New to flatwounds - Are they more difficult?

[Impostor]

How many hours have you played? I've never played with Chromes, but I know Roto flats have some heavy clank that must have taken 10-15 hours to go away.

I think I've played my Bex just 4 or 5 times after putting the Chromes on, and for not too long, usually when the rehearsal with the 5-string was already over and I was already tired. So it must be no more than 10 hours. Hope that some 10 more hours can do the job.

Codger, Brick Top: yes, LaBella is the first thing to think of. I love the tone and responsiveness of their Slappers and Deep Talkin' rounds. I think I'll try some LaBellas after the Chromes wear out. And regarding the nylon tape - can you tell the difference from the usual flats? The aforementioned Steve Swallow uses LaBella tapewounds, I know, but this is the result we hear on records, and I'm talking about player's personal experience. What can you say?

 

[yamark]

All my flats have been sticky when new...halfs are worse. All i do is play with greasy unwashed hands for the first few go arounds on the flats and they loosen up.

 

[WayneS]

I've found that if I wash my hands with cheap hand soap (top care, food city, etc...) that my roto flats feel sticky. I switched to Dove hand soap and that fixed that problem. But when the lights go off and the music starts, the sweaty hands fix it all. I've also found it helpful to clean the sweat off of the strings between sets. It seems that the sweat residue makes them feel sticky.

 

[pallino]

try Thomastik Jazz Flats - they are wonderful, very organic and powerful tone, very easy on hands.I have them on my Precision; you can go from the Jamerson's thump to the Upright jazz tone never losing definition and punch,simply great.
i heard wonders about the Sadowsky Flats too, but i still haven't tried them. However i am a faithful Sadowsky Blue steels user, I find them the best roundwounds on earth,period.So I believe the flats from Roger Sadowsky must be great too...

 

[Langenschwert]

try Thomastik Jazz Flats - they are wonderful, very organic and powerful tone, very easy on hands.

I've never had better flatwounds then Thomastik. Love them. However, I just got the LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass (Nylon tapewound) and I'm really enjoying them as well.

I've had problems with "sticky" flats as well, but the Thomastiks don't have that problem IME.

@ Impostor: I didn't know Steve Swallow used the LaBella's. No wonder I like them, since one of my favourite players uses them!

-Mark

 

[David Lansen]

I've found that if I wash my hands with cheap hand soap (top care, food city, etc...) that my roto flats feel sticky. I switched to Dove hand soap and that fixed that problem. But when the lights go off and the music starts, the sweaty hands fix it all. I've also found it helpful to clean the sweat off of the strings between sets. It seems that the sweat residue makes them feel sticky.

When I was starting out, a guy in the music store recommended Softsoap before playing. The reason cited was that liquid hand soaps leave a thin film, which I guess forms a barrier to make one's hands smoother (less sticky due to friction?) and possibly help deal with residue.

 

[skiltrip]

I find flats easier to play. A lot smoother, slicker, and way less noise. Virtually no finger screech.

I have them on my Jazz Bass, and I'm considering trying them on my new Ibanez SR500 at some point.

 

[grifff]

I had an issue w/ flats being hard to play too... I dug the sound, but they felt sticky - to the point of hindering my playing.

I had an important gig coming up so in a panic I ripped them off. I do want to give them another shot though...

Most flats feel that way when you first put them on. Play the bass for a couple of days and that feel should go away.

 

[dvh]

I find flats easier to play.

+ everything. For me the tension and what some call "stickiness" make them perfect for more percussive and accurate fingerstyle playing.

 

[Impostor]

@ Impostor: I didn't know Steve Swallow used the LaBella's. No wonder I like them, since one of my favourite players uses them!

Neither did I until I bought my first set of Slappers and read the endorser list on the package (I tend to read everything that is printed). BTW, with Slappers I feel like I'm approaching the tone of another one of my faves, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, but this has nothing to do with flatwounds, of course

And returning to the tapewound LaBella flats - can you tell the difference from plain steel flats, according to your experience?

 

[Langenschwert]

Neither did I until I bought my first set of Slappers and read the endorser list on the package (I tend to read everything that is printed). BTW, with Slappers I feel like I'm approaching the tone of another one of my faves, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, but this has nothing to do with flatwounds, of course

Neat. Learn something new every day.

And returning to the tapewound LaBella flats - can you tell the difference from plain steel flats, according to your experience?

Well, I've never used Labella steel flats, but I used Thomastik Jazz Bass flats exclusively whenever I could find them. There is certainly a big difference in sound and of course feel.

I find that the tapewounds give (obviously) a less metallic sound than the flats. Interestingly enough, most upright players use steel strings, so you'd think that the closest approximation would be steel flats on a fretless. However, the electric seems to bring out more of the steel in the sound than an upright does. So for me the tapewounds seem to be the way to go, as they let more of the wood shine though with my fretless. Since I'm an electric player whose bag is standards and bebop, that's what I'm after a lot of the time.

I strung up my fretless last night with LaBella tapewounds, and at first blush I love the sound. I'm considering doing my fretted up with them as well. We shall see how I like the tapewounds in a month or so, and then I'll decide.

-Mark

 

[Impostor]

Thanks! It seems like LaBella tapewounds should be the next thing to try on my hollowbody Yamaha after the Chromes wear out.

 

[RicPlaya]

Flats are harder to play IMO. They are not as responsive as rounds..but the tone!

 

[kai_ski]

i think flats are nice because they just feel better on the fingers. So smooth... like a good woman.

 

[Mean Mr Mustard]

Flats are harder to play IMO. They are not as responsive as rounds..but the tone!

Really I think they are much easier.. Roundwounds eat up my fingers..

 

[pasta4lnch]

So this thread inspired me to try flats again. I really only gave them a short chance the last time I tried them (d'addario 45's on my fender mia jazz V) I picked up a set of rotosound 77 45's for my mia p/j today and man it's a different animal. I played for about an hour and they feel great (sound fantastic too!)

I got a 3 hour gig in a few days so I'll be playing a lot, so we'll see. but I'm psyched about them now. could've been a fluke the last time...or maybe the brand - who knows.

 

[mccartneyman]

Lakland Joe Osborn Flats are quite nice -- higher tension than the TIs but just as nice and half as expensive. They warn you, however, NOT to string them through the body. TIs go through the body with no problem.