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Flats?

Discussion in 'Strings [BG]' started by hyperlitem, Nov 19, 2001.

  1. Nov 19, 2001 #1
    hyperlitem

    hyperlitem Guest

    Jul 25, 2001
    Indianapolis, IN
    ok i have kinda a wierd question to ask. I have played bass for 5 years and never tried flatwounds. I have always used roundwounds and i'm very happy with them. I just recently got my maple necked stingray. The stingray is about the brightest, coolest thing ive ever played. Now my other bass is a spector, and i like it kinda dark sounding. i want kinda a dark metal type sound. I know flats feel cool, but would putting them on my spector get the rock/metal sound i'mm lookin for. ive realized i need to switch strings after breaking 2 d'addarios- the low E and A. Well any advice would be great thanks.
     
  2. Nov 19, 2001 #2
    rickbass

    rickbass

    Nov 9, 2000
    The land of chicken fried funk
    Get some DR Hi Beams or Lo Riders and quit breaking strings. :D

    I don't suggest taking strings off of one bass and putting them on another, especially if they are broken in. Even more so if they are flats. IME, the outside wrap on flats have a nasty habit of either unwrapping or loosening starting where the tuning pegs put a break in them. If you're going to get rid of the strings anyway, then it's no big deal to try it.

    You may find the solution is ultimately a pickup. The side-by-side, MM humbucker, design is big on mids. But a new set of pro quality strings and a good set- up can work wonders.
     
  3. Nov 28, 2001 #3
    Jerry J

    Jerry J Supporting Member

    Mar 27, 2000
    P-town, OR
    I don't think that flat wound strings are going to get you a rock/metal type tone. YMMV

    If you do decide to try a flat I wouldn't dump a bunch of money into them. Tomastics would not be a good first try as they are fairly expensive. You might want to look into D'addario "Chromes". They are kind of a half round string and not really all that bad from my one experience with them. But I did get them real cheap and I had them on my old Precis with a maple board. When they wore out I put a set of the Tomastic's on and have been real happy with the tone. But it is definately not modern rock friendly. It's more the Jamerson/Duck Dunn kinda thing.