Using TI Flats on a Fender AmStd 5, B string is fine.
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FLATS ON A 5? (Flats on a string ray?)
- Thread starter Bill Murray
- Start date
I can't imagine having flats on a 5er would be a problem if that's the type you use and like.
Post above made me think of this - this is an Ernie Ball commercial for their Cobalt Flats on a Ray. Mike Herrera of MXPX. Not a 5 string though, which is a big part of your initial question. But a good example if you play a more aggressive style.
I've done this, I put flats on a sterling by musicman. I didn't like it but that was just my experience.
I do have flats on my main bass though so it's not that I don't like flats, it just didn't work for me in that particular combination
I only do Flats on a fretless 5. Not ideal to my ears for fretted basses.
I only have one bass with flats now and I am selling it. I go with the versatility with a middle-of-the-road round (usually D'Addario or Slinky's on sale 
) and a foam on hand to mute the strings if needed + some judicious tone shaping with amp EQ or if active with bass EQ is all I need.
But you can use flats on anything. 6 string with extra long scale if you can find the string maker that makes them, piccolo flats if they exist. I think the B sounds fine. You can mix rounds and flats or as mentioned above with different brands. Upright bass guys mix strings all the time like guts on the high strings. I have done the roundwound + flats, because I like the piano like low B and E but I like the shorter decay on the higher strings.
Flats, when I used them on EB for me were more about feel and consistency and the pick sound is different vs rounds even if muted.
) and a foam on hand to mute the strings if needed + some judicious tone shaping with amp EQ or if active with bass EQ is all I need. But you can use flats on anything. 6 string with extra long scale if you can find the string maker that makes them, piccolo flats if they exist. I think the B sounds fine. You can mix rounds and flats or as mentioned above with different brands. Upright bass guys mix strings all the time like guts on the high strings. I have done the roundwound + flats, because I like the piano like low B and E but I like the shorter decay on the higher strings.
Flats, when I used them on EB for me were more about feel and consistency and the pick sound is different vs rounds even if muted.
As others have said, I think the B can be problematic. I think most of the problem is the gauging that occurs in most prepackaged sets. I find the B to be either too dark to go with the others or when it gets to the right spot, the others are too thin and twangy. So, I would recommend building your own set. Stock TI's are the best that I've heard pre-packaged, but I prefer La Bella's with the lightest possible B and the heavier, not the 1954 set. E-G.
Hope that helps and best of luck...
Hope that helps and best of luck...
I've been facing this same problem on the Stingray special 5 HH. It currently has DR sunbeams on it but I tried out DR legends for a bit because I love them on other basses. the B string definitely wasn't the issue, it matched the rest of the set and sounded great. I missed the brightness of roundwounds so the legends were removed. I'm definitely going back to the old set of legends after the sunbeams lose their magic. The best way to describe the low end of the flats/stingray 5 combo was "commanding".
I've done it a ton
Surprisingly, I didn't find it to be all that thumpy or dark etc- there was less string zip, sure, but if anything I just found that it gave a lot of emphasis to the lower mids, giving a punchy clear root. That's in the context of not having aged the strings and not using a setup to emphasize anything old school or dark- I literally just put flats on my Roscoe 5 and it had a subtle but nice effect on the tone. I found the B string to be perfectly fantastic, nice and clear without mud.
I also found that slapping was still fine, if not enhanced in some ways, since the 'pop' would still give the noisy metallic attack, but without all the string noise etc- it may not be my ultimate slap setup, but I found it EXTREMELY useful when playing like 70's and 80's groove music, where you want to just lay down a groove and occasionally 'pop' a high note , without just slapping the whole time
Chromes on J style 5 and TI Jazz flats on P style 5 work best for me. The B strings are good in both cases. I didn't like the TI's on a Jazz at all sounded like cardboard. Chromes on the P was awesome with a pick. Labella low tension flats sound cool, but the B is way to thin and loose.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
I have flats made by Thomastik Infeld on all if my double basses and electric basses. I find the string and fret noise endemic to rounds very distracting; too often, the zinginess of rounds sounds too much like chorus to my ears.
Flats on an inherently bright bass can be a thing of beauty, and flats played with a pick can be incredibly percussive. My greatest reasons for playing flats are the feel and clear, consistent, tone without extraneous fret or finger noise - and no zinginess.
Flats on an inherently bright bass can be a thing of beauty, and flats played with a pick can be incredibly percussive. My greatest reasons for playing flats are the feel and clear, consistent, tone without extraneous fret or finger noise - and no zinginess.
I have their High C Five String Set on my Lakland 55-94 lined fretless, I couldn't be any happier with the way they sound and the way they play.
The flatwound low B reacts differently, but they can indeed sound great. I've had great tones from LaBella, GHS, D'Addario, and Dogal flats. If you like flats, go for it. On a Stingray, I would suggest a brighter set like the Dogal Jaco flats, EB Cobalt flats (which I have yet to try), or Chromes (which are a bit high tension).
People do it, and if you love the flats sound (and feel), then yea, go fer it. Seems you'll always get varying experiences (chromes yes, no, carrots) LoL.... but that's how strings are for people. Also some strings really just don't gel on some basses.
In history there are those who play flats on a ray. I've never liked the sound (I had a set on a ray a few years ago). I also don't like the feel of flats.
But yea it's not crazy to do it - lots of good and bad low B flats experiences in this thread. The biggest problem is the cost in trying them only to find you don't like it in the end, possibly. strings, and specially so many types of flats, cost a lot. ugh...
In history there are those who play flats on a ray. I've never liked the sound (I had a set on a ray a few years ago). I also don't like the feel of flats.
But yea it's not crazy to do it - lots of good and bad low B flats experiences in this thread. The biggest problem is the cost in trying them only to find you don't like it in the end, possibly. strings, and specially so many types of flats, cost a lot. ugh...
I keep flats on my L-2500 as it mellows the aggressive sound and moves it in a smooth old-school direction. I love it. I have LaBella Low Tension Flats on it.
I've had TI Flats on my JB-5, which I loved. I only took them off because I wanted at least one bass with rounds and that is currently the bass. Still, flats sounded fabulous on it. Go for it!
I've had TI Flats on my JB-5, which I loved. I only took them off because I wanted at least one bass with rounds and that is currently the bass. Still, flats sounded fabulous on it. Go for it!
I'd like to add, just thinking out loud really (I'm a total chimp when it comes to any science behind it, so please correct me), the tightness (perceived at least) might have something to do with the overall lower harmonic content in the sound of a flatwound string.
I've been away from flats for 16 years (in the '90s, 4 string fretless was my main gig for some years). When I came back to them (and fretless) a couple years ago I was really impressed at how clear and consistent the low B sounded, even on my POOR fretless 5er (originally a Harley Benton P kit, converted to a 5er, then a fretless, amongst other mods). Remarkably well, before flats that bass had a less than mediocre low B (fixed!). Really encouraged me to try flatwounds with almost any bass I own, with great results (and particular great with a Stingray5).
I've been away from flats for 16 years (in the '90s, 4 string fretless was my main gig for some years). When I came back to them (and fretless) a couple years ago I was really impressed at how clear and consistent the low B sounded, even on my POOR fretless 5er (originally a Harley Benton P kit, converted to a 5er, then a fretless, amongst other mods). Remarkably well, before flats that bass had a less than mediocre low B (fixed!). Really encouraged me to try flatwounds with almost any bass I own, with great results (and particular great with a Stingray5).
I've got Labella Low Tension Flats on my 4H stingray, strung BEAD. I'm promoting them around here all the time as a great option as I've been satisfied with them for the past few years. Someday I'll try TI's just to know what they're all about, but LTF has been good to me so far, B string included.
