Has anyone tried Dogal Traditional flats? Are they really balanced string-to-string?

[Boneless]

As per the title. My primary concern is that the strings sound balanced and even between them. If they thump, they all thump. If they get thumpy as you go up the neck, they all get thumpy. If they sound warm, they all sound warm (after break-in, of course).

 

[Petethebassman]

I wish I knew- I had this bass refretted and bought a set of Dogal Traditional flats for the luthier to install, but when tuning it up to pitch the G string ball end snapped off. I emailed Dogal, they apologized and promised to send a new set, but they didn't follow up on that promise.

 

[Boneless]

I wish I knew- I had this bass refretted and bought a set of Dogal Traditional flats for the luthier to install, but when tuning it up to pitch the G string ball end snapped off. I emailed Dogal, they apologized and promised to send a new set, but they didn't follow up on that promise.
View attachment 7056290

You should have persisted. Italians are Italian. I am one, I know.

 

[Petethebassman]

You should have persisted. Italians are Italian. I am one, I know.

Maybe I should have. It didn't put me off the brand, though- I have used Dogal Jonas Hellborg roundwounds on my main P-Bass and those are great.

 

[e-flat]

As per the title. My primary concern is that the strings sound balanced and even between them. If they thump, they all thump. If they get thumpy as you go up the neck, they all get thumpy. If they sound warm, they all sound warm (after break-in, of course).

I own 2 sets of the Dogal Traditional flats, and the short answer to your question is “yes”. At first the E string MAY be a little deader than the rest, but I’ve found that after the initial break-in period, the E blends well with the other strings. This settling effect was a little more pronounced with my first set that I bought, and a little less pronounced with the second set… but both sets eventually balanced out. Hope this helps.

 

[Boneless]

I own 2 sets of the Dogal Traditional flats, and the short answer to your question is “yes”. At first the E string MAY be a little deader than the rest, but I’ve found that after the initial break-in period, the E blends well with the other strings. This settling effect was a little more pronounced with my first set that I bought, and a little less pronounced with the second set… but both sets eventually balanced out. Hope this helps.

My understanding is that the Traditional set is intended to be an old-school flat like LaBella (smooth, not much sustain) while their Carbonsteel set of whatever they're called after more like TIs. Do you concur?

 

[GIBrat51]

As per the title. My primary concern is that the strings sound balanced and even between them. If they thump, they all thump. If they get thumpy as you go up the neck, they all get thumpy. If they sound warm, they all sound warm (after break-in, of course).

To my ears? Yes, they are very well balanced, sound-wise. I'm not overly concerned with balanced tension, but I am concerned about balanced tone. I've had a set of them on my '13 Gibson Thunderbird for a few years now. They are smooth - like La Bellas - but, while they are in the "Old School Flats" camp? To my ears, they're not nearly as "Old School" as, say La Bella 760FS's are. The Dogal's are pretty well balanced, tone-wise. Very good low end; nice low-mids, but a little more mids than La Bellas; and definitely more top end. Pretty similar to the Optima 4099L "Chromes" that I have on my '06 Carvin LB-20 and my '88 Tokai TB48 Thunderbird, IMO... As for their sustain? IME, that's more a function of the bass itself, than it is the strings. Every kind of string I've ever put on my aluminum-necked '78 Kramer 450B, sustained enough to drive a person mad. Including the La Bella 760FS's it's wearing now... The Dogal R44's on my Gibson T-Bird have more than enough sustain to suit me; in fact, I'd be happier if they sustained a lot less...
Regarding the Dogal "Jaco" Carbonsteel Flats? I have a set of the JC106A's on my '73 Rick 4003; more for their ridiculously low tension than anything else. That bass has neck issues that older 4001's sometimes get, and I need super-low tension strings on it. They certainly don't feel super-low tension, though; in fact, they feel a little stiffer than the TIJF's on my '95 Alembic Epic. To my ears? They don't sound much like TIJF's either; in fact, they sound a whole lot like the Optima 4440 RB Flats on my '01 Rick 4003. Which makes my very happy, since the Optima RB's are re-creations of the original Maxima 4440 Flats that old Ricks used to wear from the factory. Which is a tone that I like - a LOT...

 

[999Brent]

I have used a set, the low tension becomes very obvious if you need to tune down.
Fine in E but any lower spaghetti city.
That why I had to take them off, we play lower tuning fairly often,
Great balance and sound if you stay in E.

 

[e-flat]

The Dogal Traditional are definitely a more “old school” flat, though they are a little different from a La Bella sound (as @GIBrat51 mentioned above). They are a lower output string (magnetically) than La Bella probably due to the fact that their inner windings are (at least partially )copper and not steel. I tune to standard tuning and think the tension is perfect. I’ve found that the Dogal Traditional set is especially nice if you are looking for a mellow but clear set for a Jazz Bass

 

[bassboysam]

I just put a set on my P and what @e-flat and @GIBrat51 have described has been true for me as well. I'd like to give them a try on my 4001. Does anyone have tension figures? they seem low-ish.


my set seems very even though. i wouldn't call the E thuddy, seems to have as much sustain and harmonics as the rest of the strings.

 

[GIBrat51]

I just put a set on my P and what @e-flat and @GIBrat51 have described has been true for me as well. I'd like to give them a try on my 4001. Does anyone have tension figures? they seem low-ish.


my set seems very even though. i wouldn't call the E thuddy, seems to have as much sustain and harmonics as the rest of the strings.

No, I have no idea what the actual pull-to-pitch tension of the R-44's is. As a General rule, I don't worry about that. I'm more concerned with the perceived stiffness of the strings. And, the R44's don't strike me as particularly stiff. About... average, for me. I use Dogal strings a fair bit; all but one of my guitars wear their Evolution or Expressive Jazz flat wounds. Which don't strike me as high tension, either. Dogal made their name making orchestral strings, and I get the impression that high tension is something they try to avoid. I do know that their "Jaco" Carbonsteel Flat bass strings have ridiculously low tension (which is why they're on my '73 4001). But they feel noticeably stiffer than the TIJF's on my Alembic Epic. Unless your 4001 is exhibiting the neck problem that they sometimes get (and which mine has), I think you'd be pretty safe using them. Or the Optima 4440 RB Flats, for that matter. They're made to duplicate the old Maxima 4440 Flats that your 4001 left the factory with - and which my '01 4003 currently wears...