How are Fender Flatwounds?

[FenderHotRod]

Yep lm likening them more and more. I thought I was missing my roundwounds the other day. I put them back on for awhile. Then after an hour I took them off and put them back in the closet.

 

[Kipp Harrington]

They are very nice! Reasonably stiff, lively sounding, very versatile. I like them better than Chromes.

Why?

 

[HMZ]

I have been experimenting with different flats. experimenting with different flats. I tried Labella’s and liked them a lot. I had a set of Chromes that were pretty good. I tried Roto Sound Jazz 77’s and I could not intornat the E strong so they came off right away. They sounded ok but I would not use them. I then bought a set of Fender flats and I have to say I like them as much as the Labella’s but in a different way. The Fenders are more modern sounding if that makes sense. I'd like to try EB cobalt flats next. BTW these were all installed on a Fender jazz bass.

 

[hasbeen]

I have been experimenting with different flats. experimenting with different flats. I tried Labella’s and liked them a lot. I had a set of Chromes that were pretty good. I tried Roto Sound Jazz 77’s and I could not intornat the E strong so they came off right away. They sounded ok but I would not use them. I then bought a set of Fender flats and I have to say I like them as much as the Labella’s but in a different way. The Fenders are more modern sounding if that makes sense. I'd like to try EB cobalt flats next. BTW these were all installed on a Fender jazz bass.

Yes, I designed these strings. They reason they sound more "modern" is that I wanted a set of flats that wasn't "too" thumpy. I was aiming for more clarity while still retaining the warmth of other flats.

 

[HMZ]

Yes, I designed these strings. They reason they sound more "modern" is that I wanted a set of flats that wasn't "too" thumpy. I was aiming for more clarity while still retaining the warmth of other flats.

Well I think you achieve your goal. The set i bought was 100-85-65-45. I wish I got the 105 E instead of the 100 but oh well next time.

 

[Root 5]

I'm looking for flats! And Fender has some out there that are noticeably less expensive than everyone else, even my personal favorite for rounds, Rotosound. Are they dreadful little pieces of metal, and that's why they're on the cheap, or are they just not expensive for some other unseen reason? I'm not picky at all with my flats, really, but I can tell when they absolutely suck, and when they sing. I know I'm not getting the best quality at this price point, but I don't mind. As long as I get that vibe, I can work with it.

Fender flats are amazing in my experience. They feel very smooth and sound great

 

[J-Mags]

I'm a huge fan of Fender flats. I have nothing bad to say. When new, they have some of the elasticity of round wounds, and they get all nice and middy over time. They seem to last forever. They have a more balanced low end than some flats, which I prefer, and they can still do warm and woody.

I was just tickled when I realized that my favorite flats were also the cheapest flats.

Well I think you achieve your goal. The set i bought was 100-85-65-45. I wish I got the 105 E instead of the 100 but oh well next time.

They sell that set? Last time I had to make that set out of two sets - the 100 and the 45 from a set of 9050Ls and the 85 and 65 from a set of MLs. It didn't bother me because I had a couple sets lying around, and I never change them, but if they sell that, I'm buying.

 

[michael_t]

Well I think you achieve your goal. The set i bought was 100-85-65-45. I wish I got the 105 E instead of the 100 but oh well next time.

Fender used to offer 9050CL (custom light) set, 45-60-80-105. That was the best balanced set.

They discontinued it, brought it back and discontinued it again.

 

[HMZ]

Fender used to offer 9050CL (custom light) set, 45-60-80-105. That was the best balanced set.

They discontinued it, brought it back and discontinued it again.

I prefer 45-65-85-105 in most strings. I find it odd that D'addario doesn't make their Chromes in this gauge. They have lighter then it jumps to a heaver gauge with a 50 and 70 G and D string.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I prefer 45-65-85-105 in most strings. I find it odd that D'addario doesn't make their Chromes in this gauge

They do however sell individual strings — I put together a 45-65-85-105 set of Chromes, and it's fantastic (similar feel to a 50-110 set of Rotosound rounds)

 

[michael_t]

I prefer 45-65-85-105 in most strings. I find it odd that D'addario doesn't make their Chromes in this gauge. They have lighter then it jumps to a heaver gauge with a 50 and 70 G and D string.

I personally have always preferred 45-60-80-105 over 45-65-85-105 for better balance in both tension and feel across all four strings.

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[J-Mags]

I personally have always preferred 45-60-80-105 over 45-65-85-105 for better balance in both tension and feel across all four strings.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I don't care that much about balanced tension. I find that the 100 E string has plenty of punch even when the tension is lower, and I use the flappiness in my playing. I generally prefer .100 flats. The Ls are great, but I prefer the .065 and .085 D and A strings.

 

[HMZ]

I personally have always preferred 45-60-80-105 over 45-65-85-105 for better balance in both tension and feel across all four strings.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I don't really care about the balance tention
I do like a 85 A for sure.

 

[HMZ]

I don't care that much about balanced tension. I find that the 100 E string has plenty of punch even when the tension is lower, and I use the flappiness in my playing. I generally prefer .100 flats. The Ls are great, but I prefer the .065 and .085 D and A strings.

I like the 105 E because it's not floppy. I find with thicker strings I can go with lower action and the string is staying under my fingers and not floping around. To each his own.

 

[michael_t]

I don't care that much about balanced tension. I find that the 100 E string has plenty of punch even when the tension is lower, and I use the flappiness in my playing. I generally prefer .100 flats. The Ls are great, but I prefer the .065 and .085 D and A strings.

I like the 105 E because it's not floppy. I find with thicker strings I can go with lower action and the string is staying under my fingers and not floping around.

My experience tells me it all depends on the bass. The 9050CL (with .105) sounded better on my Jazz, while the 9050L (with .100) sounded better on my Precision.

 

[J-Mags]

My experience tells me it all depends on the bass. The 9050CL (with .105) sounded better on my Jazz, while the 9050L (with .100) sounded better on my Precision.

9050s didn't sound particularly good on my Jazz, nor did flats in general. The bass came alive when I stopped trying to use flats on it. Not necessarily true of all Jazzes, but true of this one.

 

[J-Mags]

I like the 105 E because it's not floppy. I find with thicker strings I can go with lower action and the string is staying under my fingers and not floping around. To each his own.

I like that aspect of heavier strings, but I found that where I'd once enjoyed playing old flats, I stopped liking the sound of the heavier ones as much once they were broken in. I do end up chasing strings around the neck occasionally, so I certainly know what you're talking about. I have to practice various little jumps back to the E string.

 

[michael_t]

9050s didn't sound particularly good on my Jazz, nor did flats in general. The bass came alive when I stopped trying to use flats on it. Not necessarily true of all Jazzes, but true of this one.

The sound of a Jazz with flats is an acquired taste. As far as flats go, the 9050s seemed to match up with my Jazz the best. But it sounds even better with GHS Pressurewounds, so that's how it's going to stay.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Fender used to offer 9050CL (custom light) set, 45-60-80-105. That was the best balanced set.

They discontinued it, brought it back and discontinued it again.

There's a sealed set of these on Reverb at the moment

(unfortunately for me, no international shipping)

 

[MrAB4003]

They're not the best strings. I played them on a Fender MIM Fretless Jazz Bass at my local Guitar Center and I kept thinking to myself how I would change them out for La Bella tapes. They sounded dull and lifeless in the low end, but the high mids and highs were nice and sweet. I also didn't like how they felt on my fingers or how they felt when I fretted.