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Has the bass world changed to flatwounds?
- Thread starter itsmecraigl
- Start date
My fretless has ghs brite flats on it and they sound so much more real and woody than rounds with no clank. Great string tension and smooth and easy on the fingers. I would reccomend them to anyone who isnt playing slap 
I primarily use flats on most of my basses. Have for years. I like the punch and the flat tone. On the other hand, my Fender Jazz sounds like crap with flats, so that's the only bass I have with rounds.
Well there's at least one other soul in the bass playing universe who agrees with me. Flats just aren't a good match for a Jazz Bass. I would call a Jazz with darker flats "tonally challenged" or even "tonally deprived".
There was a set of GHS PFlats on my Jazz when I bought it. Those are great strings on a PBass but on that Jazz it was like someone had deactivated the tone pot. Stop to stop I doubt there was even a 10% change in tonality. Put a set of GHS PressureWounds on and it was a whole new instrument. Nice to to know I'm not the only one my friend.
Commreman
Faith, Family, Fitness, and Frets
I couldn't disagree more. I have D'addario Chromes on my Jazz, and I love them. I don't believe that I am "tonally challenged" in any way -
Hold On, I'm Coming - JoBonanno & The Godsons - YouTube
Hold On, I'm Coming - JoBonanno & The Godsons - YouTube
There is nothing "lacking" in flat wound strings. They just sound and feel different. Most records and hits of the 60s and 50s were recorded with flats. The reason most bass players prefer rounds is that Geddy Lee and Chis Squire have that amazing piano tone that, frankly, there is very little use for in most local live music situations unless you are playing in Rush or Yes, or some cover band that pays tribute to that kind of music.
Having said that, I played rounds for decades. I used the tone knobs on my bass and amp to get what I thought was a great tone: I made it sound like I was playing flats!!
Having said that, I played rounds for decades. I used the tone knobs on my bass and amp to get what I thought was a great tone: I made it sound like I was playing flats!!
I have flats on a Squier CV P. Everything else has Roto 66 steel rounds. My sound is pretty bright. I can always back off my tone knob to get darker, but I will always want some brightness.
I did that Friday, by the way.SLaPiNFuNK said:
From my perspective in the audience rounds wear me out. Flats sound better to me because they are in the part of the sound spectrum where the bass should be, and therefore more articulate to my ears, and not interfering with the sound of the other instruments or voice, in my most humble opinion. Granted it doesn't have that piano sound but leave that sound to the piano, or the kick or the lower toms, stay down low and be heard (or felt).
I ordered the LaBella Deep Talkin' flats, too.
Heard so much good about them on here. We shall see, shan't we?
Heard so much good about them on here. We shall see, shan't we?
- Dec 5, 2002
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- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ernie Ball Music Man/Sterling By Music Man
I played rounds for many, many years - in the 70s and 80s, who knew there were still flats out there? I didn't. No one wanted them so the music stores didn't carry them, I guess. Or I was too dumb to realize what it meant.
Every bass I've owned over the last 15 years or so has had TI Flats at some point or another, and most of them still have the TIs. Pricey biotches but it's not like I have to change them out every few months. TIs were the Holy Grail when I first found them and they still make me all hot and bothered.
But along the way, I have found that I can also enjoy certain other strings.
The LaBella Deep Talking Flats were perfect on my Custom Shop 64 Jazz bass. A bit more tension than the TIs but then that's true of every string, really.
D'Addario Chromes are great, too, but require a break-in period before they really start to sound like flats. At first, they're like flats for people who don't like flats. But they do sound great after a bit.
Ernie Ball Group III Flats are excellent. I use these a lot because I get a remarkable deal on them and they sound/feel perfect after a couple of weeks.
The only rounds I've liked in the last few years are the EB Cobalts. These are DEFINITELY not flats but are interesting enough in the mids that I am keeping a set on my newest bass.
But truth is - yeah, flats. I play bass, not treble.
Every bass I've owned over the last 15 years or so has had TI Flats at some point or another, and most of them still have the TIs. Pricey biotches but it's not like I have to change them out every few months. TIs were the Holy Grail when I first found them and they still make me all hot and bothered.
But along the way, I have found that I can also enjoy certain other strings.
The LaBella Deep Talking Flats were perfect on my Custom Shop 64 Jazz bass. A bit more tension than the TIs but then that's true of every string, really.
D'Addario Chromes are great, too, but require a break-in period before they really start to sound like flats. At first, they're like flats for people who don't like flats. But they do sound great after a bit.
Ernie Ball Group III Flats are excellent. I use these a lot because I get a remarkable deal on them and they sound/feel perfect after a couple of weeks.
The only rounds I've liked in the last few years are the EB Cobalts. These are DEFINITELY not flats but are interesting enough in the mids that I am keeping a set on my newest bass.
But truth is - yeah, flats. I play bass, not treble.
You know, for me the bass world did change to flatwounds. Starting when I bought a p bass at least.
I bought flatwounds just because I found a new set of chromes on the Bay at a very low price. The first weeks of playing with them, I was kinda hesitant to re string the bass with the stock roundwounds...but I just told myself to give them a chance.
And yeah, they grew on me. I think you have to let your flats age a little bit and stretch out before you get the "flatwound" sound. I just fell in love with the tension of the chromes. Tried GHS and didn't like them. I will keep my p bass strung with the set of chromes I bought from ebay until one breaks. I LOVE to slap on flatwounds! It's a sound that I can't get with my other basses strung with rounds. Kinda soft with a underrated edge that you can control with the attack of your fingers. I love it.
I now want to string all my basses with chromes, but I do need to keep at least one with rounds.
P bass - Flats FOREVER!
Short Scale "Jazzmaster" bass (PJ pickups) - between Flats and half rounds
5 string Active bass - Rounds
I bought flatwounds just because I found a new set of chromes on the Bay at a very low price. The first weeks of playing with them, I was kinda hesitant to re string the bass with the stock roundwounds...but I just told myself to give them a chance.
And yeah, they grew on me. I think you have to let your flats age a little bit and stretch out before you get the "flatwound" sound. I just fell in love with the tension of the chromes. Tried GHS and didn't like them. I will keep my p bass strung with the set of chromes I bought from ebay until one breaks. I LOVE to slap on flatwounds! It's a sound that I can't get with my other basses strung with rounds. Kinda soft with a underrated edge that you can control with the attack of your fingers. I love it.
I now want to string all my basses with chromes, but I do need to keep at least one with rounds.
P bass - Flats FOREVER!
Short Scale "Jazzmaster" bass (PJ pickups) - between Flats and half rounds
5 string Active bass - Rounds
I haven't for a while, and don't see myself in the foreseeable future, purchasing anything at guitar center. OK maybe a pack of picks because I happened to be dragged in there buy some random friend that still gets a kick out of going into a guitar center like a kid in a candy store looking at all the pretty shiny things. I'm sure most people on this forum will agree, doing your research, buying used or from fellow bass players, will always beat out buying something at a ridiculous retail marked up price at guitar center. Hell even when it comes to patch cables, instrument cables, I've gone the route of buying off of fellow musicians who make custom made cables from high grade materials. So if the argument is flats are worse then rounds because the "majority" don't use flats, that's horrible logic. Besides guitar center know real musicians bypass them all together so they cater to the average consumer who is new to the game. And rounds by average are cheaper then flats so are purchased more often. Supply and demand then kicks in and that's at.
LaBella flats are my choice. Anyone trying flats for the first time, step 1: really re-evaluate your sound from scratch and make adjustments from there. step 2: try it in a full band set up to really hear the difference. Overall I think your sound will stand out more and shine. If after that your still not satisfied then go back to rounds.
Couldn't disagree more. :scowl:
I tried a bunch of rounds on my Classic Vibe Jazz... Boomers, EB Slinkys, Elixers, and a bunch of others. Hated them all ! I had Chromes on for a couple of years and they were good, but the Jazz has finally found it's voice (IMHO) with GHS Precision Flats. Fat, warm, dark (not too dark) and articulate. A match made in heaven.
For me, my world changed to flats after I joined a tribute to a 'popular 60's beat music' band, about 10 years ago. I was playing a Hofner with Pyramid flatwounds, gigging on a very regular basis. I loved the sound and feel of these strings.
After a while, I purchased a Rickenbacker 4003 which automatically got strung with TI jazz flats, so I could use that in the show, also.
The Rickenbacker was also used in the Rock gigs that I did with my fellow band members, still strung with TIJFs. I loved the tone and feel of these strings on the later Rock gigs, as well as the 60's stuff.
So with this in mind, I eventually started stringing my other basses (EB Musicman StingRay, Fender Precision, Squier VM Jazz) with TIJFs and found that I love the feel and tone on all of them.
I have tried other flats, but always return to the TIs.
I'm now no longer in the 60's tribute band and now playing other types of music (60's, 70's, and modern stuff) and I find that the TIs work for them all.
Just thought I'd share my experiences with you.
After a while, I purchased a Rickenbacker 4003 which automatically got strung with TI jazz flats, so I could use that in the show, also.
The Rickenbacker was also used in the Rock gigs that I did with my fellow band members, still strung with TIJFs. I loved the tone and feel of these strings on the later Rock gigs, as well as the 60's stuff.
So with this in mind, I eventually started stringing my other basses (EB Musicman StingRay, Fender Precision, Squier VM Jazz) with TIJFs and found that I love the feel and tone on all of them.
I have tried other flats, but always return to the TIs.
I'm now no longer in the 60's tribute band and now playing other types of music (60's, 70's, and modern stuff) and I find that the TIs work for them all.
Just thought I'd share my experiences with you.
I have played nothing but roundwounds for years until recently. My guitarist gave me a set of D'Adarrio half flats to try out and I love them on my Epiphone EB-5. I am considering going all flat next.time I change strings!
To each his/her own, BUT.............
I have occasionally tried flats over the years, and I cannot stand them. I hate the feel of them and the tone. And it isn't about wanting piano tone or lot's of treble. It's about deep growl, articulation and sustain.
I am now a Circle K fanatic! I love their feel, love their out of the mail package tone, love how they wear, love how they age, and if I ever caught wind that they were going out of business, I would buy 1000 sets so I could play them the rest of my life!
That is all.
I have occasionally tried flats over the years, and I cannot stand them. I hate the feel of them and the tone. And it isn't about wanting piano tone or lot's of treble. It's about deep growl, articulation and sustain.
I am now a Circle K fanatic! I love their feel, love their out of the mail package tone, love how they wear, love how they age, and if I ever caught wind that they were going out of business, I would buy 1000 sets so I could play them the rest of my life!
That is all.
Rexalot said:For me, my world changed to flats after I joined a tribute to a 'popular 60's beat music' band, about 10 years ago. I was playing a Hofner with Pyramid flatwounds, gigging on a very regular basis. I loved the sound and feel of these strings.
After a while, I purchased a Rickenbacker 4003 which automatically got strung with TI jazz flats, so I could use that in the show, also.
The Rickenbacker was also used in the Rock gigs that I did with my fellow band members, still strung with TIJFs. I loved the tone and feel of these strings on the later Rock gigs, as well as the 60's stuff.
So with this in mind, I eventually started stringing my other basses (EB Musicman StingRay, Fender Precision, Squier VM Jazz) with TIJFs and found that I love the feel and tone on all of them.
I have tried other flats, but always return to the TIs.
I'm now no longer in the 60's tribute band and now playing other types of music (60's, 70's, and modern stuff) and I find that the TIs work for them all.
Just thought I'd share my experiences with you.
That's awesome. Can't wait to get me a Ric with TI's. That's my next move for sure. Until then, my P bass with Chromes is best thing to happen to my bass playing since I started.
At this point, using Rounds on TB is unconventional. What about bending over backwards trying NOT to be unconventional? You seem to be good at that!
Either way, too much bending and you'll break a string, round or flat.
