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How are Fender Flatwounds?
- Thread starter alexlocurto
- Start date
Just put a set on my OLP passive and I like it. I normally use D'Addario half-wounds but since finding out that D'Addario makes the Fender Flats it'll save me some coin. Not a big fan of the green silk wraps (color clashes with my outfits, don't cha' know) but I can live with it.
I had a set of 9050M(old formula) on my P bass for 6-7 years before I had to replace them.Loved them!!So much so that I had purchased a set to put on my Highway 1 jazz.This is when I figured out they changed the strings and not,in my opine,for the better.And it was clear to me that D'Addario was making them by the colored ball-ends.LaBella DTF is what is on my P bass now and there is no going back,they freakin' rock!!!!
Yes, to my ears, the old Fender formula had a tone between La Bella and GHS.
Since this is one of the threads that got me interested in trying out the Fender 9050 flats, I'm here to share a few of my initial impressions.
When I acquired my 2008 Fender Highway One Jazz five and a half years ago, I had it set up with a set of D'Addario Chromes (40-60-80-100), which stayed on it for the first four years. Then eighteen months ago, I (foolishly) decided to go on a string journey (ie detour) by flirting with rounds. Now, I'm very happy to be back with flats again.
Fender 9050L (45-60-80-100): (Keep in mind these are less than two weeks old.)
When I acquired my 2008 Fender Highway One Jazz five and a half years ago, I had it set up with a set of D'Addario Chromes (40-60-80-100), which stayed on it for the first four years. Then eighteen months ago, I (foolishly) decided to go on a string journey (ie detour) by flirting with rounds. Now, I'm very happy to be back with flats again.
Fender 9050L (45-60-80-100): (Keep in mind these are less than two weeks old.)
- Clear and articulate tone with good sustain.
- Nice playing feel in terms of overall tension - not too stiff, not too loose, just right. (Not quite as stiff as the Chromes.)
- Not any harder to play on than the D'Addario EXL170BT set they replaced, except so much smoother as any flats should be. (Contrary to a few comments I've read, they are not "rough" in any way.)
- Going from D'A Nickel Rounds (45-60-80-107) to this set, my bass needed very little adjustments in terms of setup - not even any truss rod tweak.
- The 45G balances better with the rest both in terms of tension and tone. I didn't like the way the 40G on the Chromes stayed noticeably brighter than the rest even after four years.
- I was quite upset when Fender decided to discontinue the 9050CL set (45-60-80-105) a short while ago as I thought it was the best-balanced set. So, I was a little concerned about the 100E on this new set at first, but pleasantly surprised at how strong it actually is. Slightly better note definition than the 100E on my old Chromes as well.
- And last but not least, I like the way they fit my bass properly. (Gorgeous in Green)
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After a month with Labella 760FL, i order a set of 9050L. shipping on the way.
I found 760FL sound great if play alone, in mix i start to hear it sound dry. The A string sound start little mud & little huge compare to other.Exspeacially play a note between 8th to 12th fret, A string bringing out xtra huge sound.I dont know why?
As a previos chrome 40-100 user, aged chrome got nice A & D , BUT Dull E & Rock-Steady Zingy G. In mix, i prefer chrome more than 760FL.
I hope 9050L got a positive result as michael_t mention.
I found 760FL sound great if play alone, in mix i start to hear it sound dry. The A string sound start little mud & little huge compare to other.Exspeacially play a note between 8th to 12th fret, A string bringing out xtra huge sound.I dont know why?
As a previos chrome 40-100 user, aged chrome got nice A & D , BUT Dull E & Rock-Steady Zingy G. In mix, i prefer chrome more than 760FL.
I hope 9050L got a positive result as michael_t mention.
Just curious...
What kind of bass have you tried the 760FL on? I have a set on order but I don't have a P bass to try them on...yet. Hopefully soon.
Interesting to hear you've had exactly the same experience as mine with the Chromes 40-100.
My 9050L are still very new, but I will have a chance to test them in a live band situation this weekend. We'll see...
Squier CV 60P with Fender Pure Vintage 63 pup .
or......Maybe i got a bad set of 760FL .???? sad
A lot of people around here swear by the classic combination of a Fender P bass and La Bella flats. It could be just a matter of proper setup on your Squier. Maybe try to adjust the pickup height, etc.?
Let us know how the Fender 9050L works out for you.
Never happen with Stock Roundwond & Chromes, just strange why 760FL A string sound like that, i will try to restrung and check again tonight.
My CV 60P follow the Fender P bass setup diagram, neck relieft 0.14, action 2mm, pickup high 8/64 bass, 6/64 treble. play smooth without any buzz.
Fender 9050L (5 days fresh opinion)
with Fender Classic Vibe 60's P bass
Fender Pure Classic 63's pickup
Fender Rumble V3 200 Combo
EQ Bass 1 o'clock, Lo-Mid 2 o'clock, Hi-Mid 12 o'clock, Treble 11 o'clock
It sound totally NOT SAME like Chomre when BOTH in NEW. 9050L sound like "Cave effect" ,more open. Like a cabinet without lining, different than 760FL like cab with lining. The fresh sound close to my previous Jazz bass favorite DR Low Rider Round when in fresh condition.
9050L sound more output than 760FL ,i need to turn down the Gain from 1 o'clock to 12 o'clock position with same master volume setting.
The tension is less than 760FL( relief value is about the tickness of Thin Pick) , after 1 day, i check the string relief on fret 7th(E string), it almost touch the fret. But when i playing with gentle finger style, din't found any string buzz. Really great.
I prefer finger style, din't feel sticky & stiff , just less smooth than 760FL.
Sound from string to string quite even, A & D sound nice, the G little bright BUT Not a type like Chorme ~ Thiny Jingy!!!!
E string lack some Low . I found this because when i plug the C on A string, sound got more Low than the C on E string.
So i push the Rumble Amp EQ with some Bass & Lo-Mid. Now i can get nice Low tone when in mix without Boomy.
Compare with Chrome's E string, 9050L din't Dull & Boomy. Overall sound is more Lo-Mid present with 9050L; play hard on D & G string ,the sound dint harsh like Chorme.
Compare to 760FL, 760FL got nice ,full & solid D & G . But 760FL sound fell dry when in MIX with some kind of music. My pbass with chrome pickup cover, play string at bridge position, it lack with some Lo-mid, But sweet tone at neck position. With 9050L, i can easy get nice attack & Lo-mid tone at bridge position.
About the Focus Tone part, 760FL got more focus note than 9050L. 9050L seem like unclear when play alone, but not notice in MIX.
In same EQ setting, i alway give my pbass with 760FL or Chrome in 1/4 turn of Tone amount. But with 9050L i need turn to HALF amount of Tone value to get sound closer . So, I just can say, 9050L sound darker than 760FL when both in NEW But more open sound than 760FL.
Maybe this open-sound make lot player said it sound bright , BUT it is not the Bright kind like Chrome.
When Engage with Overdrive mode, how hard i adjust the setting, the 9050L still sound like metalic & chorus distort, unnatural overdrive sound ,maybe it still fresh ??? ; otherwise , 760FL present much more organic,sweet & natural Overdrive sound .
In this 5 days with 9050L, i am happy with it. Will give it time to break-in, hope the sound can come close to 760FL but not dry , & wish the overdrive sound getting better + natural.
The Chrome ......... i wont give a chance anymore.
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It's nice to hear so many people talk good about these strings, as they are great! Since a year or something I've had a set, that was a year old when I put it on, on my Fender USA jazz.
As most things about them have been said I can only chime in with that I think these strings never lose their great versalit! The first months or so they definitely sound like a fattar version of some good roundwounds, then they mellow out evenly except for the g-string that never really loses it's "brightness". Truly great!
In order to try to get a more fitting sound on my g-string I recently put a GHS equivalent in size to what I had and it sounds like it is going to be like I want it too when it has broken in, I'm glad!
The fender g is a great string, but in the end I decided I ultimately wanted a more consistent sound.
The "problem" with twangy or too bright g-strings is however of course, like Jason and many others said before, a technique matter. You can always play on the d-string instead of the first frets on the g...
Oh boy, did I rant! I think at least that people should try the fenders sometime as they are inexpensive and goes well with a lot of different kinds of basses.
As most things about them have been said I can only chime in with that I think these strings never lose their great versalit! The first months or so they definitely sound like a fattar version of some good roundwounds, then they mellow out evenly except for the g-string that never really loses it's "brightness". Truly great!
In order to try to get a more fitting sound on my g-string I recently put a GHS equivalent in size to what I had and it sounds like it is going to be like I want it too when it has broken in, I'm glad!
The fender g is a great string, but in the end I decided I ultimately wanted a more consistent sound.
The "problem" with twangy or too bright g-strings is however of course, like Jason and many others said before, a technique matter. You can always play on the d-string instead of the first frets on the g...
Oh boy, did I rant! I think at least that people should try the fenders sometime as they are inexpensive and goes well with a lot of different kinds of basses.
I'm not a fan, but only because when I go for flats, I want absolute thump. Big, thick fundamentals with little to no overtone, but without having to mute the bridge. The fenders are simply too bright and midrangey for me. I love my LaBellas and my Precision Flats because they do the whole thump thing. I almost cried when my 4 years old set of Precision flats broke a G string because of how mellow and broken in they were. If I want grind, I go all out with a set of Rotosound 66s on a ballsy jazz bass. If I want thump, dead flats on a P bass (or similar). Not much in between for me.
But that's just me.
But that's just me.
I agree the Fender Flats are not for the classic thump; neither is a Jazz bass. I've chosen the Fender 9050s specifically for my Jazz for something mellow and smooth without being too dark and thumpy.
I do have a brand new set of La Bella 760FL waiting to be put on a yet-to-be-acquired P bass for that classic thump.
I sound like a broken record saying this, but I get plenty of thump on my Jazz. The Fender flats didn't bring it, though. It was a pleasant sound, with a little zing, which didn't go away at all when I was using the bass. With my current strings, the GHS Precisions, no zing, although they got a nice attack to them. Bit of a twang on the G string, but it's become tamer since then.
Funny thing about strings, they might sound killer on one particular instrument, not so hot on another. It's almost like there needs to be chemistry between the two...
Funny thing about strings, they might sound killer on one particular instrument, not so hot on another. It's almost like there needs to be chemistry between the two...
