Dunlop Flatwounds premiering at NAMM

[Aidil]

I think Dunlop uses the same formula for their flats as their Super Bright rounds - a thinner core wire to achieve the extra flexibility.

Yes, seems like it.

 

[JimmyM]

I think Dunlop uses the same formula for their flats as their Super Bright rounds - a thinner core wire to achieve the extra flexibility.

Truth. That's exactly what they do.

 

[Luckydog]

I’m checking the low tension La Bella’s right now but I may very well go back to the Dunlops. The Dunlops are the string I like the most as a replacement for my favorite flats, the now defunct Sadowsky blacks.

Selim, could you take a minute to describe/compare the differences between the Dunlops and the old Sadowsky Black Labels? I’m a black label proponent and was devastated (well, maybe thats an overstatement) when RS discontinued those strings. Closest to the Sadowskys that I have used are the light gauge La Bellas, but even those did not have quite the same flavor. The La Bellas were just slightly less middy, IMO, and had just a smidge more deep round thump than the Sadowskys. I think I have tried most of the popular flats with the exception of Ernies and Dunlops. If the Dunlops are a little bit closer to the Sadowskys, well maybe I’d try them. I just dont wish to buy another set of flats to remove and store in my giant box of used strings.

also, what is the specific model (if there is more than one) of the Dunlops?

thanks

 

[J-Mags]

Finally put my Dunlop Flatwound 40-120 set on after 1½ year I got it, replacing La Bella 750C-B Copper White Nylon Tapewound. I haven't touched the truss rod upon changing, which means these Dunlops are indeed low tension flatwounds.

View attachment 4281052
Ibanez SRH505F with Dunlop Flatwound 40-120

Interesting to see that these Dunlop Flatwound outer wraps aren't as gray as Chromes and the windings are tighter than Chromes', despite comparable/almost the same gauges, still the Dunlop feel more flexible.

View attachment 4281422
Top (5 string fretless): Dunlop Flatwound 40-120 set. Bottom (3 string fretless): D'Addario Chromes 45-60-80 + (4 string fretted): Dunlop Super Bright Nickel 45-105

I like how these Dunlops were able to bring the right kind of warm sound out of my Ibanez SRH505F.

I bet they're gonna sound great on that bass. My one complaint about Dunlops is that they get eaten up by the frets within a year or so on a frequently used bass. They may last forever on that fretless.

 

[Aidil]

I bet they're gonna sound great on that bass. My one complaint about Dunlops is that they get eaten up by the frets within a year or so on a frequently used bass. They may last forever on that fretless.

Thanks. They do sound great on the Ibanez SRH505F.

Ouch... first time I heard of this kind of complaint. So in other words, you were saying that these Dunlop flats outer wraps are soft?

Though currently I don't have any plan of adding more of these to my fretted bass, appreciate if you could show some pics where these Dunlop flats got eaten by the frets. Or, did you meant the other way around (that these Dunlop flats could easily eat the frets upon heavy usages)?

 

[J-Mags]

Thanks. They do sound great on the Ibanez SRH505F.

Ouch... first time I heard of this kind of complaint. So in other words, you were saying that these Dunlop flats outer wraps are soft?

Though currently I don't have any plan of adding more of these to my fretted bass, appreciate if you could show some pics where these Dunlop flats got eaten by the frets. Or, did you meant the other way around (that these Dunlop flats could easily eat the frets upon heavy usages)?

I don't have a current pic because my current Dunlops are new. They get the same wear and tear over the frets that roundwound strings and guitar strings get. I recently put an old set on my bass with the grooves from the fret wear inadvertently facing up, and it was bad enough that it was uncomfortable to play. I think that the flatwound ribbon wind is a little more susceptible to wear from the frets than La Bellas, etc. I use them anyway because they have a specific warm, yet punchy sound that cuts through a mix really well. They sound good for quite a while after they start to look questionable.

 

[Johno Dunn]

Finally put my Dunlop Flatwound 40-120 set on after 1½ year I got it, replacing La Bella 750C-B Copper White Nylon Tapewound. I haven't touched the truss rod upon changing, which means these Dunlops are indeed low tension flatwounds.

View attachment 4281052
Ibanez SRH505F with Dunlop Flatwound 40-120

Interesting to see that these Dunlop Flatwound outer wraps aren't as gray as Chromes and the windings are tighter than Chromes', despite comparable/almost the same gauges, still the Dunlop feel more flexible.

View attachment 4281422
Top (5 string fretless): Dunlop Flatwound 40-120 set. Bottom (3 string fretless): D'Addario Chromes 45-60-80 + (4 string fretted): Dunlop Super Bright Nickel 45-105

I like how these Dunlops were able to bring the right kind of warm sound out of my Ibanez SRH505F.

I recently purchased an Ibby SRF700 used, that arrived with La Bella Black Tapes. I have used the Dunlop SB's on my fretted basses for years, and would like to switch to these flats for my Fretless. Can you comment on the Mwah, or lack there of?

 

[JimmyM]

I recently purchased an Ibby SRF700 used, that arrived with La Bella Black Tapes. I have used the Dunlop SB's on my fretted basses for years, and would like to switch to these flats for my Fretless. Can you comment on the Mwah, or lack there of?

Not a big mwah guy nor do I play much fretless, but when they're new, Dunlop flats sound incredibly like a set of SB Nickels that have gone somewhat dead. Once they're dead, they sound very thuddy, which I love in a flatwound. I always figured a roundwound tone was essential for that mwah, but I suppose new flats could work, too.

 

[Aidil]

I recently purchased an Ibby SRF700 used, that arrived with La Bella Black Tapes. I have used the Dunlop SB's on my fretted basses for years, and would like to switch to these flats for my Fretless. Can you comment on the Mwah, or lack there of?

AAMOF, I own an Ibanez SRF too. Mine is the 5 string version. I've put D'Addario (black) Nylon Tapewounds on it for almost 5 years and I don't intent to change them to any others. Despite the black tapes are being marketed on the farthest mellow side of D'Addario bright-mellow bar and generally regarded as dark sounding strings, they are actually not that dark to my ears. They still mwah in the right amount.

OTOH, the Dunlop flats 40-120 set on my Ibanez SRH fretless are somewhat comparable to D'Addario tapes 50-135 on the SRF in terms of stiffness/flexibility. I've only been using them no more than 3 months, but the SRH505F neck has adapted from its last position when it was set for La Bella 750C-B Copper White Tapewounds. It developed a back bow which required me to loosen the truss rod. As mentioned on my previous post, I didn’t touch the truss rod upon changing, which I thought the neck was okay at the time. So, this means the Dunlop Flatwounds 40-120 set is somewhat even lower tension than La Bella Copper White tapes 50-135 set, despite in terms of flexibility, La Bella set felt more flexible.

Do the Dunlop Flatwounds mwah? Absolutely. They even went mwah crazy when the neck had developed a back bow.

So, these two basses have proven that getting the mwah is not only when using round wounds on a fretless neck, but it is more of the result of how the basses were set-up. As the strings' vibration against the fretless board is what delivers the mwah.