Need help picking flats for this '71 Pbass

[Killing Floor]

TI Jazz Flats. Why is this even a question?

 

[BearlyBass]

I’ve had a lot of different flats on my p basses the last few years, and the La Bella 760FS are the ones for me.

 

[jmlee]

Same set of TI jazz flats on my ‘68 P-Bass for a *very* long time. Always satisfying!

 

[FenderP]

Rotosound RS77LE or Dunlop DBFS50110 would be my choices. Both are very similar. I do not like LaBella or TI flats. Pyramid flats are okay.

 

[Petethebassman]

For a great old school tone my favourite flats on my main P-Bass have for many years been Pyramid Gold flatwounds. Super smooth string surfaces, good tension yet with some flexibility. The E is thuddier than the other strings but they will balance out after the set has been played in a bit.

 

[ADHD librarian]

Played these at a student's house tonight. Great sounding old school flats. Dad had no idea what the strings were. Anyone recognize the silk? Bass sounded fabulous, by the way.

Those are Ernie Ball

 

[DonaldR]

I know nothing about flatwound strings but I really enjoy the Ernie Ball Group V flatwound set on my Jazz 5-string bass. Not really old school and not modern either.

 

[brianc91764]

Those are Ernie Ball

Interesting. Last time I played those was over 40 years ago and they didn't send anything like what I played tonight.

 

[brianc91764]

Interesting. Last time I played those was over 40 years ago and they didn't send anything like what I played tonight.

...sound...

 

[aus_bass]

GHS Precison flats. You'll thank me later.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

It's impossible to give any kind of meaningful advice without asking your friend:

-What style of music do play?
-What kind of tone are you looking for?
-Do you play fingerstyle, pick or slap?
-Do you generally play softly or do you dig in hard?
-Do you like thumpy dynamics or more sustain?
-Do you like a stiffer or floppier "feel"?
-What type/gauge of strings have you been happy with in the past?

Flats vary a LOT more than roundwounds, both with regards to tone, "feel" and dynamics/sustain. You've already got recommendations for both TI flats and LaBellas, which is about as helpful as recommending every type of flats ever made. TIs and LaBellas are at the opposite extremes of the flatwound spectrum and COMPLETELY different strings in every possible way.

Also, be aware that if you're getting very light or heavy gauge strings (which is the case with several popular flats) you may have to file the nut slots or install+file a new nut. With some low tension flats it may also be a good idea to install a string retainer for the A-string on Fender basses (but doing this on a vintage instrument can affect resale value). The break angle of the A-string over the nut is a design flaw with Fenders. It's normally not a huge problem but with light tension flats, like TIs, you can get buzzing on open A unless the nut is filed 100% perfect (and in some cases even then).

If you stay within more "normal" gauges you will probably not have to mess with the nut. Personally I GENERALLY prefer slightly lighter gauges with flats than with rounds but there are exceptions.

 

[Phaidrus]

Dunlop Flats. For me they feel like the most tension-like to rounds, I dont have to change my playing technique

Indeed, from all the standard gauge (i.e. 45-105) flats I've played, they have the least tension. I felt there was something missing in the tone department but that's another story. They're good versatile strings.

 

[2F/2F]

Name your criteria, or else any specific string suggestion is useless.

 

[MynameisMe]

I would add with the Labella DTF. They make a string thru set. I had a regular set pop at the bridge where it bent over the saddle. This is not a normal occurrence for me. I rarely break a string.
You can order the string thru set if required.
I got that set for my string thru P bass.

 

[coy garcia]

I prefer chromes

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I am setting up and doing some minor restoration on this '71 Pbass for a friend.

I want to put some flatwound strings on it. What flatwound set do you recommend?

View attachment 5229577

Chromes

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I am setting up and doing some minor restoration on this '71 Pbass for a friend.

I want to put some flatwound strings on it. What flatwound set do you recommend?

View attachment 5229577

I recommend you sit down with your friend and find out some information & desires if you don’t already know some information about his or her playing style, music preference STRING TENSION PREFERENCE, etc.

Posting the question;

• 71 P-Bass,
• recommend flats,
• ready, GO

will get you what you are getting, which is the opinion of a lot of different bassists with only one thing in common; they each have a favorite flat wound bass string.

You see TI Jazz Flats recommended, which is possibly the lowest tension flat made, and you see LaBella Deep Talking Flats, which, in medium gauge, is close to the far end of the tension scale. My guess is your friend will prefer one or the other, probably not both. If you pick the opposite tension string from what your friend prefers, he or she will be very frustrated every time he or she gets the bass out of the case.

 

[bassdog]

Does your friend prefer higher or lower tension strings in general? That would shape my decision on what to choose. Its your friend's bass. My son loves Chromes on his P. Sort of the opposite of TIs. I love TIs.

 

[Terry Farmer]

TI jazz flats.

 

[Nashrakh]

I will say that I am not a fan of TI's - too floppy for me, they sound great but never could get used to the low tension.

The "floppiness" can be alleviated by scale length. A standard long scale set on a 35" bass is much less floppy than one might think.