Flats - Do I need to man-up?

[dkelley]

Friction is my main complaint with flats. Left hand mostly, but right hand too.

I agree. But I love them on vintage hollowbody gretsch style basses. ..

 

[dkelley]

Oh and always remember.... rounds were a technological improvement over flats.

Doesn't mean flats don't have their place.

But improvements to reduce friction, increase harmonics and sustain.... all were goals of the round wound design.

 

[JimmyM]

Oh and always remember.... rounds were a technological improvement over flats.

Doesn't mean flats don't have their place.

But improvements to reduce friction, increase harmonics and sustain.... all were goals of the round wound design.

I don't know if I agree with the first line. Those who only like rounds would agree. Those who like both or only like flats probably wouldn't.

As for the friction thing, I do notice more drag with flats than rounds...you do have a larger surface area touching your fingers. But it's nothing you can't get used to in short order, and I don't notice it whatsoever anymore.

 

[lermgalieu]

no you are not missing a trick … you simply found out hype and reality are 2 different things

Just because people like flats and say they do doesn't mean they are "hyping" them. By all means play what you want, but please, those that like flats are also doing exactly that, not falsely hyping them.

 

[lermgalieu]

technological improvement over flats.

I don't know what this is supposed to mean. It all depends what you want to hear and what you like. If you like lots of non-bass content in your bass signal, sure. I'm not being snarky, it certainly has its place. For some. Cassettes were also considered a technological improvement over 8 track and then people were like, "oh wait..."

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Funny thing, I never cared for Cobalts. And I thought I didn’t like Chromes (I had already tried them on a few different basses) until I was given yet another a set by a friend who didn’t want them. However, when I put them on a new MIM Fender PB I got as a Christmas gift (and which I had just loaded with a Klein ‘62 Epic pup) I discovered, much to my surprise, tgat I really liked them on that bass. And I liked them even more after they broke in - which took surprisingly little time. So that’s whats on there today.

So go figure. (I figure I’m slowly starting to lose it - and big time.)

But that experience further reinforces my belief there’s an ideal set of strings for each bass you play. The trick is finding it.

I've only ever tried Rotosounds, TIs and Cobalts. I didn't care for the Rotosounds. That and tapes, but they are something different. I suspect I still prefer the TIs overall.

 

[Tony In Philly]

TI's make me a better bass player than I really am.

 

[KSChris]

I tried 2 sets/brands of flats for my P bass, the 3rd set I bought were Chromes and I haven’t looked back, love them. I think your just need to find your set, don’t give up. Once you find them you’ll know.

 

[Tad]

I have a P with Fender 9050 flats and a P with DR Black Beauties rounds,

a Jazz with Fender 9050 flats and two Jazzes with DR Black Beauties rounds,

a PJ with DR Black Beauties rounds and a PJ with DR Legend flats,

a CIJ '51 RI with DR Legend flats and a MP Telecaster with DR Black Beauties rounds,

a fretless Jazz with Fender 9050 flats and a fretless Jazz with D'addario XL Chromes flats.

I play them all and like the way that each of them sound.

You should play whatever strings and basses that you like the way they feel and sound.

 

[bassbrad]

Personally I hate flats, tried several sets all the usual suspects and hated them all. The only ones I could stand were the Invalid Link Removed that I tried on my Washburn AB20 and really dig the feel, tone and articulation. While most flats suffer from poor intonation these still play in tune up the nice and harmonics still ring nicely. While not cheap they do last quite well.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

Thanks. I might just give those pressurewounds a go, as I do love old rounds once the zing has worn off.

To everyone else - thanks very much for all your suggestions - food for thought. To answer a couple of questions, I didn't set up the bass after putting the strings on as I had to go to the gig right away, and also because there didn't seem to be any change in action etc. I do remember an old pal of mine who used flat telling me he could get the action a lot lower with flats, so that might be worth experimenting with. I do plan to keep them on and persevere for a while as it's not my main bass anyway, and although it was weird it was fun to try something else. I've been a working musician for over 20 years and have been fine up till now, so if they don't work out it's no big deal. Just thought I'd give it a go.

Winner, winner chicken dinner!

 

[OtherLisa]

Finding out that you're not a flats guy is not a defeat at all. It's due diligence. You were willing to consider the possibility that something might work for you and it didn't. I just went thru a similar exercise with several different sets of flats on several different basses and came to the same conclusion; just not my thing.

My latest string love is for GHS Pressurewounds. I'll spare you the hype; they get plenty of it. If you're looking for something that feels and plays like a round, but gives you great tone without being too zingy, these are worth a try.

As for not loving flats; now you know. You can unsub from all those string threads now.

Another vote for GHS Pressurewounds. D'Addario makes them too and I just tried those for the first time. They are fine once they break in but have that weird stickiness -- it does go away. I'll probably go back to the GHS after these die. I've been using them for years and years.

 

[keith1r]

TI flats

 

[Coolhandjjl]

TI flats

On the right bass, they are KILLER!!

 

[dkelley]

I don't know what this is supposed to mean. It all depends what you want to hear and what you like. If you like lots of non-bass content in your bass signal, sure. I'm not being snarky, it certainly has its place. For some. Cassettes were also considered a technological improvement over 8 track and then people were like, "oh wait..."

It means that string engineers found ways to reduce friction, increase harmonics and sustain in bass strings by copying piano string wrap concepts.

Improvements. Simple. Like small economy cars are improvements in technology.

Like I already said, so people wouldn't get all offended by that fact, it doesn't mean you'd choose to play rounds over flats, or choose economy car over giant engine muscle cars.

Just stating facts.

I don't love Leo Fender's last company's models of basses as much as his first or second company's. But they are still technological improvements where he found solutions to problems he encountered or heard about from customers previously.

 

[lermgalieu]

It means that string engineers found ways to reduce friction, increase harmonics and sustain in bass strings by copying piano string wrap concepts.

Improvements. Simple. Like small economy cars are improvements in technology.

Fine - but a bass isn't a car. A bass is a creative instrument. If we use consumer technological concepts like you are insisting upon, we should all just play a digital keyboard. The benefit of a specific bass, or string for that matter, relates only to playability and the sound that comes out. If the sound of flats is more pleasing to me or better suits my music, it does not matter one iota if someone has figured out how to engineer strings that will bring out frequencies that I find undesirable. And in the real world, those who play flats get used to this terrible friction you speak of - so much so that we actually prefer the feel of flats and don't feel impeded whatsoever. BTW your claim that "small economy cars are improvements in technology" is fairly problematic. They contain improvements to discrete technological challenges, and do so with sometimes fairly significant tradeoffs - and I wouldn't call a tradeoff an "improvement."

 

[dkelley]

I don't know if I agree with the first line. Those who only like rounds would agree. Those who like both or only like flats probably wouldn't.

As for the friction thing, I do notice more drag with flats than rounds...you do have a larger surface area touching your fingers. But it's nothing you can't get used to in short order, and I don't notice it whatsoever anymore.

Once again. I just was stating a fact. They were designed to reduce friction, increase harmonics, increase sustain. They were very technologically innovative... round wound strings. They solved problems in flats.

And once again, I also said up front that this doesn't mean they're better for you.

Flats, like them or not, are an older design. I like them for certain things. They are a choice, a preference. But the round wound design was deemed an improvement to solve shortcomings for some players ideas of what they wanted.

 

[dkelley]

Fine - but a bass isn't a car. A bass is a creative instrument. If we use consumer technological concepts like you are insisting upon, we should all just play a digital keyboard. The benefit of a specific bass, or string for that matter, relates only to playability and the sound that comes out. If the sound of flats is more pleasing to me or better suits my music, it does not matter one iota if someone has figured out how to engineer strings that will bring out frequencies that I find undesirable.

Really? You don't seem to understand that I was not insulting flats or yourself by pointing out the history of string design on bass guitars. I actually pointed that out in my first post.

Ok I'll edit here.

One thing... I pointed out what they improve upon. I didn't point out what rounds lose in comparison.... but maybe I needed to.

We all know flats have a cool unique tone. I figured we all know the obvious stuff like how they sound, and I was telling the OP that he's making no sacrifice by choosing the newer string technology.

It wasn't a debate. Just making him feel better with a little up beat "it's ok... " post.

Moving on......

 

[lermgalieu]

Really? You don't seem to understand that I was not insulting flats or yourself by pointing out the history of string design on bass guitars. I actually pointed that out in my first post.

Moving on......

Really what? I am the one who replied to you, so how would I have thought you were insulting me? I took issue with something you said - sorry for not agreeing. I take issue with your concept of technological updates as being necessarily meaningful in the creative context.

 

[lermgalieu]

was deemed an improvement

I agree with this way of phrasing it.