I still consider myself kinda new to the whole bass guitar thing, but i've had my own bass for almost two years now, and I started using Carvin flatwounds about 6 months ago. I'm on my second set because I've been changing my strings about every 3 months. I don't play more than a couple hours a week, but it seems like the flat wounds get these nasty little grooves in them a lot easier than did the D'Addario round wounds I was using before. So here's my problem, I LOVE the way flat wounds feel, and the tone is really smooth, but I get the feeling that they are a little limited in their application for faster, poppier bass lines, and for slap, and that they wear out quicker. Is this something that is inherent to flatwound strings, or just the fact that I'm using Carvin brand strings which are less than half the price of any other flatwound I've seen? Any suggestions on strings that will still feel buttery smooth for slides, but will sound a little brighter. And maybe not cost an arm and a leg every 3 months? spaamport
I have been using TI Jazz Flats on my Curbow Int'l Petite 5 String. I put them on in April, and the older they get, the better they sound. I wouldn't worry about the "little grooves." I only change flats when they break. As far as slap, you are not going to get a sound approaching a roundwound slap tone with flats. But, I can slap on the Curbow, and it sounds cool.
I'm no Carvin basher, but I've never heard much good about their strings other than price. Maybe try some pressurewounds or groundwounds, each of which would be brighter for slap but smoother than rounds. You may want to try some of the on-line merchants: 1) Our very own Herm, who closed his strings-by-mail operation down awhile back but still has stock he's selling to TB'ers at blowout prices. 2) The mainstream string merchants - do a recent archive search for referrals. 3) Places like Musician's Friend. Good luck!
I use both flats and rounds and it sounds like your tone preference is more round. You referred to slap and pop and this is clearly where flats are very, very limited. Sounds to me like you might be a candidate for a good nickle round like the DR Nickel Low-riders.
i ordered up a set of the lakland mediums, we'll see how they work out. i can definitely say that strings sound worse as they wear. the nasty little grooves i have make the string play lower and buzz. when i put new stringfs on it almost never buzzes. as long as my neck looks ok, that's how i gauge when its time for new strings, those little indents under the E right over the frets thanks for the info guys
I`m new to flats but....I had a set of ghs brites put on a little dano I recently traded for and they sound killer! Definately the string for everything but they do have their place.And the feel....mmmm smooth as a baby`s rump. Are you really going though sets of flats that fast?That is crazy.
i guess so, i mean, i don't really know what the average for a string life expectancy is. i've just been changing them when they start to sound bad. the first set i had on, i left on for almost a year, and by the time i took them off they were sounding pretty bad, and they had some corroded grooves underneath right over the frets, so ever since then i've been changing my strings when the sound quality starts to suffer because of the grooves, but before the strings begin to corrode. the last two sets i had on for about 4 months, and 3 months, and i've had these on since august, and they are getting a little groovy and buzzy. i'll probably change them in the next few weeks depending on what santa brings me.
I don't think I could ever afford that!No offense,but I think that people are starting to spend too much money on the little things.I don't know how your flats could start sounding bad after 3 months unless you did heavy gigging and never washed your hands.I havent been playing bass too long,but I just found strings I really like and I'm probably gonna replace strings every 6-12 months.Maybe it's because Carvin's are cheap.Get some Fender flat's.I don't like Flats but I have some,and i've had them for 3 months and there perfectly fine.But I just figured out that flats arent my thing.
My understanding has always been that flats were considerably longer-lived than rounds, because the dullness is kinda what a flat does best. In other words, if they go a little dull after a while, no big deal; they ARE flats. Some guys leave 'em on for years.
Bp did an interview with Joe Osborn years ago (he is a retired studio musician that played on a few hundred Top 40 60's sessions). He used LaBella flats and only changed them when he broke a string after 17 years of daily use. Flatwounds and a pick are a pretty solid combination unless you want to slap/pop/solo.
I change my roundwounds every 3 weeks. I dont gig, but I practice at least 3 hours every day. I only like the very brightest tone, and my EB strings go dead pretty quick. If you prefer the dull tone, then that's your deal, but you shouldn't think that getting new strings every month is wasteful, because it absolutely isn't. Some bassists change their strings every day!
Hey there, I read that interview too (they also spoke with Carol Kaye.) I believe Joe said he put a set of Fender flats on, because that was what the salesman ay the music store he went to recommended. I could be wrong though.
One of the charms of flats is that you seldom need to change them. I've had my flats and tapes on for over a year and will probably use them a couple more at least. Long live the thump!!
