Flats are so much more comfortable, and if Steve Harris can get them to punch through Iron Maiden, it just proves you can do a lot with them beyond roots music.
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Someone explain flatwounds to me please??
- Thread starter cameltoe
- Start date
I like the thump of flatwounds, and I hate the fingernoise you get off of roundwounds.
I like D'Addario Chromes myself.
I like D'Addario Chromes myself.
Horrible,well at least the GHS flats I tried, not an ounce of brightness, they sounded like round-wounds at the end of their life cycle.
I'd stay away from the Quarter Pounders as well, but perhaps that's just me. I had the Duncan "Hot for P-Bass" (SPB-3?) and didn't like it at all. I've got Antiquities II on my main P and I love it. I've used the SPB-1 ("Vintage" style) and would happily use it again. Both have got a good tonal balance for me. I would leave the pickup alone until you've tried flats.
Flats still have a lot of attack/transient punch, but they seem to settle into a nice sustain a bit earlier. More in the front end, a little less in the back.
The flats I recommend are the Lakland Joe Osborn flats. I don't think as many people have tried them as, say, Chromes because although you'll see lots of recommendations for Chromes and TI Jazz flats, I've never seen an "I tried the Joe Osborn flats and I just hated them."
The Chromes seemed OK by me. I didn't like the TI Jazz flats as much. I wasn't that big on the LaBella "Deep Talkin' Bass", either. YMMV.
If I were to suggest a string that is readily available yet is a pretty good string, my experience with Chromes was good enough that I'd recommend them. They're fairly available and they'll let you know whether you should stick with flats or go back to rounds.
I like having a bass with rounds on it so I can enjoy the change occasionally. I always go back to flats.
KO
Flats still have a lot of attack/transient punch, but they seem to settle into a nice sustain a bit earlier. More in the front end, a little less in the back.
The flats I recommend are the Lakland Joe Osborn flats. I don't think as many people have tried them as, say, Chromes because although you'll see lots of recommendations for Chromes and TI Jazz flats, I've never seen an "I tried the Joe Osborn flats and I just hated them."
The Chromes seemed OK by me. I didn't like the TI Jazz flats as much. I wasn't that big on the LaBella "Deep Talkin' Bass", either. YMMV.
If I were to suggest a string that is readily available yet is a pretty good string, my experience with Chromes was good enough that I'd recommend them. They're fairly available and they'll let you know whether you should stick with flats or go back to rounds.
I like having a bass with rounds on it so I can enjoy the change occasionally. I always go back to flats.
KO
Just make sure you leave them on for at least a month or so, to give them a chance to break in. I never did that with the Fender strings in the past - any time I tried to give them a chance, I really didn't give them a chance. I did with the Chromes, and so far, I still have them on several months later. I still dig rounds too though... I wish I had two P basses, so I could have both.
Go to the Lakland website, and look for the audio samples. They have the same bass lines played with both rounds and flats on different basses, including a P bass. That'll give you an idea of the difference. Take note that the rounds are solid steel, which are going to be very bright compared to the flats, and are likely brand new strings as well.
Also a word of caution. The site has a tendency to make people want to buy a Lakland.
Also a word of caution. The site has a tendency to make people want to buy a Lakland.
Camel-
A set of Fender Flatwounds shouldn't cost over $25 and like any string you should be able to put them on yourself. Just do it and see how they sound/feel on your bass. Everyone should play a P with Flats at some time. It's too big a part of our low-end heritage not to experience.
A set of Fender Flatwounds shouldn't cost over $25 and like any string you should be able to put them on yourself. Just do it and see how they sound/feel on your bass. Everyone should play a P with Flats at some time. It's too big a part of our low-end heritage not to experience.
hasbeen
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this is a good reference place to start- They make a great string and this page gives some good, basic qualities of what each type of string will bring you:
http://store.daddario.com/category/145850
http://store.daddario.com/category/145850
i am stringing my ATK305 with chromes tomorrow now that I can shift funk/fusion duties to my new ATK750KA. of the few flatwounds i have tried, i also like the chromes. they really do sound way better after a month or two.
i put a set on my fretless a while ago and now it's a very suitable electric bass for my jazz combo. before it sounded thin and weak...now its deeper, bassier and thumpier.
I must be weird because I hate the sound of dead rounds, but I like flats and I love super bright SS rounds.
i put a set on my fretless a while ago and now it's a very suitable electric bass for my jazz combo. before it sounded thin and weak...now its deeper, bassier and thumpier.
I must be weird because I hate the sound of dead rounds, but I like flats and I love super bright SS rounds.
Yeah, 1/4-Pounders FTL IMO. They have a lot of high-end twang, but lack the real mid-range grind of a good P-bass pickup. A lot of pop-punk bands use the 1/4-pounder pickup on a P-bass w/ rounds and I think it sounds terrible. There is a lot of low end, but also a lot of high-end and not as much of the true P-bass character.
I would get a Fender 62RI pickup if you want to improve the sound of your MIM P-bass while still keeping its traditional voice in tact. Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-bass might also do well for you.
As far as the tension issue with flats, it depends on the brand/model of flats you get. TI Jazz flats have very little tension, while LaBella Jamerson flats have a great deal of tension. Chromes have a moderately high amount of tension, IIRC, but not overboard. But, whether loose or tight, you shouldn't have any problems finding a flatwound string in the tension that you prefer.
I agree about Chromes---to me they are probably the most versatile string out there---you can get a great rock sound with a pick (especially when still pretty new), you can slap if you're so inclined, but they are flats--you still get the benefits of reduced string noise, etc. They age really well too. You really can't go wring with Chromes.
Depending on the bass, I use either Chromes (for my all-purpose in-between string as I describe above), Labella flats for the classic flatwound sound, or DR Nickel Lo-riders for rounds(that's as bright as I can handle!)
Depending on the bass, I use either Chromes (for my all-purpose in-between string as I describe above), Labella flats for the classic flatwound sound, or DR Nickel Lo-riders for rounds(that's as bright as I can handle!)
OTOH, the QP saved my P-Lyte from sounding like the wimpy little sissy bass that it is and made it sound pretty much like a regular stock Precision. Too intense for a regular Precision but beefs up a wimpy bass nicely.
(on-topic save) Got Chromes on it currently. Love the feel..wish they'd settle down more. Been a month...probably needs 5 or 6.
Y'know, as far as the pickup angle goes, you might really like a set of Lindy Fralins in there. I'm selling some that were in my US Lakland Glaub:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=510183&highlight=lindy
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=510183&highlight=lindy
There's been so much said above that I just want to add my extra 2c.
I put on a set of D'addario chromes last night and I must admit the sound takes some getting used to. I'm still playing around with my axe controls & amp settings to see if I can get a more likable sound. The advice above to stick to it for a month or two before coming to a final conclusion is most appreciated, otherwise they would not have stayed on the guitar much longer. I must mention however that the mellower G-string sounds way better to my ears than its roundwound counterpart and if I do cick them off eventually, the flatwound G-string will stay (the G-string sound was one of my main reasons for trying flatwounds)!
What I do like & appreciate about the flatwounds is that they're much more 'stiff' than the roundwounds and I immediately lowered all strings to a level not feasable for the roundwounds. I hope that the sound changes favourably in the next 8 weeks or so as I really like the closer string distance from the neck!
I put on a set of D'addario chromes last night and I must admit the sound takes some getting used to. I'm still playing around with my axe controls & amp settings to see if I can get a more likable sound. The advice above to stick to it for a month or two before coming to a final conclusion is most appreciated, otherwise they would not have stayed on the guitar much longer. I must mention however that the mellower G-string sounds way better to my ears than its roundwound counterpart and if I do cick them off eventually, the flatwound G-string will stay (the G-string sound was one of my main reasons for trying flatwounds)!
What I do like & appreciate about the flatwounds is that they're much more 'stiff' than the roundwounds and I immediately lowered all strings to a level not feasable for the roundwounds. I hope that the sound changes favourably in the next 8 weeks or so as I really like the closer string distance from the neck!
I predict they will grow on you. Keep them on for at least a month or two, and then go to a store and play a bass with roundwounds, and you'll notice a big difference under your fingers.
Bill, something I did not mention was that the flatwounds are much smoother on the fingers - a big +1 for sure!
great advice guys, cheers!
I think i'm gonna try the chromes, they seem to be the best all-round string according to what i've read. I'm sure there are better out there, but for someone who has never tried Flats they're probably the best place to start.
You guys have also put me off the quarter pounders, too! I think the words "pop-punk" was what finally killed it.... sounds like what i may need is a more vintage pickup, although i always thought a vintage pickup would give me less punch and a more mellow tone, but what do i know? that was just an assumption.
It's bloody hard to decide on pickup options when you can't hear them, especially through your bass and your rig....
Anyone have any words of advice on the seymour duncan vintage? like i mentioned, i was offered a set at a mark down price at the local store, so if these are what i'm after.... Compared to the Fender '62 Re-issue, the Lindy Fralins and the Antiquity though? I don't even know what they are!
I think i'm gonna try the chromes, they seem to be the best all-round string according to what i've read. I'm sure there are better out there, but for someone who has never tried Flats they're probably the best place to start.
You guys have also put me off the quarter pounders, too! I think the words "pop-punk" was what finally killed it.... sounds like what i may need is a more vintage pickup, although i always thought a vintage pickup would give me less punch and a more mellow tone, but what do i know? that was just an assumption.
It's bloody hard to decide on pickup options when you can't hear them, especially through your bass and your rig....
Anyone have any words of advice on the seymour duncan vintage? like i mentioned, i was offered a set at a mark down price at the local store, so if these are what i'm after.... Compared to the Fender '62 Re-issue, the Lindy Fralins and the Antiquity though? I don't even know what they are!
I can't speak for the MIM stock pickup or the others you mentioned, but I had the 62 RI pup in a 2006 P bass, and liked it, but have not put it in my 2008 P bass as I like the stock pickup too much.
