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Fender Flats... yay or nay?
- Thread starter echo008
- Start date
I have been using 9050Ms on my '88 P-Bass (Japan) for almost 10 years now (not the same set
).
I've used GHS Bass Boomers and currently have DR Highbeams on it. The GHS set was good, but I liked the 9050Ms better. I have DR Highbeams on it how, and while I like the sound, I am concerned about fret wear. In all the years I had the 9050Ms, I never noticed any fret wear. In fact, I have yet to have any kind of fret work done on it after 19 yrs!
).I've used GHS Bass Boomers and currently have DR Highbeams on it. The GHS set was good, but I liked the 9050Ms better. I have DR Highbeams on it how, and while I like the sound, I am concerned about fret wear. In all the years I had the 9050Ms, I never noticed any fret wear. In fact, I have yet to have any kind of fret work done on it after 19 yrs!
the day I got my set of 9050ML's the nut on my bass snapped so I havent even have had a chance to use them yet 
... but today finally Im picking the bass up restrung with the ML's cant wait to play it and see for myself. Im considering putting a set of the ML's on my Ric 4003 now as well ....
- Tom
... but today finally Im picking the bass up restrung with the ML's cant wait to play it and see for myself. Im considering putting a set of the ML's on my Ric 4003 now as well ....- Tom
today I changed from GHS boomers to Fender 9050M's... wow!! I like it, but I really had to adjust my truss-rod, or the boomers were very low tension or the fenders are very high tension... but it worked out great!
Hope you get on with the Fender's please let us all know, if you dont get on with the Fenders it may be worth trying Daddario Chromes, not my favourite but good upper midrange bite to them . BTW Flats on a Ric should sound awesome with the neck pickup on full.the day I got my set of 9050ML's the nut on my bass snapped so I havent even have had a chance to use them yet
- Tom
Be sure to give them adequate time to settle in. The amount of time this takes depends on how much you play, so it is hard to say what you should expect. In my experience flats take a little longer to settle in than rounds, but once they do they retain their tone a lot longer than rounds.
I've tried TI's, La Bellas, Chromes and Fenders and to my ears the Fenders had the most "bite" of the four, particularly when played with a pick. And they retain most of that bite when they settle in.
YAY!!!
I love and adore Fender flats. I have a real cheap set ($14) and they ROCK. To give you an idea, a set of Roto Swing Bass strings is about $45 over here. So the Fenders are great value, considering how good they are.
They sound awesome finger style, and even better with a pick.
My Ibanez has turned into my flats bass now, never putting rounds on that thing again, the flats are just too cool. 
I love and adore Fender flats. I have a real cheap set ($14) and they ROCK. To give you an idea, a set of Roto Swing Bass strings is about $45 over here. So the Fenders are great value, considering how good they are.
They sound awesome finger style, and even better with a pick.
My Ibanez has turned into my flats bass now, never putting rounds on that thing again, the flats are just too cool. 
Nay... flats are useless unless you're playing and upright. Never played a set I liked on an electric. If you want a really dead sound just never change your strings.
I have a set on a pbass and like them. nice to change up from most of my basses with DR roundwounds. Although, I hear LaBella flats are the way to go.
I have 9050M's on all my basses. They sound great and feel great and they can be purchased for under $20.00. They are pretty heavy - all my basses needed adjustment when I installed them. I know I've had the same set on my PBass for at least 3 to 4 years.
How exactly do dead rounds sound like flats?
The EB Slinky's on my Stingray are oooooooooold, and dead to the world, and desperately need to be changed. And they don't sound anything like a set of flats do. There is no way that you could ever get a roundwound sounding like a flatwound IMO.
My Flats don't sound dead. They sound like Flats.....not old Rounds. They really hit those "Low Frequencies"
i like the fenders. I had them on my bass for a few weeks before switching back to my usual GHS boomers but I'm actually looking at getting another bass to put the fenders on.
that said they are super stiff and hard i found...my fingers got some really solid callouses after playing flats for a few weeks.
that said they are super stiff and hard i found...my fingers got some really solid callouses after playing flats for a few weeks.
I have been using Fender 9050s (M) for years and just put on a set of D'Addario ECB82 Chromes on my '88 P-Bass (Japan) w/ EMG pups on it.
The tension is pretty close, but I would say the 9050s are a bit higher on the tension. To me, the flexibility of the strings are comparable, with the Chromes being a bit smoother to the touch.
However, regarding tone, I found the 9050s to have a more balanced, full, and consistent tone all around. I may need to give the Chromes more break in time (put them on last night), but so far, the 9050s sound more alive to me--somewhat richer and fuller frequencies. However, these are still flatwounds, so they aren't nearly as rich as roundwounds, to me at least. The Chromes sound a little--just a little--deader fresh out of the package.
I am going to give the Chromes a few weeks, but after being on 9050s for almost 10 years, my first reflex (after plugging into my amp) was to put some 9050s back on.
The tension is pretty close, but I would say the 9050s are a bit higher on the tension. To me, the flexibility of the strings are comparable, with the Chromes being a bit smoother to the touch.
However, regarding tone, I found the 9050s to have a more balanced, full, and consistent tone all around. I may need to give the Chromes more break in time (put them on last night), but so far, the 9050s sound more alive to me--somewhat richer and fuller frequencies. However, these are still flatwounds, so they aren't nearly as rich as roundwounds, to me at least. The Chromes sound a little--just a little--deader fresh out of the package.
I am going to give the Chromes a few weeks, but after being on 9050s for almost 10 years, my first reflex (after plugging into my amp) was to put some 9050s back on.
