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stiff flats other than chromes?

W

williamk

Apr 2, 2008
871
28
#1
Hi all,
I have p-bass which is currently strung with DR sunbeams (I think these are fantastic strings BTW!) but I'm ready to switch to flats. I've tried chromes before (on a previous and cheaper p-bass) and didn't really like how they sounded or felt (sticky much?) but I really loved the kind of tension they have, very "stiff" I guess would be the right term. I'm looking for a flatwound string that will have that same tension/stiffness but will sound more like traditional flats if you will...is there such a thing? Fingerstyle vintage music is what I do, and I like very low action, as close to the fretboard as possible without fretbuzz.

I also bought a used danelectro once which had flats on them, they had blue nylon at the end and the owner said he thought they were GHS but wasn't sure. They sounded great and felt good too, but unfortunately he cut the ends of the strings so they wouldn't dangle around and now they won't fit on my p-bass (the dano was a shortscale...).

Lastly, price is an issue...I'm a college student and don't want to spend a fortune on strings...so the cheaper the better!
thanks!
 
#11
DuShauh said:
Fender 9050's... not expensive, not sticky. Some say that they are comparable in most other ways to Chromes. I disagree. I very much like the Fender Flats: Chromes don't do it for me at all.
Click to expand...

I like the Fenders too. I have them on a de-fretted Squier Jazz. Great feel. Nothing sticky or spongy about them. I'm not sure I would describe them as traditional flat tone though. They're not as "growly" as the Roto 66s on my 62RI Fender Jazz, but they're pretty bright.
 
#14
Well for a start I don't think Chromes are stiff for flats. Not as stiff as Rotos or Labellas. But yes they are stiffer than your average round wound. The DR flats would definitely be stiffer than Sunbeams. Also not sure how long you gave the chromes a shot for but they lose their stickiness after a couple of months playing and IMO become a nicer sounding string too.
 
#15
LaBella Deep Talkin' (Jamerson's are the stiffest, 760s a little less)
GHS Precision Flats (These are so stiff they feel like steel rods to me)
Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 Flats (these are so stiff they feel like bridge cable to me)
Fender 9050 (Pretty stiff and are much brighter than typical flats)

I actually think Chromes aren't as stiff as any of these. Maybe comparable to the Fenders.
 
#16
Let me throw in GHS pressure wounds. I have two basses strung with these. A little more round wound zing in the tone...but feel a lot like flats.

Labella's are still my fav for deep sounded flats...but the pressure wounds are growing on me.
 
#17
interesting...like I mentioned, I know very little about flats, and the chromes felt stiffer than any roundwound, but maybe in the flat world they're not so stiff I guess...

I do like how the sunbeams feel, they are stiffer than any d'Addario or EB rounds I've tried. I find a lot of strings can feel slack or loose on p-basses for some reason, but these are great. I don't want anything looser than these, ideally.
 

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