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GHS Precision Flats M3050 or LaBella DTF 760FS

Phaidrus

Phaidrus

Oct 25, 2009
2,855
3,358
#1
It's been asked a number of times already (so thanks in advance for your patience) but may I ask once more in my specific context, namely reggae dub. Which of these two sets is best suited for thick punch with focus on the fundamental? It's for a maple neck Pbass with PV63, so the strings should help tame the inherent mids growl of the Pbass, which doesn't sound particularly good in this genre of music. Have already tried Pyramid Gold 45-105 (E string too muddy & general wooliness of E and A; D and G a bit anaemic), Dunlop flats 45-105 as well as 50-70-85-105 (nice but somewhat hollow/pillowy sound, meat/punch is lacking, D and G kinda weak). Currently back to an old DR Legend set, which so far has the most solid tone albeit with quite a bit of mids.

PS. There's a Fender "Original" pickup as well as a Seymour Duncan SPB3 in my drawer, which I could swap the PV63 with. But I have the impression the PV63 is best suited for the job at hand. Could be wrong though.
 
#4
Fundamental...
For thick thump without mud, hardly anything does it better than GHS Precision Flats. You may know this, but as with virtually all flats, they need to be played to let them settle and even up. Once they do, they are sweet. I have them on three basses at present.

I do like the LaBella Low Tension Flats (they are not floppy). They sound better to me than their regular flats. But they don't sound as good as the GHS flats.
 
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#8
Stan_da_man said:
I have some GHS P Flats arriving tomorrow has I want to get back into flatwounds.

The last flat I played were Chromes - how do the GHS compare in tension and flexibility?
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I've played neither of them but the general consensus seems to be that GHS flats are more flexible and have less tension than Chromes of the same gauge. I think that the relevant tension charts confirm that.
 
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#15
The DR legends are in the same tonal camp of the Labellas and GHS flats. They're my personal favorites for p basses and if they aren't giving you what you want I don't think you'll find a huge difference going to precision flats or dtf. Like others have said flats sweeten up with age. It's hard to tell at first but the set that has been on my p bass for a few years have warmed up and evened out drastically compared to a newer set I've had for maybe a year.
 
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#16
GHS hands down for that IMO.

If you want more punch go with the lighter gauge (45-95) set. Less string mass means less inertia and greater excursion on your note attack for the amount of finger pressure you’re using. That translates out to more punch. Your pickup coils react to the string’s motion in their magnetic field. They’re completely blind when it comes to your string gauge. Using heavier gauges does not mean you get a heavier sound.

Learned that one from a very busy NYC studio bassist I’m friends with. He also recommended tuning to E♭ if you’re playing a PB to get a fuller sound. (It works too!)

If you want clean fundamentals with the fewest overtones possible, check out the DR Jonas Hellborg signature set. They’re rounds, but they have none of the sizzle or overtones normally associated with a roundwound set. I’ve got them on a 2017 Gibson EB. And that combination can cut through anything if that’s what you’re looking to accomplish. Great for prog, jazz, and some flavors of metal. :)
 
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#19
75Ric said:
I'm trying a few different tape wounds on my pbass. I tried the LaBella black tape wounds, but not for me. Put on RotoSounds a week ago. These are some nice strings. Surprisingly deeper than LaBella.
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@Yahboy

Tape wound strings have a classic tone of their own, think of Serge Gainsbourg's Melodie and Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side, both basslines played by Herbie Flowers with Roto tape wounds on a Jbass (Walk bassline also has a double bass overdub). I've tried the old Fender as well as the D'Addario tapes and liked them but there's a plastic tone hidden somewhere in their character - or so it sounds to me - that puts me off eventually.
 
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#20
Stan_da_man said:
I have some GHS P Flats arriving tomorrow has I want to get back into flatwounds.

The last flat I played were Chromes - how do the GHS compare in tension and flexibility?
Click to expand...

Based on my own experiences with them (and I’ll admit I’m not a big fan) Chromes have a hard and tight feel to my fingers. And they don’t loosen up much at all over time like most flats will. My guitarist SO described them as follows when I twisted her arm to try a little bass playing one night: “It feels like I’m playing metal pencils!”

However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes when I’m playing I’ll sorta bounce my fingertips on the strings closer to the bridge. I think of it as a “finger mallet” sort of technique. I call it “marimba” playing. (I’m sure there’s a more formal French or Latinate sounding term for the technique. But if so, I don’t know what that is. Anyone? Anyone? ;))
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It provides an interesting note envelope. A percussive but somehow round sounding attack with an interesting note bloom. At least to my ears that’s how it sounds. Very useful in some music settings. And Chromes are particularly good at getting it, although any other type of string can work for it too. I’ve done it with rounds, flats, and tapewounds. So Chromes aren’t essential. But they do work well for it just the same.
 
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