I've got a '59 customshop P. Been playing for about a year and want to try flats after hearing the bassist for The Chris Robinson Brotherhood in LA. His name was "Muddy" and he got this groovey "thump" sound that was so in sync with the kick drum that it was hard to tell which was which. Best sound ever! He was playing a '59 Kay w/ Orange head and 6 x 10. He told me that he used flats, but I didn't ask the brand. Suggestions?
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Recommend a Flat for a hippie?
- Thread starter Amorica
- Start date
I prefer Sadowsky Flats (.045-.105) on my '59 P-Bass and my Joiners, but LaBellas, Chromes, etc. all get a lot of love here too. I couldn't get behind TI Jazz Flats... too light on the tension and too thin on the tone for me... YMMV
A hippie? With a Custom Shop Fender? 
Try LaBella Deep Talkin' flats. Of course, you're going to get dozens of recommendations here.
Invalid Link Removed Take a look around, do some reading, and go for it.
Try LaBella Deep Talkin' flats. Of course, you're going to get dozens of recommendations here.
Invalid Link Removed Take a look around, do some reading, and go for it.
It seems that the LaBella Flats are the ones with the "original" sound, they are not too expensive and last literally forever. They sure do it for my P and the Classic Rock we play.
Timothy Leary is dead. (Just ask the Moody Blues!) If he were alive, he would say,"Labella flats" are groovy man.
Here is my take on the flats I have tried:
Chromes:
My absolute favorite (45-100 gauges in particular but I also tried 40-100 and 50-105). They are very low middy. New they are pretty bright as some say they can be clanky but they die and get thumpy and middy very quick loosing all of that clanky high-end. Tension wise they are easy to adjust to and a very similar but with a little less flex than d'addario XL's in the same gauge. My favorite set is my about 1 and 1/2 year old set.
Rotosound 77's:
I really tried to like these (45-105 and 40-100) but they didn't do it for me. They are brighter than chromes when new but go dead just as quick except they do not have the mid presence of the chromes. I would say the 40-100 set is comparable to chromes in the 50-105 gauges tension wise.
TI Jazz Flats:
I wanted to like these too but mostly because of the price. They are they lightest tension string I have ever played on a bass. I really couldn't give them a fair chance to break in because of how light they felt. Tone wise they were more in the upper mid than the lower mid character of the chromes. They have a big fan base here so people like them but they are like no other flat.
I would recommend starting with Chromes or Fender Flats (which are said to be the same if not very similar). They are cheap, neither the highest or lowest tension, and neither the brightest or anti-brightest (I don't want to say dullest, just doesn't sound right). From there you can decide which direction to go if you don't really like them.
Chromes:
My absolute favorite (45-100 gauges in particular but I also tried 40-100 and 50-105). They are very low middy. New they are pretty bright as some say they can be clanky but they die and get thumpy and middy very quick loosing all of that clanky high-end. Tension wise they are easy to adjust to and a very similar but with a little less flex than d'addario XL's in the same gauge. My favorite set is my about 1 and 1/2 year old set.
Rotosound 77's:
I really tried to like these (45-105 and 40-100) but they didn't do it for me. They are brighter than chromes when new but go dead just as quick except they do not have the mid presence of the chromes. I would say the 40-100 set is comparable to chromes in the 50-105 gauges tension wise.
TI Jazz Flats:
I wanted to like these too but mostly because of the price. They are they lightest tension string I have ever played on a bass. I really couldn't give them a fair chance to break in because of how light they felt. Tone wise they were more in the upper mid than the lower mid character of the chromes. They have a big fan base here so people like them but they are like no other flat.
I would recommend starting with Chromes or Fender Flats (which are said to be the same if not very similar). They are cheap, neither the highest or lowest tension, and neither the brightest or anti-brightest (I don't want to say dullest, just doesn't sound right). From there you can decide which direction to go if you don't really like them.
A hippie? With a Custom Shop Fender?
Hey man, do you know how much Vegan hash I had to sell to get that bass? She's been relic'd and has hand-wound pups from this old lady at Fender that smoked weed with Leo & Clapton. Seriously, it a killer sounding bass, old timers are always asking to play it...they are amazed by the feel and tone. It's my first bass and I'll never need another P....back to the question at hand. I'm thinking Labella after all the great feedback. Is there a "flavor" or gauge I should consider?
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LaBellas give you that drum-like thump the best, IMO, without too much growl or brightness. Let them break in, they will not bring the full funk when new.
FL760 and up for the thump, IMO. If you want the whole hog old school tone you can even try the Jamerson set, but be prepared for high tension and stiffness.
BTW, those Kay basses thump in a way even a P can't. A friend plays them with Pyramid flats and it's quite a sound.
FL760 and up for the thump, IMO. If you want the whole hog old school tone you can even try the Jamerson set, but be prepared for high tension and stiffness.
BTW, those Kay basses thump in a way even a P can't. A friend plays them with Pyramid flats and it's quite a sound.
