P v. P, flats v. rounds

[Pet Sounds]

I like GHS Precision Flats a lot, as well as Fender flats and LaBellas. Enjoy!

 

[jeff62]

Flats can work just fine for rock. Ask Steve Harris.

 

[Briton]

On a P Bass,it's got to be TI's for me, getting that lovely textured midrange once the newness has gone is music to my ears.

 

[bherman]

Not a big rounds fan on P bass (although I used them for years in the 70s/80s). I generally prefer flats (Pyramids for me) but was in a rock project for a while and used pressure wounds - absolutely loved them! Kind of a cross between rounds and flats (like mellow rounds) but with tone all the way up, they can bite.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Now I have:

- P with the Precision Flats for blues
- J with Roto Swing Nickels for a modern rock tone
- Fretless J with half wounds for jazz
- '51 build with Nickel Low Riders for rock

Until I break down and get an upright, I can't think of anything I could use. Toys are fun.

 

[LonesomeCraig]

I really like the GHS Precision Flats. They sound and feel great on my Fender P bass and my G&L LB-100.
I use TI's on my G&L Kiloton. The tension is low and it took a while to get used to. That bass is light weight and plays itself with the TI's. After trying several different types of strings the TI's sounded the best with the Kiloton.

 

[JimmyM]

LOL...this thread sure turned into a TI commercial Always does, though.

Now I have:

- P with the Precision Flats for blues
- J with Roto Swing Nickels for a modern rock tone
- Fretless J with half wounds for jazz
- '51 build with Low Riders for rock

Until I break down and get an upright, I can't think of anything I could use. Toys are fun.

How about an upright?

I think I would have gone in your direction as well just because 51 pickups are usually brighter.

 

[buldog5151bass]

LOL...this thread sure turned into a TI commercial Always does, though.


How about an upright?

I think I would have gone in your direction as well just because 51 pickups are usually brighter.

As I said, until I break down. I haven't touched one since I rented one in college.

 

[Frndmoretti]

I play a tagima '51 style p-bass with EMG GZR pickups and Pyramid Flats.

Full old-school but the pickups allow it to be more aggressive if needed with the tone wide open.

 

[_godspeed_]

I have 2 P basses - one with Ernie Ball rounds and one with TI flats. Sometimes it’s really hard to choose which one I’m gonna play. I find that nailing a perfect flats tone is quite a bit harder, but when it’s happening there’s no better feeling! If I choose one it’s probably gonna be a P bass with rounds just because sometimes I need that piano tone. Other than that P with TIs is covers 90% of my tones.

 

[_godspeed_]

For what I like to hear and feel, in my opinion, nothing beats T-I Jazz Flats if you want flats. I used Chromes and a few other brands and I thought they were all usable and okay. When I first tried Jazz Flats many years ago, they blew my mind because I've never heard a flat that didn't sound dead.

My TI flats are about 5 years old now, and they sound exactly like they did after about 1 month of play. They’re insane.

 

[Gizmot]

The issue is tension/stiffness. I don't like floppy strings. For ear, I loved the sound of Sunbeams, but they were too floppy.

Any product has various trade offs that it asks you to make. Jazz Flats are low tension strings for sure. But they reward you with their phenomenal sound and their easy playability.

 

[JimmyM]

Any product has various trade offs that it asks you to make. Jazz Flats are low tension strings for sure. But they reward you with their phenomenal sound and their easy playability.

And a rolling under the fingers and a seeming inability to go dead in a reasonable amount of time I gave up after 4 months. Love their upright strings, though.

 

[Chrisk-K]

You need two P’s, one with flats and the other with rounds.

 

[jj4001]

I just put Optima RB 4440 flats on one of my basses. Very much like TIs tonally but not so loose and floppy. They’re looser than Fender 9050L but noticeably stiffer than TI. They sound amazing right out of the box. TI is the only other flat I can say that about. No idea how they will age, but I think I may have found a new favorite.

 

[Heisenbass]

D'Addario chromes on all of them.View attachment 3643014

Hey, fellow Force-8 owner here. I’ve got an 82 sunburst as yours but with DiMarzios and strung with DR Sunbeams. And I’ve got an 84 BBR single humbucker with TI Flats on it. Both are killers.

 

[Manticore]

When I started one really didn't have the option. Rounds were out but not readily available. Once I tried rounds there was no going back.

 

[Heisenbass]

Not a big rounds fan on P bass (although I used them for years in the 70s/80s). I generally prefer flats (Pyramids for me) but was in a rock project for a while and used pressure wounds - absolutely loved them! Kind of a cross between rounds and flats (like mellow rounds) but with tone all the way up, they can bite.

Can confirm. I bought a used L2000 Tribby some time ago strung with D’Addario Halfrounds. Almost as smooth as flats, but if you need a bit of attack/zing, it’s there. Just dial in the highs as needed. Great compromise overall if you need both worlds

 

[BassNoobTX]

I prefer flats as well and most of my Basses are strung with flats. The d'addario chromes are the best I’ve had. I also have Fender’s flats.

Not to divert the thread but I recently traded for a 5 string and I want to string it with flats,
the only d'addario chromes I found in 5 strings is the regular-light version.

what model everyone is using for their 5 strings? Any good recommendations?

 

[Mikey F]

The issue is tension/stiffness. I don't like floppy strings. For ear, I loved the sound of Sunbeams, but they were too floppy.

yeah I am not digging the sunbeams either. Lo riders are killer though. I use labella flats on my 51, and I am digging it!