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Flats not for everyone?

#24
For me, it's all about the combination bass/strings.

First flats I tried were TI's on my Jazz bass. I didn't like them, so I tried LaBellas, and they were OK, I guess. Put the TI's on my G&L; they sounded a little better, but not fantastic. LaBellas on my 'Ray? Terrible! Then Fender flats on my Jazz, and they sounded wonderful! But I just couldn't get used to the stiffness of the strings, so I tried rounds again, wich sounded beautifully clear and snappy at home, but thin and brittle (imo) in a band-context.

In the meantime, I got myself a Pino signature P-bass, wich comes with TI flats from the factory, and I can't imagine a better tone than that bass with those strings. Pure tonal bliss! And a few days ago I put Pyramid Gold flats on my Jazz, and they seem very, very nice for that bass. Still have to try them live, though.

My G&L and 'Ray wear rounds, because they sound best that way to me.

Moral of the story for me: try different strings with different basses, in different contexts. It might take time, but eventually you'll find what works for you.
 
#26
Kevinmach said:
I accidentally bought some Roto flats. They were out of my usual Roto rounds (typical for GC, eh?) so I went with a different brand of Rotos, and didn't realize they were flat until two months passed and I decided to restring. Too much time had passed to return them and I was open to giving flats a try.

I didn't hate the tone, but I didn't love it either. The just didn't seem to have the bite that I liked after about a week of playing with them, though I will say that there were some things I did like about the way they sounded too. It just seemed like something was missing.

So the question I am guess I am wondering is, did I just not give them enough of a chance? Did I just not find the right flat for me? Or are there some people that find they have played every type of flat wound string out there and will always find something is lacking for them and just stick to rounds?
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it's not that there is anything lacking when it comes to flatwounds. they just are usually suited to certain styles of music. if you like the bite and growl and roundwounds, there is no flatwound on the planet that will satisfy you. that's not lack on the string, it's like saying a spoon is lacking because you can't cut a steak with it. wrong tool for the wrong job.
 
#30
dmusic148 said:
Some folks will probably chime in and say that Roto flats aren't the best- I've heard that before.
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Of course this is only my opinion, but Roto flats are hands down, the best flats I have ever played on. Granted, you have to keep your hands clean to avoid the stikiness, but for the tone its a small price to pay.

Also, if you keep the strings clean, you will have the overtone's and the round wound sound. Not as much as rounds, but they're there.

2 sets of Roto flats + a cleaning tube = always fresh sounding strings. A quick load bridge helps too!
 
#31
I'm a huge flats lover & user, & I have no problem agreeing with you.

Bottom line on the topic for me: Flats sound different than Rounds. You & I want a different sound, therefore we can easily want different strings or a different string family entirely.

I do agree that they should be judged in the mix instead of in an artificial environment.
 
#32
Love the tone, my hands don't like them. I miss how fast rounds.."recover" when played especially on the faster passages. But I still keep on the flats for the tone..the thump, the deep fundimental tone! I may try some of those GHS Pressurewounds.
 
#33
They really are horses for courses hey!
I threw a set of flats on my P plus for a week long C&W festival, awesome. Then recorded with a reggae band, again awesome!
Then showed up to a hard rock show forgeting the flats were still on, not the best, I had to fight the bass all night to get anywhere near my round sound!
Time to buy a new P just for flats me thinks
 
#34
Andrew Jones said:
Just in case nobody mentioned yet,,it's in a mix that flats will really show there stuff. Just the physical reality of added fundamental to the tone is undeniable.




Aj
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Yes, at gigs I constantly turned bright switches off, boosted a bit of lows etc. Tried flats and low and behold the sound in the mix onstage is killer. I hate when all the highs in the bass compete with cymbals etc. TI's on fretless and using DR flats fretted.
 
#39
...personally, I love flats so much that I put them on all my axes - even my guitar.

As previously mentioned, they do have a different tone - much darker, less harmonic content in the signal, more of a thump. Also, they're easy on my fingers, they de-accentuate fret noise, and they don't squeal when you slide. I'm a fan.

But hey - different strokes, right?

IMHO, though, Roto flats are among the worst things ever created by mankind - firstly, their tone is flat and empty and dead, and secondly, they don't even feel like flats - they feel like grounds to my fingers.

Speaking of which, I can't stand grounds either - they've got the sticky fingers of rounds and the tone of cow patties... IMHO of course.


And just by the by - wouldn't a 'flatround' be basically a groundwound?
 
#40
Nothing is for everyone. Rounds aren't for everyone, flats aren't for everyone. IMO, if you overly generalize these things, you might miss out on some cool things. For my metal tone, I need rounds. When I'm playing older rock or r&b, I wants flats. Both strings are useful for their intended purpose and you can't substitute one for the other. If you're covering Rush, or playing in the style of Rush, flats are going to leave you wanting. But there are other styles where rounds would stick out like a sore thumb, in a bad way.

I also agree with the earlier post that said you need to try flats in a mix before saying they are not for you, as its in a band mix where flats really shine.

PS - I use, and love, D'addario Chromes for my flats.
 

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