I tried Flats but changed them after 2 days

[aidamos]

The Ernie Ball Cobalts are also popular, and are said to sound more like RWs, but I haven't tried them yet.

EB Cobalt Flatwound are great flatwound strings and realy has sound almost like a rounds, but string A was little dull on 5 sets what I had. And after 3 weeks in case in really dry environment rust was appeared on both two my basses, and I have not an aggressive sweat and I never had a rust on any strings before. Ernie Ball Group III are much better flatwound strings with very close sound to rounds.

 

[deckstirparnell]

When I was young, flatwounds were about all there was. Tried some Rotosound Swingbass and they were better. Then a friend whose Aunt worked at GHS smuggled out some new strings they were developing called "GHS Bass Boomers" and the rest was history. I've tried a few different types over the years but pretty much settled on "Boomers" with an occasional set of "Pressurewounds" for my fretless. To me flats are like playing on the deadest strings in the world. Flats fresh are deader than the deadest rounds to me. To each his own that's why there are so many different types of strings.

 

[sotua]

I like flats, but I also like rounds. I've had flats when I only had one bass, and finally had to turn back to rounds, because I needed the rounds sound. I don't like flats enough to have only one bass with flats.

These days I have a J strung with Fender flats and a MM Stingray copy strung with rounds, and it works great for me. The J with flats has an awesome picked recording tone, and the MM clone brings the grindy snappy tone. But if I were forced to ditch one of the basses, I would keep the J but put rounds on it.

 

[JoeWPgh]

I wouldn't give up on flats until you tried them in a live setting. In the bedroom, they might sound a little lifeless. But in a live setting they have more punch than you might have expected.

 

[Killing Floor]

Huh?

Not obvious at all. Many of the biggest fretless legends used rounds. Why is it obvious that you use flats on fretless?

...Because round wound strings aggressively erode the playing surface of a fretless neck/fingerboard. I'm sure there are corner cases of someone who uses rounds on fretless but it is destructive to the instrument. Even if the fingerboard has an epoxy surface it will still see accelerated wear with rounds compared to flats. If you don't mind the ruts you can use rounds. If you own it, go for it.

 

[dkelley]

...Because round wound strings aggressively erode the playing surface of a fretless neck/fingerboard. I'm sure there are corner cases of someone who uses rounds on fretless but it is destructive to the instrument. Even if the fingerboard has an epoxy surface it will still see accelerated wear with rounds compared to flats. If you don't mind the ruts you can use rounds. If you own it, go for it.

Huh. Played fretless nearly my entire career. I did encounter wear, of course, but only after using my main fretless for roughly 12 years full time, and even then only a couple spots on one string started to have any issues.... I sold it but could easily have had the board resurfaced for not much cash. I've encountered similar wear on fretted basses with roundwounds in less time than that. Board on that bass was ebony. Many fretless players have coated boards... but just a solid hardwood board is fine with rounds for normal lifespan before board maintenance is required.

So, based on my experience, it's absolutely not a given that one uses flats on a fretless. I actually can only recall one time in person when I encountered a serious fretless bassist using flats. I know people do that, but from my experience, which was nearly all fretless for most of my life, rounds are used on fretless more often than not.

Who told you otherwise?

 

[Killing Floor]

I have a small collection of '73 fretless, all maple P. I have 1 less due to convincing my younger self to use rounds for a while. Chewed the coating and grooved a Pedulla same tour. Learned my lesson. Had the board sanded down but was pretty far gone. I am a firm believer that instruments are tools that can be enjoyed and cherished but should be played. If they wear or damage, so be it. But I won't go out of my way.

 

[Yellow Bang66]

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

yeah, yeah. I didnt get all the hype either, go ahead & love flats, I dont, I personally love RW strings, the feel & sound. flats just seem like the easy way out smooth,& dead.I dont know about control over tone, but i agree on turning the tone knob down to deaden the sound,some. I find it funny that some even rub vasoline or hand cream on their strings to kill the RWs. I like it, in fact I embrace it! I wondered why older basses needed foam mutes, since it killed the frequencies that made basses stand out! but I guess thats what some are used to hearing(dull thump). to each their own.I love the "Zinginess" of a new set of round wounds!
I also really disliked the tackiness (sticky) of new flats & added the tension of them.Nope, Nope. Just not for me! I remember years ago when Elixirs (coated) string were all the rage! Eh. didnt get all the hype then.Now I dont hear about them at all! Long Live the Zing!

 

[sotua]

I wouldn't give up on flats until you tried them in a live setting. In the bedroom, they might sound a little lifeless. But in a live setting they have more punch than you might have expected.

Whenever I doubt keeping flats in my bass, I listen to recordings I've made with my flats-wearing jbass, and damn, that recorded tone is so awesome. So much fundamental, so much presence, and no harshness on the top end (I like my bass tone slightly hairy).

 

[Mark Ambler]

Seems to be a Flats vs Round wounds vibe starting.
I like both, whatever suits the music best.

 

[Vinny_G]

Seems to be a Flats vs Round wounds vibe starting.

Once again

 

[uwrossl]

If people can't figure out by now that both strings are valid and have their place then they never will. "Flats suck"..."Rounds Suck". The strings don't suck....they probably just don't fit your style. But with all the access we have to music and information these days it should be pretty obvious that both types of strings have been widely used for many different styles on famous recordings. Steve Harris plays flats so that right there defies the claim that flats are just dead and can't stand out in a mix. Just the same there are plenty of examples of dudes playing blues and soul with rounds. I just don't get why people are so militant for one type of string. Have your favorite for sure but arm yourself with the knowledge of what the other types do and why they are valid/needed.

For recording though there's really nothing like flats if you're doing R&B or old soul and blues type music. Cleans up all the overtones and just sounds incredible. Keeps the mix open and very rhythmic and very articulate on quick passages. If you're one of those that says "I haven't tried flats in 30+ years because they are the deadest, tackiest, blah blah blahs"...then you should maybe pick up a set of these new breed of flats because they are anything but dead. Cobalts, Fenders, Dunlops, TI's and even La Bella LTF's all have a ton of sustain to them and a mid growl reminiscent of rounds. They just don't have the full top end but they aren't the thuddy dead sounding strings of 30 years ago.

Flats can be tricky for newcomers because when you're playing on your own they don't sound as full as rounds and you might think it's an empty unusable sound. But in the right band situations and like I said recording situations they are magic. One of the most notable people I had the luxury of working with is Mark Neil who produced the Brothers record for The Black Keys. We were tracking some demos for the record at his studio in Georgia and the only bass he tracks with is an old rick from the 70's with flats that are about that old and a pick. When I was playing it I was like "I can't get any sound out of this"...when I played it back it sounded ridiculously good. Flip side I was cutting a record in Las Vegas a couple years before with the same project and we just couldn't get the right sound on one of the tunes. So I switched from the studio's 60's P with flats to my Jazz with rounds and boom...there it was instantly. It just needed a fuller and longer sustain bottom end...something a little more modern. Point is it's not always immediately obvious why something works or doesn't. I fully think any style of bass with any style of strings can pass live. But if you want to get in the weeds when it comes to recordings you definitely need the right tool for the job and you should be comfortable with them all. Knowledge is power and open mindedness and variety is the source of knowledge.

If your trying flats know why you're trying them. If you're trying them simply because you feel like you should since people talk about how great they work for them and you think you're missing out...you probably won't like them because you personally weren't missing anything. If you are trying them because you find yourself wanting a bass with more of that Jamerson/Dunn etc. vibe going on or for a project your working on that wants a more focused tone that sits differently in the mix...then you'll probably find what you're looking for. Otherwise stick with the rounds because there's probably nothing here for you....yet.

 

[Thom Fioriglio]

If people can't figure out by now that both strings are valid and have their place then they never will. "Flats suck"..."Rounds Suck". The strings don't suck....they probably just don't fit your style. But with all the access we have to music and information these days it should be pretty obvious that both types of strings have been widely used for many different styles on famous recordings. Steve Harris plays flats so that right there defies the claim that flats are just dead and can't stand out in a mix. Just the same there are plenty of examples of dudes playing blues and soul with rounds. I just don't get why people are so militant for one type of string. Have your favorite for sure but arm yourself with the knowledge of what the other types do and why they are valid/needed.

For recording though there's really nothing like flats if you're doing R&B or old soul and blues type music. Cleans up all the overtones and just sounds incredible. Keeps the mix open and very rhythmic and very articulate on quick passages. If you're one of those that says "I haven't tried flats in 30+ years because they are the deadest, tackiest, blah blah blahs"...then you should maybe pick up a set of these new breed of flats because they are anything but dead. Cobalts, Fenders, Dunlops, TI's and even La Bella LTF's all have a ton of sustain to them and a mid growl reminiscent of rounds. They just don't have the full top end but they aren't the thuddy dead sounding strings of 30 years ago.

Flats can be tricky for newcomers because when you're playing on your own they don't sound as full as rounds and you might think it's an empty unusable sound. But in the right band situations and like I said recording situations they are magic. One of the most notable people I had the luxury of working with is Mark Neil who produced the Brothers record for The Black Keys. We were tracking some demos for the record at his studio in Georgia and the only bass he tracks with is an old rick from the 70's with flats that are about that old and a pick. When I was playing it I was like "I can't get any sound out of this"...when I played it back it sounded ridiculously good. Flip side I was cutting a record in Las Vegas a couple years before with the same project and we just couldn't get the right sound on one of the tunes. So I switched from the studio's 60's P with flats to my Jazz with rounds and boom...there it was instantly. It just needed a fuller and longer sustain bottom end...something a little more modern. Point is it's not always immediately obvious why something works or doesn't. I fully think any style of bass with any style of strings can pass live. But if you want to get in the weeds when it comes to recordings you definitely need the right tool for the job and you should be comfortable with them all. Knowledge is power and open mindedness and variety is the source of knowledge.

If your trying flats know why you're trying them. If you're trying them simply because you feel like you should since people talk about how great they work for them and you think you're missing out...you probably won't like them because you personally weren't missing anything. If you are trying them because you find yourself wanting a bass with more of that Jamerson/Dunn etc. vibe going on or for a project your working on that wants a more focused tone that sits differently in the mix...then you'll probably find what you're looking for. Otherwise stick with the rounds because there's probably nothing here for you....yet.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Seems to be a Flats vs Round wounds vibe starting.
I like both, whatever suits the music best.

Correct, the choice also depends on the musical genre and on the band’s composition .. absolutism has to be avoided ... always!

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I'm sorry, but how did you get the impression that I was just looking for someone to "tell me I did the right thing" and was not open to a "constructive comment."? Is that your experience on these discussion boards? I'm still new around here but I would hope that these discussion boards would provide some valuable feedback, and I have gone through every comment. All I wanted to know is if others had similar experiences and if I should give them another go. I have twice posted "Thanks" for all the different opinions and advice. And have listened, and put the flats back on and will give them another go.

As for the Fender flats, I did my research, I know they are not considered a "premium" string, but I have seen several reviews that have had them in the top 3 and some at number one. As for not trying a significant number of strings, you are absolutely right, and I realized 2 days is not long enough, hence, giving them another try.

And I appreciate the different opinions on different strings, again, I have done my research, but don't have the money to try 5 or 6 different brands.

Thanks for your posts and sharing your thoughts.

Thom

Of course you have to give them another go but this time make an informed choice.
Which music do you like to play?
NWOBHM? Trash Metal? Death Metal and all the other iterations?
If yes, probably flats aren’t for you, but you don’t need asking TalkBass for this, I guess.
If you play blues, rock, pop-rock, jazz, soul, R&B etc. then flatwound strings are perfectly valid.
Try D’Addario Chromes if you don’t want to spend a fortune or Dunlop Flats of EB Cobalt flats (keep LaBellas out for the moment).
As stated by somebody else, probably the best flatwound strings around for 4-strings basses are TI JF344.
In the USA, however, they are very expensive.
The Fender strings you have tried are really nothing special (I have used them and I can tell you they are light-years away from TI JF344, which means that, in this case, the extra money you spend in buying a set of TI is justified IMO and keep in mind that in Europe they cost 40% less!).
Another thing, if you can’t play without feeling the rounds grip, this is an issue affecting your playing style, not an inherent defect of flatwound strings.
Like you, I was used to play rounds only; one day I got old of a set of Chromes and I put them in my Hondo II P-bass copy, which I had recently retrofitted with EMG PAX pickup.
The combination of the two (I don’t play any kind of heavy music) items let me say “OMG, what a tone I’m listening to”.
That was really an epiphany and it happened very recently.
After that, I put the bass away until I bought a set of TI JF344 for my vintage-retro jazz bass; at the beginning I was looking for the strings grooves with my thumb.
After a week, this need was gone and the strings’ tone was top-notch!
Never looked back.
Today I don’t have a single bass provided with roundwound strings; I think I’m not even able to play them anymore.
I could, going through a new and inverse acquaintance process, but I don’t feel the need for it.
However, I repeat again, I’m very far from playing any type of so-called “heavy” music.

 

[80jazz]

What gauge did you get? I see a lot of first-time flats users buying standard gauge when they should be trying light gauge. Otherwise, they're just distracted by how stiff they feel.

While it probably won`t happen soon, I have considered getting a P and stringing it with flats, but I prefer super light strings (35-90, but can go up to 40-100 without much complaining). Are there any flat sets that light, say 30-85 to 35-95? I have yet to see any.

 

[Mark Ambler]

While it probably won`t happen soon, I have considered getting a P and stringing it with flats, but I prefer super light strings (35-90, but can go up to 40-100 without much complaining). Are there any flat sets that light, say 30-85 to 35-95? I have yet to see any.

The TI's should be perfect for you. The material and the way the string is designed also can make a big difference to how light a string is, not just the gauge. I can't imagine anyone using flats lighter than TIs.

 

[BOOG]

EB Cobalt Flatwound are great flatwound strings and realy has sound almost like a rounds, but string A was little dull on 5 sets what I had. And after 3 weeks in case in really dry environment rust was appeared on both two my basses, and I have not an aggressive sweat and I never had a rust on any strings before. Ernie Ball Group III are much better flatwound strings with very close sound to rounds.

View attachment 3824416

I pulled a “fresh” set out of the package that looked like that. I took them right back to guitar center and exchanged them and never looked at them again.

 

[CallMeAl]

While it probably won`t happen soon, I have considered getting a P and stringing it with flats, but I prefer super light strings (35-90, but can go up to 40-100 without much complaining). Are there any flat sets that light, say 30-85 to 35-95? I have yet to see any.

Chromes super lights are 40-95. I like light strings, usually 100 on the E, but those chromes were too floppy for me. Might be worth a try!

 

[80jazz]

Chromes super lights are 40-95. I like light strings, usually 100 on the E, but those chromes were too floppy for me. Might be worth a try!

That would make sense for me, both because of the gauge and from what I understand, Chromes are atypical flats (fine for me since I am rounds guy).