Rotosound SM77 40-100 flats

[Ricky Rioli]

the G string plays no role whatsoever and the D is only occasionally hit, so perhaps I should just be a bit more patient the with aging process

I often notice when putting a different brand of string on my Ps that I initially dislike the transition from the A to the D string caused by the split pickup. Most times, my fingers gradually learn to control the strings, and then respond to my ears' complaints – my touch evolves to match the tone up better, without any conscious effort.

Having said that, the DTFs really do have their own variation in character from string to string, so.....

I am resolved that I'll be trying them again one day, but on the understanding that I'll have to find a new way of playing to accommodate them. So next time they won't be going on my No.1 bass!

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Getting back to the subject of the thread, I want to highlight this detail:

in demos the 45–105 set usually has a little bite. There are very few videos of this 40–100 on YouTube, and those there are suggest quite a soft-edged character relative to the heavier sets. I'm finding that to be the case. The sound is warm and round.

I wish I had had been patient enough to break my 40-100 set in, and see how they were once the top had gone.
(This is the downside to restricting myself to only two basses, there's little scope for experimentation for the sake of it!)

 

[michael_t]

I haven't but they've been on my list for a while. Their extra long length (for a Pbass) is probably what has prevented me so far from trying them although I've read in quite a few posts on TB that they work perfectly fine.

Funny you should mention the winding length on the Precision Flats. That's exactly what prevented me from trying them for a long time as it was a little hard on my OCD.

I did eventually get over my OCD, though. My P bass has been reunited with the P Flats 45-95 as of two months ago, and it's been purring happily since.

 

[michael_t]

I'm still looking for the perfect set of flats for my Pbass currently strung with LaBella 760FS. I like the E and A but not so much the D and G strings, which sound considerably thinner and metallic. Perhaps they are still too new and will even out eventually. So looking for a thicker sounding set across all strings. Perhaps the DR Legend I had on some time ago were better in that respect.

I haven't but they've been on my list for a while. Their extra long length (for a Pbass) is probably what has prevented me so far from trying them although I've read in quite a few posts on TB that they work perfectly fine.

You can always experiment with the idea of mix-and-matching by trying the GHS P Flats G and D to see how they match up with the La Bella A and E. Just a thought...

 

[Luckydog]

They are much brighter indeed.

On a side note, I'm still looking for the perfect set of flats for my Pbass currently strung with LaBella 760FS. I like the E and A but not so much the D and G strings, which sound considerably thinner and metallic. Perhaps they are still too new and will even out eventually. So looking for a thicker sounding set across all strings. Perhaps the DR Legend I had on some time ago were better in that respect.

Your D and G are perfect candidates for “Eucerinizing”. See JimmyM’s detailed discussion of the Eucerin method, and the specific type of Eucerin to use. Wipe one coat of Eucerin onto the D and the G, letting it get into the windings as much as possible. Leave it overnight. Next day, do another coat. A few hours after the last coat, wipe the strings clean with paper towels, and then a soft cloth. Your D and G should be nearly identical in timbre to the E and A. The good thing is that the Labellas will retain a little bit of high end to cut through (unlike the GHS flats), but all the strings should have about the same level of thump and punch, so your D and G wont stand out like red-headed step-children.

 

[Phaidrus]

Funny you should mention the winding length on the Precision Flats. That's exactly what prevented me from trying them for a long time as it was a little hard on my OCD.

I did eventually get over my OCD, though. My P bass has been reunited with the P Flats 45-95 as of two months ago, and it's been purring happily since.

I know the feeling, I can be quite OCD myself sometimes with some things. Winding length os trings being one of them. But the right tone is more important than that, of course. I should definitely try the 45-105 set sometime.

 

[Phaidrus]

You can always experiment with the idea of mix-and-matching by trying the GHS P Flats G and D to see how they match up with the La Bella A and E. Just a thought...

Interesting idea but would that be a total OCD breach?

 

[michael_t]

Interesting idea but would that be a total OCD breach?

It all depends on whether you're OCD about tonal balance or OCD about appearance.

Would something like this bother you?

 

[Phaidrus]

so your D and G wont stand out like red-headed step-children.

That's exactly what they are now! Poor sods.

 

[Phaidrus]

It all depends on whether you're OCD about tonal balance or OCD about appearance.

Would something like this bother you?

View attachment 4855991

You've formulated the issue in its broad dimension and profundity. The OCD character has to have looks and tone. So I'll try bring my D and G LaBellas up to specs before removing them.

 

[Phaidrus]

My apologies to @Ricky Rioli for derailing the thread, which caught my attention because I'd like to try the Roto Jazz flats as part of my perfect flats search. "There is no way I'm ever going to try the RS77LD 45–105!" And yes, I'd go for the 45-105 set for more fatness, which set btw has some 10lbs less tension than the 50-105 Chromes set.

 

[Bobbadfinger]

I'm also an Matt Freeman/Roto 77 40-100 user.
I can testify how high tension those are. Being given formerly the Roto 45-105 flat set, I had to tighten the truss rod almost to the end; when I bought the lighter set, I loosed the truss rod some prior to its installation, just to realize it needed to be tighten almost to the same point...
For flexibility I say it doesn't bother me a bit; it allows pretty low action, and from memory the Chromes set I had in another P feeled even stiffer.
Now for tone, I really dig those strings; they thump 'nuff, mids in the right spot, and no excess treble.

 

[Dabop]

I went to see what the next set of gauges down from these were .... and found its the lightest set!

 

[Pier_]

just to add to the topic:

Rotosound RS77LD actually are 50-70-85-105

the light gauge is 45-65-80-100, and the heavy gauge 55-75-90-110

as usual with Rotosound, they advertise "standard" gauges, but actually have different gauges.