P-bass with flats?

[P. Bass]

D'Addario chromes 105-50. Very bright for a few days but then you're HOME. The tension is med. stiff & the extra meat on the D & G is SO nice. Sadowsky SBF45's are very nice also - a bit less stiff than the chromes but a great string that incorporates the best qualities of all the flats brands.(made for him by Labella)
B.

 

[Ron G]

GHS Precisions on a modern sounding P-bass are fantastic. otherwise, I'd agree with you.

I have GHS Precisions on my Precisions and they do sound fantastic.

 

[Duke21]

Dude.....a P bass with flats is about as basic as it gets. Lots of bass players do it. Personally, I like nickel round wounds better.......but lots of people like flats better on a P bass.

+1 to Nickel rounds!

 

[49sfine]

Lots of good suggestions, for sure. You might also think about D'Addario Half-wounds - best of both worlds. Still, Chromes are hard to beat!

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

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.

I decided to put the old LaBella's back on this bass. I didn't stick with the Fenders for the same reasons I didn't stick with the Chromes: clacky high end and not enough thump. The feel is also not as smooth as the LaBellas, which feel great under my fingers.

- Steve

 

[P. Bass]

I decided to put the old LaBella's back on this bass. I didn't stick with the Fenders for the same reasons I didn't stick with the Chromes: clacky high end and not enough thump. The feel is also not as smooth as the LaBellas, which feel great under my fingers.

- Steve

2 questions re the LaBellas: You mentioned "feel" - how do you like the lighter gauge feel compared to the chromes? Also, how's the tension feel compared to the chromes - if you're talking about the 105-50 ga. Any further comment is welcomed bro.Thanks.
B.

 

[Chuckf]

+1 for Chromes!!!

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

2 questions re the LaBellas: You mentioned "feel" - how do you like the lighter gauge feel compared to the chromes? Also, how's the tension feel compared to the chromes - if you're talking about the 105-50 ga. Any further comment is welcomed bro.Thanks.
B.

The Chromes/Fenders were the 100-45 set and they were a little higher tension than the LaBella 760FL's, but that didn't bother me. After all, I play upright bass most of the time . By "feel", I was referring to the smoothness of the windings. The LaBella are very smooth and have a softer touch to them. The Chromes/Fenders are a little more grabby and have a sort of metallic clank when they come into contact with the frets.

The Chromes/Fenders would be a good choice for someone looking for a set of flats that retains a lot of the brightness of roundwounds. They would be sutiable for crunchy rock tones or even slapping. The LaBella's are more "old school" which is what I prefer these days. They are very deep sounding with a solid fundemental. They were somewhat bright when new but now they have mellowed to a dark, dry sort of sound with a subdued top end.

- Steve

 

[P. Bass]

The Chromes/Fenders were the 100-45 set and they were a little higher tension than the LaBella 760FL's, but that didn't bother me. After all, I play upright bass most of the time . By "feel", I was referring to the smoothness of the windings. The LaBella are very smooth and have a softer touch to them. The Chromes/Fenders are a little more grabby and have a sort of metallic clank when they come into contact with the frets.

The Chromes/Fenders would be a good choice for someone looking for a set of flats that retains a lot of the brightness of roundwounds. They would be sutiable for crunchy rock tones or even slapping. The LaBella's are more "old school" which is what I prefer these days. They are very deep sounding with a solid fundemental. They were somewhat bright when new but now they have mellowed to a dark, dry sort of sound with a subdued top end.

- Steve

Thanks Steve. I love the 105-50 chromes. They lose that edge after a couple weeks of play & get very silky as well. A good trick w/ flats of any kind is to rub them down by pinching them w/ a wet spot of rubbing alcohol on a cloth BEFORE installing on the bass. This will remove the manufacturing residues & shorten the break-in time.
My concern w/ the FL's is the gauge. I like the 105 -50 feel. Re "clank" : I've noticed that when they're new but again - they require break-in. I can get just about any old skule tone by just rolling off some treble w/ the chromes or adjusting my right hand position. I think the potential of the chromes 105-50 is greater than other flats I've used.
The lighter gauge chromes lack that full bodied "punch" that the 105-50's have but the stiffer feel might be an issue for some. I just wish the makers would address the intonation issue that most E strings have.
B.

 

[bassfiddlesteve]

Just to confuse matters I thought I'd mention that after a while I missed some of the clarity that the Fender flats gave me, so I put them back on

- Steve

 

[Thunderchicken]

Some of us remember when they came strung with flats when you bought them!!.

And some us has never taken them off on his '66.

(Good thing it's locked up under my bed - I still get the urge to play it now and then...)

 

[madmatt]

For the price, Fender 9050's can not be beat.

 

[kingmacaw]

if you want to sound like mcc's violin bass- couldn't tell you - way too trebly for my tastes! if you want to sound like an amplified standup bass & appreciate the sound of the great standup bass players + looking for the lowest tension strings buy the T-I jazz flats for your electric bass. nothing i've tried even comes close. i have only once tried a bass w/tapewounds & i did like it.

 

[Floyd Eye]

Chromes.

 

[Marshallstc]

I have an american p-bass with spb-3 quarter pounds on it and have been using DR Hi-Beams (best strings I've used) and I love that trebly piano p-bass tone we all know and love.

But I was wondering how a p-bass with some nice flats would sound. I'm aiming for that smooth Paul McCartney tone or just something better for the low-end. That might have not made sense but I hope you know what I mean.

Thanks.

Also, what flats would you all recommend?

(I am not a “Commercial User” - need to go to profile and fix that)
I am making the other half of this decision and this seems like the ideal group to ask! I have had my 70 PBass since 77 and now I want to add a 2nd p bass to string with flats. I love my primary P and expect the addition to get much less action (though who knows…). Dilemma is what P bass to get. Don’t think I want to shell out for a 60s vintage or new custom shop unless I must to get that great sound and not regret what the sound could be. The 63 American vintage and 60 American vintage II seem like great choices. Also a fantastic luthier who put together a p bass to pre CBS specs and hand wound pickups (was his backup when touring) has offered me his bass. I’d love to read your thoughts. Thank you!

 

[michael_t]

I am making the other half of this decision and this seems like the ideal group to ask! I have had my 70 PBass since 77 and now I want to add a 2nd p bass to string with flats. I love my primary P and expect the addition to get much less action (though who knows…). Dilemma is what P bass to get. Don’t think I want to shell out for a 60s vintage or new custom shop unless I must to get that great sound and not regret what the sound could be. The 63 American vintage and 60 American vintage II seem like great choices. Also a fantastic luthier who put together a p bass to pre CBS specs and hand wound pickups (was his backup when touring) has offered me his bass. I’d love to read your thoughts. Thank you!

Sounds like you might be better off posting this in "Basses" instead of resurrecting a 12-yr-old thread in "Strings".

 

[Marshallstc]

Sounds like you might be better off posting this in "Basses" instead of resurrecting a 12-yr-old thread in "Strings".

Thanks. You are probably right. I googled p bass with flats and lo and behold. I didn’t notice it was a “strings” thread. I was just impressed with the comments/commenters

 

[GIBrat51]

I have an american p-bass with spb-3 quarter pounds on it and have been using DR Hi-Beams (best strings I've used) and I love that trebly piano p-bass tone we all know and love.

But I was wondering how a p-bass with some nice flats would sound. I'm aiming for that smooth Paul McCartney tone or just something better for the low-end. That might have not made sense but I hope you know what I mean.

Thanks.

Also, what flats would you all recommend?

As you've probably noticed, most of the responses to your post recommend the flats that the responders use. Which is perfectly OK... and, indicates how many different flats "sound good" on a P-Bass. As for my P-Bass (a lefty, "A" necked '78 that I've owned since 1988)? It's worn a few different flats, over the years....
- Roto RS77LDs. I put these on the bass, the evening of the day I bought the thing - to replace the Roto 66's that had eaten about 50-60% of the frets off. I've always played basses with flats, ever since I learned to play on a friends '68 Rick 4001 - in 1968. It wore the Maxima Flats that Rick's used to come from the factory with. I liked the Roto's a lot, and have had them on 2 or 3 other basses since. They stayed on the P-Bass for... about 5 years, IIRC. On a desire to experiment, and because I had other basses by then, I replaced the Roto's with -
- Fender 9050Ls. I like these flats a lot, and have put them on several other basses, too. One of my Danelectro DC59 Pro's is wearing them now. But, after several years - and several more basses - I decided that what I really wanted from the P-Bass, was the P-Bass sound from about 1963 or so. Which the Fender Flats just can't do, because they aren't the same as the original, made-by-Squier-Strings Fender flats, that P-Bass's wore from the factory until 1982 or thereabouts. The closest I can come to those flats today?
- GHS M3050 Precision Flats. Which is what it's worn for about 6 years, now, under the foam mute in the bridge cover. No, it's not what you'd call a versatile bass anymore; but, with 20 other basses in my herd? It doesn't have to be. For the music I like to play with it, it sounds just right... So;
Depending on what you want, there are most likely flats that will give it to you.
- Smooth Paul McCartney tone? Well, he mostly played his Rickenbacker with its original Maxima Flats. The closest you can get to those today, is a set of Optima 4440 RB (Rickenbacker Bass) Flats. Which I have on my '01 Rick 4003. There are pictures of his Rick with what appear to be tapewounds, and are probably Roto 88s. Which he also definitely had on his Hofner... and which I have on one of my violin basses. Or, if you don't want those? Any of the lighter gauge, midrange focused flats would work. TI Jazz Flats (if you want to deal with their... lack... of stiffness), the Fender 9050Ls, or Optima's 4099RL "Chromes". Which are ones I use, but there are others... Which I don't use - or haven't used, yet...
- Mostly low end? Well, La Bella DTF's are the acknowledged King of Low End Thump. I've tried several of them, but have settled on their 45-105 760FS's when I want just low end. Their 760FGS Gold Flats are nice - and a little less pure low end - but, they're a lot more "sticky" than the normal DTF's are. I also use the no-longer-offered long scale 760FX's (39-96) on a Danelectro DC59 Pro; a lot less thumpy, but just right for "that Dano sound". Other low end flats? The GHS Precision Flats, of course; Dogal R44s, and Galli JF4505 Jazz Flats, are pretty low-end focused; and the Roto RS77LD's do a good job, too. The short scale DR Legends on my headless, aluminum-necked Kramer Duke are very low end - focused; I imagine the long scale versions are, too. Every other Flat wound string I use, though, is more or less focused on the low-mid and mid range. Including the TI Jazz Flats on my Alembic...
So; just decide what you want from your P-Bass - and choose accordingly...

 

[maturanesa]

i Think Dunlops flats sound amazing on Michael League P basses. I would try that

 

[Phaidrus]

P-bass + Labella flats = truth, righteousness, apple pie, motherhood, etc.

@GIBrat51
Had a 760FS set on a Pbass (with PV63 pickup) and liked the E and A strings, which confirmed your picturesque description. But the D and G were still thin and trebly sounding after about six months so with a heavy heart I took them off and replaced them with a Fender 9050M set, which sounds more even across the strings. But I'm still not quite there. Perhaps a 760FM set? Or a GHS M3050 / 3050 set?