DR "Legend" Flats

[PaulMacCnj]

I spotted DR "Legend" flatwound bass strings in a store. The packaging says that they are wound on a hex core (vs. the round core of "High Beam" flats).

Before I buy a set, I wanted to get some more info on these, but there appears to be none. Even DR's website says nothing about them. ???

 

[lmfreeman9]

First I've heard.

 

[Fender4Me]

I just installed a set of them on one of my P's but havent played it enough to make a judgement yet. They seem to have more of an upright bass sound to me. More decay and less sutain than say a set of Chromes. I'll play them some more and report back.

 

[Fender4Me]

My bad. Even though my package says " DR Legend", they are wound on a round core like the older Hi-beams. They must be making them both ways.

 

[jasper383]

I just put a set on my '51 Reissue P Bass, and I like them. Packaging says they are a round core string.

Funny, they feel, sound, and look a LOT like GHS Precision Flats.

Are we sure DR makes these in house? I know the DR rounds are made by DR in New Jersey, but these are so much like GHS flats that it has me wondering.

 

[tonechaser]

In our country, we have one particular string brand that has a similar construction (flatwounds over hex) and they do sound differently from regular flats-over-rounds. Thuddy attack like flats but with more high-end content in the note duration...

Anyhows here's a youtube review of the said string from one of our local pro. Though the review is partly non-english (the video was intended for our local market) he ran the strings thru different settings and styles so you can get an idea how flats-over-hex core behave:

 

[Fender4Me]

Im not as crazy about these DR flats as I am D'Addario Chromes. The tension is a bit too low to me which makes the E sound and feel a a little flabby. I like the higher tension of the Chromes myself. The DR's do feel nice though. Very smooth like glass.

 

[PaulMacCnj]

I called the shop where I saw the DR Legend Flats. They confirmed that the package says the strings are hex core.

 

[Dominic D]

My box of 5-string flats say "Legend" on the front. On the back at the top is says "Polished Stainless Steel Bass Strings Wound With Hexagonal Cores" but below that it has the description and gauge info for the 4-string hi-beam roundwound set. Very strange.

 

[OnederTone]

but below that it has the description and gauge info for the 4-string hi-beam roundwound set. Very strange.

Don't all DR packages have that blurb to describe their "tite-fit" winding process?

 

[tumbaobab]

On the website it's written "round core".

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

On my package it's written "...with hexagonal core"

They should decide if it's round or hex.

 

[pilmat]

Round or hex core is irrelevant to me, I just could not get into the tone of these strings. They sounded dead out of the pack. I had them as replacements for the Labellas that came on my Solid 4, and was quite disappointed with their tone.

I had confirmation it was not working when my wife came down to see if I had thrown a blanket over my cab to dampen it! There was a nice thump on the bottom and little else. If Chromes are the bright extreme of flats, these are the mellow extreme.

There might be a setting/bass where these will be awesome, but absolutely not for me. YMMV

 

[dfp]

so, to sum up what i've gathered: packages of DR Legend state in 2 different places on the back, "round core" and "hex core", and some TB member says he got word from DR that the "hex core" part is an error. so. round core.

i just got a brand new set, and first off, i measure them w/ a micrometer. b/c that's what i do w/ new strings. now, in the past, i've found more often than not, DR strings like Hi Beams and Sunbeams and Lo Riders measure up about 1 or 2 thousandths of an inch smaller than they claim to be. maybe they do that on purpose so their strings feel ever so slightly easier to play.. but if they do it on purpose, it's deceptive and not cool... anywho, the Legend Flats, which claim to be 45, 65, 85, 105, actually measured to be 42, 61, 83.5, 105. am i wrong to be a little pissed about this? these gauges are almost identical to light gauge La Bellas DTB... if i wanted that gauge, i would have just gone w/ the La Bella... i really wanted to see what a round core, medium gauge flatwound felt like..

so, has anyone bothered to measure their DR Legend Flats? is this a fluke? i doubt it, but the D being a whole 4/1000ths off.. that's bad...

oh, and w/in 24 hours i can see slight separation of the windings on the E string over the 3rd fret. boo!

on the positive side... they are super easy to play, w/ my neck set flat i can fly around and play just about anything i could have on rounds. haven't gigged them yet, however... may just live w/ them awhile if they work on the gigs and if the windings don't separate any further...

i already complained to DR, am awaiting a reply. may just go back to a 45-105 set of LaBella, as that's the gauge i really wanted, and i know i love those strings in their 49-109 set.

 

[mmbongo]

so, to sum up what i've gathered: packages of DR Legend state in 2 different places on the back, "round core" and "hex core", and some TB member says he got word from DR that the "hex core" part is an error. so. round core.

i just got a brand new set, and first off, i measure them w/ a micrometer. b/c that's what i do w/ new strings. now, in the past, i've found more often than not, DR strings like Hi Beams and Sunbeams and Lo Riders measure up about 1 or 2 thousandths of an inch smaller than they claim to be. maybe they do that on purpose so their strings feel ever so slightly easier to play.. but if they do it on purpose, it's deceptive and not cool...

Read up on DR's 'Tite Fit' technology. The tagline is something like 'the sum is smaller than its parts'.

All strings have some tolerance. No two strings are going to measure .105000000 or .9500000

 

[dfp]

thanks, i have read that info and i interpreted it to mean, they start w/ materials in excess of the intended gauge, then through their "tite fit" process they work the materials down to the target gauge...

actually, i'm not just interpreting it that way, that's pretty much exactly what the Tite Fit explanation says. "the total before winding is .108, the total after winding is .105." well they did get the E string correct.. but to be off a whole 4/1000ths of an inch on the D... that's virtually the next size down you know, since 5/1000ths is pretty much a standard differential between heavy, medium, light....

if, however, they actually start the process w/ materials that merely add up to the target gauge, then Tite Fit wind them down to the smaller gauge (which would make their strings deliberately incorrectly labeled) then your explanation makes sense.

 

[dfp]

actually, i've been in the habit of measuring all my new strings for some time now, and most are pretty true. 1/1000th off here or there, even 2/1000th now and then. several are dead on more often than not, and DR are almost unfailingly at least 2/1000th off on at least a couple strings per set. not a scientific study, but compelling enough to me. i still love Hi Beams and Sunbeams in spite of any inconsistencies, b/c regardless, they just feel better than hex core strings. but i don't think i've until now seen one a whole 4/1000th off....

 

[James Simonson]

Darker than LaBella?

 

[jasper383]

How would you compare them in tone to the LaBella?

Both have similar lows and mids, La Bellas keep more high end even after breaking in.

La Bellas feel more flexible, ime.

I still can't tell the DR flats from the GHS Precision flats.

 

[Root 5]

Round or hex core is irrelevant to me, I just could not get into the tone of these strings. They sounded dead out of the pack. was quite disappointed with their tone.

I had confirmation it was not working when my wife came down to see if I had thrown a blanket over my cab to dampen it! There was a nice thump on the bottom and little else. If Chromes are the bright extreme of flats, these are the mellow extreme.

Many of us like the thuddy, mellow tone that some brands of flatwounds offer.

 

[eyecandy]

GHS flats and DR Legend are similar?

I'm having a hard time looking for GHS flats here at our local store.. they only have DR Legend.. well might wanna try them out soon..