flatwound strings on a Jazz bass

[bassadvisor]

Ive wondered this as well...my main jazz is a tad on the dark/warm side and thought with flats it could be to much?

Ti's are pretty bright actually.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I have flats on my Jazz, LaBellas, and use it mostly in the studio. The only thing I don't like is, sometimes, the E string sounds deader than the others. It's never any other strings. Maybe I should switch brands ?

I have flats on one J, rounds on another, I've never had flats on a P. Hopefully I won't be drummed off TalkBass.

 

[faulknersj]

Much has been written about these flats, and I'm tempted to try them. How does the tone vary as they age ? Long life, or do you change them out frequently ?

Zingy at first...but still going strong 5 years later...

After about a month they are amazing!

 

[Fialka]

I am considering putting flats on my active jazz. I actually want my bass to be versatile, to growl and bark, but also to get boomy and tamed when needed. I have settled on standard fender nickel 45-105 roundwounds, that seem pretty good to me. Still I am curious about flats, so should i try a set of em next time I change strings?

 

[FirewalZ]

I found them too bright and weird at first... but within an hour or so they chilled out.... then i noticed that as years went by, they just got better and better. I have a set thats about 10 years old around the house and I love em.

For me, nearly every flat i have tried, sounds harsh and a bit odd right out of the package.

 

[hennessybass]

Much has been written about these flats, and I'm tempted to try them. How does the tone vary as they age ? Long life, or do you change them out frequently ?

I tried a set years ago, and they had kind of a sticky film on them. It didn't feel good, and they were not on my bass for long. I had read some posts about that film at the time, and some guys just said that it would disappear as you played them. Not sure if that's still a thing.

 

[faulknersj]

I tried a set years ago, and they had kind of a sticky film on them. It didn't feel good, and they were not on my bass for long. I had read some posts about that film at the time, and some guys just said that it would disappear as you played them. Not sure if that's still a thing.

Well worth the break in period...which is short.

 

[Linnin]

I am considering putting flats on my active jazz. I actually want my bass to be versatile, to growl and bark, but also to get boomy and tamed when needed. I have settled on standard fender nickel 45-105 roundwounds, that seem pretty good to me. Still I am curious about flats, so should i try a set of em next time I change strings?

You are going to need two dedicated basses. One roundwound for growl & bark. One flatwound for boom & zoom. There is no one string and no one bass that will do both. Much less at the same time. Buy Two.

 

[red_rhino]

Well worth the break in period...which is short.

I probably should have given them more of a chance when I tried them years ago, but they came off within a few hours.

So I've just spent the last few hours on YouTube checking out flatwound string comparisons. I'm more confused than before. All of them had pros and cons, but I suspect the Fender 9050L is going to be what I want to try first. I may also buy Chromes or TIs to try on my 65P. (Oh yes, and I can see this becoming a very expensive quest, too.)

It's interesting how my tonal goals have shifted in recent years. I've always been a roundwound player; big, bright grand piano sound. Now all I want is to tame the highs and get a narrowly focused pure tone. Even been exploring adding an LPF to my signal chain (but I still like full range speakers; weird huh?).

 

[unclebass]

I probably should have given them more of a chance when I tried them years ago, but they came off within a few hours.

So I've just spent the last few hours on YouTube checking out flatwound string comparisons. I'm more confused than before. All of them had pros and cons, but I suspect the Fender 9050L is going to be what I want to try first. I may also buy Chromes or TIs to try on my 65P. (Oh yes, and I can see this becoming a very expensive quest, too.)

It's interesting how my tonal goals have shifted in recent years. I've always been a roundwound player; big, bright grand piano sound. Now all I want is to tame the highs and get a narrowly focused pure tone. Even been exploring adding an LPF to my signal chain (but I still like full range speakers; weird huh?).

The Fender flats are a good place to start. Not very expensive, and if you don't like them, you can use the experience of TB community by explaining what it is that you don't like about them and you will get plenty of guidance in the right direction. Hard to tell exactly what you are looking for until you give at least one set of flats a try. I've tried Roto 77s,(never again) Fender 9050l flats,(Nice sound, not too much tension), and currently have GHS Precision flats on a hollow body.(needed old school thump and medium scale) Wouldn't hesitate to go back to the Fenders.

 

[Harpo61]

I have two Fender Jazz Basses a MIA 70’s FSR Jazz Bass that has TI Jazz Rounds on it and a MIM Road Worn 60’s Jazz Bass with TI Jazz Flats .
Between those two Basses I pretty much have any tone I need !!!

 

[moreblues]

I already posted on this great thread...but wanted to add that if you are putting flats on an old fender 60’s or early 70’s take it easy and give that neck some relief...actually less relief no pun intended by using low tension flats like either T. I.’s or low tension labellas which are in the same ballpark as the T. I.’s as far as tension is concerned,but tone;that’s another story! Those old necks were not built like todays with different and newer truss rods and graphite reinforcement. Your neck will love you for it and so will your tone.

 

[bluesblaster]

That was my experience as well, my newer J bass took Labellas DTF's just fine, the old Jazz not so much, so I put TI's on it and that worked very well.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

All of them had pros and cons, but I suspect the Fender 9050L is going to be what I want to try first. I may also buy Chromes or TIs to try on my 65P. (Oh yes, and I can see this becoming a very expensive quest.

It is.

 

[808P123]

Let's not forget Rick Danko

 

[Fialka]

You are going to need two dedicated basses. One roundwound for growl & bark. One flatwound for boom & zoom. There is no one string and no one bass that will do both. Much less at the same time. Buy Two.

I can get pretty far in the bassy territory by just rolling the tone off, changing my playing technique(playing near the heel of the neck lightly with fingers/thumb) or if more is needed through boosting bass. I have read somewhere that it is easier to cut certain frequencies than trying to boost frequencies that just arent there. So i guess you have got to get different kind of a tone with em, or what is the deal with flatwounds?
Edit: Excuse me if it is a stupid question, but iam in the bass world for about 1 year so I am still in the phase of exploring.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I already posted on this great thread...but wanted to add that if you are putting flats on an old fender 60’s or early 70’s take it easy and give that neck some relief...actually less relief no pun intended by using low tension flats like either T. I.’s or low tension labellas which are in the same ballpark as the T. I.’s as far as tension is concerned,but tone;that’s another story! Those old necks were not built like todays with different and newer truss rods and graphite reinforcement. Your neck will love you for it and so will your tone.

I ordered the skinniest La Bella white tape wounds, and I don't think they have any tension at all... On a Jazz bass, of course (fretless).

 

[crlujan]

Did this session a few years back. All songs on a Jazz with flats.

 

[hennessybass]

I can get pretty far in the bassy territory by just rolling the tone off, changing my playing technique(playing near the heel of the neck lightly with fingers/thumb) or if more is needed through boosting bass. I have read somewhere that it is easier to cut certain frequencies than trying to boost frequencies that just arent there. So i guess you have got to get different kind of a tone with em, or what is the deal with flatwounds?
Edit: Excuse me if it is a stupid question, but iam in the bass world for about 1 year so I am still in the phase of exploring.

Altering tone by changing your right hand position is good stuff for someone who’s been at it for one year. Nice.

Flats are not just about less treble. Not quite the same as rolling off the tone knob with a set of rounds.

Even with flats and my tone knob rolled back, I can still boost / cut frequencys that are coming out of the tweeter on my cab.

It’s about which frequency are emphasized, or not, how they transition into each other, and how they play off each other.

For lots of guys it’s a tactical/ feel thing under your fingers. Also, there is a big difference in things like string noise, the way the strings hit the frets, finger noise, etc.

Saying that you can make rounds sound like flats with EQ and some playing technique is a bit like saying you can make your GK 112 combo amp sound like an Ampeg SVT and 810 cab. Maybe, but really, they are just different things.

 

[Fialka]

Altering tone by changing your right hand position is good stuff for someone who’s been at it for one year. Nice.

Flats are not just about less treble. Not quite the same as rolling off the tone knob with a set of rounds.

Even with flats and my tone knob rolled back, I can still boost / cut frequencys that are coming out of the tweeter on my cab.

It’s about which frequency are emphasized, or not, how they transition into each other, and how they play off each other.

For lots of guys it’s a tactical/ feel thing under your fingers. Also, there is a big difference in things like string noise, the way the strings hit the frets, finger noise, etc.

Saying that you can make rounds sound like flats with EQ and some playing technique is a bit like saying you can make your GK 112 combo amp sound like an Ampeg SVT and 810 cab. Maybe, but really, they are just different things.

Ahh, all right, that was just the right answer. Guess I have got to try them, otherwise I will never know if they suit me.