I just picked up an Embassy Pro and want to put flats on it, but I don't want the bass to end up sounding like mud. I don't really want a bright sounding bass per say, I just don't want it to sound like a piece of wool in the bottom of the ocean. I used to have a Fender Jazz with flats and loved it, but Pro Buckers are soooo different from single coils. TI's, GHS Precision and DR's have interesting reviews. Their lower tension is attractive, but I'm willing to reduce gage of other brand strings if they would provide a clearer, but still warm sound. Any suggestions to maintain an articulate, clear warm tone? Please explain why, too. Thank you.
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Flatwounds for an Epiphone Embassy Pro
- Thread starter Terrapin1993
- Start date
Try a standard set of La Bella 760-FL flats. They have a good low end, good articulation, good feel and tension without being stiff, but are not middy-muddy. They are not dark like DR's get. They are not thumpy like Chromes get after they lose their zing. They are not grindy like, from slight to chainsaw, Ernie ball stainless, Fender flats, or EB Cobalts. Because of the mahogany body, like my Ibby 5-string, you want a neutral string so it doesn't get nasal in tone. I have a set on one of my Jaguar H basses. It is re-wired '62 P-style with the stock MM-style pickup and it is a veritable funk machine with clarity.
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Thanks for the quick and detailed reply! Now that's what I'm deep talk'in about. You've just about sold me. I'm going to wait on a few more comments. If not, I may take the LaBella plunge.
When I got my P bass back in 2014, I couldn't wait to try the La Bella 760FL (43-104) after reading about the P with La Bella flats being the classic combo. Well, they came off after three months as I found the 104E a little too muddy down low and boomy up high on the neck. I replaced them with Sadowsky Black Label Flats (also made by La Bella at that time) 40-100 and found them to be cleaner and clearer. Unfortunately, they were discontinued shortly after.
Then I tried the GHS Precision Flats 45-95 and found them to be a great match for my P bass. Warm and woody with focused punch, the notes on the 95E were well-defined without sounding too muddy or too boomy like the La Bella. Very comfortable stiffness/flexibility without ever feeling too loose or floppy as well.
Just my experience...
I also can recommend GHS Precision flats in 45-95 gauge, or Fender 9050L flats if you want a bit more growl and character. The Fenders are my favorite all-round flatwound.
I had an Embassy Pro for a couple of years, great bass for the money.
I had an Embassy Pro for a couple of years, great bass for the money.
The Labella DTF are my favorite flat. Sound spectacular on my #1 P bass. Last forever.
Respectfully, I disagree with Fender flats on a mahogany body. I tried this setup with my Ibby 5-string with the Asian mahogany body. Everything sounded really nasal. The pickup is an EMG 40CS, about as smooth in the mids as it gets, and even that couldn't tame the clash between the mids of the body response and the mid grind of the Fender flats. Fender flats are perfect for an alder body, but crash with a mahogany body.
Likewise, in my experience, GHS Precision flats are great on the traditional combination of alder body/rosewood fingerboard P-bass; but the roll-off of the top end may not give the OP the definition to go with the mid-present mahogany body & neck.
I never tried Fender flats on my Embassy when I had it, so they might well not be the best choice for it, but I do have a set on my Ric 4003S and they sound great on that and it's not an alder w/rosewood bass. I've also found the GHS Precision flats work great on my Epiphone Jack Casady, which isn't exactly a P bass either.
Strings are even more subject to personal taste. I found the set of La Bella 760FLs that I once tried to be quite lifeless and dull after just a couple of gigs. Many would disagree. As always, YMMV.
Strings are even more subject to personal taste. I found the set of La Bella 760FLs that I once tried to be quite lifeless and dull after just a couple of gigs. Many would disagree. As always, YMMV.
Never have change to setup a embassy pro bass myself, but EB cobalt flat 50-105 make Epiphone T bird vintage Pro sound tight and firm MID voice.
You also can swap stock volume pot to higher value for little more open tonal.
You also can swap stock volume pot to higher value for little more open tonal.
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JeezyMcNuggles
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I don't have the bass you have, but I have a '72 Gibson EB0 which has the pickup farther from the neck than earlier EB0's. When I got it, it had a set of Chromes on it. They sounded fine, but I wanted the dark, thumpy flatwound sound and put a set of Pyramid flatwounds on it. Long break-in period, but they were great. After a year or so, the D string went bad, and I put the Chromes (the ones it came with) back on it. It sounds great, and Chromes last for years. Less dark than broken-in Pyramids.
I recently played an Embassy Pro at a local GC. It had what I would call a warm tone but I thought it was kind of dark sounding. If it were me, I'd opt for a set of bright sounding roundwounds to add a little sizzle to the sound.
After looking up the 760FL, I was surprised to see that 104E was part of the "Light" set. It gives me a bit of concern. But everything else iiipopes said sounds well thought through. I've read a lot of good things about GHS flats, but, like most flatwound reviews, they're usually talking about them on Fender basses. Woody and focused would be great if that could be had on a mahogany body with buckers.
In the end, what made you decide to part with the Embassy? Also, did you ever record with it?
You’ll probably need to try a few sets. Ive liked chromes, 9050L, and EB Group 4 on different long scale basses for the old school sound. Just need to play around with what the bass likes.
I sold my Embassy to keep the number of electric basses I own limited to six only, and after purchasing a new Ric 4003S in August 2021, I needed to move one to met this random requirement.
I bought the Embassy on a whim after playing it in my local shop where I'd gone to try the then-new Gibson Les Paul DC short scale. Intent on buying one of those, I instead found it underwhelming compared to the Embassy, which came at roughly a third of the price of the Gibson ($360 with a decent gig bag). Mine was white (ivory) and from the batch that had bridge issues, though only the E string on mine was affected and then only above the 12th fret, so not an issue live.
I never recorded with it but did use it at four or five serious gigs before selling it. I mainly play Fenders at gigs (either my 66 P, 88 MIJ Jazz, Tony Franklin fretless P or an Ultra P) but like to have a variety to choose from (like the Ric and a Hofner HCT 500/7). The Embassy was every bit the equal to those basses on stage and I really liked the Probucker pickups. I only used roundwounds on mine, Rotosound RS66LDN nickel rounds and never really considered putting flats on it. For my taste, it's a bass where rounds seem the best choice.
Thanks for the long reply! I read about several folks having bridge issues. How can you tell if they're messed up? I want to check mine.
