Putting Flatwounds just for lifetime?

[Mili]

Hello my Bass friends,
I'm living in a fu*ked up Middle Eastern country. The music market here is aweful,limited and very expensive. On other hand I'm unemployed so i can't afford strings easily. I have a friend who studying in Canada and i can want him to buy strings for me. So i decided to buy flatwound strings just for their unlimited lifetime. Now obviously I'm concerned about the sound. The question is which flatwound string is the most similar to Roundwounds? (sound and feel (tension and stiffness)). I'm using Elixir stainless steel and i like its sound and feel very much. I read a lot about Flatwounds here and i guess chromes are very bright but their tension is high and unbalanced, string by string. What is your suggestion? Is it a dumb decision?
I play everything except metal and mostly fast funky grooves(so very low or high tension (or stiffness) may cause difficulty (maybe))
My Lovely Basses are a PJ (Yamaha BB424x) and a squier dimension 5 string.
I'd appreciate any advices.
Thank you all.

 

[Gorn]

If you wanna use the same set of flats for years because replacements are difficult for you to come by, that's totally doable. If you install them properly and take care of them then there's no reason they won't play for a long time. But any brightness is gonna go away after a while. They'll never sound as bright as they did new or anything like rounds. So choosing based on their similarity to rounds won't really matter.

 

[Mili]

If you wanna use the same set of flats for years because replacements are difficult for you to come by, that's totally doable. If you install them properly and take care of them then there's no reason they won't play for a long time. But any brightness is gonna go away after a while. They'll never sound as bright as they did new or anything like rounds. So choosing based on their similarity to rounds won't really matter.

What is the best choice for me in your opinion?
Also you mentioned installing properly. Is installing them different from Roundwounds?

 

[callofcthulhu]

I've had the same set of Chromes on my bass for about 2 years. With liberal application of https://www.amazon.com/GHS-Strings-...&qid=1521562677&sr=8-2&keywords=ghs+fast+fret and https://www.amazon.com/BassBrites-A...0050JNS28/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 they sound almost new (similar to month old rounds).

You can put together a balanced tension set from Welcome to Bass Strings Online - A Bass Store for Bass Players!

 

[Gorn]

What is the best choice for me in your opinion?

Doesn't matter. Not if your goal is to keep them on the bass for years. Daddario, Labella, GHS, Ernie Ball.....take your pick. Get something like 40-95 if you want low tension.

Also you mentioned installing properly. Is installing them different from Roundwounds?

No, just install then thoughtfully and carefully to avoid twisting.

 

[robd]

Flats don't have an "unlimited lifetime". They will still age, and can stretch or break. I've seen many round wound sets stay on basses for years.

I wouldn't go with flats just due to a belief that they will last forever. I dont think they will last any longer than a round wound set would

ymmv

 

[Gorn]

Flats don't have an "unlimited lifetime". They will still age, and can stretch or break. I've seen many round wound sets stay on basses for years.

I wouldn't go with flats just due to a belief that they will last forever. I dont think they will last any longer than a round wound set would

ymmv

I agree they won't last forever but they'll absolutely last longer than rounds. Rounds have more surface area to collect dirt.

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

The brighter sounding flats will stay brighter longer than rounds, but will eventually get warmer.

 

[Mili]

Flats don't have an "unlimited lifetime

Yes, my bad. I meant comparing to Roundwounds they age very long. I saw someone had a 7 years old flats.

 

[Tom Magri]

Labella low tension flexible flatwounds

 

[scuzzy]

If you are accustomed to SS elixirs, you will not find a flat that is remotely close to the same sound. I used SS elixirs on a 5er for 12 years and they still had zing I had to EQ out with a treble cut. I suggest just sticking with those. Just my $0.02.

 

[robd]

I've seen rounds and flats stay on basses for decades. I guess most people who use rounds desire a brighter tone, so they change them often, to keep the bright, new round wound zing.

I think slapinfunk has it. The flats will hold the brightness they have longer then a round will hold it's brightness. But either type can last a very long time if you don't mind the dulling of tone as they age. or, as in your case, you dont have replacements readily available

Good luck.... must suck to not have much choice... Spoiled here in the US

 

[cnltb]

Strings can last a LONG time. I see this as quite do-able.

 

[bass40hz]

Rotosound Steve Harris Signatures...I love these, the only flat I will use.

 

[SirMjac28]

The only flats I have are on my Hofner they are Pyramid Gold's and they have been on this bass for seven years still sounding fantastic.

 

[fermata]

The brighter flats include Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats, D'Addario Chromes, and maybe Fender 9050L, so those might be some to consider.

 

[Joedog]

I have a friend with 20 year old rounds on his bass. They sound about like 6 month old flats.

 

[BeRad]

I don’t mean to hijack this but I didn’t want to start a new topic.

I put flats (EB Cobalts) on my bass for the first time and the D&G strings snapped while tuning.

EB support said that they are not meant to be cut at all, so does that mean I just wind the whole thing around the peg?

Thank you

 

[Kukulkan61]

GHS PRESSURE WOUNDS...

 

[Kukulkan61]

I don’t mean to hijack this but I didn’t want to start a new topic.

I put flats (EB Cobalts) on my bass for the first time and the D&G strings snapped while tuning.

EB support said that they are not meant to be cut at all, so does that mean I just wind the whole thing around the peg?

Thank you

EB support are high on Dog poop...