P v. P, flats v. rounds

[Kevin Teed]

Generally speaking, I prefer flats on slab rosewood board P's and rounds on maple neck P's. The thin laminate rosewood fretboard necks sound good with both. For flats I like Fender & Chromes on P's and TI's on Ricks.
For rounds I have to go with Roto nickles.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

I've been using the Lull with either he Lo Riders or Roto Swing Nickels for over a decade. But after 30 years playing rounds, I want to give flats a try.

I tried a set of the Roto 77s (flats) on a P. The tone is excellent, but the tension is more than I can handle for a four hour gig. I'm using TIs on my main P now.

 

[Gizmot]

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.

Sorry Jimmy - - on this one I'll have to disagree with part of your assertion. I do wish that Jazz Flats had a bit more tension, but I LOVE their sound and the fact that they will last for years. How long they last makes their relatively high price a mute point since you'll probably save money by not having to buy strings so often.

 

[Gizmot]

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!

At the NAMM show last January, I spent a few minutes talking to one of the guys from DR Strings. He listened carefully to the sound I was looking for and recommended that I try Pure Blues. I took his recommendation and absolutely loved the strings. As a matter of fact, I just bought a few sets of these so that I always have some in my backup stash.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

If the ‘51 build is a single coil then I’d put flats on it, rounds on the Lull. The ‘51 with a single is incredibly bright (Lindy Fralins in mine, not sure of Rios). I do not like overly bright, but flats and a bright pickup is what I was intending.

BUT, if I were to one day want a rock bass, rounds would be on the ‘51. It can get that sound better than a split coil, imo. So, maybe YOU should put rounds on the ‘51, flats on the Lull. Either can wing Motown well, so the question should be which will provide the better rock bass. The ‘51.

 

[diglo]

I’ve tried DR, D’Addario and SIT semi-flats and my fav were the GHS Precision. I was hearing the tone I was hearing in my head...worn & warm out the box.

 

[SasquatchDude]

Definitely agree with running flats on the split-coil if you're going for classic P/Motown vibes.

Just my 2¢ – in my experience, GHS P Flats are little more "full" or "woody" sounding than your typical Motown sound. Really can't beat LaBellas for that tight, focused low-mid punch, although IMO they're less versatile for an all-round rock/funk/blues flatwound tone.

 

[chris_b]

When I bought my Mike Lull PJ5 it had rounds on. It sounded pretty good but then I heard a friend's Lull P5 and it sounded better! The only difference I could find was the strings, he had flats on. I put on a set of Lakland flats (which I believe were rebadged GHS Precision flats) and hey-presto, a huge jump in tone. After a few years I got a good deal on some TI flats (another big jump in tone) and I've had those on for about 5 years.

 

[JLY]

I have flats on my current PBass but generally prefer rounds over flats

Back in the day, I loved Rounds and a pick on a PBass thru an SVT and fridge. What an incredible nasty, meaty and aggressive rock sound

No longer looking for that at age 56 though

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

I prefer flats on my PBass. My favorites are TI Flats. I’ve never tried Labellas.
When I want a good flat for slapping nothing beats Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats.

I don’t get along to well with a Chromes.

 

[GIBrat51]

My A-necked '78 P-Bass is a specialized Thump machine, so - GHS Precision Flats and the mute in the bridge, is what works for me. But, if I needed it to be more versatile? The mute would come out, and the Fender 9050L's would go back on. It was one sweet sounding bass, set up that way...

 

[kinopah]

This is how I am too. Right now I play a Fender P and a Fodera P/J. I have TI Flats on my Fender and rounds on my Fodera. They're such different feels, but both equally classic. It's really nice to have immediate access to either palette.

 

[Gaolee]

I don't remember what flats are on my P. That's how it's supposed to be. The strings on my P-Bird, which is a P in all but shape, are DRs with a red coating. I don't remember what they are called, either. Both sets have been on at least a couple years. The strings on the Fender P have been there longer.

 

[buldog5151bass]

Yeah, I'm happy with my decision with the Precision Flats.

 

[Pocket4]

As a flat wound user I am stringing one with Sunbeams and another with Pressure Wounds. I'm dedicated to finding their place but sometimes I'm getting little thin on the trials. Time will tell I guess.