Dunlop Flatwounds 40-100 are phenomenal

[BassGreaser]

Sorry to bring back a thread from the graveyard, but I just ordered a set of 40-100 Dunlop flats to try on my ‘23 German Hofner 500/1 (bought the medium scale version).. bass currently has the stock Pyramid Golds.

Really looking forward to seeing if they fit and how they sound if they do!

 

[michael_t]

Really looking forward to seeing if they fit and how they sound if they do!

Dunlop "medium scale" is 34" in winding length (ball end to taper/silk). You can measure on your bass from where the ball end is anchored to where the string clears the nut. As long as it's less than 34", they should fit fine.

 

[HowieD72]

Sorry to bring back a thread from the graveyard, but I just ordered a set of 40-100 Dunlop flats to try on my ‘23 German Hofner 500/1 (bought the medium scale version).. bass currently has the stock Pyramid Golds.

Really looking forward to seeing if they fit and how they sound if they do!

How do they compare to the Pyramids?

 

[maturanesa]

I've tried many flatwounds these past years, so I wasn't expecting much from the Dunlop Flatwounds 40-100. It's been a week and I have to say, they might have become my favourite strings.

With the tone knob all the way up on my Precision, they sound like modern flats, almost like rounds; with the tone all the way off, they sound like old-school flats. In both cases, the fundamental is clear, even on the dead spots (6th/7th fret on the G string).

They're smooth and well-balanced, tone-, sound- and tension-wise.

But most importantly (IMO), the tension (tightness/looseness) is perfect! Tighter than TI Jazz Flatwounds, but looser than any others I've tried.

A couple of issues:

• The silk is odd. It untangled so easily compared to other silks.
• The G string saddle has to be pushed so far towards the bridge that it's not aligned with the other saddles/sitting on the D string saddle. It doesn't seem problematic for now, but we'll see.

FWIW, other flatwounds I've tried in the past couple of years:

• TI Jazz Flatwounds
• LaBella Original 1954 0760M
• LaBella 760FS
• LaBella 760FM
• LaBella Low-Tension Flatwounds
• DR Legends
• D'Addario Chromes Regular Light ECB81
• Pyramid Gold Flatwound 640/1
• Fender 9050L
• Ernie Ball Slinky Flatwound 45-100

Well i got to disagree. In a P bass where playing at the pickup spot is where the response is better, using a low tension string is terrible. You need more tension in that part of the bass to get more focused lows and playing more in tune. Light at that point near the neck sounds cloudy and noissy plus they
sound out of tune moving all over

 

[eddiditfirst]

I had a couple of sets of these, one on a Precision and a short set on a Musicmaster- that i still regret selling. In a word, BALANCED. Great strings. I found the silk winding is a little on the long side at the ball end, i had to cut it back to let the string rest properly on the saddles. In the end i went back to La Bellas as i was always rolling down the tone

 

[GIBrat51]

I've never used Dunlops, but I hear good things; so, when I ordered my short scale Serek Sacramento last March, I specified Dunlop Flats on it. Which, since they're short scale, I assume will be 40-100s. Will I like them? Maybe; 40-100 is a little lighter gauge than I prefer on a short scale bass, but... I have 39-96 La Bella's on my Dano Longhorn, and various other short scale flats that are in more or less the same range. They could be a little stiffer, but... I have no complaints. So, I'm keeping an open mind - and waiting with what little patience I can muster...

Well...
I did finally get my Serek Sacramento, with the short scale Dunlop flats on it. Due to... problems... that I don't see the need to go into here, it took quite a while to get it, though. As for the strings? Yes, they are 40-100s. So... my impressions?
- They aren't the quick-break-in champs, by any means. But, they didn't take roughly forever to break in, either. I've played flats on basses almost exclusively for over 50 years, now, and 24 of the 27 basses I own currently wear flats. Lots of different ones. Dunlops, IME, are about... average, break-in wise...
- Feel-wise? Again, about average. Not as coarse as, say, Ernie Ball Group Flats; and not nearly as smooth as Galli Jazz Flats - which, honestly, feel like a Teflon coated solid wire. Like I said; pretty much average...
-Tone? IME, tone is definitely dependent on the bass/pickups, as well as the strings. On my chambered, neck-thru short scale Serek, with twin Bisonic pickups? Well... let's just say that I have absolutely no intention of replacing these Dunlops - at all. Until they just... die of old age, anyway. So...
While I wouldn't call Dunlop's flatwound strings "phenomenal"? Yes, I definitely do like them on the bass they're on, and I have a replacement set for when these eventually die. But, will I put them on any of my other basses? I have to say... no. I can think of a few that Dunlop Flats would probably sound good on, but... I'm happy - very happy - with the flats they're wearing now. And, I have spares for those strings, too...