I suggest you try an Ernie Ball stainless flat 130. You can get it as a single to minimize the investment. It is the only B string in a flatwound I consider using, even if I choose other sets of flats for G-E.I hate to be that guy, but I've never played a flat wound B string I've liked. I've played Chromes, Dunlops and GHS 5 string flats, and I've liked all of the sets except for the B string.
TI's are too loose (and expensive) for my blood, and I'm a little shy about spending more money on flats, so I called it quits on my flats journey (for now, of course)
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FLATS ON A 5? (Flats on a string ray?)
- Thread starter Bill Murray
- Start date
Depends on how much tension you like. I prefer high tension. As such, there really aren’t any commercially available B string flats that work for me. If someone made one at was .145 or .150, I’d be all over it.
Flats on a 5 string Ray is a formidable combination! I personally use flats on one of my 5 strings (PJ), and I've had flats on my 4 string Ray in the past as well and loved the result.
I’ve been using Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt Flatwounds. I find them to sound exceptional with either of my Lakland 55-94’s lined fretless or fretted.
I always have a 5 with flats. My favorites are TI Jazz flats, though I also rotate through Chromes and EB Cobalts. The only flats that have had a problem with the Low B are LaBellas and Sadowskys. My guess is that since those are the only 2 with tapered B strings that it is somehow related. So I avoid tapered B's and all is great with flats on my 5.
I never throw flats away as they are good for many, many years. So I revisit them sometimes.
I never throw flats away as they are good for many, many years. So I revisit them sometimes.
Please consider trying the EB stainless flats. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
I’ve had EB Cobalt Flats on my Warwick ProM 5 for years. They’re perfect.
I hate to be that guy, but I've never played a flat wound B string I've liked. I've played Chromes, Dunlops and GHS 5 string flats, and I've liked all of the sets except for the B string.
TI's are too loose (and expensive) for my blood, and I'm a little shy about spending more money on flats, so I called it quits on my flats journey (for now, of course
I agree for the most part. Except for the Dunlops. They are the only flats that I thought the B string sounded good.
TI JF345. The absolute truth. Could not be happier on my Bacchus J5.
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It's tricky with flats and low B, different strings seem to work on different basses. La Bella LTF low B sounds dead on most everything I have, except it sounds alive on my Lightwave. TIJF low B good on Warwick Corvettes, but loose and full of bad overtones on the Lightwave. Roto 77 B really lively on anything but I've gone off the monel sound and it doesn't mix with anything else. I guess you have to try a few and see what works. I have yet to try Chromes but they seem to have a lot of fans on tb.
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I have cobalt flats on my Stingray 5 and think they are fantastic, I also ran Chromes on my Jazz 5s for awhile and thought they were great as well
It's not a 5 string, but I've had Chromes on my 98 stingray for about 10 years (the same set of course). It has a great thump and feels slick as glass to play. I'll say this, I used it a few times in weekly P&W gig and never really could find a place for it in the mix the way I preferred. However when i record with it at home, it really gives me a great sound. take that as you will.
I have TI Jazz Flats on both of my Fender J5's. They're some of the best sounding Low B's I've ever heard.
Did I hear someone say flats on a Stringray...
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I've had La Bella FL760 flats on my Stingray 5 for several years, really like them, no problem with the tapered B string, it sounds great for what I play.
But OP -- the La Bella flats are for thump, not growl. They are articulate enough but they are very old school. If you want more growl you might consider something else like others have mentioned.
I can't comment on a 5, but I tried flats on my SRS 4 and I liked them. You get both thump and definition.
