Flats on an active bass...yeah, think I'm going to do it again...er...no I'm not

I've just recently put some TIs on my Ibanez SR and I was pleasantly surprised.

I was wary of the combination of flats and active electronics before. Like it would destroy the sonic qualities I favor in flats or that it would turn out sterile, harsh or brittle.

I found the opposite to be the case. Warm, full, round, but can get bright if you need it. It also does an excellent job of imitating a jazz guitar on my sixer.

It seems this experience has demystified the passive - active dichotomy for me, and I'm not a hardline passive only player anymore.

Gets two thumbs up from me.

 

I have half wounds on a Tobias
Chromes on a MTD

In no hurry for a change

 

Flats on an active bass make me think 'Phil Lesh' pretty quickly.

 

On more recent Carol Kaye videos, she is playing an active Ibanez SRX700 with TIJF's. She still sounds like herself - in other words, great! Sometimes I think the whole "flats on actives" thing is just something us bored bassists worry about. I'll bet you'll like it. Good luck!

 

I've had flats on two active basses(Peavey Axcelerator 6- TIs, Cirrus BXP 4- Tis & Chromes). TBH, they sounded like... basses with flats. I liked them quite a lot, better than the passive basses I've had them on(Chromes on a defretted mid-90s Dean 5 with J-style pickups, and an Ibanez 4 with PJ). Playing a lot of rock and metal, FWIW.

I've gotten to a point where I just use whatever strings I'm feeling like using, at least in a rock band. I'd probably put flats back on for, say, a country gig, were I to get one.

 

Used TI flats on many G&L ASAT basses and they made a good match.

 

I have the Dunlop flats in the light gauge on two Brubaker KXB singlecuts, a 4 and 5. Bartolini preamp and pickups. People have been shocked by the tones I get out of these basses with these flats. Me too.

 

Add a mono synth to them flats so then you can hit the button and play some really bassy n thick
" pew pew pew's"
at the crowd !
.... and point your bass at someone when you do it.
Its Always a great reaction lol

 

I am deciding on which bass to put these on.
Warwick Custom Shop $$ 5 string or Mayones Slogan MBC-5 Gothic.

 

All of my basses are active. All of my basses wear Chromes (except for one).

 

The only way I could get my Spector to behave was with a set of cobalt flats. Do what feels right!

 

I have Labella flats on my Stingray Special 4HH. After experimenting with a few different strings, those are what I prefer the most.

 

Have flats on a Cirrus. Tapes on an active T40 and a G-bass.

 

I run chromes on my longhorn huge tone.
I had Labella LTF's on the Warwick Dolphin It was cool having the tone shaping on a flatwound that is responsive. dug it but went back to rounds.
My L2500 is at it's best with EB slinky cobalt flats. (although it lives in passive mode mostly)

 

I run chromes on my Sandberg TM4 Jazz. I find they they tame the snappiness of the active preamp nicely. Love the tone and the feel.

 

TIJFs on a Jazz with EMG JV pickups sounds great. Not my favorite neck but I'm using it today because it's the best tone for the music

 

All my basses are active, with no bypass switches even. One fretless came set up for T-I JF strings and I mostly left it that way for a dozen years or so. When EB Cobalt Flats came out in a similar gauge I ported to those. If I want "thud" I play upright. The end.

 

Flats on an active P Bass lite....... Go ahead. I double dog care you....