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P-bass with flats?
- Thread starter ilikeindie
- Start date
How's the tension of the Labellas vs. Chromes? I have a band that tunes down a half step, and while Chromes are my string of choice when tuned concert, just a little more tension without upping the gauge (45-105) when tuning down would be nice.
La Bellas have a bit more tension than Chromes/EBs. I'd go for the 760FMs for tuning down.
I just switched from .050-.105 Chromes to .045-.105 Labellas on my P bass and was surprised at how similar the tension felt. The Labellas are a little stiffer but not much. The truss rod didn't need tweaking, the intonation was about the same, and just generally the two sets felt pretty similar. If I were going a half step down I'd probably look at the Jamerson set. Actually, there's a set between the .045-.105 and the Jamersons. That might be the one to try (I just looked it up and it's the 760FM set that King Biscuit mentioned -- .049 to .109).
GHS Precisions on a modern sounding P-bass are fantastic. otherwise, I'd agree with you.
T
tifftunes
Guest
Go to Just Strings, and buy the cheapest flats you can find to start. As you train your ears and fingers, you may want to try other strings... No sense in starting out with the most expensive if you've nothing to compare with.
Fender flats used to feel good, but stainless is stiff and unforgiving, and "feels" difficult if you use vibrato... I haven't tried them lately, however.
The cheapest and most available flats in Europe, in the 60s, was Pyramid... In searching for the perfect Macca Hofner bass sound, Pyramids were/are perfect! However, when I bought my first Jazz bass ('72 Ash with MOP block inlays) it came with unknown nickel flats... The "new" thang at that time was Roto-Sound round wounds... So I tried them... They went dead within days (playing 6 nights/wk, 5-6 hrs/nite), and sounded quite a bit like flats... BUT! They chewed up my frets something awful!!! Needless to say, I put flats (Fender) back on.
Flats seem to last forever! However, they do go dead too. It's just not as obvious when...
They definitely feel better to the finger, and are super easy on frets.
I've currently got Chromes on my P. At first, I thought they sounded quite like RW! But they have mellowed considerable after 6 months.
GHS Brite Flats are nice... I've also used LaBella, Pyramid, Hofner (Pyramid), Fender flats, RotoSound, D'Adarrio and LaBella "plastic" flats, and D'Adarrio Half Rounds (and another "ground" round wound years ago, possibly Dean Markley?)...
The most gratifying and harmonically "complex" string I've used so far is Pyramid. I'll use no other for the Hofner, since it was the original string it was designed with...
Jury's still out on which brand for my solid body basses. I've enjoyed the short life span of RW strings, but prefer the feel, longevity and pure bass tones of flats. And, unless a producer has a hard-on for RWs, I'll always prefer flats!
Enjoy your tone hunt!! And remember, it IS the journey, not the destination, that really counts!
Fender flats used to feel good, but stainless is stiff and unforgiving, and "feels" difficult if you use vibrato... I haven't tried them lately, however.
The cheapest and most available flats in Europe, in the 60s, was Pyramid... In searching for the perfect Macca Hofner bass sound, Pyramids were/are perfect! However, when I bought my first Jazz bass ('72 Ash with MOP block inlays) it came with unknown nickel flats... The "new" thang at that time was Roto-Sound round wounds... So I tried them... They went dead within days (playing 6 nights/wk, 5-6 hrs/nite), and sounded quite a bit like flats... BUT! They chewed up my frets something awful!!! Needless to say, I put flats (Fender) back on.
Flats seem to last forever! However, they do go dead too. It's just not as obvious when...
They definitely feel better to the finger, and are super easy on frets.
I've currently got Chromes on my P. At first, I thought they sounded quite like RW! But they have mellowed considerable after 6 months.
GHS Brite Flats are nice... I've also used LaBella, Pyramid, Hofner (Pyramid), Fender flats, RotoSound, D'Adarrio and LaBella "plastic" flats, and D'Adarrio Half Rounds (and another "ground" round wound years ago, possibly Dean Markley?)...
The most gratifying and harmonically "complex" string I've used so far is Pyramid. I'll use no other for the Hofner, since it was the original string it was designed with...
Jury's still out on which brand for my solid body basses. I've enjoyed the short life span of RW strings, but prefer the feel, longevity and pure bass tones of flats. And, unless a producer has a hard-on for RWs, I'll always prefer flats!
Enjoy your tone hunt!! And remember, it IS the journey, not the destination, that really counts!
Great thread. When I bought my Lakland Skyline Duck Dunn p-bass a few years ago, I threw a set of D'Addario Chromes Flats on... I've been afraid to try something else 'cause they are so expensive... But I'm not sure if I love the tone, 'cause I've never tried anything else! LOL
great post. I loved reading your vast experience! However, the only string you haven't mentioned is TI flats. Let me suggest them for your solid body basses. They are my favorite string byfar, sounding sometimes more like really dead rounds than flats, but with a midrange woodiness that is so appealing. They are brighter than most all other flats, and sustain more, being less thumpy, but still thumpier than any rounds.
However, they are pretty low tension, and because of that don't slap or pick well, but for fingerstyle funkers like me, they are great!
This is my Precision rule.
Rosewood fingerboard-flats.
Maple fingerboard- Rounds.
That way you need two P-basses.
I tried it on my wife, it worked.
This is my Precision rule.
Rosewood fingerboard-flats.
Maple fingerboard- Rounds.
That way you need two P-basses.
I tried it on my wife, it worked.
That is very sound logic indeed!
- Steve
I've had the "new" Fender 9050MLs on my P for a couple of months now, and I've got to admit I've really been digging the sound I'm getting from them. Now I don't want to say it sounds just like a Ric, but it's got a lot more growl that the old 9050s I had on. Sounds really good when I'm fooling around playing some 70s Rush!
I have these on my Darkstar'd P bass, and man...they really are doin' it for me!
HUGE +1
I started out on chromes, then DR Flats, then Jamerson Labellas.
IMO they have the best "flat" feel and sound to them. But, damn did my bass need some adjusting after putting them on!
Fender has reformulated their flats. Now instead of sounding hollow or thuddy, they actually have tone and growl. They come in several different sets and gauges, and they have converted me from playing rounds for over 35 years to the new CL set of flats with gauges 45-60-80-105. They are now my primary set for gigging.
I agree, the new flats do sound a lot better than the old ones, especially the ones made right before the changeover.
When I first tried Fender flats 12 years ago, I thought they sounded really nice. Over time though, IMHO not only did the sound change, but so did the build quality. A brand new .050 G string snapped clean in half while I was tuning up for a gig. Another set had a A string that sounded like something was rattling around inside of it, rendering it useless. At that time, I swore off them.
The new set renewed my faith in Fender flats. MUCH better sound, tension, and so far, build quality.
Jury is still out on the new pure nickel rounds. So far so good, but I also like DR Sunbeams a lot, along with Ken Smith bass burners, and Compressors. Stay tuned for that one-I may be sticking with DR Sunbeams.
I just replaced my very old LaBella 760FL strings with a new set of Fender 9050L flats. They may indeed be re-branded D'Addario Chromes as some have suggested, but I like them on this bass (2004 American Series P-Bass). They offer some of the growl and clarity of a roundwound string but still have a smooth feel and solid fundemetal. The tension is much lower than the old Fender flats too. I like them so far.
- Steve
- Steve
