Flats Users... Please tell me about each brand

[tjh]

there really is so much info out there on the majority of these brands, it would be beneficial to take the time and do an extensive search in your elimation process ... but with all due respect, there really is nothing like trying them for yourself, with your own gear ... and yes, I realize it could/would be an extensive process .. I have done it over the last two years myself, using 9 of the 12 brands listed, and within some brands as many as 2 or 3 different gauges ... and even one brand (Dean Markley) that is no longer available or on the list ... it was extremely helpful finding many of the sets used ...some people think it is disgusting using strings that someone else has, but it sure can save you a bundle when trying several different brands/gauges/etc ... the only caveat, is that you may not find them cut the way that you would have .. but you can get a 'feel' for them first hand, and then if you like them, buy a new set ...

I have read many descriptions from people regarding different brands of strings that I just scratch my head wondering what they were thinking when they made the comments ... my experiences with them were nothing like theirs ... but, then I probably played a completely different genre of music, with I am sure VERY different gear and style ... the key is to either try them yourself, or try to find similar situations to yours and then consider those opinions ... JMHO

 

[jessicabass]

English is not my native language, and I'm not familiar with the expression 'To be making the rounds' yet.

If possible, some explanation will be appreciated. Is it a good or bad thing to be?

Its just a way of teasing.
Ive seen you post your video of ghs flats in alot of places on talkbass.
Its a good thing.

 

[jessicabass]

Oops. It appears I just called "Jessica" a "he."

I'm guessing an apology is in order?

I accept it.
Happens alot.

 

[jessicabass]

there really is so much info out there on the majority of these brands, it would be beneficial to take the time and do an extensive search in your elimation process ... but with all due respect, there really is nothing like trying them for yourself, with your own gear ... and yes, I realize it could/would be an extensive process .. I have done it over the last two years myself, using 9 of the 12 brands listed, and within some brands as many as 2 or 3 different gauges ... and even one brand (Dean Markley) that is no longer available or on the list ... it was extremely helpful finding many of the sets used ...some people think it is disgusting using strings that someone else has, but it sure can save you a bundle when trying several different brands/gauges/etc ... the only caveat, is that you may not find them cut the way that you would have .. but you can get a 'feel' for them first hand, and then if you like them, buy a new set ...

I have read many descriptions from people regarding different brands of strings that I just scratch my head wondering what they were thinking when they made the comments ... my experiences with them were nothing like theirs ... but, then I probably played a completely different genre of music, with I am sure VERY different gear and style ... the key is to either try them yourself, or try to find similar situations to yours and then consider those opinions ... JMHO

So very true.
Was hoping that people who were dedicated to a certain brand would just give detailed experience as opposed to what i find on threads in searches like.....
" They sounded great "
" Best strings ive used "
Or my favorite
" These are great for rock/metal/punk/etc "

 

[portlandguy]

Chromes -

 

[Salamenster]

Its just a way of teasing.
Ive seen you post your video of ghs flats in alot of places on talkbass.
Its a good thing.

Aight, nice pun by the way in the original post (Get it? Rounds?).

But yeah, I need the views badly, so I use every opportunity I can to post my vids. I also think they're useful on threads like this, so it's an 'everybody wins' kind of situation.

I will now stop hijacking the thread with this. Good luck on your flatwound quest.

 

[iiipopes]

English is not my native language, and I'm not familiar with the expression 'To be making the rounds' yet.

If possible, some explanation will be appreciated. Is it a good or bad thing to be?

It simply means that it has been read/reviewed/seen/discussed by a lot of people.

 

[iiipopes]

So very true.
Was hoping that people who were dedicated to a certain brand would just give detailed experience as opposed to what i find on threads in searches like.....
" They sounded great "
" Best strings ive used "
Or my favorite
" These are great for rock/metal/punk/etc "

I agree. I tried to summarize some descriptions as to what I feel or hear. If I oversimplified, please let me know where you would like me to expand on an opinion.

And I apologize for going off earlier on my pet peeve: Fender Flats/D'Addario Chromes. Irrespective of where they are made, they are not the same string. They have completely different construction, sonic and tactile characteristics, and should not be mentioned in the same sentence except to say they are both flat wound strings, but completely different from each other. I say that, right now as I type this with my electric basses at hand, one strung with Chromes, one strung with Fenders, and the one with Fenders currently wearing an Ernie Ball Flatwound E string because Fender won't sell singles (yes, the E string finally got a little thumpy for me after almost three years), and both having a GHS Precision Flat 45 G string to keep the twang at a minimum.

 

[jessicabass]

I agree. I tried to summarize some descriptions as to what I feel or hear. If I oversimplified, please let me know where you would like me to expand on an opinion.

And I apologize for going off earlier on my pet peeve: Fender Flats/D'Addario Chromes. Irrespective of where they are made, they are not the same string. They have completely different construction, sonic and tactile characteristics, and should not be mentioned in the same sentence except to say they are both flat wound strings, but completely different from each other. I say that, right now as I type this with my electric basses at hand, one strung with Chromes, one strung with Fenders, and the one with Fenders currently wearing an Ernie Ball Flatwound E string because Fender won't sell singles (yes, the E string finally got a little thumpy for me after almost three years), and both having a GHS Precision Flat 45 G string to keep the twang at a minimum.

No apology needed, i hate when people do it too.
Let me ask you...
How is it using flats from different makers on your bass?
Always thought that was a bad idea but yet i think it would be quite wise.

 

[G On Bass]

These are my experiences with the ones I've tried:

LaBella Mediums. Love 'em. High tension, great old school sound. Not the most versatile of strings, but an absolute 800 pound gorilla in its tonal area. I love these on passive P5's.

GHS. IMHO, kinda a less expensive way to get similar tone to LaBellas. It is not the same tone, nor do they feel as nice, but they are, to me, in that same vein.

Chromes. High Tension, last a long time. The sound better the older they get. They are also pretty bright for flats and sound great to me on passive and active basses. I have one set that is ~6-7 years old and still sound great.

Sadowsky (currently using Lights). My new favorites. Less tension than the others above. They nail that old school tone like LaBellas when needed, but have a higher end that takes effects well. To me they sound great on active and passive basses.

TI's. I keep wanting to like them, but I just can't get past what feels to me like a total lack of tension. At their price point, I'm unlikely to give them another shot. But lots of folks swear by 'em, so there must be something there.

 

[tjh]

... just a heads up to my earlier comment regarding buying used strings (flats) .. I have purchased two sets of GHS Flats used, and on both sets I broke off the G string at the former winding when installing ... so JMHO, but if someone is contemplating GHS Precision Flats, I suggest buying those new, rather than used ... I have not had that issue with any of the (probably 12-15 sets) other flats that I purchased used ... just a friendly heads up

 

[Major Softie]

And I didn't put an opinion because I haven't experienced that many different brands, but let me put this in:

Chromes haven't ever sounded "flat" enough for me. Perhaps I haven't ever given them enough time....

I prefer the feel and sound of Roto 77 flats, but they still don't have the classic "thunk" of the La Bellas (which I haven't had on one of my own basses, but I've listened to and liked).

BUT, not even the La Bella's I've heard have as "woody" and "acoustic" a "thunk" as I get on my Fury P-style with Roto 88 tape-wounds.

So, I'm in a quandry about what to put on my G & L 2000. I have Chromes on it now, and want a sound closer to the tapes on my Fury - BUT, the Fury, while sounding totally cool, is kind of a one-trick-pony, and I don't want to lose the variety of sound I get from the G & L. I just want the warmer end of the G & L (passive mode - neck pickup) to sound more classic, even if I have to lose a little of the brightness on the bright end (because it has so much of that, it won't kill me to lose a little).

So, I think I might want the Deep Talkin Flats on my G & L, as I hope that they will come in at my desired point in-between the tapes on my Fury and the current flats. But, there's a chance that may take it too far, and I'd be happier with the Roto flats on the G & L. AND, there's a chance the LaBella's won't take it far enough, and I'd really like the tapes best on the G & L, and the inherent variety of tones produced by that bass will still give me the range I want. AND, AND, AND, if I go to the tapes, I might have to open up the nut a little, because they are huge, and I'm not sure I want to have to deal with that....

Oh the humanity!


I will now have a beer.

 

[leegreenman]

Thomastiks are my string of choice. The extremely low tension isn't for everyone though.

 

[SasquatchDude]

From my own experience:

D'Addario Chromes (light): Fairly high tension, "sticky" feeling and scooped round-like tone out of the box. Zing wears off after a couple weeks of average use. OK tension balance; persistent twang in the G string doesn't seem to wear off.

Rotosound 77 (standard): High tension, meagerly balanced form string-to-string. Very bright sounding, with a distinct clank in the upper mids. Noticeably rougher than other flats, with unusually wide gaps between the wraps.

GHS Precision Flats (standard): Medium to low tension, well balanced with a little bit more flop in the E. Warm thump in the low mids, and a crystal clear top end.

LaBella Deep Talkin' Flatwound (light): Medium, very manageable tension with excellent balance. Simply the classic electric bass sound. Warm fat low end, gritty mids, with a mild sparkle at the top. Supple and buttery – absolutely the smoothest strings I've ever felt. (While this comment probably indicates my preference, I have no affiliation with LaBella )

Hope that helps!

 

[Klonk]

Try them all and sell what you don't like in the classifieds. I've probably spent a few hundred bucks on strings in the last 3 years and made about half of it back from reselling them. As a result I know exactly what strings I like and what I don't. It was a worth while investment, in my opinion.
Also, labellas are the best flats.

I did this too, got 50-60% of my money back, and selling was quick.

I like TIs and Sadowsky Black Label flats best, the latter in light gauge.

 

[iiipopes]

No apology needed, I hate when people do it too.
Let me ask you...
How is it using flats from different makers on your bass?
Always thought that was a bad idea but yet i think it would be quite wise.

Go over to the double bass side of the forum and you will see that mix-and-match stringing to bring out the different tonal aspects of a double bass is common.

Now, the main reason for not mixing strings on an electric bass is consistency of tone and tension. So traditionally, when a string died or broke, a string of the same make, model and gauge was used to replace it reflexively, if not the entire set. Once entire sets became inexpensive, then the whole set would be replaced instead.

But with flats, the strings can last so long, and the average price for a set of flats is more than for a set of rounds, that it is sometimes more cost effective to replace a single string. Again, one might think that to just get a new one of the same make, model and gauge would work, but it might be too bright going in, as in the case of Chromes which have a definite change of character over time, and so something like a GHS Precision, which is darker to start with, might be a better choice when replacing only one string on a set of well-seated Chromes.

In my example, Fender does not sell single flat bass strings, so through experimentation, for my custom half fanned P/J, the Ernie Ball had the closest match tonally.

And many basses, because of the inherent design flaw of G string saddles, with the string not having as much "break angle" over the saddle, can twang. So again, a darker string, like a GHS Precision Flat, as opposed to a matching string, might be a better choice.

The double bass side of the forum has many threads about what to use to eliminate twang for a G string to coordinate with a set of Spirocores, especially Weichs.

My double bass is rather middy and growly, being an inexpensive plywood bass, but light in the lowest bass response, so I have a Spirocore 3885.5W E string to get all the projection I can, a Bel Canto A & D string for a nice round tone, and a D'Addario Prelude G string, which is surprisingly dark, so there is no twang on the top end.

There is another aspect I have found more noticable for flats: coordination of the tone of the string with the inherent resonance of the body. On my alder bodied custom, the Fender flats are perfect: big, bold, growly, can mellow out, consistent, etc., as set forth in my first post. But my Ibby SRA305 has an agathis body, which has more of a midrange resonance, and the Fender strings do not coordinate well, as the midrange characteristics of each are not compatable. So on the Ibby I have Chromes, because they have less midrange and more top, which will round out over time, and coordinate well.

The upper mid/lower treble characteristic of Labellas when new was also not quite compatable with the Ibby body, either, but sound great on the P/J; I just prefer the Fender tone instead.

Another issue of string choice can be personal to the player. I can't use T-I's, CircleK's, Optima Chromes, or D'Addario Half-Rounds, because the pure nickel wrap, or high nickel content in the case of hte CircleK's, interacts with my hand perspiration and corrodes, leaving me with black fingertips and premature string death. The Chromes, Fenders, Ernie Balls, and GHS Precision Flats are all wrapped with various steel alloy ribbon wrap, which does not interact with my hands.

And when I use round wound strings, for the same reason, I use stainless steel wrap strings, like Rotosound Swingbass or GHS Super Steels, instead of nickel plate rounds, like D'Addario XL's or GHS Boomers, for the same reason.

My string choices have now been explaned, probably too much so. But there they are.

In one of the OP's prior posts, the request for more explanation was requested. I hope this hasn't gone to the other extreme with TMI.

 

[jessicabass]

Go over to the double bass side of the forum and you will see that mix-and-match stringing to bring out the different tonal aspects of a double bass is common.

Now, the main reason for not mixing strings on an electric bass is consistency of tone and tension. So traditionally, when a string died or broke, a string of the same make, model and gauge was used to replace it reflexively, if not the entire set. Once entire sets became inexpensive, then the whole set would be replaced instead.

But with flats, the strings can last so long, and the average price for a set of flats is more than for a set of rounds, that it is sometimes more cost effective to replace a single string. Again, one might think that to just get a new one of the same make, model and gauge would work, but it might be too bright going in, as in the case of Chromes which have a definite change of character over time, and so something like a GHS Precision, which is darker to start with, might be a better choice when replacing only one string on a set of well-seated Chromes.

In my example, Fender does not sell single flat bass strings, so through experimentation, for my custom half fanned P/J, the Ernie Ball had the closest match tonally.

And many basses, because of the inherent design flaw of G string saddles, with the string not having as much "break angle" over the saddle, can twang. So again, a darker string, like a GHS Precision Flat, as opposed to a matching string, might be a better choice.

The double bass side of the forum has many threads about what to use to eliminate twang for a G string to coordinate with a set of Spirocores, especially Weichs.

My double bass is rather middy and growly, being an inexpensive plywood bass, but light in the lowest bass response, so I have a Spirocore 3885.5W E string to get all the projection I can, a Bel Canto A & D string for a nice round tone, and a D'Addario Prelude G string, which is surprisingly dark, so there is no twang on the top end.

There is another aspect I have found more noticable for flats: coordination of the tone of the string with the inherent resonance of the body. On my alder bodied custom, the Fender flats are perfect: big, bold, growly, can mellow out, consistent, etc., as set forth in my first post. But my Ibby SRA305 has an agathis body, which has more of a midrange resonance, and the Fender strings do not coordinate well, as the midrange characteristics of each are not compatable. So on the Ibby I have Chromes, because they have less midrange and more top, which will round out over time, and coordinate well.

The upper mid/lower treble characteristic of Labellas when new was also not quite compatable with the Ibby body, either, but sound great on the P/J; I just prefer the Fender tone instead.

Another issue of string choice can be personal to the player. I can't use T-I's, CircleK's, Optima Chromes, or D'Addario Half-Rounds, because the pure nickel wrap, or high nickel content in the case of hte CircleK's, interacts with my hand perspiration and corrodes, leaving me with black fingertips and premature string death. The Chromes, Fenders, Ernie Balls, and GHS Precision Flats are all wrapped with various steel alloy ribbon wrap, which does not interact with my hands.

And when I use round wound strings, for the same reason, I use stainless steel wrap strings, like Rotosound Swingbass or GHS Super Steels, instead of nickel plate rounds, like D'Addario XL's or GHS Boomers, for the same reason.

My string choices have now been explaned, probably too much so. But there they are.

In one of the OP's prior posts, the request for more explanation was requested. I hope this hasn't gone to the other extreme with TMI.

Nothing short of an incredible answer.
Thank you very much.

 

[bluesblaster]

Keep in mind results will vary from bass to bass, what sounds great on one may not sound as good on another. It really sort of comes down to trial an error. Good luck with your search. It sounds like you might be a pick player, if so, I cant recomend Labellas enough, I find myself using a pick more and more with these strings cause it sounds so darn good.

 

[SasquatchDude]

Keep in mind results will vary from bass to bass, what sounds great on one may not sound as good on another. It really sort of comes down to trial an error. Good luck with your search. It sounds like you might be a pick player, if so, I cant recomend Labellas enough, I find myself using a pick more and more with these strings cause it sounds so darn good.

No kidding! Same here... LaBellas are slowly converting me into a pick player.

 

[iiipopes]

Yes, Labellas sound good with a pick. I think there is an example on the video link I posted above.