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Help identifying a string brand / make

T

thelowerrhythm

Jul 19, 2012
13
0
#1
Hello there!

I'm trying to identify some flatwounds that I had on an older Deluxe Jazz fretless years ago. I've looked around at a lot of brands and just cannot find the same strings.

The ones I'm looking for were stupid smooth. I honestly don't remember even being able to see the windings. Almost as if they had been buffed out.

Whatever they were, they were excellent to the touch.
 
#3
There is a section on here for tabs. The string forum is not it, and neither is someone else's thread.

Stupid smooth sounds like either old Fender flats or D'addario Chromes. Do you remember what color the silk winding was?
 
#6
Definitely can't recall any of that... I know, makes it difficult.

I just haven't seen any flatwounds since that have the appearance of having all of the lines from the windings totally buffed out.

I can't find a closeup, but after reading the description of D'Addario Chromes, as was suggested... I have a feeling that might be them. Gonna snag a pair and cross my fingers. :)
 
#9
In my experience, the smoothest feeling flats are:
GHS Precision
Lakland Joe Osborn (same strings as GHS Precision Flats)
La Bellas
DR Legend Flatwounds (I think GHS makes these)
Mangan

Chromes not so smooth, that means the new Fenders and EBMM flats also not so smooth.
Rotos not so smooth.
TI Jazz Flats not so smooth.
 
#11
jasper383 said:
In my experience, the smoothest feeling flats are:
GHS Precision
Lakland Joe Osborn (same strings as GHS Precision Flats)
La Bellas
DR Legend Flatwounds (I think GHS makes these)
Mangan

Chromes not so smooth, that means the new Fenders and EBMM flats also not so smooth.
Rotos not so smooth.
TI Jazz Flats not so smooth.
Click to expand...

I concur, and to add to the smooth category:

Sadowsky Black Label
Black Diamond Pure Jazz
Detroit Steel (although maybe somewhat inconsistent)
And I think we can add Pyramid Gold to the mix (nickel, not SS).

You have a lot of strings to go through. :D
 
#12
the only flat that I have ever used (out of probably 6-8 brands) that met the 'no lines' description were the GHS ... with regards to smoothness, I find it varies under a lot of conditions, and there are times when my Chromes are smooth as can be, and times with I feel a little drag on them ... the GHS were smooth all the time, but just weren't what I was after for sound ... interestingly, the GHS were also the only flatwound string that has broken on me ...
 
#15
Ah man, not to bump this thread, but this is still driving me nuts. I asked a bassist friend who had played the Jazz in question a lot back when I had it, and he said the windings had definitely been buffed into nothingness, and that the strings were a lot more 'chrome' looking than any strings he had used before.

I'm being haunted by some phantom stuff right now. This and a custom tele that won't stop buzzing despite being pulled apart twice by two different luthiers.

I suggest you run from this thread. I'm cursed.
 

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