FENDER 9050CL FLATS NOW AVAILABLE AT JUST STRINGS!

[iiipopes]

I don't think Fender ever made a five string set until the new ones came out.

Fender has made a conventional 5-string set for quite a number of years, albeit rounds, for conventional 5-string basses BEADG, starting at least in the early '90's.

Moreover, remember the Fender Bass V that came out in the late '60's, tuned EADGC, with an elongated body, shorter neck and single pickup, played most famously by John Paul Jones.

 

[eff-clef]

Hey Scott, I'm wondering what gauge round wounds you used prior to using the 9050 Cl's? The reason that I ask is that I went out and bought a pack of the "old stock" 9050 ML(50-65-85-100) and I like them alot (tone and balance wise) but they are too stiff. I'm worried that the Cl's will be too soft. I'm used to regular rounds 105-45. I'm wondering if I'm better off with the mediums or that you feel that the Cl's have a similar tension as regular roundwounds? I liked your review of them. Thanks, Chris p.s. I'm a flatwound convert too!

 

[iiipopes]

Before I switched to these flats, I played a custom set of Rotosound Swingbass 45-60-80-105 that I assembled from singles through the Rotosound rep & JustStrings.com. You can hear what they sound like on the Lawrence Welk Special "Precious Memories" that occasionally plays on PBS fundraising week, or purchase a copy through the Welk Theatre in Branson, MO. The 9050CL flats have marginally more tension than the same nominal gauge of Roto Swingbass, since there is more mass for the given diameter since there are no gaps between the windings as with rounds.

On my Rickenbacker 4002 I still have rounds: GHS Progressives, again as a custom set assembled from singles of 45-60-80-105; before I hurt my hand that used to be my main gigging bass, and I've played that setup for almost 20 years. On the CCB I recently got, I have Thomastik Spirocore S42 Weich on the EAD and a different G string, which is not uncommon. My Miraphone tuba, of course, doesn't have strings.

When I used to gig more, and changed strings more often, I would experiment occasionally, always going back to this setup until I got the 9050CL's on my custom P-style fanned fret bass.

Here's the deal as far as tension goes. Since the strings have a similar alloy, whether chrome or plain steel, they will have about the same density. So you can use the D'Addario tension chart to get a ballpark idea of how much tension the strings have. It won't be exact, but it will be within a few pounds. Moreover, you can compare how the different formulations, nickel plated rounds, stainless rounds, and flats, compare tension-wise. I would venture to guess that compared to the set you play now, which is probably 45-65-85-105, that the 9050CL 45 flat G string and 105 E string might feel a tad stronger, and the 60 flat D string and 80 flat A string will feel very similar to a 65 wound and 85 wound, respectively, tension-wise.

I finally got around to taking a picture of my custom P-style fanned fret bass, attached.

 

[cassius987]

I love that P Bass!

 

[iiipopes]

Thanks.

 

[eff-clef]

Before I switched to these flats, I played a custom set of Rotosound Swingbass 45-60-80-105 that I assembled from singles through the Rotosound rep & JustStrings.com. You can hear what they sound like on the Lawrence Welk Special "Precious Memories" that occasionally plays on PBS fundraising week, or purchase a copy through the Welk Theatre in Branson, MO. The 9050CL flats have marginally more tension than the same nominal gauge of Roto Swingbass, since there is more mass for the given diameter since there are no gaps between the windings as with rounds.

On my Rickenbacker 4002 I still have rounds: GHS Progressives, again as a custom set assembled from singles of 45-60-80-105; before I hurt my hand that used to be my main gigging bass, and I've played that setup for almost 20 years. On the CCB I recently got, I have Thomastik Spirocore S42 Weich on the EAD and a different G string, which is not uncommon. My Miraphone tuba, of course, doesn't have strings.

When I used to gig more, and changed strings more often, I would experiment occasionally, always going back to this setup until I got the 9050CL's on my custom P-style fanned fret bass.

Here's the deal as far as tension goes. Since the strings have a similar alloy, whether chrome or plain steel, they will have about the same density. So you can use the D'Addario tension chart to get a ballpark idea of how much tension the strings have. It won't be exact, but it will be within a few pounds. Moreover, you can compare how the different formulations, nickel plated rounds, stainless rounds, and flats, compare tension-wise. I would venture to guess that compared to the set you play now, which is probably 45-65-85-105, that the 9050CL 45 flat G string and 105 E string might feel a tad stronger, and the 60 flat D string and 80 flat A string will feel very similar to a 65 wound and 85 wound, respectively, tension-wise.

I finally got around to taking a picture of my custom P-style fanned fret bass, attached.

Thanks for the input!

 

[azureblue]

A heads up for those who get the 9050-5M set. This set has the same gauges as the 9050CL, but the .125 B string is taper wound - something I didn't find out until I got the strings- the blurb just says: ".125". I may be a bit picky, but from my experience- taper wound B's do not match well with the rest of the strings, in a flatwound set. My set arrived from Just Strings and I was going to put them on for a gig, but they will have to go back Monday unless a 5 string flatwound player can give me input on this TW .125.

BTW, I'm looking for that old school soul & R&B sound, like 60's and 70's, replacing my .050 D'aD chromes..

 

[cassius987]

Why would tapered strings be such a big deal? I have never heard a discernible difference as far as tone, but maybe intonation-wise yes.

 

[azureblue]

Why would tapered strings be such a big deal? I have never heard a discernible difference as far as tone, but maybe intonation-wise yes.

I'm mostly concerned about sustain, or, in the case of flats, the lack of it. My expereicne is that taper wounds tend to give more of a piano sustain, rather than a "thump" like Duck Dunn, Jamerson, etc. I will assume that a taper wound will sustain longer than a "regular" flat wound.

 

[dannster]

Put in an order for a set of these bad boys. I'm a pressurewound guy but have one bass I've messed around with flats on.
If they are decent they will end up in the studio very soon.

 

[iiipopes]

Sustain is more a function of the body than it is the strings. If the body, bridge and neck aren't tight and set up properly, no string is going to sustain well. I don't play a 5-string bass, but I can tell you that even with foam under the bridge cover that these strings sustain as much as any other string I've ever played.

The actual reason for the taper wound on the 5th string is the same reason as for the silk taper on the tuning end: so the string won't break going over the saddle. Marketing makes up the other reasons: piano tone, sustain, etc., as they go along to have something glamourous to put in the advertising.

 

[cassius987]

I can't say these strings have any of that "piano-like sustain" nonsense so many people say they get using any combination of gear. They're nice and mellow, not wolf-y at all. You shouldn't have any issues.

 

[azureblue]

I can't say these strings have any of that "piano-like sustain" nonsense so many people say they get using any combination of gear. They're nice and mellow, not wolf-y at all. You shouldn't have any issues.

Do you have the tapered flatwound B string? I'd like to hear from first hand experience, if possible. I have used taper wound round wounds before and found that they sustain longer. So the concept that flatwound have problems because they will "Break" going over the bridge pieces, well, wouldn't that be proof that the taper B will sustain longer, since the rest of the set is non taper?

I suppose if the set I got (90505M, which oddly, is not the same as a 9050M, gauge wise, but is the same gauge as the 9050 CL set) is as good as reported, I can always damp then B string, if it does sustain longer than the E string, but I'd prefer not have to go that route...

PS- the string barrels are colored almost the same as D'aD - the B is Yellow (DAD= purple)and the D is nickle (DaD is Black). The rest are the same..... draw your own conclusions.....

 

[iiipopes]

I don't think it will sustain longer. I actually have to damp the sustain on my 105 E string so it doesn't overring the rest of the set.

 

[azureblue]

I don't think it will sustain longer. I actually have to damp the sustain on my 105 E string so it doesn't overring the rest of the set.

Since I am moving out of a set of .050 5 string Chromes, this is good to know. I was hoping Fender didn't just grab a B string and add it to the 4 string set without making sure it was a match up.

Now what did I do with that piece of foam?

 

[iiipopes]

My understanding is the entire line of Fender Flats has been re-engineered from the ground up, so Fender didn't just "grab" anything.

If the tapered B string helps with the overtones, (probably along with a double winding and other details) then it will probably match better and not die so soon as with other flats, and especially other B strings, whatever their construction.

 

[azureblue]

My understanding is the entire line of Fender Flats has been re-engineered from the ground up, so Fender didn't just "grab" anything.

If the tapered B string helps with the overtones, (probably along with a double winding and other details) then it will probably match better and not die so soon as with other flats, and especially other B strings, whatever their construction.

Thanks- I'll go with that. Now to see how long it takes to break them in....

 

[azureblue]

Yep, except for the B they are the same as the CL set....

This is putting the 5 string set on my Yamaha BB5000--

1- the windings end about 1 1/2" from the nut, on all strings.
2- the B string's (it's taper wound) outer flat winding will wrap slightly on the tuning peg.
3- the B string's flat winding begins about 2 1/4" from the barrel, and the core extends about 2" from the barrel. Now this doesn't make sense to me, since the purpose of a taper wound is to keep from bending the outer core.
4- the set is lower tension than the D'aD Chrome .050 set, and a little more flexible- to be expected. Odd, but it takes less effort to fret them, and about the same to bend them. They are little tackier - this I like.
5- With all my worrying about the sustain time of the B, right out of the bag, the B sustains a little less than the E. It sounds good, too- not dead - the tone matches that of the E very well. Call me worry wart...

Can't say much about the sound until I break them in. I will be doing some Francis Prestia / TOP style music this week, so they should get broken in pretty fast. Initially, I recognize the good old Fender tone

 

[azureblue]

Compared with a waveform analysis app. to my old DaD Chrome 050 set, the Fenders have more 600 hz and the Chromes more 200. (Thanks to LR). That is, the Chromes are warmer and the Fenders have a little more brightness with a slightly clearer low end.... Think Duck Dunn vs. James Jamerson..

BTW, the strings come tacky, and it feels like some sort of coating. It wears off quickly, but in the process, messes with right hand articulation. I took a fiber scour pad (non metal) and ran it over the strings, and now they have that traditional Fender feel.

 

[iiipopes]

Compared with a waveform analysis app. to my old DaD Chrome 050 set, the Fenders have more 600 hz and the Chromes more 200. (Thanks to LR). That is, the Chromes are warmer and the Fenders have a little more brightness with a slightly clearer low end.... Think Duck Dunn vs. James Jamerson..

BTW, the strings come tacky, and it feels like some sort of coating. It wears off quickly, but in the process, messes with right hand articulation. I took a fiber scour pad (non metal) and ran it over the strings, and now they have that traditional Fender feel.

Bingo! I've said all along that the DaD Chromes are a tad "hollow" and the Fenders have a tad more "growl." My ears don't lie. I just don't have access to spectrum analysis equipment. Thanks ever so much for the spectrum analysis. This should kill the rest of the ill-informed comments that the new Fender flats are just repackaged chromes.

Now, as stated, Duck Dunn is a legend, and his tone is legendary in its own right. Likewise for Jamerson. Too bad he isn't still alive so he could have participated in the President's tribute to MoTown. So if you want either of those tones, DaD Chromes or LaBella flats, respectively, is the way to get it. But I don't care for that tone in my own playing, and the numbers confirm what my ears tell me, as to why I'm stoked about these flats: more harmonic development.

Thanks again, azureblue.