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Flats for a Stingray?
- Thread starter facetsquared
- Start date
In my experience, the best flats for a stingray are roundwounds
I have a 92 stingray I picked up in 2014. I immediately put on a set of Chromes; that set is still on there.
When I take it out on slab gigs, I often get comments from sound guys on what a nice tone the bass has. A Ray with flats definitely a cool setup!
When I take it out on slab gigs, I often get comments from sound guys on what a nice tone the bass has. A Ray with flats definitely a cool setup!
I currently have Elites Detroit Flats on my Stingray Fretless 5. Nice old school sound. But on my other basses - all fretless - I am mostly using La Bella DTFs these days. Flats on fretted, not sure but Detroit Flats are a good price just to try out.
On my fretless 'Ray I've got the new LaBella "Super Polished" strings. These are roundwounds that have been smoothed down even farther than groundwounds. They feel as buttery as flats, but get the roundwound sound that works so well on Stingrays. I also have them on my #1 P-Bass - love 'em. They just might be the perfect solution for you.
I have a set of Brite Flats on an Epiphone Viola. I don't like them much Too round sounding and the feel is driving me nuts. A set of LaBella 760's will be on it in a few days. I would prefer Chromes but I like heavy gauged strings and Chromes are not available in a short scale. I have a SBMM with Chromes and love it.
If you go with the exact same gauge as rounds they will feel stiffer. I go one gauge down (Group lV) to get a similar tension to 45-105 rounds, personally.
Back when I was using strictly flats on all of my basses, I used Chromes. No sticky feel to them and I liked the way they sounded. I have 2 stingrays and they sounded good on them. Went back to using rounds mostly, but I decided to put some flats on one of my stingrays for the very reason the o.p. is, to take some zinginess. My local music store didn't have Chromes in stock, but they had the Ernie Ball Cobalt flats. I've been using the Cobalt rounds for a while so I thought Id give the flats a try
I like the sound of the Cobalt flats. Sound great in the stingray, and tame it just enough while still sounding bright. There is a slight sticky feel to them, but it's not something I really notice now after playing it a few times. It was just different at first because the Chromes aren't sticky at all.
I like the sound of the Cobalt flats. Sound great in the stingray, and tame it just enough while still sounding bright. There is a slight sticky feel to them, but it's not something I really notice now after playing it a few times. It was just different at first because the Chromes aren't sticky at all.
Magma Ultraflats light gauge or the medium. It is smoother than the Cobalts, no silk winding issues. that seems to ovvut on the Cobalts The lights are priced lower and more supple but the tone is big. I have a demo on a passive bass. They are technically groundwounds but they are smoother than most flats and tight winding.
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/magma-ultra-flats-impression-flat-that-sounds-like-a-round.1639943/
There are pics in that post comparing the winding with a flat - Cobalt in this post
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/magma-ultra-flats-impression-flat-that-sounds-like-a-round.1639943/
There are pics in that post comparing the winding with a flat - Cobalt in this post
I put D'Addario tapewounds on my Sterling SUB 4...they sound great and feel great...bandmates love them too
Cliff Williams from AC/DC used flats on a Stingray to great effect!
- Oct 22, 2015
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- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
Went the same path with GHS Brite Flats on my 79 StingRay for probably similar reasons (Bernard Edwards). Came to similar conclusions, too. I dig the tone. Not so much the feel.
Installed EB Group IV flats on New Year's Day three years ago. They stay right where they are. They settled in beautifully, IMO.
This is good to know. I went for the Brite Flats for the exact same reason, and just cannot get on with them - the tension is fine but my fingers keep dragging. The E string also sounds notably different to the other three.
First ever set of strings that I have had to remove early.
The tension is not so much the issue for me, I just have to abandon the 'grippiness' of the Brite Flats!
I have a StingRay with TI Flats, Cobalt Flats, LaBella Low Tension. Love them all.
- Oct 22, 2015
- 21,155
- 256,549
- Disclosures
- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
The Brite Flats stayed on my StingRay for three months. They began to feel smoother with play, down in the money zone. Sliding into a double stop up there beyond 12th fretland proved too tedious for me.
The pulling tension on the Group IV flats is at or about the top end of what this soon-to-be 46 year old bass and truss rod can handle. The neck is completely stable now — I've not needed to make a truss rod adjustment in three years.
While I entertain some rounds on the 'Ray again (I especially like DR Black Beauties on it), I'm not going to fix what ain't broke. I've settled into the idea that My 'Ray is my classic funk bass
and who's going to squeak about that? lol.
I've done a lot of experimenting with flatwounds on StingRays, and I've found the best results with Rotosound SM77's. The RS77 set is standard 45-105 gauge but extremely high tension. The SM77 is 40-100 but much closer to the tension of the 45 sets of other brands. The monel construction makes for a very defined, clear sound. They will be bright at first, but once you let them even out they have a distinct midrange character that pairs well with the StingRay tone. However, the feel is not as smooth as some like. I don't mind it, but some can't get past it which is totally understandable.
My second choice would be LaBella's. In some instances I found them a little too dark sounding, but you can probably just tweak a few knobs and get a great sound. If it comes down to how the strings feel, the LaBella's are second to none.
My second choice would be LaBella's. In some instances I found them a little too dark sounding, but you can probably just tweak a few knobs and get a great sound. If it comes down to how the strings feel, the LaBella's are second to none.
