Flat string question.

[rockscott]

This question is for all the bass players that are into flats. What are DR legends closer to in tone & feel, colbalts or chromes?

 

[michael_t]

This question is for all the bass players that are into flats. What are DR legends closer to in tone & feel, colbalts or chromes?

DR Legends are NOT close to either EB Cobalt Flats or D'A Chromes. If anything, they're probably closer to EB Stainless Steel Flats and Dunlop Flats.

 

[GIBrat51]

The short scale DR's, to my ears, sound an awful lot like short scale GHS Bass Boomers - which they replaced when the Boomers died on my headless Kramer Duke. My fingers like the Legends a lot...

 

[iiipopes]

DR's are also similar to GHS Precision Flats.

I concur with the above, because DR's start dark and only get darker. Chromes start zing and fade to worthless thud; Cobalts start grindy and all of a sudden go thud; and EB stainless flats are probably the most underrated strings out there, starting with a little bit of top end or slight grind and fading to wonderful mellow over time. La Bellas have a "ping" in the articulation, which can be tamed with the tone knob. Fenders have a bit more grind, which stays with the string for its life.

And now for something completely different: if you want a little bit of hollow, the Optima RB set has a great signature tone.

 

[rockscott]

The only flats i have tried that i liked were the cobalts?

 

[GIBrat51]

DR's are also similar to GHS Precision Flats.

I concur with the above, because DR's start dark and only get darker. Chromes start zing and fade to worthless thud; Cobalts start grindy and all of a sudden go thud; and EB stainless flats are probably the most underrated strings out there, starting with a little bit of top end or slight grind and fading to wonderful mellow over time. La Bellas have a "ping" in the articulation, which can be tamed with the tone knob. Fenders have a bit more grind, which stays with the string for its life.

And now for something completely different: if you want a little bit of hollow, the Optima RB set has a great signature tone.

Mmmmm....Optima RBs... It saddens me deeply that my '73 4001 can't wear them, 'cause a '68 4001 is what I learned to play bass on, in 1968. A 4001 with it's factory Maxima Flat's has been the sound of a bass for me, ever since.
But, incipient "negative neck angle" in my '73 requires it to wear very light gauge flats, with stupid low tension. Fortunately, the 38-86 gauge Dogal Carbon Steel flats do the job nicely. They don't feel low tension or floppy; don't sound like 38-86's much, either. They don't sound exactly like RB's, but they're in the same ballpark. I always have my 4003 with RB's on it, anyway...

 

[Yahboy]

GHS 3050M has pretty close to Legend DR fretting and plucking feel to me. But, string to string stiffness are better balance on DR legend.

Tonewise DR Legend sound more a like La bella DTF-ish but more upper mid bite present along with "foam insert bass drum kick" like punch and sound dryer than both GHS PF/La bella DTF.

DR legend has her own unique voice.

I wish DR make low tension version of DR legend in lighter gauge like LTF4A.