Flats for a Stingray?

[facetsquared]

Hi everyone. I have tried my best to get on with GHS Brite Flats on my Stingray Retro 70s but I think I must admit defeat - my fingers keep dragging on the groundwindings. They feel almost… sticky. Not for me.

I wonder if anyone has a suggestion for a regular gauge set of flats that play well with a Stingray? My Fenders wear TI Jazz flats and La Bella Low Tension Flats, but I would love to hear suggestions on any sets that do a Stingray justice. Thanks, all.

 

[Swerve]

I have GHS Precision flats (M3050) on a Ray34 and I think it sounds great. That woody, upright Stingray tone is very nice!

 

[BGroovy]

I’m loving DR Legends for my basses I normally run rounds on. They sound great on the Stingray IMO. They are a bit sticky but not overly sticky. I never got along with GHS.

I run LaBella low tension on my P but the Legends are a really nice brighter flat.

 

[FunkHead]

Dogal JH-172. Expensive but very nice strings.

 

[michael_t]

Hi everyone. I have tried my best to get on with GHS Brite Flats on my Stingray Retro 70s but I think I must admit defeat - my fingers keep dragging on the groundwindings. They feel almost… sticky. Not for me.

I wonder if anyone has a suggestion for a regular gauge set of flats that play well with a Stingray? My Fenders wear TI Jazz flats and La Bella Low Tension Flats, but I would love to hear suggestions on any sets that do a Stingray justice. Thanks, all.

I know what you're saying about the GHS Brite Flats. I have the same experience with their sticky surface feel.

I would highly recommend the Ernie Ball Stainless Steel Flats (aka "Group Flats") as they're similar in tonal character to the Brite Flats but with a much smoother feel the way true flats should be.

 

[Lo-E]

I know what you're saying about the GHS Brite Flats. I have the same experience with their sticky surface feel.

I would highly recommend the Ernie Ball Stainless Steel Flats (aka "Group Flats") as they're similar in tonal character to the Brite Flats but with a much smoother feel the way true flats should be.

I was about to suggest the Group lV.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I would love to hear suggestions on any sets that do a Stingray justice. Thanks, all.

If by that you mean specifically "a bright tone", look into either Ernie Ball Slinky Flatwounds (a.k.a. "cobalt flats"), or Magma Ultra Flats (also groundwounds, but a lot smoother than the GHS).
If you were talking more in general, what they said above.

 

[jeff62]

Ernie Ball Cobalt flats. You’re welcome.

Seriously, these sound great on a Ray. At least they do on mine. Others will be along to say the same.

 

[Bodeeni]

I have had the TI flats and Chromes ECB84 on my EBMM sting ray and liked both. The Chromes are a traditional flat and a bit stiffer than the TIs.

 

[Jeff Scott]

I have had the TI flats and Chromes ECB84 on my EBMM sting ray and liked both. The Chromes are a traditional flat and a bit stiffer than the TIs.

I started using the Super Soft set in the early '00s (40-60-75-90) but switched out the .060 for a .055; this set is just a fit firmer feeling than the TI JFs I have been using since the mid '00s.

I still have the set from '03 that has been on several different basses; it is currently on my '78 Guild B-301 and they still sounds great, to me.

I had them on the '13 Stingray, too.

 

[facetsquared]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! I had not heard of some of these strings, so I'm really grateful.

I think I may go for the Ernie Ball Group III flats - seems they have a slightly mellower sound; I hope I manage to keep some of the Stingray signature tone while taming a little bit of the zinginess. It appears the Group III are the exact same gauge as the Super Slinky rounds that the factory fits to the Retro, so I'll try the Group III as a 'default' gauge and see how I get on.

Thanks all!

 

[Dana R Gregory]

D'Addarrio Light Gauge Chromes (ECB 81 or ECB 81-5) will give you a nice bright sound and they are soooooooo smooth on the fingers.

 

[wboyd68]

I used Rotosound 88s on mine.

 

[SharpCat]

I echo the cobalt flat suggestion. Generally I don’t like them on other basses, but on the stingray they come into their own. Other flats sound just fine on the ‘ray, but not any different than any other bass.

 

[brian579]

Hi everyone. I have tried my best to get on with GHS Brite Flats on my Stingray Retro 70s but I think I must admit defeat - my fingers keep dragging on the groundwindings. They feel almost… sticky. Not for me.

I wonder if anyone has a suggestion for a regular gauge set of flats that play well with a Stingray? My Fenders wear TI Jazz flats and La Bella Low Tension Flats, but I would love to hear suggestions on any sets that do a Stingray justice. Thanks, all.

I have TI flats on my 79 and they sound perfect to me. Punchy but not too clicky.

 

[nixdad]

TI flats would be a great choice for any bass.

 

[Gasman]

I have TI flats in mine. Fairly bright and lower tension similar to round wounds which I prefer. A lot of people swear by Chromes and La Bella. I have t tried La Bella’s personally but I’ve tried chromes a few times and they didn’t resonate with me, partially do to the high tension

 

[klyph]

Chromes suggestor number three, here.

 

[GroovinOnFunk]

Try the Ernie Ball Cobalt flats and thank me later! If you like the tone of the ground wounds

 

[HowieD72]

Chromes or Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats