out of my strings so I got a set of La Bella Deep Talkin' Flats. Beat strings ever! I've been a round wound guy unt earlier this year. Mind you, my three main squeezes are wound with la Bella flats (Fender P), D'Adarrio stainless rounds (Lakeland dj4), and Chromes (Ric 4001). I like each type for their own reasons but I am finding myself playing the la Bella's more and more
 
#24
southpaw723 said:
I think I'm gonna try GHS precision flats. Still open to other suggestion though.
Click to expand...

That's a good choice, but be prepared for a long play in, and ongoing tweaking. You'll need to have a luthier instal the stringset initially, and do a full on professional set-up to start with. You'll have to do additional tweaks yourself or return to your luthier and pay-as-you-go.

Read This Carefully:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/praise-report-ghs-precision-flats-1009326/

I've been playing bass for 44 years and I know what I am talking about. I just want to make sure that you are getting the straight poop, and not a bunch of Sh!t.
 
#25
I'll weigh in with one other thing about flats. If you normally use a 45-105 gauge roundwound string,you may want to drop to a 40-100 gauge (or lower) when going with some flats,particularly Chromes. GHS flats are quite good,and Optima makes a very good set as well. Although they sound great in any number of different types of music,IMO,if you want that classic 60's sound on any bass,playing flatwounds with a pick BRINGS IT.
 
#29
I can't convince you but even though I came of age in the 70's as a player I am mostly trying to create a sound associated with the 60's. A time when many of our trend setters played flats. But I hear that the "greatest bassist " in pop music history was losing gigs in part because he didn't update with new string technology
 
#30
Hated the GHS.

Really liked the Chromes & Labellas.

Heard good things about the Fenders.

However, I've been using Roto 77s exclusively for many years now.

If you're worried about tension - follow the good advice about trying 40-100's - I love them for playing chords & solos.

I primarily use 45-105 + 130 on my Yamaha 5 for my R&B and jazz gigs.

I usually change them once a year or before an important recording session.

Good luck!
 
#31
SS flats (eg. Sadowsky) have a tad more zing IMO than most. I like the sound but really hate the feel of Chromes. Gotta say I prefer old rounds on a Jazz though....


You also need to learn to EQ differently for flats. Roll some lows off if too muddy = tightens the lows nicely, better cut and clarity. Picks & Flats are a great pair.
 
#33
Convince me to get Flats...............listen to your pre-1976 recordings in your record/cd collection! How does that sound?

The thing about flats yanking on your truss rod is bologna. Example, TI flats. Less tug than round wounds!
 
#34
Like others have said, I can't convince you. However...I'm another who's always loved those bass sounds from the past. Motown, Stax, Beatles...a small example of what I heard when I first got interested in music. Even though I've always used rounds I always wanted a bass with flats on it because of loving those early sounds.

Fast forward many, many years. I bought my first P bass about two years ago and early this year I put a set of Fender 9050CL flats on it. The tension is pretty much equal to the Fender rounds that were on the bass. So no adjustments were needed. They're bright, but not overly so. They thump, but in a good way to my ears. They were a little bit sticky at first but that went away real fast.

At my weekly gig I use an SR505 with rounds because it covers a lot of ground and I've always been told how great it sounds. One night I decided to use my P bass with the flats for a change of pace. A good friend of mine was there that night and told me " your SR sounds great. But man, that P bass just thumped and cut and had a fat sound like I couldn't believe." Our drummer loved it too! He was really into it! Those strings are not coming off that bass!

It's like anything else. Flats may work for you and for your situation or they may not. But you'll never know until you try them for yourself.
 
#35
Linnin said:
That's a good choice, but be prepared for a long play in, and ongoing tweaking. You'll need to have a luthier instal the stringset initially, and do a full on professional set-up to start with. You'll have to do additional tweaks yourself or return to your luthier and pay-as-you-go.
Click to expand...

Or you could just install them, adjust string height and intonation if necessary, which is exceedingly simple to do with tons of how-to's available on this very website, and play.

I haven't been playing for 44 years, but I've never had to pay someone to install strings for me.
 
#36
3234718 said:
Or you could just install them, adjust string height and intonation if necessary, which is exceedingly simple to do with tons of how-to's available on this very website, and play.

I haven't been playing for 44 years, but I've never had to pay someone to install strings for me.
Click to expand...

Then you've missed out on the joys of a truely professional set-up. When making a drastic change in tension such as going from rounds to flats, a completely new set-up is absolutely required. Taking your bass and new stringset to a luthier for professional installation & set-up is just good; sound, and responsible advice.
 
#37
Linnin said:
Then you've missed out on the joys of a truely professional set-up. When making a drastic change in tension such as going from rounds to flats, a completely new set-up is absolutely required. Taking your bass and new stringset to a luthier for professional installation & set-up is just good; sound, and responsible advice.
Click to expand...

Unless you know how to do yourself. It's not rocket science.
 
#38
Jhengsman said:
I can't convince you but even though I came of age in the 70's as a player I am mostly trying to create a sound associated with the 60's. A time when many of our trend setters played flats. But I hear that the "greatest bassist " in pop music history was losing gigs in part because he didn't update with new string technology
Click to expand...



Gigs were lost because of poor intonation due to strings that may have been 20 years old. They were not lost because of string technology.
 
#39
I have played TI flats, Fender flats, Sadowsky flats, GHS and Chromes. For me the Sadowsky's are the bomb. Perfect tension and tone. Fenders were nice good tone a little soft for my taste. TI's sound great but the tension is hard to get use to. Played them for a year and never liked the feel. Chromes were my least favorite. Very stiff and very bright. GHS felt good tension wise but I did not like the tone at all. I have not played Labellas but I here good things. For me the Sadowsky's have been the best strings I have ever used. Just start trying them you will find a Flat that will work for you. Just make sure you give them a few months each before changing them out.
 
#40
There are a lot of good suggestions here but if you like rounds, you will most likely like Chromes or Fender flats, the 45-105 and 40-100 sets of Fender flats are the best sounding strings I've used so far. Sadowsky flats are just as good with more thump and treble, but are also twice as expensive.

I like my bass to sound bright and clear, and the Fender flats deliver. For the first few hundred hours or so of playtime they are bright and growly but still much different than rounds, having a percussive drum like attack instead of a bell or piano like quality. There is just a hint of thump but these strings don't get that deep flatwound thump and decay for a very long time.

I've switched back to rounds since I'm in a new band where I have more space for playing intricate basslines and I need to maximize my double-thumbing/tapping/string-bending efficiency but for recordings I slap on my Fender flats.
 

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