• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

I tried Flats but changed them after 2 days

#61
For me, LaBella 760FL sound best on my Precision, but I use TI's on my Sadowsky. The TIs have more clarity, which works well with the Sadowsky, but LaBellas on a Precision just have 'that' sound. The TIs are a little light, and LaBella LTFs (Low Tension Flats) are similar to the TIs, but a less light, and although they sound fine, they don't match the clarity of the TIs. Hard to beat 760FL for a traditional P Bass sound, though.

There's a thread about the 760FLs that also mentions Fender flats (which I have no experience with). LaBella 760FL?
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53
#63
Peteyboy said:
It'd be helpful to know more about your scenario. Live or recording? Do you own one bass or several? What sound/feel do you aspire to? What is it about rounds that you are looking to do differently? Maybe split the difference & try pressure wounds or medium wounds.

Joe Jackson says You Can't Get What You Want til you Know What You Want.

Edit: sorry I posted this just as u were saying you'd give flats another go - let us know how it works out!
Click to expand...
Nice Joe Jackson reference. He's the Man. I read about that in the Sunday papers. I currently only have a P Bass and play by myself at home for fun. I'm 52 and restarted playing this year after not playing for many years. I'm really just looking to try something different. The flats are a relatively cheap way to try something new. And as you saw, I just put them back on. Will leave them there for a while.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Peteyboy
#64
Thom Fioriglio said:
Nice Joe Jackson reference. He's the Man. I read about that in the Sunday papers. I currently only have a P Bass and play by myself at home for fun. I'm 52 and restarted playing this year after not playing for many years. I'm really just looking to try something different. The flats are a relatively cheap way to try something new. And as you saw, I just put them back on. Will leave them there for a while.
Click to expand...
We are the same age and the same ethnicity, judging by your surname. Very pleased to make your acquaintance!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Thom Fioriglio
#65
Thom Fioriglio said:
Hi all, just curious if others have had the same experience as me.

Over the last several weeks, I've been thinking of putting flat wounds on my Fender P Bass. I did all the research, watched comparison videos, sound samples, etc. Got a set of Fender 9050s and put them on. Right away, a very different feel - tighter tension, obviously smoother feel (maybe too smooth). I liked that I was able to lower my action. I really wanted to like them but after 2 days I took them off and put my rounds back on. I missed the punch and the friction of the strings. I seem to have more control of the tone with the rounds, and if I want that flat sound can roll off the tone knob on my bass.

Anyone else have the same experience? Should I give them another chance? There is part of me that says put them back on and give them a month.

Thanks for any thoughts you share.

Thom
Click to expand...

I think I'd agree with "put them back on and give them a month". I use Fender 9050s on a couple of basses - and like them - but, while there are some flats that are "broken in" almost right out of the package? IME, 9050s aren't them... And, yes, when you switch to flats, you are starting over again, as far as amp settings are concerned. But... if you can't get them dialed in to your satisfaction, and broken in 9050s aren't doing it for you? Well, then they aren't the strings for you. And, in spite of what you may have heard, there really aren't any Flatwound Commandos, who will come in the night; beat you up; and leave you in the corner, tied up with a set of La Bella Jamerson Flats...;)
My experience with flats is pretty much the opposite of yours. I learned to play bass back in 1968, on a friend's '68 Rick 4001 - with the factory Maxima flats on it. And, flats are what I've played, pretty much ever since. I do have a couple of basses - out of 24 - that I keep rounds on, but honestly? The feel; the finger noise; the brightness; and the fact that they die so quick, just turns me off. I do actually play all my basses; I can keep two basses in new strings, but 24? Uhh.. no. So, if rounds are the strings for you? That's great; you can have all the ones I won't be buying, and I'll take the flats off your hands...:cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53, Bass Blender and Thom Fioriglio
#69
As others have said, a lot of it can be personal preference. Here’s my story with flats & I’ll try to be as brief as possible.

I have an Epiphone Les Paul bass that was so bright & boomy that came with roundwounds on it. Even with the tone knob rolled back, I wasn’t getting the tone(s) I wanted. I tried D’Addario half rounds. I loved the feel of them but still wanted something a little more mellow. (I use half rounds on my Fender Jazz bass now & love them on it) So after I had the half rounds on for a while, I decided to give the D’Addario Chromes a try & that hit the spot for me! My Les Paul bass is not my main player. I’ve had those Chromes on it for over 5 years. I have just recently thought about changing them. I’ll go with more flat Chromes when I do decide to change them. I like the flats for more mellow or even acoustic settings. I don’t mean to sound like a D’Addario salesman but they are the strings I personally like & use exclusively right now. Just my 2 pennies & experience!
 
#72
OogieWaWa said:
Speaking of which, related, I did get a set of the LaBella Deep Talkin strings, for about 6 months now, not real happy with them compared to the 9050s tone, I seem to have lost some bottom. I see quite a few TI recommendations here, any comparison? Feel-wise? Trying to see if it's worth changing.
Click to expand...

TI flats have really aggressive mids, a fairly bright round-like sound, and are VERY low tension. Some people find them uncomfortably floppy. The only available set is light gauge.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ImprecisionBass, mambo4, bobyoung53 and 1 other person
#73
+1 to all who said this is a matter of personal preference and there is no 'right' string for everyone, only the strings that work for you. My problem is a sloppy left hand that creates a lot of finger noise due to my incompetence. I used to play Fender 9050's and I liked them a lot but they seemed to lose a lot of complexity of their sound after few months.
I just put a set of TI's on my P style bass. They sound interesting but I have a feeling it will take a lot of playing to fuly appreciate the sound.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ImprecisionBass and dkelley
#74
I started on a Gibson EBO with flats in 1971, and played it with a felt pick. I really hated the roundwound sound that I heard from Chris Squire and others. Then I got a Jazz Bass in late 1974, and switched to Rotosound Swing Bass rounds in the summer of 1976, because of Jaco.
At some point during the '80s, I tried flats again and took them off after about 10 minutes. So dull and stiff, with no "singing" quality. Horrendous.
In 1996, I tried them again (on an old Univox P-Bass copy that I'd found), and this time it was instant love. They gave me EXACTLY what I'd been missing with the GHS Boomers I'd been using. Ever since then, I've used both, depending on the situation. I always bring two basses to a gig, one with each kind of string.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ImprecisionBass, Five String, bobyoung53 and 1 other person
#75
jbhaugh said:
TI flats have really aggressive mids, have a fairly bright round-like sound, and are VERY low tension. Some people find them uncomfortably floppy. The only available set is light gauge.
Click to expand...
Similar but a little heavier are the Labella LTFs. I prefer the sound of the TIs, but it's very close. I did find the TIs a little 'loose, but they are exceptional sounding.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Briton
#76
Thanks again. Very informative discussion. I began this to get some feedback and I've gotten good advice. I put the flats back on and will give them a month or so. Right away, they sound and feel better than when I first put them on. I think just my change of mindset has helped. When I first put them on it was not what I expected. I will have an open mind about them and see where they take me.

Thom
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53, Mastermold and Bass Blender
#77
Yes , Flats need some time to settle In and sound their best!
3C0817EB-4E65-4AB7-B13E-E6AFA5245BBB.gif
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53 and Thom Fioriglio
#80
Thom Fioriglio said:
Hi all, just curious if others have had the same experience as me.

Over the last several weeks, I've been thinking of putting flat wounds on my Fender P Bass. I did all the research, watched comparison videos, sound samples, etc. Got a set of Fender 9050s and put them on. Right away, a very different feel - tighter tension, obviously smoother feel (maybe too smooth). I liked that I was able to lower my action. I really wanted to like them but after 2 days I took them off and put my rounds back on. I missed the punch and the friction of the strings. I seem to have more control of the tone with the rounds, and if I want that flat sound can roll off the tone knob on my bass.

Anyone else have the same experience? Should I give them another chance? There is part of me that says put them back on and give them a month.

Thanks for any thoughts you share.

Thom
Click to expand...

Your call. Many have done the same thing. It took me about 3 or 4 tries to get “acclimated” to the change. It’s good to have multiple basses so you can have one with flats just to work on when you want to try it out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobyoung53 and Thom Fioriglio

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back