Does anyone other than Thomastik-Infeld make a nickel flatwound round core for 5 string?

[logdrum]

Are you allergic to Stainless Steel, usually it's the other way around, You should try the DR Legends. Specially if you think TI Jazz flats are too floppy. They are polished really well and IMO better sounding the TIJF. They are still easy to play than other flats.

 

[zombywoof5050]

E-Bass FLATWOUND STRINGS Satz, 5-string, Low B

.045 .060 .080 .100 .125 Reinnickel-Flachdraht umsponnen (Pure Nickel Flat Wound); Hexagonalkern - Die OPTIMA FLATWOUND STRINGS werden mit einem…

optima-strings.com

Edit: Sorry, I guess they are hexcore, didn't notice at first but decided to leave it here anyway.

Ooops, I didn’t realize that ardgedee had already posted about these.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

They are great strings if you want brighter flats with a round wound-ish tone and a flatwound feel. But they are VERY different from TI flats and shouldn't be considered as an alternative to TI flats IMO.

But then again, I could say the same about ANY other flats. TI flats are unique. They are also quite expensive, but if you want the tone/feel of TI flats, there really are no other options that will get you even remotely close.

At over $100 per 5-string set, I think pretty much any other flat wound string should be at least considered as an alternative to TIJFs. I’ve tried TIJFs on a few 4-string basses (and still have them on one) and have never found them as irresistible as some players. Their feel is not drastically different than LaBella LTFs with the exception of the TIs having a much more noodle-y “A” string of any type of flats. Actual measured overall tension of the TIs isn’t super low at 140.2 lbs, but they are lower tension and more flexible than most flats, which isn’t a positive for all players or all basses.

Their tone wasn’t as inspiring to me the EBCFs which have round wound-like tone. They’re not exactly like rounds, but similar to a brief period in the life of a round wound string, however, the EBCF tone lasts MUCH longer. That’s with the tone knob wide open, but they have old school flat tone with the tone knob fully CCW, and useable tones in between.

TI tone is unique, but it’s also somewhat one-dimensional, and not a one-tone-fits-all dimension for everyone.

I can only speak for myself, but I find better performance for lower price than TIs with a few different flats; EBCF and LaBella Olinto for a couple examples.

 

[Selim]

Are you allergic to Stainless Steel, usually it's the other way around, You should try the DR Legends. Specially if you think TI Jazz flats are too floppy. They are polished really well and IMO better sounding the TIJF. They are still easy to play than other flats.

I second the above. The Legends are a strong alternative to TIs, esp for those who like the playability and easy feel of TIs but want that in a standard gauge. Another well-made string from DR. They are also round core, play like TI, are very smooth but veer a little more to the traditional La Bella sound than the strong mid tone of TIs. They do thump, but less than LBs (but more than TIs, which in my experience don’t really do the thump thing).

 

[maturanesa]

Flats in general are made with ss to last for years or even forever, a nickel flat wouldnt get rusty at some point?

 

[Fenderno]

Does LaBella make a Low Tension Flat Wound Set? Since all of my bass playing these days is for recording I found them better when A/B'd against TI's. They're more mellow and don't have the metallic "klank" that I experienced with TI's. Just my experience . . . YMMV.