Flats with punch?

[DaveParker39]

Rotosound Jazz 77.
In action:

 

[DonaldR]

Sounds totally different here:

 

[mikewalker]

Sadowsky Blue Label: best of the best, in my opinion

 

[DaveParker39]

Sounds totally different here:

I think that's the beauty of Rotosound Monel Flats. They can be whatever you want them to be.

 

[jemerpi]

I think there is a distinction between thud, thump, and punch tones that my most of us who play flats will recognize.

The strong midrange give Rotosound Jazz 77s a bright punch when compared to more traditional flats. They are often used as "rock flats" for that reason. And indeed, they have been used on some of the greatest albums of all time

But, if you want a more traditional tone, or if you mind high tension, look elsewhere.

 

[JEDI BASS]

EBMM Cobalt flats are the Mike Tyson of flats.

 

[SheaNC]

Roto 77s are quite bright out of the box, almost like roundwounds. This isn't necessarily a bad thing (in fact they sound GREAT out of the box). But then they start to mellow out... During this stage you will struggle with a tonally unbalanced set for MONTHS (or longer if you don't keep playing them regularly). The D+G-strings mellow out quite fast but the E+A-strings stay bright a VERY long time.

Weird. I've never tried the Roto 77s, but with all other strings I've used, the E & A go dead first, then the D and finally the G.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

Weird. I've never tried the Roto 77s, but with all other strings I've used, the E & A go dead first, then the D and finally the G.

I can't think of any other strings where I've experienced this either. At least not to the extreme degree as with the Roto 77s. After regular playing for several months the D+G-strings will be quite mellow but the E+A-strings (especially the E-string) will still be bright and have a kinda roundwound(ish) tone. It's not a huge issue when playing with a full band (or in a dense mix) but it can still be frustrating at times.

It's not a case of faulty strings. I've gone through roughly 6-7 sets of Roto 77s, going back to the early 90s when they came in cardboard boxes, and they've always been like this.

One thing worth mentioning is that the physical smoothness of the strings also vary a lot. My only currently installed set has a very smooth D-string, like you would expect with flatwounds. The E+A-strings, and to some degree the G-string are rougher, maybe closer to what I would normally expect from "half-rounds", especially the E-string. I also remember using a set with a much smoother G-strings at some point, although this MIGHT have been the one time I tested the lighter 40-100 set.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Flats are usually discussed as being "thumpy" or "thuddy" - or not so much. But which flats have the most punch?*

*All opinions, subjective or objective are welcome. I have no adequate definition of thump, thud, or punch to propose, just an intuitive feel for these attributes, I hope.

LaBella DTF 760FL !

 

[Doug4321]

I think of punch as almost the same as thump, but sounds like some think of it more like high mids brightness, growl or grind (hence the Roto and Cobalt talk…).

 

[Phaidrus]

LaBella DTF 760FL !

Had the 760FS and liked the E and A strings (and they were punchy indeed) but the D & G were still very bright in comparison after about six months, so I took them off.

 

[Slevage]

IMO
Punch is a combination of eq and the player’s technique.

 

[InstantEctobass]

Define punch.

Tapewounds... but the newer LaBella Black Nylon disappointed me

 

[smo]

Flats are usually discussed as being "thumpy" or "thuddy" - or not so much. But which flats have the most punch?*.

IME, it's about EQ, comp & how you play. I find it's all about mids with flats, add bottom end to taste. Then get a bit of hair/drive in there.
You should be able to get a punchy tone with flats, provided you keep your mids up.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Had the 760FS and liked the E and A strings (and they were punchy indeed) but the D & G were still very bright in comparison after about six months, so I took them off.

In effect now that I think of it even in the case of the FL there may be a similar behaviour

 

[matbard]

GHS Brite Flats, the original pre-EB Music Man OEM installed strings.

 

[Ggaa]

+1 for Labella LTFs. They filled in the sonic hole on a scoopy bass I once had that rounds couldn't.

 

[Thumpin6string]

The best flats for punch are rounds.

 

[Egg250]

IMO
Punch is a combination of eq and the player’s technique.

Very true. Strings will lend themselves toward a particular sound but, in the end, it come down to how the signal gets processed.

 

[Geddy Claypool]

I've never heard anything punch through a mix like Chromes. If you want flat-like tone but want to be heard clearly in the middle of the mix, I can't recommend them enough.