Flatwound lubricant???...

[Claymore]

I have a P with flats (which is extremely unusual and I'm the only bass player on TB that plays one of those). Anyways, I love my Labellas but for some reason, my fingers don't slide on them the way they do on rounds. You would think they would glide effortlessly cuz there's less friction but that is not the case. Skin chemistry? I don't know but I'm putting it out to you guys because I tried doing a search and found nothing. What can I use to lubricate my strings a LITTLE bit without leaving my fingers and fretboard greasy? Thanks in advance!

 

[fourstringdrums]

That's odd. My fingers grab on rounds but not on flats.

 

[seanm]

New flatwounds are very grabby. I believe it is because there is more surface area. I find they also get grabby in high humidity situations.

Can't help you with lubricants though. First problem goes away with time and the second I just put up with.

 

[Vinny_G]

GHS Fast Fret?

 

[Luckydog]

My pref is hand lotion, but if you dont like the feel, then try liquid baby powder. Look it up if you dont know what it is. It is very effective, unless you are real sweaty. Just enough friction reduction for flats. Reapply to your hands each set. Dont need much.

 

[Yahboy]

If you have sweaty hand, your finger will easily get sticky-stuck on Glassy-Smooth Flatwound string (Labella DTF, DR Legend, Sadowsky Blk Lebel Flat.....)than Gaping-Wind flatwound string (EB Cobalt flat, Fender 9050....)when you slide it .

 

[Element Zero]

There’s actually more friction caused by flats as there’s more surface area of string touching the pad of your fingers vs rounds. I’ve only tried 2 sets of flats and love both of em. D’Addario Chromes and TI Jazz Flats. Neither are grabby for me and are quite easy to play on.

 

[JimmyM]

There’s actually more friction caused by flats as there’s more surface area of string touching the pad of your fingers vs rounds. I’ve only tried 2 sets of flats and love both of em. D’Addario Chromes and TIME Jazz Flats. Neither are grabby for me and are quite easy to play on.

Chromes aren't grabby for you? Man, that first week or two with Chromes is like hell week for grabbiness for me until whatever leftover gunk from the manufacturing process wears off!

Claymore, I don't get that grabbiness with LaBellas, but Zero's point about more surface area with flats makes them all feel more grabby to me than rounds. Not much of an expert on lubricants since I hate them, though I have heard that they're all just mineral oil.

 

[Stempelloos]

You could try to get "String Glide" by Terry Gould.
"String Glide is a natural lubricant for fast action guitar playing.
Reduces string noise, helps preserve strings.
Contains no silicone. Made in UK."

It smoothed out some of my strings.

 

[Yahboy]

View attachment 3737436 View attachment 3737437

You could try to get "String Glide" by Terry Gould.
"String Glide is a natural lubricant for fast action guitar playing.
Reduces string noise, helps preserve strings.
Contains no silicone. Made in UK."

It smoothed out some of my strings.

Does this thing make roundwound string sound getting dead faster ?

 

[Stempelloos]

Does this thing make roundwound string sound getting dead faster ?

Not in my experience, it rather protects the strings against acidic/salty substances like sweat.

 

[Claymore]

Not in my experience, it rather protects the strings against acidic/salty substances like sweat.

Does it come off on your fingers at all?

 

[rtslinger]

that is strange I have never heard of that situation with flats?
You could get Finger easy spray my guitarist just sprays it on before the show
Tone Finger-Ease String Lubricant Spray

 

[jnewmark]

I've tried a few lubricants on strings, both flats and rounds, and the only one that works for me is Vaseline. I dab my fingers with it. Probably a body chemistry thing, though.

 

[Frenchy-Lefty]

I find mine in sex shops

 

[soulstew]

Tommy Cogbill kept a jar of vaseline sitting on his amp head, and would dip his fingers into it.
Rocco Prestia uses cold cream.

 

[Stewie]

My fingertips are so hard and dry, I wish There was more friction, especially on the right hand. This is just a guess, but maybe spray your fingers with Arrid Extra Dry before you play. I used to spray my feet before I put on my fishing waders to keep them from sweating.(on advice from an old Field and Stream)
Do not spray indoors, or especially in a car, it sucks the oxygen out of the air so fast you won't be able to inhale.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Chicken bone

 

[deckstirparnell]

GHS Fast Fret. I used to use fresh clean hands and fresh clean strings for a long time and in my old age of no callouses and thinning skin, a friend turned me on to Fast Fret and I haven't looked back. It isn't slimey and doesn't kill strings. I put it on brand new strings and it removes the initial crunchiness and takes them right to the "sweet spot". Apply every time you play and the sweet spot lasts a long time. I used to change strings about every 6 weeks, now once a year.

 

[el murdoque]

I found my Labellas to be as grabby as every other fresh flatwound I tried, but it did not last long.
I also use GHS FastFret on my roundwound strings. On my Labellas, I don't really see the need to apply it each time before I play, but I rub them down maybe once a week.