We don't really need to do seasonal adjustments in the Uk as the weather doesn't really vary that much.....
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First time ever using Flats
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I have been a few years into flats now...I decided to restring my bass the other day and I realized I had no spare sets of flats at home, but I found a set of D'Addario ProSteels and tried them..what the heck. I am no longer used to that super zingy attack and bright piano-like timbre. I had to take them off and run to get a new set of EB Slinky Flatwounds (my love). Last set lasted about 15 months and I think it could have gone on some more but I was bored and decided to do something LOL
Yes, once you're used to flats, rounds seem unnecessarily noisy in a bad way.... I also find the tone all boom and tiss, and find it harder to get a good sound on stage. Flats sound middly by themselves (well, the Fender ones do) but just sit in the perfect place in a band with no work at all. I used to stress about my live tone all the time, and now I know it will be good every time.
The only thing that annoys me about flats is that I didn't try them sooner.
Yep, miserable, cold and wet all the time. Unless it hits 20C and you all swoon.
I don't know, that sounds agreeable to me.
I'd be perfectly happy to retire to some place like Dunoon, or head for the eastern side and drop into Bo'ness. I'm tired of living in a place that hits well over 35C in the height of summer.
Wouldn't want to go up some place like Aberdeen, though; I can still understand my friends and family from either of the places previously mentioned even when they start talking full Scots at me. Once someone from Aberdeen really gets going I get lost fast.
Of course, if any of them start speaking Gàidhlig at me I'm even more lost than I am with somebody from Aberdeen.
The Grey and the rain does wear you down though. I moved to France 10 years ago and discovered this yellow shiny thing in the sky.....
that's how Rotosound Jazz 77 sound
I first tried them many years ago, it was probably 2009/2010, and I was used to Thomastik JF344 flats, so I found the Roto "horrible", because they were rough, not "smooth" like D'Addario Chromes and TI (the other I tried at the time) and they felt too tight and hard.
so I dismounted them, broke the E and A string at the tuner, so never tried them again until last week.
I have this Jazz that, for the last 7 years, have had a set of La Bella 0760M (the Jamerson set); they are NOT that hard as many tend to describe, they are flexible and super smooth, but it's obvious that, of you come from a 45-100 or 45-105 set of rounds, a 52-110 set of flats will seem to be too hard, in particular if you don't do a proper setup like many I've seen... they string the bass and "oh my gosh! it's hard to play!"... sure, the neck bent and the action raised... that's normal.
actually the La Bella Jamerson set has the same tension on the neck as a 50-105 Ernie Ball nickel set.
however, in the last years I've used a lot of flats (D'Addario, GHS, Thomastik, Fender, La Bella, Pyramid), and never retried the Rotosound, while my go-to rounds are the Swing 66.
so, I decided to try them on this Jazz, which is my main "flatwound bass".
this is the bass with La Bella: Dropbox - Harley Benton JB75 - She Caught - Labella 0760M.mp3 - Simplify your life
this is the same bass with 1 week old Rotosound Jazz 77: Dropbox - Harley Benton JB75 - She Caught - Rotosound Jazz 77.mp3 - Simplify your life
ah, also: the Rotosound Jazz 77 in 45-105 gauge are not that much tighter than other strings... actually I find the D'Addario Chromes to be harder to play in the high strings, in particular the D string on the D'Addario is too tight.
I find them flexible and playable, I had to re-set the neck and action after the La Bella, but not much (1/4 turn of the truss rod).
however: they are NOT common flats, as you can hear. you probably choose the best option for you, because they are bright and defined more like roundwounds, but with some subtle detail of flats (on the slides in particular, and on percussive techniques like slap), they vibrate a lot compared to other flats.
usually flatwound have less sustain, less highs and thumpy tone on in particular on the lower strings.
Rotosound have sustain and brightness on every string, and they seem to keep it for long, despite the gap between the winding that can hide dirt.
I would not suggest them if someone is looking for the classic vintage "thump" of Motown hits or Beatles and similar bands.
that's how Rotosound Jazz 77 sound
I first tried them many years ago, it was probably 2009/2010, and I was used to Thomastik JF344 flats, so I found the Roto "horrible", because they were rough, not "smooth" like D'Addario Chromes and TI (the other I tried at the time) and they felt too tight and hard.
so I dismounted them, broke the E and A string at the tuner, so never tried them again until last week.
I have this Jazz that, for the last 7 years, have had a set of La Bella 0760M (the Jamerson set); they are NOT that hard as many tend to describe, they are flexible and super smooth, but it's obvious that, of you come from a 45-100 or 45-105 set of rounds, a 52-110 set of flats will seem to be too hard, in particular if you don't do a proper setup like many I've seen... they string the bass and "oh my gosh! it's hard to play!"... sure, the neck bent and the action raised... that's normal.
actually the La Bella Jamerson set has the same tension on the neck as a 50-105 Ernie Ball nickel set.
however, in the last years I've used a lot of flats (D'Addario, GHS, Thomastik, Fender, La Bella, Pyramid), and never retried the Rotosound, while my go-to rounds are the Swing 66.
so, I decided to try them on this Jazz, which is my main "flatwound bass".
this is the bass with La Bella: Dropbox - Harley Benton JB75 - She Caught - Labella 0760M.mp3 - Simplify your life
this is the same bass with 1 week old Rotosound Jazz 77: Dropbox - Harley Benton JB75 - She Caught - Rotosound Jazz 77.mp3 - Simplify your life
ah, also: the Rotosound Jazz 77 in 45-105 gauge are not that much tighter than other strings... actually I find the D'Addario Chromes to be harder to play in the high strings, in particular the D string on the D'Addario is too tight.
I find them flexible and playable, I had to re-set the neck and action after the La Bella, but not much (1/4 turn of the truss rod).
however: they are NOT common flats, as you can hear. you probably choose the best option for you, because they are bright and defined more like roundwounds, but with some subtle detail of flats (on the slides in particular, and on percussive techniques like slap), they vibrate a lot compared to other flats.
usually flatwound have less sustain, less highs and thumpy tone on in particular on the lower strings.
Rotosound have sustain and brightness on every string, and they seem to keep it for long, despite the gap between the winding that can hide dirt.
I would not suggest them if someone is looking for the classic vintage "thump" of Motown hits or Beatles and similar bands.
thank you ever so much for that long insightful bit of information, that’s very appreciated!
Yes, they have a certain little zing to them, but this is my first set of flats ever in 22 years, so they are going to fill smooth and flat to me at the time! Lol, there will certainly come a time where I will try a set of Labella’s, and the sound clips are fantastic, thankfully I’ve had the bass set up after they were installed to the preferred low action I have, so it’s not too hard to play at all
Everyone has been so helpful!
I just put a set of the SM77 40-100 strings on a Fender Jazz bass a few days ago. I hadn't used any Rotosound 77s at all for a while, but remembered that I liked the sound, and did find even the 40-100 set on the stiff side ... but liked the sound much. Decided to try them again.
I am hearing them as, fundamentally, almost identical to the tonal flavor of Rotosound 66 strings, but the roundwounds have more harmonics/overtones/etc., and the flatwounds have a clearer fundamental note. But, especially in the mix, they have a lot of similarity.
I'm also surprised that I'm not finding them as stiff as I remembered. I might even try the 45-105 set again sometime.
I am hearing them as, fundamentally, almost identical to the tonal flavor of Rotosound 66 strings, but the roundwounds have more harmonics/overtones/etc., and the flatwounds have a clearer fundamental note. But, especially in the mix, they have a lot of similarity.
I'm also surprised that I'm not finding them as stiff as I remembered. I might even try the 45-105 set again sometime.
I've tried several different brands of flats. I found the Roto 77s to be too stiff to play for a 4 hour gig. I think they have the highest tension of any flat I've tried.
The reason I say this is, if you find they are too stiff, don't give up on flats. Try some other brands. My personal favorites are the TI.
The reason I say this is, if you find they are too stiff, don't give up on flats. Try some other brands. My personal favorites are the TI.
that's interesting because I have different flats on different basses, and right now I can compare two long scale basses with different flats:
Epiphone Jack Casady - Pyramid Gold in 40-55-75-105
Harley Benton JB75 - Rotosound Jazz 77 in 45-65-85-105
aaaand... the Harley Benton is equally comfortable as the Casady. they both have the same setup and action, and the only difference is in the flexibility: the Pyramid, being roundcore, are a bit more flexible, but not that lower in tension.
IMHO it depends on the strings you had before.
when I first tried the Roto years ago I was used to Thomastik, so they felt like bridge cables. now I came from the La Bella Jamerson (which, I'd like to repeat, share the tension with Ernie Ball 50-105 roundwound nickel...).
Well I had my gig last Saturday, the flats felt great! Smooth & easy to play on my behalf. Lovely, warm, slightly bright thumpy tone! I felt my own space with the “punch” of each note!
Unfortunately, the next day my band disbanded. It had been building for a while, there goes two years.
Darn it.
Unfortunately, the next day my band disbanded. It had been building for a while, there goes two years.
Darn it.
Oh no that’s not good!!!!Well I had my gig last Saturday, the flats felt great! Smooth & easy to play on my behalf. Lovely, warm, slightly bright thumpy tone! I felt my own space with the “punch” of each note!
Unfortunately, the next day my band disbanded. It had been building for a while, there goes two years.
Darn it.
(In my mind I keep hearing the thread title as sung to this tune:
For it to match I have to add a syllable though: "...ever a-using" or "ever I usèd". ^^
Anyway: for us flats lovers, it kinda fits, no?)
For it to match I have to add a syllable though: "...ever a-using" or "ever I usèd". ^^
Anyway: for us flats lovers, it kinda fits, no?)
Grey, overcast, and rainy? You mean my favorite weather, where I can actually keep my eyes open fully when I'm outside? Sign me up! Anything is better than these triple digits we're having here in Kansas.
Well I had my gig last Saturday, the flats felt great! Smooth & easy to play on my behalf. Lovely, warm, slightly bright thumpy tone! I felt my own space with the “punch” of each note!
Unfortunately, the next day my band disbanded. It had been building for a while, there goes two years.
Darn it.
They couldn't handle the new sound, clearly. They felt with the change you had grown beyond them...
Nah, but for real, that sucks. On to the next musical project.
"The First Time Ever I Played On Flats" fits. Who in here wants to write that parody?
It’s soul destroying. All I wanted to do was play. I didn’t care for the money it was just a nice bonus, I love to make peoples feet move and smile. And when politics coming to the band, such as it were, it just destroys it. Shame.
Yup, time to start again.
Yup, time to start again.
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