Rotosound 77 flats - do they mellow over time?

[Boneless]

I've just put a set or .040-.100 Rotosound flats on my P bass. They are low output - I expected that. They are also quite rough for a flat, more like a groundwound/pressurewound string - I also expected that. They are also incredibly bright, so much so that to get a usable tone out of the bass, one that was not all high mids, I've had to turn down the 1kHz control quite a bit on my 800RB (like, 10 o'clock - that's quite a lot on the 800RB). And the treble too (more like 11 o'clock). Bear in mind that I like bright strings, I have Rotosound rounds on my other sort-of P bass. Also, although they are light gauge, they are very stiff and they produce some weird overtones. (No, they are not twisted).

I know that Rotosound flats were used by lots of British bass players in the '70s (Roger Waters, John Deacon, etc.) but what I'm hearing is nothing like that. (I know, you shouldn't base your tone considerations on what you hear on a record, but still, you should get "the general idea").

(I'm not against using EQ to the fullest, I'm not a "flat EQ fundamentalist", quite the contrary, but I have never had to apply such a strong correction).

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

I revisited them last month 45-105---put a fresh set on my P bass. They just sounded too thuddy, kinda bright, but lacking sustain (higher tension). They mellowed out after a week---a little too much for me. I dunno, I yanked them and had Dogal Carbonsteels rounds and Markbass energy rounds, sitting right there in the bullpen--those are my go-to anymore.

 

[Grinderman]

Of course, they do. All strings mellow over time.

I've had one set of 45-105 77 flats on a P bass for about 15 months—and a second set of the same kind of flats on another P bass for about 4 months. No noted unusual overtones to speak of.

Context:

Both P basses have SD Antiquity (AlNiCo 2) pickups. These two P basses don't sound as much the same as may be assumed.

The output to an OE Cali 76 CB comp set for a driven, percussive, lively & fat dynamics and sound before an Ampeg SVT set flat or close to flat (800 Hz mid frequency).

 

[Boneless]

Of course, they do. All strings mellow over time.

I've had one set of 45-105 77 flats on a P bass for about 15 months—and a second set of the same kind of flats on another P bass for about 4 months. No noted unusual overtones to speak of.

Context:

Both P basses have SD Antiquity (AlNiCo 2) pickups. These two P basses don't sound as much the same as may be assumed.

The output to an OE Cali 76 CB comp set for a driven, percussive, lively & fat dynamics and sound before an Ampeg SVT set flat or close to flat (800 Hz mid frequency).

Yes, yes. Strings do mellow over time, but some strings tend to be inherently brighter than others, otherwise after a certain period all strings would be equal. (I kind of think a similar thing about roundwounds, I don't hear as much variability as with flats. To me, roundwounds are either nickel or stainless steel, good or bad).

FWIW, after just a week I've found Rotosound flats to have lost much of their excessive high mids and treble, still not balanced but much closer to optimal. When fresh the high mids overpowered everything, so much that the bass appeared to have little bass.

 

[Grinderman]

@Boneless

The most consistent, no-surprises, mellow-fresh-from-the-pack flats I've ever found are GHS Precision flats. They're quite different from Rotosound 77 Jazz flats; opposite ends of the spectrum.

 

[Boneless]

@Boneless

The most consistent, no-surprises, mellow-fresh-from-the-pack flats I've ever found are GHS Precision flats. They're quite different from Rotosound 77 Jazz flats; opposite ends of the spectrum.

I'm not against a more biting sound, on the contrary. I have Pyramid flats on another bass, TI flats on yet another, and a more aggressive tone is what I was after.

 

[ajkula66]

My bass-playing-son had 77s in the 40-100 gauge on one of his P-Bass clones at one time. They did mellow a bit after maybe a month but still remained pretty bright (for flats and IMO) for another year when the bass eventually got traded in...

 

[bassist4dalord]

I have a 45-105 set on my Schecter Raiden Special-4. They’re only a couple of weeks old but so far I am liking them. The surface feel is fantastic. The strings have a nice stiffness to them that allows for very low action; I am quite enjoying that. I’m curious to see how they break in, but so far, so good!