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Flatwound strings - Fender P bass
- Thread starter DomTurco
- Start date
Between the two mentioned, I would take the Ernie Ball over D'A.
I've got DR Legends on my P, and they are the best flats I've tried. The strings are so smooth that my fingers aren't sore after a long gig, and they thump like crazy!
Fender 9050L 45-100. Lots of punch and mids for a flatwound. Just the right amount of tension and a good price.
I can’t vote, ‘cause there isn’t a neither option.
Question: have you ever used flats on your P or any bass for that matter?
I put LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats (the ones Duck Dunn supposedly used) on my P bass and managed to mangle both my right hand and the truss rod and I'd played bass for a long time before this occurred. My point being: make sure you know what you're getting into.
I've gone thru various sets from those LaBellas to Chromes (hated them) to Half-rounds (ugh!) to Pressurewounds (great!) to TI's (also great) as well as LaBella Low Tension Flats (great as well) + a new neck.
I found the LTFs to be the easiest on my right hand and the TI's to be a bit metallic in comparison. That said, the TI's have been on my bass for the longest time so far but I may go back to LTF's for a while and if I ever pull the trigger in a SS bass I'm putting the Pressurewounds on it.
The short answer: experiment. Your mood & requirements will change over time. Have fun!
I put LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats (the ones Duck Dunn supposedly used) on my P bass and managed to mangle both my right hand and the truss rod and I'd played bass for a long time before this occurred. My point being: make sure you know what you're getting into.
I've gone thru various sets from those LaBellas to Chromes (hated them) to Half-rounds (ugh!) to Pressurewounds (great!) to TI's (also great) as well as LaBella Low Tension Flats (great as well) + a new neck.
I found the LTFs to be the easiest on my right hand and the TI's to be a bit metallic in comparison. That said, the TI's have been on my bass for the longest time so far but I may go back to LTF's for a while and if I ever pull the trigger in a SS bass I'm putting the Pressurewounds on it.
The short answer: experiment. Your mood & requirements will change over time. Have fun!
Yes, don't chose a 45-100, it's the least balanced gauge there is. Even a 40-100 is more balanced in terms of tension.
Between those two, I would choose Labella 760FL
Question: have you ever used flats on your P or any bass for that matter?
I put LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats (the ones Duck Dunn supposedly used) on my P bass and managed to mangle both my right hand and the truss rod and I'd played bass for a long time before this occurred. My point being: make sure you know what you're getting into.
I've gone thru various sets from those LaBellas to Chromes (hated them) to Half-rounds (ugh!) to Pressurewounds (great!) to TI's (also great) as well as LaBella Low Tension Flats (great as well) + a new neck.
I found the LTFs to be the easiest on my right hand and the TI's to be a bit metallic in comparison. That said, the TI's have been on my bass for the longest time so far but I may go back to LTF's for a while and if I ever pull the trigger in a SS bass I'm putting the Pressurewounds on it.
The short answer: experiment. Your mood & requirements will change over time. Have fun!
I never went so far as to put the original ultra-stiff Labella's on anything, but even just going to a 45-105 set of flats feels stiff to my plucking hand. I too am really liking their Low Tension flats; same ballpark of tone, but much easier on the hands.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
It really depends on the tone you want. Chromes are more for people who don't want a real "flats thump" but want something halfway between flats and rounds. For a real traditional tone, I would say Precision Flats. They are the closest to the original strings Fender used.
fair enoughwould you give me your option?
Yes, I use Dunlop Flats when I want a bit brighter tone and La Bella when I want the more traditional tone. I have used in the past, in no particular order... EB, DR, GHS, TI, D’Addario, Pyramid, Roto, Fender, Sadowsky, and many tapes as well. I’ve tried multiple gauges of each brand. I gave up on each for a variety of reasons. To speak to the ones you mention, Chromes because they sound hollow and chorus-y to me and EB because they are very sticky and have a very bright tone. If thats what you are looking for, perhaps that would be a good choice. Tactile preferences lead me to La Bella; smoothest and most polished set around... IMHO. Dunlop is a close second on that point.
It’s a close call between Dunlop and La Bella. Dunlop is a bit more modern and La Bella is a bit more old school. I like the lighter gauge La Bellas on 5 and 6 string basses and I like the heavier gauge Dunlops on 4‘s— generally speaking. I have both brands on 4’s as that is my preference these days. I prefer very heavy gauge rounds when I play rounds, but that is rare.
Hope that helps... feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss further. I find this is a bit of a “religious” discussion for some and I wont entertain that level of passion over strings.
Thanks for replyingYes, I use Dunlop Flats when I want a bit brighter tone and La Bella when I want the more traditional tone. I have used in the past, in no particular order... EB, DR, GHS, TI, D’Addario, Pyramid, Roto, Fender, Sadowsky, and many tapes as well. I’ve tried multiple gauges of each brand. I gave up on each for a variety of reasons. To speak to the ones you mention, Chromes because they sound hollow and chorus-y to me and EB because they are very sticky and have a very bright tone. If thats what you are looking for, perhaps that would be a good choice. Tactile preferences lead me to La Bella; smoothest and most polished set around... IMHO. Dunlop is a close second on that point.
It’s a close call between Dunlop and La Bella. Dunlop is a bit more modern and La Bella is a bit more old school. I like the lighter gauge La Bellas on 5 and 6 string basses and I like the heavier gauge Dunlops on 4‘s— generally speaking. I have both brands on 4’s as that is my preference these days. I prefer very heavy gauge rounds when I play rounds, but that is rare.
Hope that helps... feel free to PM me if you wish to discuss further. I find this is a bit of a “religious” discussion for some and I wont entertain that level of passion over strings.
I ll see if I can get my hands on some La Bella's then
Neither. I’d slap some La Bella DTF (Down To Funk) or GHS Precision Flats!!
Since you're taking other opinions, I use TI flats (JF344). I've had them on my P for a little over 5 years, and I love them!fair enough
GHS Precisions, They even state "Precision" in their name
Though its not one of your choices listed I also love DR legends, my fav flat wound so far
Don't rule out Fender 9050L if you want a little grind with your mellow.
Chromes start with zing and fade to useless thump after a few months.
La Bellas are smooth, even, and classic.
GHS are dark, but a good dark, like chocolate.
Ernie Ball are probably the most underrated flatwounds out there. Great strings.
Chromes start with zing and fade to useless thump after a few months.
La Bellas are smooth, even, and classic.
GHS are dark, but a good dark, like chocolate.
Ernie Ball are probably the most underrated flatwounds out there. Great strings.
My '78 P-Bass, just before I took the Fender 9050L flats off, and replaced them with a set of 45-105 GHS Precision Flats. Both of which I would recommend over your choices; the Fenders if you want very good, very versatile, "modern" sounding flats; the GHS Precisions if you want Old School Thump. You can probably guess what I want from my P-Bass; but with 22 other basses? I don't need versatile from this one. The Fenders are currently living on a different bass, and I'm very happy with them there, too. Of the two flats you're looking to try? I'm only familiar with the D'Addario Chromes.
I have a well broken-in, salvaged set of them on this '15 G&L Tom Hamilton Signature ASAT Bass. While I normally never use D'Addario strings, I tried the old Chromes - just for the Hell of it. And, on this active bass with "Hamiltone" custom wound pickups? I have to say that I'm very favorably impressed. However; how long will the niceness last? I have no idea; they weren't exactly new when I salvaged them, and that was several years ago. And there are only one or two other basses I own that I would even think of trying flats that bright on - and my P-Bass ain't one of them. But, a fair number of folks around here do - and seem to like them. As for the EB Group IIIs? Those are one of a very small group of flats that I've never tried. So, I can't say yea or nay; but, again; other people seem to like them. And, I respect iiipopes opinion and recommendations; If he says they're good, I'd give them a try...Bottom line? The only real way to know if the Chromes or the EB Group III's are right for you - is to try them. My ears are not your ears; my hands are not your hands; and I'm an Old Fart who's permanently stuck in the early '60s, anyway. So, I doubt we like to play the same things, either. Maybe one of them is just what you want...
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