Help me pick a flatwound for my "bright" maple P-bass

[Mike Vee]

I keep 2 P-basses:

1) An AO 60s P with rosewood board and LaBella LTFs - perfection

2) An International Series P with maple board (basically a 70s P). This is meant to be my brighter P-bass. I am having a little hard time finding the proper string.

I only like flats. I only like flexible strings. Right now it has Fender 9050L. They feel and look great, but they seriously lack that low-mid grind I love. Just not feeling the sound, it's got no huevos with these strings on it. They sound very "hollow" just like chromes unless I really EQ them a lot - which I don't like to do. No bueno.

So what's a brighter flat that also has lots of low-mid grind and doesn't sound hollow or scooped? Should I try Cobalts? Roto 77s?

Strings that are already a no-go: TIs, chromes, fedners, pressurewounds, any rounds whatsoever.

 

[Killing Floor]

TI Jazz Flats.

 

[michael_t]

Strings that are already a no-go: TIs ...

TI Jazz Flats.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

You asked , you got. TI flats. I’m in full agreement.

Next option-pickup swap. Discuss.

 

[michael_t]

Right now it has Fender 9050L. They feel and look great, but they seriously lack that low-mid grind I love...

Low-mid grind is why I love the 9050L. I don't understand why you're not getting it. How old are they?

 

[Mike Vee]

I love TIs but I already have them on my Jazz bass. I find them too flexible for the fingerstyle position on a P bass.

 

[60bass]

LaBella Deep Talking Flats. Those and a set of EMG Geezer pups were the miracle combo my overly bright sounding Black 'n' Maple 2008 Precision needed. Now my number 1 bass.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

TI jazz rounds. Mike I'm a flats guy, I've seen your posts saying your a flats guy. Trust me man. TI jazz rounds, FRIGGIN ROCK. Like ti flats, they have a certain tone to them nothing else gets, and they are SUPER smooth and non abrasive feeling.


If you HAVE to have flats, I've heard eb cobalt flats have a nice top end without being super zingy.

 

[Killing Floor]

Let me clarify,

TI Jazz Flats. They are the string set you describe in your wish list. Simply saying “no” doesn’t make sense given they are what you want.

 

[Mike Vee]

Low-mid grind is why I love the 9050L. I don't understand why you're not getting it. How old are they?

Theyre maybe like two or three months old. They’ve broken in pretty good. I really like them but this bass just doesn’t have any balls with them on it. I do actually plan on replacing the pick ups. I think these are cheap, ceramic Japanese pick ups. Gonna get the mojotone 70s PUs.

Let me clarify,

TI Jazz Flats. They are the string set you describe in your wish list. Simply saying “no” doesn’t make sense given they are what you want.

I find them too floppy on a p bass

 

[Mike Vee]

TI jazz rounds. Mike I'm a flats guy, I've seen your posts saying your a flats guy. Trust me man. TI jazz rounds, FRIGGIN ROCK. Like ti flats, they have a certain tone to them nothing else gets, and they are SUPER smooth and non abrasive feeling.


If you HAVE to have flats, I've heard eb cobalt flats have a nice top end without being super zingy.

I have a set here I can try. I have a feeling they will be too loose for me though. Even on a jazz bass plucked near the bridge they felt a little too floppy for me

 

[pingvuiini]

Perhaps try D'Addario black tapes??

 

[funkinbottom]

Perhaps try D'Addario black tapes??

Yes, maybe tape wound would be a good option.

 

[MynameisMe]

Maybe change the way you EQ the bass. There was not a ? on the end of that sentence.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Among those strings the OP nixed and whose nixing the replies defiantly ignored, nobody thought of insisting on the Fender 9050L
(seriously: if they're new, that's not how they will settle - consider giving them a little more time).
Or on pressurewounds. Or on more than just one roundwound. What gives? I'm disappointed, TB:BG:Strings. Tsk, tsk.

But yeah, I'd try the Cobalts.

 

[MIMike]

The Roto’s will definitely give you stiffness and brightness (relatively of course).
I had a set on for a short period of time and it was the stiffness that caused me to swap them. I put Chrome’s on instead. They’ve been on for 5 years now. I can’t say that they are spectacular, but better than the Roto 77’s.
So, you don’t like Chrome’s, but if stiffer and brighter would fit your needs…try the Roto’s.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

What about ghs brite flats? Lots of folks here used them on 70’s precisions back in the 70’s.

 

[Yahboy]

I believe that 12k wound Pv63 pup on your AO 60P should sound really deep and thick with LTF4A especially roll back the tone knob (stock wax .1uf cap).

Your mind set has that P vibe, no wonder you are bit difficult bond to mij Pbass p vibe.

But, I am still believe the mij P sound brighter than your AO P even installed same pup and bass string. Fretboard wood and neck profile matter

So, I suggest you try migrate the pup , cap and bass string from your AO P to mij P to see any improve.

Zero money spend experiment.

Hopehelp

 

[Tim Skaggs]

If you HAVE to have flats, I've heard eb cobalt flats have a nice top end without being super zingy.

The above statement is accurate, and they stay the same for a long time….

 

[SharpCat]

9050Ls and Aguilar 4J-HCs. (I don't remember what it's wearing in the pic.)