Identify these mystery flatwounds

[brock29609]

Help!

I dusted off my bass after 8 years of hibernation. Need to replace the flatwounds but I can't remember what these are.

The silk wraps are a Champagne/taupe color. They are very buttery sounding, very thumpy, no brightness at all but with good character (not due to age, always sounded this way).

Anyone know what these are?

I thought they might be Dean Markley flats, but I have an unopened pack of those and they don't have any silk wraps.

 

[Buchada Azeda]

Not sure at all but they look like the old Fender ML flats to me.

 

[jamersonburton]

Not sure at all but they look like the old Fender ML flats to me.

I thought the fenders were green (both old and new).
My guesses: dean markley, old fade d dr's, maybe somethink like sadowsky?

 

[rydin4lifebass]

Check out post 85 here:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/silk-colors-717720/index5.html

The replies there seem to say the following:
OLD DR's possibly had gray silk at the tuner
Dean Markley's have gray silk but the ball ends are black (not bronze like yours"
Sadowsky Black Label have gray silk at the tuner

Here is a thread that shows both ends of the Sadowskys..
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f129/...-sets-ghs-precision-la-bella-sadowsky-919265/

 

[tjh]

I have an old set of Dean Markley flats (ML 50-100) and they have grey silk at the headstock, nothing at the ball end, balls are gold and the winding is 'crinkled' as they are in your pic ... it may be the lighting, but your silk seems to have a 'pinkish/lavender' tint, mine almost have more of a very, very light yellow tint ... Dean Markley silk tends to 'fuzz' very heavily before it seperates ... I am kind of seeing that in yours also ...

 

[Klonk]

I was thinking Sadowskys, but I'm no expert. Would fit the sound description too.

 

[brock29609]

The silks aren't pinkish at all. They're taupe-ish or tan-ish... champagne-ish but not yellowy.

My memory tells me they're Dean Markley flats. I questioned my memory because I have a brand new unopened set of Dean Markley flats that have no silk at all on either end.

Based on what TJH says, my conclusion is that these are Dean Markley flats. Dean Markley must have stopped using silk wraps at some point before discontinuing the strings.

Thanks, everyone! I'm considering this mystery solved. What a shame these strings aren't available anymore.

 

[hotbass57]

You might like GHS Precision Flats, they have great tension and are the smoothest flats I've ever played. Great old school tone when broken in. Reasonable price at www.bassstringsonline.com. If you haven't ordered tell Jason your a member for a discount. The GHS have a dull purple silk.