Flats Decision for a Precision...

[Gustopher]

I’m going to post another vote for EB Cobalt Flats, love these on my Sterling.

 

[mattj1stc]

Rotos are my 2nd favorite flats (the Steve Harris specifically). If you are ok with higher tension and stiffness, nothing beats the LaBella Jamersons, which are my favorites.

 

[eldorado2001]

I like the Rotos but I like Fender 9050ML better. They seem to have slightly lower tension than the Rotos.

 

[BwanaDust]

After going through every imaginable string for my P bass, I settled on the 77s. I had la bella's on for a while but it was like playing steel rods. The Rotos still have a lot of tension, but they are easier on my aged hands and I love the sound. Plus, everyone who plays it remarks on how nice it is to play and how great it sounds.

 

[Koog]

I used the RotoSound 77s almost exclusively for several years. I'm now using the Chromes 45 - 100 (set ECB81) on all my basses except fretless, which wear D'Addario black tapes.

There is a little more tension in the Rotos with pretty good old school thud out the gate. The Chromes deliver (to my ears anyway) a little more mid-range presence which allow them to sit well and punch hard in a live mix. They do take a little longer to settle in, if you're after mellow, but that's a trade off I've been willing to accept over the life of a set of strings.

I have come to prefer the Chromes.

As a footnote, I typically only change them if they become grooved from wear against the frets and I fear string breakage. I recently changed strings on my number one which gets a couple hours practice time each day and 100, plus or minus, dates out a year. They were on about four years....but that bass has stainless steel frets. Some folks leave them on much longer.

Hope this is helpful.

Koog

EDIT below.

My number one is a P style bass, converted to a PJ with the Aguilar balanced set, replacing quarter pounders. The Chromes are my favorite for all my fretted basses, but have worked particularly well with with the P basses I have owned.

 

[iiipopes]

None of the above. The purpose of a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder is to add girth, punch and articulation. For that I would use either Fender flats 45-100 or Ernie Ball flats (regular, not cobalt) to take advantage of the grind this pickup can deliver.

 

[Holdsg]

I think that you will find that the same strings have varied tone qualities on different basses. So, IMHO, it pretty much depends both on the bass and the tone you seek.

FWIW, I've ran the full gamut of flatwound strings on multiple basses (and have 5x one gallon bags of strings to do it again if needed) - some basses like chromes, others like TI's/LaBella's/77's/Legends, Precision Flats, etc.

I'm using Chromes on one P and TI's on another. GHS Precision Flats are a bit too dark for me - but if I was looking for a "dark" string, that's where I'd go. LaBella's (IMHO) take too long to break in (but last almost forever) - though I do use a mix of LaBellas to get the feel/tension/gauge that I want on one bass. 77's weren't the tone I was looking for - neither were Pyramids.

However, Chromes have just a touch of treble that can be dialed down with the tone control - but the sound still cuts through. TI's however have great mids and lows and are lower tension.

Again IMHO, the quality/quantity of mids is where good flats shine. Pretty much all of them have various levels of initial brightness and solid lows after they are broken in. Each though has different flavors of mids that are either desirable or not.

Long story short, welcome to your tone search.

John

As always, the above is IMHO and YMMV.

agree completely with this.

Flats I prefer (in order):
1-Sadowsky
2-Labella deep talkin
3-EB Cobalts
4-TIs and Labella flexible flats
5-toss up between EB Group III, Fenders, DR Legends, Chromes
6-Rotos (too dark for me)
7-tapewounds (except for my ABG)

 

[Linnin]

None of the above. The purpose of a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder is to add girth, punch and articulation. For that I would use either Fender flats 45-100 or Ernie Ball flats (regular, not cobalt) to take advantage of the grind this pickup can deliver.

I have to agree with @iiipopes with my preference being Fender 9050 flats in any gauge you like.

 

[The Deep]

Yet another vote for EB Cobalts. These, LaBella DTF and TIs are all neck and neck in the top three choices for flats IMO.

Cobalts are the best choice of the three if drop D tuning is in your repertoire.

 

[Bassamatic]

I don't understand why the LaBella 760FS are not at the top of your list! I have used many of the other flats on my basses, but my USA P will wear ONLY the 760s. The sound is just incredible - punchy and growly at the same time and always cuts through the mix.

Don't like Chromes - To my ear, they have a midrange "honk" and not enough solid bottom.

The T.I.s are wonderful, but expensive and don't quite have the clarity of the 760s. The low tension LaBellas are a poor imitation of the T.I.s, but still better than most.

Good luck!

 

[mikewalker]

I've tried the Chromes and various sets of Rotos, and would rank 77s slightly ahead of Chromes.

Sadowsky Blue label kicks 'em both to the curb, tho...

 

[denton57]

I have been a LaBella guy 760FS for several years but recently picked up a used set of Pyramids. They sat for a while but decided to use them on a Nash I just picked up. I love them! There’s something there in the tone that isn’t there with the LaBellas, and they are more flexible. It’s like they are a mix of the Labella’s and TI’s. I love the mids of the TI’s, but not the feel or gauge. Didn’t like Chromes

I like the Pyramids so much I just ordered a new set for my other P. Strings and beyond has a 15% off tax sale going on FYi

 

[stringtapper]

I've been using the Ernie Ball Custom Gauge Flats Group I. They have the fattest G I've ever seen (55) and once you play them for a few months they really settle in and have the Jamerson thump. I have them on both of my Precisions.

 

[ColonelZulu]

I’ve tried Labellas, Fenders, and TI Flats.

Without a doubt, I would recommend DR Legends. No hesitation.

 

[clockworkcorpse]

I used the RotoSound 77s almost exclusively for several years. I'm now using the Chromes 45 - 100 (set ECB81) on all my basses except fretless, which wear D'Addario black tapes.

I'm new to the tapes, I just put a set on my aeb because i wanted the lowest tension i could find, and it's got a transducer.

What pickups does your fretless have? I am wondering how the nylon flats compare to the chromes with a magnetic pickup.

 

[Schlyder]

Dunlop.

 

[Briton]

It's got to be TI's for a Precision!

 

[BOOG]

I’ve tried Labellas, Fenders, and TI Flats.

Without a doubt, I would recommend DR Legends. No hesitation.

Why the legends? This thread topic has me intrigued. Thinking about flats for my Spector. Have had 77’s on other bass’s but wound up with nickel round cores on those. Specter currently wears Swing 66

 

[BOOG]

Dunlop.

Why?

 

[JOME77]

I like Chromes once they're well broken in, but my first choice would be LaBella 760FLs - 43-104 or 760FSs - 45-105. Of course YMMV.

I've got one with La Bella 760FS flats and one with Chrome flats. The La Bella's are the BEST for old school flat sound. I would call the Chromes a modern sounding flat (along with the EB Cobalt flats).
If I'm doing 60-70's classic rock and R&B I'm bringing the one with La Bella flats.
If the tension is too much for you on the La Bella's then go with the Low Tension set.

P.S. I've got a set of the GHS Precision flats but haven't installed them yet (love the contrast between the La Bella's and Chromes on the 2 basses) ....... (if it ain't broke don't fix it).