No, it's not at all because they are different basses with different pickups. When I play the two basses unplugged, the 53 still has zing and the 62 just thumps.
Both sounded about the same unplugged when the strings were brand new.
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Flats that retain "brightness" over time
- Thread starter jcburn
- Start date
No, it's not at all because they are different basses with different pickups. When I play the two basses unplugged, the 53 still has zing and the 62 just thumps.
Both sounded about the same unplugged when the strings were brand new.
Tapewounds are surprisingly bright (they're round-wound under the tape after all) with just a little muting—great centred tone and ringing harmonics—but with a ridiculously comfortable, low friction surface. They're as easy on the hands as anything you'll play. [I don't know where the friction burn silliness came from. Couldn't be further from the truth.] Personally, I like the D'Addario Tapewounds (over the black Labellas) for sound, feel, and...diameters that are such that there's no need to enlarge the nut slots or any other significant fiddling.
I was on the exact search as you, jcburn. I played Chromes for a while on my P bass. I liked them. Good thump, but not as bright as I would’ve liked.
Enter EB Cobalt Flats. They are simply amazing for achieving some edginess and growl. I clean them periodically with Fast Fret (great stuff and I highly recommend). My Cobalt Flats have retained great clarity over several months… over a year. I practice often and gigged/rehearsed with them on a pretty regular basis. They still sound pretty darn fresh.
I have 7 basses and 6 of them wear EB Cobalt Flats. That’s how good they are!
The only bass that isn’t wearing the Cobalt Flats is my G&L JB2 jazz bass. I have GHS Pressurewounds on that one. Sounds incredible. Great bite and clarity. They are a hybrid between rounds and flats. They may be what you are looking for. Highly recommended, also.
Enter EB Cobalt Flats. They are simply amazing for achieving some edginess and growl. I clean them periodically with Fast Fret (great stuff and I highly recommend). My Cobalt Flats have retained great clarity over several months… over a year. I practice often and gigged/rehearsed with them on a pretty regular basis. They still sound pretty darn fresh.
I have 7 basses and 6 of them wear EB Cobalt Flats. That’s how good they are!
The only bass that isn’t wearing the Cobalt Flats is my G&L JB2 jazz bass. I have GHS Pressurewounds on that one. Sounds incredible. Great bite and clarity. They are a hybrid between rounds and flats. They may be what you are looking for. Highly recommended, also.
Rotosound 77's are brighter and zingier than your average flat.
They do not sound like rounds, though, by any stretch.
I tend to change them more than most people probably change their flats but it isn't usually because they go dull.
They do not sound like rounds, though, by any stretch.
I tend to change them more than most people probably change their flats but it isn't usually because they go dull.
This is convoluted. Just learn to use your e.q. knobs better. Flats can be bright as hell, and rounds can be dark as hell – if you know how to control your tone.
The difference between flats and rounds isn’t really about “brightness.” It’s about feel, attack, decay, and the characteristics of the string noise. The “brightness” is up to you.
The difference between flats and rounds isn’t really about “brightness.” It’s about feel, attack, decay, and the characteristics of the string noise. The “brightness” is up to you.
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I'm a Dunlop flat man. I've never found them to be bright out of the gate, so I guess they never lose what they never had. I tried a single Chrome flat the other day and it sounded a bit tinny. Maybe that's what I hear as brightness. I dunno
I recently asked @JimmyM how long Chromes retain their lively responsive nature after the initial zing has been rounded off, and he replied:
I think they vary in time depending on the string, with the low strings giving it up after a few months and the G string hanging on for dear life as long as it possibly can.
Hope this helps, at least a bit?
I think they vary in time depending on the string, with the low strings giving it up after a few months and the G string hanging on for dear life as long as it possibly can.
Hope this helps, at least a bit?
I’ve used EB Cobalt Flats and agree with many of the above comments. I had them on a Precision for the better part of 6 months and felt like the sound never changed drastically. Bright, crisp highs. But roll off the tone control and they thump like a lot of other flats.
The Roto 77’s aren’t far away, but I feel like the EB’s are better.
I’ll throw a wrench into the works, as a few others have done above, and suggest the GHS Pressurewounds. Warmer and smoother than a round. More highs and articulation than a lot of flats. (Also cheaper!)
The Roto 77’s aren’t far away, but I feel like the EB’s are better.
I’ll throw a wrench into the works, as a few others have done above, and suggest the GHS Pressurewounds. Warmer and smoother than a round. More highs and articulation than a lot of flats. (Also cheaper!)
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Thanks everyone - well I think I have got what I wanted from this thread.
In no way am I ignoring all the choices offered. I do appreciate all the responses here. But it looks like I am gonna try EB Cobalt flats again.
I have definitely tried GHS Pressurewounds before. I know the love the get here, but I've really struggled with them when I've tried them. Bass shy and kinda clanky. Maybe these need to get another run too.
In no way am I ignoring all the choices offered. I do appreciate all the responses here. But it looks like I am gonna try EB Cobalt flats again.
I have definitely tried GHS Pressurewounds before. I know the love the get here, but I've really struggled with them when I've tried them. Bass shy and kinda clanky. Maybe these need to get another run too.
That’s like saying you can make pancakes taste like tacos by adding salt. I disagree. Flats and rounds have a different basic tone profile. EQ is useful to boost or cut what's already there, but you can’t EQ in frequencies that aren’t present in the incoming signal.
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I have a set of Pressurewounds I use sometimes on my jazz bass. They sound great, but for sure much more like a round than a flat.
Slightly different suggestion for you. TI Jazz Rounds are on two of my basses (a Ray34 and a StingRay Special) and will never come off. The sound is bright, not zingy. The feel is effortless as they are extremely flexible. The sound stays with them for years. Very little string noise, lots of character, and once you are used to the feel, they allow you to play the quickest of lines. I use the TI Jazz Flat's on my Warmoth 54P and like them as well. Either would do a lot of what you are asking.
You can make flats sound brighter with EQ, but you can’t make flats sound like rounds with EQ. Each string type has different overtone / harmonic content, and all the EQ in the world can’t add harmonics that don’t exist in the tone / note / sound created by the vibrating string.
The harmonics / overtones are what make the same note / tone sound different between different instruments. An “A” note on a trumpet doesn’t sound like the “A” note of the same octave on a bass guitar, and no amount of EQ will make them sound the same.
Different types strings on a bass isn’t as drastic a difference as a bass & a trumpet, but the harmonic content of sound created by different type strings is still different. If any string type could be EQ’d to sound like any other string type, I doubt the string market would have the variety it currently has.
This is exactly what I do. Cobalts on a 1991 cort artisan with EMG 40JAXs and BTS pre, and i clean them with fast fret everytime i put the bass away. Over a year old and still loaded with growl, grind, and articulation. No more new string zing or hollowness, just full, punchy, and even sounding with loads of juicy mids, tight bottom and enough bite for slap. The wenge neck probably helps with that. They are not wasted on two pickup active basses, no sir.
