flat brands and their silk colors

[Thumper828]

Just wondering what color the silk would be on the different brands of flatwounds.

 

[squashedOpossum]

D'Addario Chromes are blue
LaBella Deep Talkers are black, although I had to get a replacement G and it's blue. Can't figure that one out.
Fender flats are green

That's all I've used.

 

[Thumper828]

Oh man, what you do about the blue silk. Something like that would really irk me.

 

[rydin4lifebass]

I just ordered a set of GHS Precision Flats...thought they were red but I guess I'll soon find out for sure.

 

[OhValhalla]

Here's a list of the ones I have used. Keep in mind that several companies use different colors for different gauges so it can get a bit confusing.

Old formula Fenders- none at the tuning pegs, green at the bridge
New Fenders - Green at both
Rotosound 77's 45-105- Red at both
Rotosound 77 Steve Harris- Red at bridge, teal/light blue at tuners
Rotosound 77 40-90 short scale- light blue at both
Labella DTB 43-106 short and long scale - red at tuners
Labella DTB 45-105 - black at tuners
Labella DTB 49-109 and 52-110 - blue at tuners
TI flats - red at both
DR legend flats - yellow at tuners
D'addario chromes all gauges (as far as I know) - blue at both
GHS Precision Flats- all purple silk (as far as I know)

That's about all I can think of right now. Good luck.

 

[mmbongo]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/silk-colors-717720/

That thread should be a sticky!

 

[Beefpatrol]

I just bought a 5 string set of Ernie Ball flats for my Schecter Elite 5. They have dark blue silk at both ends.

 

[KK Jale]

Pyramids are purple...

 

[gary m]

I just ordered a set of GHS Precision Flats...thought they were red but I guess I'll soon find out for sure.

They are purple.

 

[spoonido]

Oh man, what you do about the blue silk. Something like that would really irk me.

Black Sharpie.

 

[Hamlet7768]

Played a used Geddy Jazz at Guitar Center today with some nice flats. Had yellow silk, kind of that baby-poo shade of yellow, to be disgustingly specific. Any ideas? The thread mmbongo posted indicates they might be DR's...

 

[s_wood]

Can anyone help me identify these flats? Gold/yellow silks, brass ball ends, very smooth windings ...

 

[michael_t]

Can anyone help me identify these flats? Gold/yellow silks, brass ball ends, very smooth windings ...View attachment 1107796 View attachment 1107797

DR Legends.

 

[s_wood]

Thanks!

 

[Adjectives]

Old Gibson flats are orange. Matches the case interior!

 

[Schlyder]

Dunlop are black

 

[michael_t]

Old Gibson flats are orange. Matches the case interior!

View attachment 1108605

I've never understood the idea of having silk at the ball end. I really don't like it, especially when the silked part ends up riding over the saddle.

 

[Jon Moody]

I've never understood the idea of having silk at the ball end. I really don't like it, especially when the silked part ends up riding over the saddle.

Way back when, it was partly to protect the hardware and aesthetics. Flatwounds look UGLY when they're wound around the ball end, and you also can't start grinding/polishing them down right there, so there's usually a 1/2" or so of naked, unpolished flat string. Some have also said it's also to lock that last cover in place, but that's usually with tapewound strings.

Either way, it's not that necessary anymore but some still like the look of it.

 

[Alex Bass]

Old Gibson flats are orange. Matches the case interior!

View attachment 1108605

Do you still have those flats by any chance? How would you describe the tension? Are they 50-105? Thanks

 

[theRocco]

My German Hofner Club has Green Hofner brand flats.

My old 1962 Gibson EB3 I bought used has Purple Flats--maybe these are Ernie Ball (after reading this thread)?