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Flatwound Club
- Thread starter Surprise Panda!
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I have a set of Status flats on my 4 string through neck fretless with MM pickup. It's sweet sounding and reminds me of pino's tone. 3rd bass along.
Ok, lifetime "rounder" here wanting to try some flats. How long do flats usually last? I've read and heard good things about Thomastik-Infeld, although they seem pretty expensive. I hate to spend that kind of money and not like them. I use D'Addario ProSteels right now, what are the brightest flats? I know that's a funny question, but I don't want to go from the brightest rounds to the dullest flats.
I know that d'addario chromes are bright, along with rotosound flats and Ernie ball flats. I have yet to try EB flats but I liked the rotos and the d'addarios. Preferably I'd like to use rotosounds but my ibanez neck didn't agree :/
My first flats back in the 90s were TI-flats. I had to order them, 'cause there weren't any flats in the shops back then in the city McCartney bought his Hoefner...
Never really got used to them. Simply not what I had in mind thinking of flaw wound bass strings. I know some people love them. Bought another set of flats many years later... Don't remember the manufacturer. Wasn't was I expected, too, but much closer (GHS I guess).
Everything I wanted in flats were LaBellas like the ones Jamerson played. Took me nearly 3 decades to figure this out. The tapewounds I got inbetween don't sound bad either after many hours of playing time. But if you're after that sound: pay the price for the Labellas and don't be afraid of the tension and the heavy gauge.
Never really got used to them. Simply not what I had in mind thinking of flaw wound bass strings. I know some people love them. Bought another set of flats many years later... Don't remember the manufacturer. Wasn't was I expected, too, but much closer (GHS I guess).
Everything I wanted in flats were LaBellas like the ones Jamerson played. Took me nearly 3 decades to figure this out. The tapewounds I got inbetween don't sound bad either after many hours of playing time. But if you're after that sound: pay the price for the Labellas and don't be afraid of the tension and the heavy gauge.
760fl and 9050L is my favorite flat, but i become a Shadowsky Black Label fans now.
First i have to mention is i have a Fender Pure Vintage 63 pup in my Squier CV 60P, it is a overwound and thick Low-mid pickup compare to previous Fender Original P pup.
With 760fl flat , the 63 pup produce a nice thumpy old-school vibe, thick bottom with little scoop sound, really sweet for smooth and not-to-heavy music. It will lost in mix when jam in a Loud-Rock band.
Shift to 9050L, this flat make the 63 pup sound more open with good MID. It is little bright compare to 760FL, but not a kind of Zingy-Metallic sound that ECB81 have. Once broke in, it sound really nice without too much thump, it is punch and easy to mix with anykind of music.
And i have installed the ShadowSky Black Label 40-100 flat few day ago. I buy it because i hear lot of good thing about this flat in TB. For me, it price is more expensive than 760FL. While install this flat, i found the string widing structure almost like 760FL, the feeling of touch is quite similar too. But the tone character is come close to 9050L.
Shadosky Flat has little more MID than 9050L , overall sound is less open than 9050L but it is solid. The most thing to make me happy is the E string, sound focus, tight and less bommy than both flat. Roll-off the tone, it less dark and the MID is still there. This Flat is really nice combination with overwound 63pup, easy get in the mix with loud band.
I have some advise about this 3 flat with some P bass pickup.
I own Squier CV 60P which come with nice classic tone pickup, but it sound scoop. For this kind of pup, i recommand 9050L , Shadowsky flat or other MID sounding flatwound string if you wanna easy get in mix.
For overwound P pup like 63pup , the Shadowsky flat can handle it well the sound between Vintage-Modern vibe.
760FL is good mathcing with hi-mid sounding pickup like Fender Original P pup or SD SPB-1 . Yes, there is another great value flat in the market ~ GHS Presicion Flat.
First i have to mention is i have a Fender Pure Vintage 63 pup in my Squier CV 60P, it is a overwound and thick Low-mid pickup compare to previous Fender Original P pup.
With 760fl flat , the 63 pup produce a nice thumpy old-school vibe, thick bottom with little scoop sound, really sweet for smooth and not-to-heavy music. It will lost in mix when jam in a Loud-Rock band.
Shift to 9050L, this flat make the 63 pup sound more open with good MID. It is little bright compare to 760FL, but not a kind of Zingy-Metallic sound that ECB81 have. Once broke in, it sound really nice without too much thump, it is punch and easy to mix with anykind of music.
And i have installed the ShadowSky Black Label 40-100 flat few day ago. I buy it because i hear lot of good thing about this flat in TB. For me, it price is more expensive than 760FL. While install this flat, i found the string widing structure almost like 760FL, the feeling of touch is quite similar too. But the tone character is come close to 9050L.
Shadosky Flat has little more MID than 9050L , overall sound is less open than 9050L but it is solid. The most thing to make me happy is the E string, sound focus, tight and less bommy than both flat. Roll-off the tone, it less dark and the MID is still there. This Flat is really nice combination with overwound 63pup, easy get in the mix with loud band.
I have some advise about this 3 flat with some P bass pickup.
I own Squier CV 60P which come with nice classic tone pickup, but it sound scoop. For this kind of pup, i recommand 9050L , Shadowsky flat or other MID sounding flatwound string if you wanna easy get in mix.
For overwound P pup like 63pup , the Shadowsky flat can handle it well the sound between Vintage-Modern vibe.
760FL is good mathcing with hi-mid sounding pickup like Fender Original P pup or SD SPB-1 . Yes, there is another great value flat in the market ~ GHS Presicion Flat.
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My experience is similar to yours. I would add that TI flats are another mid forward flat, but unique in both feel and tone and perhaps not to many people's liking. The GHS flats I have used quite a bit, and they are one flat, in addition to rotos that to me have an off-putting feel and can more easily get lost in a loud mix. Lots of GHS fan boys, but the prototypical vintage flat tone comes from Labella. Labella flats have a kick in the gut punch unmatched by any flat other than the old (no longer produced) fender flats, but they also have a nice top that helps to be heard in the mix. And they along with the Sadowskys are the best feeling flats out there.
Before I get the shadowsky, TI JF344 is in my list. After reading alot about it, I worry that A string will too sloppy to me and I prefer low action.
From ECB81, 760fl and 9050L , I am end my Flatwound string searching at this shadowsky flat.
My set of custom EB's 50/65/85/110 are finally starting to settle in.
Im feeling like a proud parent
Im feeling like a proud parent
My set of custom EB's 50/65/85/110 are finally starting to settle in.
Im feeling like a proud parent
Just wait till they're all teenagers!
Just put a set of Chromes on my Jazz. Been using "half rounds" for ... well a long time. I gotta say I'm liking it. A lot. I got 2 spare sets of halves I'll probably use then go back to the flats. Trying to decide if I want to try out some TI's. Maybe after 3 or 4 sets of chromes and I'm sure I'm gonna stick with em I probably will.
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