"Widely" has the potential to be a "no true Scotsman" fallacy. Pyramids were there. Picatos too, starting from the '70s. Gibson-branded strings as well. Maxima. GHS.
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Ok, well the most popular ones at the time were Fender, Rotosound, and Labella. So chances are...
Do you know what the other ones you listed looked like at that time? From this new Bath footage it seems he's using the Fender flats.
'Fraid not. Some info may be found here on the subforum, by searching "vintage" "maxima" and "silk", or something along these lines. Or you could look for an old players' club thread (there are a bunch) and ask for their recollections of flats and relative silks.
Right on. I don't really think it's necessary tho. Based on the Bath footage and the other dozens of pics and screen grabs from video, lots on this thread, compared to all the pics of vintage Fenders with original strings out there, I think it's safe to say he used Fender flats. The blue silk that runs an inch up past the saddles is a pretty dead giveaway of that. Regardless, I've emailed Labella and Fender with a link to the Bath footage so hopefully they both answer!
Fender responded in typical fashion saying they can't confirm it from video. With how fast they responded they probably didn't even watch it...smh. I called and emailed Labella tho and they said they'd love to see it and try to help ID his strings! I should hear back from them tomorrow hopefully.
La Bella employees gathered around reviewing old Led Zep footage like it's the Zapruder film.
Just got word from Labella...so they said they think it's very possible that those are their 760M flats because those had blue silk at both ends back then, and that JPJ has said in interviews that he's used Labellas. Very interesting!
I asked if they (Labella) had a link or anything with JPJ saying he used Labellas and haven't received a response yet. Idk...I also forgot to mention Fender said the 850 flats had the Green silk back then, but I question that because there's plenty of photos of the 850s with Blue silk too. My take is that JPJ used Fender, Labella, and Rotosound flats at different times. He has stated that he wasn't picky about gauges, and light gauge Labella flats have red/orange silk which has showed up in some pics of him as well. That said, I think if you use any "old school" type flat (GHS, Labella, and DR) you'll get that sound with subtle differences. I feel like Rotos are the only ones that are very different from the other 3 and don't have that same distinctive thump.
Reaching out to string manufacturers to consult on a certain set of strings used by a certain player half a century ago... See, this is the type of content that keeps me coming back to TalkBass after all these years, regardless of how actively involved I am with music at the time. And I mean that 100% genuinely!
Haha, it definitely is fun. I'm glad Labella was cool about it and said they actually love when stuff like this happens with newly surfaced footage or photos. Fender on the other hand...I'm sure they would know if they took a small amount of time to look into it. Heck, they probably have an original early 60s Jazz or P with original strings on it on display to compare it to lol.
Got the GHS P flats! So I've got my 3TSB AO 60s J w/DR Legends (2 months old) and my CAR AO 60s J w/P Flats...they sound almost identical. The P flats being hex core are a tad stiffer, but not much. I didn't have to make a truss rod adjustment. The D and G on the P flats are a tad brighter than the E and A, but thats common and the DRs are like that too when new. I can't wait to break these P flats in to really have a better idea of how they compare. They are very pliable, the E does wrap around the tuner to about the 9 o'clock position, but it doesn't have an affect on the sound at all. Both sets have that old school Fender flats tone. I could see the P flats being just as much of a favorite of mine as the DRs.
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I love a Jazz w/ flats! I have four basses; all Jazz Basses and two have flatwounds. Thomastiks on one; Roto 77s on the other. Your basses are beautiful BTW. Love 'em!
Thanks! I do too! I also have a USA Geddy Lee and 60th Anniversary stack knob Js. Those both have roundwounds tho. Then a Steve Harris Precision with his signature Rotos on it.
So now that I've spent a few days with the GHS Precision Flats I see what everyone's been saying. These are definitely the closest thing to the old Fender flats. I'd rank the DRs a close second now. I ended up ordering another set for my 3TSB AO too lol.
Thank you for all of your posts, @Frovan!
I have no experience with the old Fender flats, but I'll happily accept your opinion because I like GHS P Flats too. I have them on an SG(EB) and it sounds like Marshall Grant (old Johnny Cash).
I guess you chose M3050 to match the DR Legends guages? Thanks.
I have no experience with the old Fender flats, but I'll happily accept your opinion because I like GHS P Flats too. I have them on an SG(EB) and it sounds like Marshall Grant (old Johnny Cash).
I guess you chose M3050 to match the DR Legends guages? Thanks.
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Yup, M3050 (45-65-85-105). The brighter D and G have already calmed down a lot too after only maybe 4-5 hours of playing time. The 8 month old DRs I had on my Red AO still had noticeably brighter D and G, which is crazy to me, however DR strings do last a pretty long time. But yeah, I'm sold on the P flats.Thank you for all of your posts, @Frovan!
I have no experience with the old Fender flats, but I'll happily accept your opinion because I like GHS P Flats too. I have them on an SG(EB) and it sounds like Marshall Grant (old Johnny Cash).
I guess you chose M3050 to match the DR Legends guages? Thanks.
Well...not exactly. Based on all the photos and comparisons I'm pretty certain he was using Fender Mastersound flats. The longer silk at the bridge is consistent with stock photos of Fenders from that time. I've yet to see any photos of Labellas, or any other flats with silk like that at the bridge.
Yes, I know it's an old thread.
Of course knobs could move (his or mine), but according to the knobs on my American Pro (I), with the pickups vertical, 0% is straight down and 100% (on the neck pickup volume knob) points to the nearest pickguard screw. So the settings in that screenshot look like neck 50% and bridge about 20% (% of knob rotation).
