Flatwounds are just not for me

[Vinny_G]

I will admit they feel nice, but they always sounded like brand new dead strings.

Flat wound strings are the Rotary Phones of bass accessories.

 

[squarepeg]

I decided to take my third attempt at putting flats on my P-Bass in February. I had tried GHS Precisions and Rotosound 77s in the past and just couldn't bond with them. This time I tried Chromes and they only lasted about 6 weeks before I went back to Boomers. As much as people rant and rave about the feel of flats I actually like the feel of rounds better, possibly because that's what I'm used to. Anyway, I need to quit spending money trying out different strings... in the end I always end up back at Boomers and EB Slinkys.

Same here. I much prefer rounds.

 

[scuzzy]

i have tried TI's, Chromes, and 9050's. Only my fretless basses have flats now. any fretted bass I tried flats on was quickly changed back to rounds. I like my basses to sustain longer than 2 seconds and I don't use foam mutes under the strings of my basses. There are many things on this site that folks fawn over that I just don't get, but I'm ok with it. I spent money trying to understand their preferences, I just don't.

 

[maturanesa]

Thats because you probably play them alone. The magic happens in the mix.

 

[rohi]

I've got a pair of TI flats on my 57 reissue P, it's such a good combo. Not for everyone though, and I get that. If you get a nice clear tone going, chords are so nice on flats. Really nice for low-volume practice without an amp too.

 

[DJ Bebop]

i have tried TI's, Chromes, and 9050's. Only my fretless basses have flats now. any fretted bass I tried flats on was quickly changed back to rounds. I like my basses to sustain longer than 2 seconds and I don't use foam mutes under the strings of my basses. There are many things on this site that folks fawn over that I just don't get, but I'm ok with it. I spent money trying to understand their preferences, I just don't.

I have multiple basses like most of us here I set one P bass up with Labella 1954s flats with the sponge rubber mute under the bridge cover thing. To experience what the early players like Jamerson, Dunn, Kaye were working with. Much like playing an upright vs an electric bass. It's a different tool. I do like the sound and feel. If it was the only bass I had, I probably wouldn't do it.

 

[uwrossl]

Why would you spend 2k on a bass legendary for treble bite and then muzzle half it’s range?

Because McCartney & The Beatles....

 

[thabassmon]

I decided to take my third attempt at putting flats on my P-Bass in February. I had tried GHS Precisions and Rotosound 77s in the past and just couldn't bond with them. This time I tried Chromes and they only lasted about 6 weeks before I went back to Boomers. As much as people rant and rave about the feel of flats I actually like the feel of rounds better, possibly because that's what I'm used to. Anyway, I need to quit spending money trying out different strings... in the end I always end up back at Boomers and EB Slinkys.

Fair enough they are not for everyone or every style.

I like them, but I also like D'addario Nickel rounds. I used EB slinkys when I started tried every four string set they made at the time, flats are quite different to those so I can understand your perspective.

I have used D'addario Chromes they are fine me but a lot of people seem to not like them, I do string my electro-acoustic and archtop guitars with them.

I have a my fretless strung with GHS Precision Flats, I didn't like them when I put them on, but stuck with them and they are getting better with use. I will let them stay on for a while but I can see me trying something else at a later date.

My favourite is Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats so far, very smooth and toneful to me, some people do not like the lower tension but I am fine with that, I don't have a low action, I find the lower tension make them easier to manipulate. My semi-acoustic guitar is also strung with them too.

I think string selection is about comfort and tone, as in ease of play and produces the sound you want with your touch.

Either keep trying different brand sets or enjoy the rounds you like, it's good to try stuff though, the only way to truly know if a set is right for you. It's all part of learning so good on you for trying them out.

 

[Yahboy]

Worth trying and you keep the right string you licking with.
Happy Ending.

 

[minimalist freedom]

Other than the sound and smooth feel of chromes I find the tension suits my playing technique. I’m a little heavy on both hands and the tension reduces the buzzing I sometimes get when I dig in and I like the more direct feel, touch or resistance I get on the plucking fingers. Same with pressure-wounds to an extent.

 

[Christophe C]

I enjoy the feel of D'addario chrome flats on my passive PJ : it's so easy to play and smooth.
I find the sound a bit too dull or dark when I play home but during a rehearsal, they are awesome and they hold well against two angry guitars and a heavy drummer ;-)
They are two years old now and I plan to keep them as long as possible as an experiment... I am lucky enough to have 4 basses, otherwise if I only had one bass, I would use "standard" roundwounds.

 

[Kenova]

I like my sound with Chromes here, fundemental is always there and it sit in the mix perfectly

 

[BlueP]

I decided to take my third attempt at putting flats on my P-Bass in February. I had tried GHS Precisions and Rotosound 77s in the past and just couldn't bond with them. This time I tried Chromes and they only lasted about 6 weeks before I went back to Boomers. As much as people rant and rave about the feel of flats I actually like the feel of rounds better, possibly because that's what I'm used to. Anyway, I need to quit spending money trying out different strings... in the end I always end up back at Boomers and EB Slinkys.

I am with you...rounds on a p are great.

In reading your message, I feel I have travelled a similar journey...

 

[smtp4me]

I decided to take my third attempt at putting flats on my P-Bass in February. I had tried GHS Precisions and Rotosound 77s in the past and just couldn't bond with them. This time I tried Chromes and they only lasted about 6 weeks before I went back to Boomers. As much as people rant and rave about the feel of flats I actually like the feel of rounds better, possibly because that's what I'm used to. Anyway, I need to quit spending money trying out different strings... in the end I always end up back at Boomers and EB Slinkys.

I'm not a fan of flatwounds either. Some people love them, and that's great - not me. It's not just the feel that I dislike. To me, flatwounds sound dead, a dull thump, missing a lot of harmonic content.

 

[40Hz]

Possible it is to overthink these things.

 

[forrestlaw]

I truly have not seen a person ranting or raving about that. I might like to. I may make an amusing video.

Maybe not wildly ranting raving, but how easy flats are on the fingers is almost always one of the features mentioned when people say they like them.

What is it about flats that you can't get used to? Is it the extra tension, the smoothness, the relatively quick decay or something else? TI flats are nickel wrapped rather than steel and have less resistance than stiffer steel strings. As a rule flats take a while to break in. Getting rid of them right away may seem smart at the time but they never get the chance to show you their stuff. I use light gauge rounds on some of my basses and don't like to fight with an instrument in order to get results. The TIs are almost as comfy. They really do sound like recorded basses from the '60's and '70's. That meaningful thump.

The Rotosound 66s and the Chromes both seemed REALLY stiff. I don't really remember the GHS Precisions other than the fact that I've tried them. The smoothness feels weird (maybe not weird, but unfamiliar... different), especially since both of my other basses have rounds on them. I've also never left any of them on more than a few weeks. TIs I've wanted to try, but that price... $$$... yikes

Thats because you probably play them alone. The magic happens in the mix.

I'll admit that I've not played them in a show with my band... and won't be able to for the foreseeable future given the current situation, unfortunately.

My favourite is Thomastik Infeld Jazz Flats so far, very smooth and toneful to me, some people do not like the lower tension but I am fine with that, I don't have a low action, I find the lower tension make them easier to manipulate. My semi-acoustic guitar is also strung with them too.

TI Flats have been mentioned by several here and I've wanted to try them, especially given the lower tension. I've just been reluctant to drop $60+ on a set of strings just to try them.

I like my sound with Chromes here, fundemental is always there and it sit in the mix perfectly

That sounds really good. I like like Joe Jackson. Thanks for sharing. Is that one of the Vintera Precision basses?

 

[forrestlaw]

View attachment 3776295

Possible it is to overthink these things.

If thinking about strings you are, then practicing you are not.

 

[brianrost]

Just because rounds have come back in popularity doesn't mean you should give up on rounds. I still use both, different strings for different basses for different uses. Basically I use flats for blues, rounds for everything else.

 

[40Hz]

If thinking about strings you are, then practicing you are not.

Oh dear! The unavoidable proverbial elephant in the room.

Yeah. There is that.

 

[Sam Dingle]

good idea to re sell them.

I find that if I like a bass with rounds i'm gonna hate it with another string. I understand the concept of playing flats and because of that decided to buy a P bass specifically to throw flats on it and leave it there. you don't have to use it all the time but just to mess around here and there.

Also if you don't listen to a ton of flatwound records maybe its not your thing? My ear moved towards it more when I checked out more motown.