Flats help

[uwrossl]

Unless Dunlop has changed the formula Dunlop flats are anything but stiff. There's a chance you'd find TIs too loose if you're not already familiar with them but they are killer. The next best thing for an all around flexible flat is the Dunlop. They'll do Motown just fine and they'll cut through any other mix when you open up the tone control. Dunlops provide a great hybrid of modern and vintage. Never harsh or brittle. Never overly dead or thumpy.

I’ll add that when the Dunlops mellow to a point, they “level off” and develop a punch that reminds me of Labellas, but retain a bit more midrange bite.

Agree with this a 1000%. I've not had any longevity problems with Dunlops either. Current set is at 3 years and sounds great.

 

[J-Mags]

I’ll add that when the Dunlops mellow to a point, they “level off” and develop a punch that reminds me of Labellas, but retain a bit more midrange bite. I’m still happy after a year of gigs with them. …and I don’t find them stiff, but then I’m using them for short scale.

I'd concur with that because I have La Bellas on my Mustang Bass now and they sound a lot like the Dunlops sounded at about the point when I'd start thinking about changing them out.

The lighter set never seemed stiff to me on either long or short scale. The .105 set is stiffer and tends to approach sonic old-school territory a lot quicker. All Dunlops need to be changed every 6 months or so if you're choosing them for brightness.

My favorite thing about Dunlops is their string-to-string balance. No flatwound anomalies. E string sounds like the other strings. No boomy weirdness or floppiness on the E string, especially with the lighter set.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

Low tension + some brightness = Ti flat

This is TI Jazz Flats territory.
Don’t panic, they last years. So while they seem expensive you’d burn through 10-15 other sets before you have to replace.
Also on the Amazon there is a vendor who sells sets as “accordion accessory”. Those are legit and the price is great.

Yup, price put me off them for a long time. I now have them on three different bases. Made the switch about four years ago, still very happy with tone including high mids and higher on the first bass I put them on (Aerodyne). Mids and highs better than Chromes, which were my previous go-to. I like Labella DTBs, good thump, but TI mids are superior in my opinion and highs mellow out of them after a while.

I can get nice growl out of the TIs with my J, which can be a challenge with old flats.

 

[SpiderBass1965]

Fender 9050's. Great Flat Wounds with some nice brightness to boot.

 

[Nighttrain1127]

Cobalt flats feel great after a week or two break in they also mellow nicely. They keep some of the highs even after a couple years playing them but would not be called brite or zingy at any point. But they stay more articulate than any other flats I have used. I found the Fender flats to be much higher tension feeling than the Cobalts and Same goes for the Chromes and LaBella DTF's. having a much tighter feel and need to adjust the truss rod.

 

[Yahboy]

Cobalt flats feel great after a week or two break in they also mellow nicely. They keep some of the highs even after a couple years playing them but would not be called brite or zingy at any point. But they stay more articulate than any other flats I have used. I found the Fender flats to be much higher tension feeling than the Cobalts and Same goes for the Chromes and LaBella DTF's. having a much tighter feel and need to adjust the truss rod.

Another great bonus on Cobalt flat 2814 are both E and A string never get dead or dull after 16 months usage.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

IME the Dunlop DBF 45-105 are amongst the stiffest flatwound strings I’ve had the chance (bad luck) to play .. for about 1 hour though ..
LaBella offers a much larger choice of gauges; their direct counterpart is much more manageable and the tone is what you would expect from a proper set of flatwound strings, what is not the case with Dunlops.
To me they were a huge waste of money (I bought two packs based on the enthusiastic reviews of their supporters on TB, which, apparently, didn’t test enough models of flatwound strings for being able to express an informed judgement, no offence intended, it’s now in the past ah ah ah - I tried Fender, Dunlop, TI, LaBella, Pyramid, Rotosound and EB).

 

[Zooberwerx]

Cobalt flats feel great after a week or two break in they also mellow nicely. They keep some of the highs even after a couple years playing them but would not be called brite or zingy at any point. But they stay more articulate than any other flats I have used. I found the Fender flats to be much higher tension feeling than the Cobalts and Same goes for the Chromes and LaBella DTF's. having a much tighter feel and need to adjust the truss rod.

I just added new G & D strings (40 / 60) to a year old set. After a week, there was no difference in tonal character among the 5 strings.

I'm phasing-out all my Dunlop SuperBrights...long story...and replacing with sets recommended on this thread. Got some LaBella LTF's in the batter's box. Next two sets will be the GHS PW's (light) and probably the TI Jazz Rounds.

Riis

 

[4StringDave]

based on the enthusiastic reviews of their supporters on TB, which, apparently, didn’t test enough models of flatwound strings for being able to express an informed judgement, no offence intended

Or, maybe they like a different tone/feel than you...?

 

[TomB]

Indeed! My positive opinion of Dunlop flats was not born overnight, and the list of flats I’ve used over the last 50 years is quite lengthy and includes ALL of those you mention (the list of those I haven’t is much shorter). Hey, different strokes and all that .

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Or, maybe they like a different tone/feel than you...?

Everything can be but I’d say that stiffness is a rather objective parameter to be assessed, it’s not a matter of taste or feel .. the only thing needed is to try as many types of flatwound strings as possible and then decide and/or give advice.
For what concerns the tone, I believe the fact that Dunlops do sound bright (in an unpleasant, squeaky fashion IMO, and this is undoubtedly a matter of taste) is not a mystery …
So, all in all, in a scale from zero to nine, covering the flatwound strings models I’ve had the pleasure or displeasure to play, with value increasing from 9 to 1, I’d say:

1. LaBella DTF 760FL.
2. TI JF344.
3. Rotosound SM77
4. Pyramid Gold 45-105.
5. LaBella LTF-4A.
6. Ernie Ball 2806 Group III.
7. Ernie Ball Slinky flatwound strings.
8. Fender 9050l.
9. Dunlop DBFS 45-105.

This is my experience of course, hence my advice to anybody approaching the flats world for the first time = stay away from Dunlop flats if you can.

 

[briandavismurph]

This is TI Jazz Flats territory.
Don’t panic, they last years. So while they seem expensive you’d burn through 10-15 other sets before you have to replace.
Also on the Amazon there is a vendor who sells sets as “accordion accessory”. Those are legit and the price is great.

I recently replaced the Dunlop flats 45-105 with new TI Flats 43-100 from the accordion guy and they are lighter and brighter than the 2 year old Dunlops they replaced. I like-em on my P-Bass [actually a Moollon]

 

[uwrossl]

which, apparently, didn’t test enough models of flatwound strings for being able to express an informed judgement

Such an ignorant and uninformed assumption that it's laughable.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Such an ignorant and uninformed assumption that it's laughable.

Laugh as you wish .. I have made my experience and spent my money; being as impartial as I can, and just making reference to what I had in my hands, Dunlops remain at the very bottom of my list .. I said what I said without prejudice and no offence intended and I maintain my stance.
Keep the word “ignorant” in your pocket my friend, nothing personal here I guess.

 

[uwrossl]

Laugh as you wish .. I have made my experience and spent my money; being as impartial as I can, and just making reference to what I had in my hands, Dunlops remain at the very bottom of my list .. I said what I said without prejudice and no offence intended and I maintain my stance.
Keep the word “ignorant” in your pocket my friend, nothing personal here.

Simply saying "no offense" doesn't absolve you from the responsibility of your ignorant and uninformed assumptions on other peoples experiences. Maybe speak for yourself and not others and their experiences if you don't want to be called on it. I'll keep the word "ignorant" in my pocket if you keep the ignorant assumptions to yourself.

 

[TomB]

Laugh as you wish .. I have made my experience and spent my money; being as impartial as I can, and just making reference to what I had in my hands, Dunlops remain at the very bottom of my list .. I said what I said without prejudice and no offence intended and I maintain my stance.
Keep the word “ignorant” in your pocket my friend, nothing personal here I guess.

I respect your opinion. …just not your opinion of my opinion, which is highly informed.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Simply saying "no offense" doesn't absolve you from the responsibility of your ignorant and uninformed assumptions on other peoples experiences. Maybe speak for yourself and not others and their experiences if you don't want to be called on it. I'll keep the word "ignorant" in my pocket if you keep the ignorant assumptions to yourself.

Oh You definitely seem to be a philosopher and a life-master, of a questionable level maybe, but .. sorry I won’t get down to your level, too old for engaging in futile discussions with a perfect stranger at the end of the year .. keep playing bass, do your gigs and leave a peaceful life dude, possibly watching your mouth ..

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I respect your opinion. …just not your opinion of my opinion, which is highly informed.

Mine too ..

 

[TomB]

Mine too ..

Well, since you continue this ongoing trashing of Dunlops, I’ll point out that you yourself said that you barely even tried them. By your own admission, I don’t consider that opinion “well-informed”. Like most flatwounds, Dunlops do mellow quickly and thoroughly, and they last a long time. I’m done on this topic now. …outtahere…

 

[uwrossl]

Oh You definitely seem to be a philosopher and a life-master, of a questionable level maybe, but .. sorry I won’t get down to your level, too old for engaging in futile discussions with a perfect stranger at the end of the year .. keep playing bass, do your gigs and leave a peaceful life dude, possibly watching your mouth ..

Don't act like you're taking the high road when it was you that went low to begin with. Glad to see you've mastered the back handed insult. Congrats on that. Apparently no one has called you out on your BS before. Again... watch and worry about your own mouth rather than concerning yourself with or projecting on others.