Need a guru to identify these flats! Please!!

[Ellery]

I just got done looking through every “identify these flats” thread I could find on TB, and none of them mention flats identical to these. They have bright red silk on the tuner ends and black silk on the ball ends. The balls are colored:
B=white
E=red
A=blue
D=white
G=red

They came on a five string I bought from a private party maybe 10 years ago. The seller knew I was going to immediately change over to rounds, and he advised me not to discard them, telling me they were really good ones. I am considering trying them out now, and would appreciate any help I could get identifying them.

Thank you TB masters!!!

 

[rockear]

I think those are Rotosound 77s, but I'm sure someone will come along who knows for sure.

 

[michael_t]

Yes, they do look like the Rotosound Jazz 77 Flats for sure.

 

[MrAB4003]

Those are Rotosound 77s.

WARNING: Put Rotosound 77s on your bass at your own risk. Initial bright and fresh tone will be dead within 4 months.

 

[Ellery]

Those are Rotosound 77s.

WARNING: Put Rotosound 77s on your bass at your own risk. Initial bright and fresh tone will be dead within 4 months.

I think the “ WARNING” is quite appropriate after what I have read about these 77’s. Apparently they are very high tension even for flats. I also see others making the point that you did here. That the real character diminishes with wear rather than becoming “seasoned” like other flats.

 

[MrAB4003]

I think the “ WARNING” is quite appropriate after what I have read about these 77’s. Apparently they are very high tension even for flats. I also see others making the point that you did here. That the real character diminishes with wear rather than becoming “seasoned” like other flats.

Thank you! They're comparable to the La Bella 1954 Original DTFs or the D'Addario medium gauge (50-105) Chromes in standard tuning. I prefer the latter in D Standard. Chromes break in nicely after 6 months while retaining some of their initial brightness. All I got from the 77s after a few months were hollow mids.

 

[rcmbass]

Yep, they appear to be Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 Monel Flatwounds.

 

[Root 5]

Those are Rotosound 77s.

WARNING: Put Rotosound 77s on your bass at your own risk. Initial bright and fresh tone will be dead within 4 months.

Some of us like the ‘dead’ tone!

 

[Ellery]

Some of us like the ‘dead’ tone!

That’s just what they might be, they were used when I got them. When I got that bass, I spared no time swapping over to rounds so I never gave them a trial.

 

[Phaidrus]

Thank you! They're comparable to the La Bella 1954 Original DTFs or the D'Addario medium gauge (50-105) Chromes in standard tuning. I prefer the latter in D Standard. Chromes break in nicely after 6 months while retaining some of their initial brightness. All I got from the 77s after a few months were hollow mids.

I wouldn't say they are "very high" tension. The 45-65-85-105 set is 214.41 lbs. Daddario Chromes 50-70-85-105 set is 224 lbs and the 45-65-80-100 set is 199.75 lbs.

 

[Phaidrus]

I wouldn't say they are "very high" tension. The 45-65-85-105 set is 214.41 lbs. Daddario Chromes 50-70-85-105 set is 224 lbs and the 45-65-80-100 set is 199.75 lbs.

A 45-65-85-105 Chromes set would be 206.76 lbs vs 214.41 lbs for the Rotosound set. No huge difference.

I have never played Roto flats and I'd love to given how much I like the Swing Bass rounds. Currently I have a 45-105 set of Dunlop flats on my flats Pbass and I like them. They must be the lowest tension and most flexible normal gauge flats out there.