Favorite flats with high tension

[3bc]

I’m lookin at flats for the first time ever. Most strings are pretty taut by the bridge. I’m more comfortable playing by the neck pickup (or only pickup on a P), and i find many strings too loosey goosey in that position.

Any recommendations for a nice set of flats for a new P bass with high tension level?

Thanks! I’m mostly playing fat beams these days on other bass, and that’s about the tautness I’d like.

Thanks!

 

[michael_t]

I’m mostly playing fat beams these days on other bass, and that’s about the tautness I’d like.

Fat Beams are not the stiffest strings even for a roundwound. Most flats would be stiffer in feel than Fat Beams with only a few exceptions.

 

[el murdoque]

can't comment on Fat Beams, but the LaBella Deep Talkin Flats offer a nice, stiff response even when played with the thumb resting on the end of the fretboard.

 

[3bc]

Fat Beams are not the stiffest strings even for a roundwound. Most flats would be stiffer in feel than Fat Beams with only a few exceptions.

So i should be fairly safe overall? based on reputation i switched to hi beams for probably 10 years. always like them but they zing your head off when brand new. Went to fat beams and that problem was fixed. Fat beams seem taut to me, but it's really based off of the factory strings that seem to be on most guitars always feel VERY loose to me. I won't even know what they are, but i know that by basis of comparison they are not for me. when i pick up a new instrument, or go to GC and sample, always seem way too loose.

Had been playing elixir and blue steel and all sorts of other trendy strings in the 90's and early 2000's. there didn't seem to be a whole lot in it at the time from the tension piece, but my memory doesn't work that far back to pick it apart on a comparison.

 

[michael_t]

So i should be fairly safe overall? based on reputation i switched to hi beams for probably 10 years. always like them but they zing your head off when brand new. Went to fat beams and that problem was fixed. Fat beams seem taut to me...

Fat Beams are in fact slightly stiffer than Hi Beams. But you're comparing two of the most flexible bass strings in the market.

That said, I would suggest you start with something like La Bella 760FL (43-60-82-104), D'Addario Chromes ECB84 (40-60-80-100) or Fender 9050L (45-60-80-100) to see how they feel. They all fall somewhere in the middle of the flatwound stiffness scale. So, you can go either up or down from there.

 

[Dan_reeves]

Since you like Fat Beams, you could also consider DR Legend Flats in the same gauge. They will feel stiffer than the FBs but have that roundcore string responsiveness.

 

[3bc]

Fat Beams are in fact slightly stiffer than Hi Beams. But you're comparing two of the most flexible bass strings in the market.

That said, I would suggest you start with something like La Bella 760FL (43-60-82-104), D'Addario Chromes ECB84 (40-60-80-100) or Fender 9050L (45-60-80-100) to see how they feel. They're somewhere in the middle of the flatwound stiffness scale.

lol, i'm not here to argue, i appreciate the insight. i'm surprised to find how flexible they are by basis of comparison. Every time i pick up someone else's bass, or a bass off the wall at the store they always seem to be much looser

 

[michael_t]

lol, i'm not here to argue, i appreciate the insight. i'm surprised to find how flexible they are by basis of comparison. Every time i pick up someone else's bass, or a bass off the wall at the store they always seem to be much looser

It's all relative... How a set of strings FEEL under your fingers is a very subjective thing. Good luck in your quest.

 

[3bc]

It's all relative... How a set of strings FEEL under your fingers is a very subjective thing. Good luck in your quest.

Thoughts on how tomastik would compare to a fat beam? fat beams seem to be not that taut, but then tomastiks are only 43-100's.

thanks!

 

[michael_t]

Thoughts on how tomastik would compare to a fat beam? fat beams seem to be not that taut, but then tomastiks are only 43-100's.

TI Flats are probably the most flexible of all flats, and as such, not what you're looking for.

 

[lz4005]

I’m lookin at flats for the first time ever. Most strings are pretty taut by the bridge. I’m more comfortable playing by the neck pickup (or only pickup on a P), and i find many strings too loosey goosey in that position.

Any recommendations for a nice set of flats for a new P bass with high tension level?

Thanks! I’m mostly playing fat beams these days on other bass, and that’s about the tautness I’d like.

You're mixing up two very different things. Flexibility and tension.

Tension, or tautness, is the pounds of pull you exert with the tuner to get a string to pitch. It is the same the entire length of the string. You get more by using thicker strings.

Flexibility is how bendy the strings are. It is different at different points on the string. It changes based on construction. Round core is more flexible, hex core is less flexible.

Do you want strings that are tighter, less bendy or both?

 

[3bc]

You're mixing up two very different things. Flexibility and tension.

Tension, or tautness, is the pounds of pull you exert with the tuner to get a string to pitch. It is the same the entire length of the string. You get more by using thicker strings.

Flexibility is how bendy the strings are. It is different at different points on the string. It changes based on construction. Round core is more flexible, hex core is less flexible.

Do you want strings that are tighter, less bendy or both?

mostly tighter in the plucking position. relatively indifferent in terms of the "bendy" factor on the fret board. i'll articulate notes with different degrees of attack and add some inflection with a bit of bend here and there, but it's infrequent and mostly subtle.

thank you for your insights.

 

[lz4005]

mostly tighter in the plucking position. relatively indifferent in terms of the "bendy" factor on the fret board.

As I said before, tightness is the pull of the tuner and is the same the length of the string. You're talking about lower flexibility.

 

[Rolling Thunder]

I’m lookin at flats for the first time ever. Most strings are pretty taut by the bridge. I’m more comfortable playing by the neck pickup (or only pickup on a P), and i find many strings too loosey goosey in that position.

Any recommendations for a nice set of flats for a new P bass with high tension level?

Thanks! I’m mostly playing fat beams these days on other bass, and that’s about the tautness I’d like.

Thanks!

Labella or Rotosound

 

[Bolsyo]

Rotosound

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

I pretty much play fat beams exclusively, I got a set of chromes on my jazz bass, they may be worth looking into. I don’t have much experience with flats but they are pretty stiff and the bridge but eases up towards the neck but aren’t floppy at all

 

[TN WOODMAN]

La Bella Original 1954s. AKA The Jamerson set.

 

[Bodeeni]

I usually play a bit lighter chrome EBC84 set but if I was looking for stiff I would go with the labella medium 760FM set or the chromes EBC82. Both those sets will have stiff feel coming off rounds, and they are great strings.

 

[Bruiser Stone]

Labella or Rotosound

In terms of stiff resistance playing near the neck, these two. But otherwise, they are very different. La Bella DTF’s if you want dark and thumpy, Rotosound Jazz flats if you want bright with a pronounced midrange. And as for string texture, La Bella is glassy smooth, and Rotos feel rough in comparison, especially the E if this is a consideration.

 

[Brujonica]

I really like Rotosound 77's for their high tension.
They are brighter/middier than most flats, so perhaps you shouldn't expect a very strict vintage tone from them, but this made they work for me in a broader range of styles and band formations, still with plenty of thud.