New to Flat Wounds-- Suggestions?

I have the La Bella 760FL (43-60-82-104) on my new Am Std P bass and love them for the classic thump. (Great for Motown)

I would also recommend the Fender 9050L (45-60-80-100) for something a little bit closer to the roundwound tone. Less thump and more grind.

 

As michael_t above said fender 9050's are a nice flat without going super deep. My favorite flat right now are Ernie Ball Cobalt flats. They are a full range flat that holds onto some of the zing you get from rounds without all the overtones and finger noise. I have them on two basses and ones a Pbass and they sound great on it. Beautiful Bass by the way!

 

For the Sound of Chocolate, GHS Precision Flats.

 

These seem to be the three most liked:
LaBella Deep Talkin Flats: Most old school, very traditional.
Sadowski Black Label: Similar to LaBella but with a tad more mids and articulation.
Fender 9050 Flats: seem to be a brighter and more grind, growl, etc
Chromes: Bright and more "modern" sounding
TI Flats: I have not played so someone else will have to comment..

 

What he said! ^

I'll add that the TIs are lower tension than most other flats, but they are also very organic, dynamic strings, with a well-balanced sound.

Here is a video of some of those on a P bass, played fingerstyle and with a pick:

 

I would also suggest GHS strings, but more importantly, the best advice I can think of giving someone who is new to using flatwound strings is patience.

 

Any brand.

A little fried chicken grease.

Sweat.

Never clean them.

And as stated, patience.

Enjoy!

 

I should have posted this before now, but better late than never. Written and recorded by @Jon Moody for Seymour Duncan. Listen carefully to the all the tracks, but especially the GHS Flats back-to-back with LaBella, and lastly Fender Flats back-to-back with D'Addario Chromes. More sonic enlightenment could hardly be packed into a single article. Flatwound Roundtable | Seymour DuncanFlatwound Roundtable | Seymour Duncan

 

Yes, D'Addario makes them for Fender.

Unlike rounds flats sound better to most folks once they break in. They often sound brighter than you expect when new but with time they mellow and get more of that vintage warmth and thud that is expected.

 

Sadowsky Black Labels

 

Leave them on for ten years or so.

 

SIT POWER FLATS.
They'll surprise you!

 

Of those I have used - in order from warm/thud to bright...

- GHS (very warm)
- LaBella (in between)
- Daddario/Roto/Ernie Ball (they all sound the same to me - very bright)

Thomastiks are their own thing. Nice tone, too low tension for me and expensive. Many players swear by them.

Pyramids are their own thing too. Very warm/thud, expensive and some find the tone difference between the E string and the rest to be objectionable. Many players swear by these too but they are a little outside the mainstream.

 

When I first tried flats (Chromes on a jazz) I hated them! ***? Thanks a lot TB!!! I took them off after 2 days and went back to rounds. A few months later I accidentally gunked up the rounds with wood glue (don't ask!). Had no spare rounds, so I put the Chromes back on. I loved them! How could I have hated these? They've been on the jazz ever since (except for trying Cobalts briefly, which I didn't like).

 

These were my introduction into the world of flats. I wanted the old school thumpy flats "thing" so I started here and nailed it. I've never tried the standard La Bella set which is reportedly a lot more tension. These feel, tension-wise, similar to the 45-105 rounds that I'm used to.

I've since tried TIs and Chromes, and greatly peferred the La Bellas. I don't think any of them are better or worse, but they're certainly very different. I've great things about the Sadowsky Black Labels too; Specifically that they're similar to La Bellas, but not quite as old and thumpy.

 

I have changed strings often on other basses. With my Precisions, there is no need. I use Thomastik Flats and can't imagine switching. I can't even imagine changing the strings I currently have on my Precisions ever in my lifetime. They will outlast me.

 

Don't blame Talkbass, any flats-player here will tell you that flats have a brake-in period.

 

I have found Chromes to be a good first flat to try. I love them on my p bass!