Hey all. I'm looking for some string advice. For about a year I've been using TI flats. Don't get me wrong, the tone on these things is great. But I am really dissatisfied with them. Firstly, it doesn't seem like the E and A strings are balanced well with the D and G. That's not my biggest problem though. I also have decided the low tension is really not working for me. I can play lightly, but I'm not cool with not having digging in as an option. This sucks because I play near the neck most of the time. My action is not low, but it's not high. I'd like it to be a bit lower, but not "stupid low". Also, they don't have the attack I want. They seem to kind of bloom into a note a little bit, but don't back down from there. The kind of attack/tone I'm looking for is for example the Doobie Brother's "Long Train Runnin'" (although that is a bit exaggerated) or any song off of Chicago Transit Authority. I'm guessing compressors were probably used here but I don't really want to complicate my signal chain, or fork over the cash So can you recommend me a set of flats that - feels well balanced - is high enough tension that you can really dig in a lot when you want to? - has lots of attack (this is the most important)
What you are hearing is not a different brand or type of string, it's players using a pick. So if the tone in the two examples is to your liking, use flats with a pick and start from there.
I enjoy the tension on my chromes quite a bit, and from what people say they are as close as you can get to the atack/grind of rounds without going groundwound etc. I can get plenty of bite and grind out of mine by plucking/picking nearer to the bridge, but they don't seem to mind me digging in. Although, in my experience most strings played nearer the neck will require a softer pluck unless you want to suffer some fret buzz. have you tried just living with picking closer to the bridge when you want to dig in?
Oh great. This is not exactly what I wanted to hear I am the worst pick player ever and I really like playing with fingers. I don't really like the tone of rounds, nor the fact that they wear out. Like I said I've been using the TIs for a year and they sound better than when I got them. I don't think it's necessarily rounds, though. Jamerson has some "attack", while Entwhistle not so much. Think of it like, Jamerson goes "bummmm" where bu is the attack and mmmm is the sustain, and Entwhistle just goes "buaaaaaaaa". I kind of figured the attack thing would go hand in hand with tension, so was thinking about Labellas or Rotosounds, which are supposed to have super high tension. Anyone else want to chime in? I'm afraid of the pick........
I've been pretty happy with my Chromes as well. I'm using the medium gauge, 105-50 or something. They feel fairly stiff, I was able to drop my action a bit and still be able to dig in without things getting out of control. Have a nice growl when I dig in and slide to a note. Their on a Ric 4003. Good luck. I use both finger and pick btw.
Try a comp/sustainer. Can be used to tighten attack. And yes best attack sound is with a pick. Try useing either of the two more rounded edges rather then the single pointy one.
Those examples, I'm pretty sure, are flats with a pick. And yes, compression. Sorry. At that time (early 70s), it was Fender or La Bella flats most likely. I would think that a J or P Bass with La Bella 760FS strings (well broken in) could get you most of the way there.
I'd go with rounds for sure. I've never been able to produce what I'd call 'attack' from flats. To me, attack comes from when you get a nice even punch from all ranges...bass, mid, and treble and flats just can't do that. They have less mids and treble.
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