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Need help choosing flat wounds
- Thread starter HeyBartenderman
- Start date
I am not cracked about either of those strings and use Chromes 100-40. Both DAddario and Labella are NY companies. Go local
LaBella low tension flexible flats for me, I have them on both my fretted and fretless favorites.
Tension of a 4 string set is about 135 lbs. (I have it written down somewhere, but if memory serves 135 lbs. is about right.)
Tension of a 4 string set is about 135 lbs. (I have it written down somewhere, but if memory serves 135 lbs. is about right.)
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So I’ve been searching for some of the strings you all have mentioned, and on some of the sizes there’s “/set Accordion Accessory” at the end of the listing. What does that mean? I’ve tried looking it up on Google but only get listings regarding accordions
Since you had flats that long ago, the Fender flats you had may have been the Mexican made flats that were dull. A few years ago Fender changed the formula of their flats and now they have a nice grindy quality to them, completely different from the flats you probably had. The Cobalts may have a little more grind, but one day, all cobalt strings just go thunk out of nowhere. The Fenders age and mellow gracefully. The last set I had on a bass I gigged constantly for two years, replaced the E string with an Ernie Ball stainless flat of the same gauge, and gigged that set for another year. Rotos are still as above: bridge cables on a bass. I actually broke the truss rod of a bass with the 45's set trying to get it adjusted for the increased tension of the monel.
Well +1 for TI Jazz flats not that OP asked.
Probably all I will ever use for flats.
Probably all I will ever use for flats.
LoveThatBass
Supporting Member
I have used both, Fender 9050’s 10 years ago and Rotosound 77’s back in 1974. Of those two I liked the 77’s better. Good sound but longevity wasn’t great. I use TI -Jazz Flats on my Jazz bass and love them. Expensive,Yes but they have been on it for 4 years now and still have great tone and hold tuning well. On my P bass I am just trying D’Addario Nylon Tape wounds and so far like them.
Can you comment on the stiffness (and overall tone) differences between the GHS 3025 and LB 760FX ?
Prior to the 9050L, I had those GHS 3025 on my P, which I liked much better than the Fender; more old school and confortable to play. (but then I compared my Matt Freeman to an L series Precision - stringed with those Fenders - and decided to have a go on them; to discover afterwards what I loved was the bass, not the strings...)
Still looking for the "ideal" flats for this MF...
I know that they were not part of the OP’s choice, but I also heartily recommend TI Jazz Flats. They are expensive upfront, but amortized over the life of the strings (for me >15 years and still going strong with spot on intonation and harmonics) they are amongst the best value strings out there. Plus, I love their sound and feel. That said, my brother, also a bass player, finds them to be less stiff than what he likes.
Didn't read all the posts, but did you indicate the sound you are going after?
Also, I suspect a little experimentation is in order, since different basses respond to strings differently. Also, since strings can feel different (tension, stiffness, smoothness), you may need to try a couple brands.
Me? La Bella DTF 760 light.
Also, I suspect a little experimentation is in order, since different basses respond to strings differently. Also, since strings can feel different (tension, stiffness, smoothness), you may need to try a couple brands.
Me? La Bella DTF 760 light.
Please, no, NOT TI Flats: the A string is so rubbery compared to the rest of the set they don't have consistent feel. I am totally AGAINST TI Flats until they fix the A string like La Bella did for their low-tension flats. I recently mixed sound for a band where the bass player used TI flats on his P-bass. I had mixed them before. Before, his bass had good presence and was able to slot the mix well. With the TI flats, his bass lost all definition and it was a challenge to slot him into the mix.
What kind of sound are you going for? Thumpy and percusive or something with a little more articulation and high end.
Be careful with flats on basses with thin necks folks, I’d go light as possible for this instrument.
I love my TI’s and didn’t like the the LaBella low tensions D & G strings- seemed like they are a mismatched set - to each their own
I'm fairly new(playing about a year now) and since I have round wounds on my Nate Mendel P Bass for Rock/Heavy metal, I'm looking to get more of that classic rock, Led Zeppelin, type sound on my Fender American Standard P Bass so as to have a different sound to play with. So far the La Bella DTF 760, the Dunlop DBFS, and Fender 9050L, are atop my list.
What's nice about the Fender 9050 flats is they have a tonal character that can fit into a lot of different styles. Full-bodied low-mid punch with a hint of grind and a nice midrange character for clarity and definition. Not as old-shool as either La Bella or GHS, and not as modern and roundwound-like as EB Cobalt Flats.
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La Bella LTFs or Ghs Precision flats are my vote.
Classic rock (60s and 70s for me) spanned both the flatwound thump era, and the more raspy roundwound sound like the who.
Others here will disagree, but to me, a P-bass will limit you to certain types of sound. The P sound is my go-to (!): that P pickup puts the note out there, no questions no mercy. J pickups are better for dancing around the groove, and soapbars/humbuckers, well I will leave those for others to describe.
Used J basses for years, but always lusted for the way that P pickup hammers-out a note.
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