here I am with a tiny story for flatwound lovers, not-yet-lovers or once-lovers 
this thread can be useful for those who want to dismiss flats for rounds, but are not sure
in the last four years I've used only flats on my basses, primarily Thomastik JF344, but also D'Addario Chromes (in both 45-100 and 50-105), Pyramid Gold on the short scale and La Bella Jamerson on the last Precision I bought.
since June (2014) I started wondering about using rounds again, and I switched to DR Hi Beam on my main Precision, needing that sound for some gigs with a new band.
I then switched to Rotosound Swing66 on the other Precision, and used them for the Blues Brothers tribute and for a rock band.
I even took off the flats from my backup Peavey Zodiac, and strung it with Rotosound Funkmaster strings...
gigs all the way, lots of reharsals, and I was totally caught by the roundwound clanky, growly and zingy sound.
the only statement I got from bandmates was like "are you using a guitar amp, right?", because of the metallic sound.
I started to forget about flats, except for the fact that after two months or less the strings starts to sound dull and lifeless...
once the Funkmaster set died, I put the old Thomastik set on the Peavey Zodiac, and took it to the Blues Brothers gig monday evening...
WOW!
I finally remembered why I've used flats for the last four years
big warm and woody sound, with a strong fundamental, smooth and audible lines right in the "sweet spot" of the mix, plus the warm sound fullfilling and glueing the band.
it was something I haven't experienced in months. I even tried nickel strings, but they were not flats.
once at home, I put that Thomastik set right on the Precision, where it belongs, and now I'm completely happy again.
the main bass with flats, the other with rounds, and one that still needs me to decide
this thread can be useful for those who want to dismiss flats for rounds, but are not sure in the last four years I've used only flats on my basses, primarily Thomastik JF344, but also D'Addario Chromes (in both 45-100 and 50-105), Pyramid Gold on the short scale and La Bella Jamerson on the last Precision I bought.
since June (2014) I started wondering about using rounds again, and I switched to DR Hi Beam on my main Precision, needing that sound for some gigs with a new band.
I then switched to Rotosound Swing66 on the other Precision, and used them for the Blues Brothers tribute and for a rock band.
I even took off the flats from my backup Peavey Zodiac, and strung it with Rotosound Funkmaster strings...
gigs all the way, lots of reharsals, and I was totally caught by the roundwound clanky, growly and zingy sound.
the only statement I got from bandmates was like "are you using a guitar amp, right?", because of the metallic sound.
I started to forget about flats, except for the fact that after two months or less the strings starts to sound dull and lifeless...
once the Funkmaster set died, I put the old Thomastik set on the Peavey Zodiac, and took it to the Blues Brothers gig monday evening...
WOW!
I finally remembered why I've used flats for the last four years
big warm and woody sound, with a strong fundamental, smooth and audible lines right in the "sweet spot" of the mix, plus the warm sound fullfilling and glueing the band. it was something I haven't experienced in months. I even tried nickel strings, but they were not flats.
once at home, I put that Thomastik set right on the Precision, where it belongs, and now I'm completely happy again.
the main bass with flats, the other with rounds, and one that still needs me to decide
had some Osborn flats stored in my attic from when I stopped playing over a decade ago. Put em on a new to me P and there was the sound that brought me home.
