Longtime fan. Nice aggressive, punchy tone. Emphasizes the Precisionness.
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Fender Flats
- Thread starter bdplaid
- Start date
Fender 9050s are by far my favorite flatwound for my Fender Jazz. Emphasizes the Jazzness as well.
Fender 9050s are by far my favorite flatwound for my Fender Jazz. Emphasizes the Jazzness as well.
I've been meaning to try that, but I love TIs on my JB.
Damn, I guess now I need to buy another Jazz Bass.
I was just thinking the same thing... The Fender Flats Love pops up every now and then, and every time that happens, I get this crazy itch to try them on my Jazz again. The last time I had flats on it was back in 2015, so it's been while.
Then I pull out my J and start noodling on it, which has GHS Pressurewounds tuned to DGCF, and say to myself, "There is no way I'm going to change this perfect setup!"
So, yes, the only way I can scratch my itch is to have another Jazz bass.
I'd rather have 40-100. But these 45 - 100 are fine.
That's the truth, and why I like them so much. Very much a whole lotta midrange. Last night, I found that they seem especially responsive to tone changes on the amp, particularly in the low end.
I may have decided that I like them new so much, that if they dull down too much to sound like actual flats, I might just keep getting new sets. Expensive, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
One thing I like about the Fender flats is they don't go all thuddy and dull as they age like some flats do. The top end does mellow down a bit in time but the full-bodied low-mid punch and their midrange character do last quite a while.
I actually literally just bought a set the other day for my jazz bass since my chromes I cut a tad bit too much when transfering from an Ibanez to Jazz. I am getting them tomorrow but they were the only flats right now that weren't way into the 40$+ range. They seem good and sound good to me anyway.
I'm still quite new to flats. I tried some D'addario Chromes light gauge first. Then I tried Fender 9050M, but found the G to be a little too thick for my tastes. (It was my 1st experience with heavier gauge too.)
Now, I installed a set of 9050ML on my new CV 70s Precision. I wasn't sure I liked them at first. I still found them too thick. But they seem to be settling in and becoming less stiff. They've only been on there a couple of weeks, so I think I better wait until they age properly before I form a final appreciation. It looks positive though: I appreciate them more as the days pass.
One thing about them. I don't know if it's the gauge, the material or maybe it's to be expected with flats in general... I found they clacked against the frets a lot at first. So much that I raised the action, which I didn't like. Stiffness and height combined didn't make for a comfortable playing experience. But just now, literally minutes before seeing this thread, I lowered them again and it changed everything. I set them pretty low. They still clack and there's a certain amount of fret buzz, but not nearly as much as I remember when I 1st installed them: It's at a level that I think I can tolerate. (I'll have to play some more to decide.) And somehow, it now sounds natural.
I don't know if maybe I unconsciously adapted my right hand technique, or is it because of the aforementioned loosening of the strings themselves... But if I can keep the action that low, it's definitely helping me appreciate them.
Now, I installed a set of 9050ML on my new CV 70s Precision. I wasn't sure I liked them at first. I still found them too thick. But they seem to be settling in and becoming less stiff. They've only been on there a couple of weeks, so I think I better wait until they age properly before I form a final appreciation. It looks positive though: I appreciate them more as the days pass.
One thing about them. I don't know if it's the gauge, the material or maybe it's to be expected with flats in general... I found they clacked against the frets a lot at first. So much that I raised the action, which I didn't like. Stiffness and height combined didn't make for a comfortable playing experience. But just now, literally minutes before seeing this thread, I lowered them again and it changed everything. I set them pretty low. They still clack and there's a certain amount of fret buzz, but not nearly as much as I remember when I 1st installed them: It's at a level that I think I can tolerate. (I'll have to play some more to decide.) And somehow, it now sounds natural.
I don't know if maybe I unconsciously adapted my right hand technique, or is it because of the aforementioned loosening of the strings themselves... But if I can keep the action that low, it's definitely helping me appreciate them.
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I know, right? Dunlop flats were my previous go-to for flats, until they zoomed from around $30 to over $50. And that happened before the current economic insanity.
As for action and playability, I like a low action, and the 9050s really get it done. Maybe a little clack, but not nearly as much as worn nickel rounds. It all depends on your settings. Try dialing back the tone knob on the bass a little. A passive tone knob can be magic if you learn how to use it.
I'm good with adjusting actions, so my strings are right down there on the fretboard.
I got a set of 9050M for my MIM Classic P bass a while ago while experimenting with a bunch of strings for it. For whatever reason, I was really turned off by the sound when I first strung them on and instantly took them off. I just wasn't hearing the growl and life I was expecting out of them. Eventually landed on LaBella 760FLs as my go-to for that bass and never looked back.
BUT... one of the LaBella strings snapped on me last week (user error...) so I put the Fenders back on (kept them tucked away as a back-up) and I have to say I'm enjoying the tone and feel. Not really sure why they didn't click with me the first time and why I like them now. I still have a replacement set of 760FLs o nthe way, but I think I'll keep the Fenders on for a bit and enjoy them a while longer.
BUT... one of the LaBella strings snapped on me last week (user error...) so I put the Fenders back on (kept them tucked away as a back-up) and I have to say I'm enjoying the tone and feel. Not really sure why they didn't click with me the first time and why I like them now. I still have a replacement set of 760FLs o nthe way, but I think I'll keep the Fenders on for a bit and enjoy them a while longer.
OK, you finally talked me in to trying a set. I haven’t used a set of flats on a bass in over 45 years because of them going dead. I replace my round wounds about every 50 to 75 hours of play. One would think it would have dawned on me in those 45 years that Flats could be fungible as well… I’ll have to check out the economics with a set. No guarantees now…
Used light gauge Fender flatwounds for abt 20yrs when I played full time. Used to buy them by the case for my 66 Precision. Still have it.
Funny. When I was having second thoughts about the heavier 9050M and 9050ML at first, I thought about replacing them with LaBella 760FL. I was about to order a set, when they suddenly almost doubled in price on (Canadian) Amazon. So I kept the 9050ML on, and now I'm starting to like them.
I thought I would take them off my JMJ Mustang and replace with Cobalts or TIs, as I have both on other basses and like them. They are still on the Stand. ...
Just wondering about the intonation from seeing how the saddles are set almost straight across even.
One thing about the Fender 9050 flats is their brand new tone can be rather unpleasant with excessive clang and not enough meat. It takes a good month or two before they settle into their punchy low-mid grind. Generally speaking, people who don't like them are the ones who gave up on them a little too soon.
