Switching from Rounds to Flats Advice

[Smooth Operator]

If you like the tone of round wounds then try Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats first before you try Chromes, TIs, etc.. I went through a few sets of flats unhappy until I tried Cobalts. They sound very close to nickel roundwounds. They are my favorite string.

 

[Paul New]

TI flats sound like broken in rounds without the zing. You can get a nice midrange burp. The low tension and flexibility take some getting used to.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

I spent a lot of money trying flats. I love the smooth feel. I really like the sound. I just can't play with the high tension. Every set I tried felt like I was weight lifting with my fingers. And I don't mean jut a little change here, it was brutal (to me). I was actually avoiding playing my bass until I could change back. I did not try TI flats though, ran out of money. Give me low tension flats and I'll give it a go again. I don't think they exist.

I actually like the higher tension. It let's you lower the action even more, and not accidentally bend notes (which doesn't happen often anyway, but it does happen once in a while). I just can't get over the lack in tone. I mean, lack. As in, something is just missing. You can get close to flats with eq, tone knob, and technique adjustments, but you can't add what's not there. The longest I've had a set of flats on was about a month. Fenders. Really dig them by myself. It's when playing with others that you notice that something's not right, and you can't fix it. But, I gave that set a truly honest go. Normally I dont make it 2 weeks. But, I do keep trying

 

[allboutbass]

OP here ...
Any Tapewound user opinions ?
Thanks to all for the info sharing!

 

[Kukulkan61]

Go cheap like Chromes or Fender, if you jump all in and get expensive ones like LaBella or TI you might find that you don’t like flats, I started out with Chromes and stayed there, I also use Fender Flats..

 

[bbh]

I strongly vote for Chromes. Not overly expensive and lasts for many years with a wipe down. I had them on precision elite 5 string. Once they went on, at least 10 years ago, they never got changed and only improved with time .

 

[iiipopes]

I spent a lot of money trying flats. I love the smooth feel. I really like the sound. I just can't play with the high tension. Every set I tried felt like I was weight lifting with my fingers. And I don't mean jut a little change here, it was brutal (to me). I was actually avoiding playing my bass until I could change back. I did not try TI flats though, ran out of money. Give me low tension flats and I'll give it a go again. I don't think they exist.

La Bella Low Tension Flats, as mentioned above, are exactly that: low tension. And unlike the Thomastik-Infeld strings, they are stainless wrap, not pure nickel, so they are much, much less expensive for equally, or to my ears, better tone, and they don't turn your fingers black.

 

[Thumpin6string]

My advice is: don't. I am currently using half rounds and like them so far. I absolutely hate the way flats sound, but to each their own.

 

[Jack Butler]

The folks saying Chromes are giving you good advice. For me, Ernie Ball Cobalt flats were the answer, and I tried a lot of strings. It's extremely subjective though. I like TI's a lot as do many folks on here. Where I diverge is there is a good bit of love for Labella Low Tension Flats, which I personally did not bond with at all. Tried them on 3 different basses, and every time I picked up a bass with them, my first thought was "these strings sound like plastic." Lots of folks with way more skill than me like them though, so they obviously work for some people.

 

[Jack Butler]

I've been playing flats for most of my life - rounds early on, a few times used Pressure Wounds. My observations - at either end of the spectrum are Chromes and TI flats. I really don't care for the Chromes because of the high tension, and they sound too bright for my tastes. TI flats are very nice strings, but the very low tension only worked for me on a very limited application, fretless bass. I didn't like the feel of them at all on my P bass. My favorite flats are Pyramids, super smooth and great sounding once broken in (which can take a while). Like TI flats, they are quite expensive but last forever. If I were just looking to give flats a try, I'd probably go with LaBella 760FL strings. They're not very expensive, not high tension, and will give you a chance to see how you like flats. If you do decide to give flats a try, be patient - play the hell out of them for a month before you see if they work for you. Also flats shine best when played in a group setting. Pyramids don't sound that great when you are just playing by yourself, but in a group setting they really are perfect.

Good luck!

One thing to note on Chromes is they do come in different sizes. I didn't use to like them but tried the 40-95 set and totally changed my feeling about them. In the end the EB Cobalt flats won out for me though.

 

[sotua]

One humble vote here for Fender 9050L. A little breaking in, a setup tweak for sure, but then you get a beautifully full tone with just enough highs to have definition but records beautifully - a barely distorted flats tone is great as it has lots of authority and fills out space easily, but isn't harsh due to the lack of higher frequencies being passed as input to the distortion. I'm really happy with the tone I'm getting out of my jbass with the fender flats (I did leave, however, a MM clone with rounds for when I need the zing and grind tone).

 

[gmarcus]

I've played with TI Flats and Chromes for a long time on several different basses. TIs are really nice for finger style. Their midrange is just really meaty, however when it comes to slap or pick, I don't like them at all (they sound like cardboard to me). The Chromes have much better attack to the note and a more metallic character all around. I think Chromes sound good finger style too, but sometimes you need to roll off the tone control. Another great set of strings are the Labella Low Tension flats. They sound broken in after just a day or two and have an almost acoustic bass type sound on my P-bass. They are even smoother than the chromes and sound good with a pick and fingers and okay slapping.

 

[jcidulka]

P bass experience: Used to play Chromes. Great strings, great tone, lil bit brighter than a typical flat, but higher tension. Good for pics and finger.

Moved to GHS Precision Flats. LOVE THEM. Slightly more muted than Chromes, but thick and fat and full -- and you feel them. E string comes pre broken in, or at least it sounds that way. A-G need a few sessions to mellow down a tad. I play fingerstyle. I even put these on my HH StingRay. They are sick on the Ray.

Have tried TI Jazz flats a few times. Too soft for my fingers, and the open E just didn't move me. But the tone of everything else was solid and upfront. Just too pliable of a string for me.

 

[Max Bogosity]

You might have to give up some of your slap work, flats just don't do slap well.

Chromes or 9050s will do a “Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin” type slap pretty well. Forget about more modern slap sounds, though.

 

[Claymore]

OP here ...
Any Tapewound user opinions ?
Thanks to all for the info sharing!

Labella Copper White Tapewounds.
Labella DTB Black Tapewounds.
Both excellent choices but very different sounds.

 

[keith1r]

Those players you mentioned, I’d go with Rotosound Jazz flats

 

[staurosjohn]

Just my .02...
I, pretty much, used Roto SS 66’s (.045-.105) on my RIC (for 35+yrs)... gradually (over the past 8+yrs) have ‘migrated’ away from them- and sold my RIC. I’m using GHS PW’s on my #1 but have found flats, as noted, to be close to what I’m accustomed to!
(I’ve also tried most of the strings mentioned in this thread).

 

[allboutbass]

Just my .02...
I, pretty much, used Roto SS 66’s (.045-.105) on my RIC (for 35+yrs)... gradually (over the past 8+yrs) have ‘migrated’ away from them- and sold my RIC. I’m using GHS PW’s on my #1 but have found flats, as noted, to be close to what I’m accustomed to!
(I’ve also tried most of the strings mentioned in this thread).

View attachment 4116941

Those are nice !!!

 

[allboutbass]

I wanna buy a second bass so bad so I can have flats and rounds ... maybe I go and sell some of the gear I don’t use that much and go for a Sandberg California VM or another Precision. Just can’t keep my eyes off of P Basses as they are so sexy.
GAS creeping in OMG!

 

[Doug4321]

If

I think most of those guys played Rotosound Jazz Flats 77 at one time or another. If you want to try them, I would suggest the 40-100 set as they're known for being stiff.

I would totally second this. Roto 77s at 40-100. The 45-105 are really stiff coming from rounds, too much. Those guys, particularly Waters and Sting, used the Rotos and you can hear the Rotos unique rather bright metallic (for a flat) overtones.

OTOH, I really like the LaBella LTF set for flats, if you want the warm, rubbery, woody tone right out of the box. It’s like the opposite of rounds, so you can really hear what flats can do, without a lot of break in time.