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The best flatwounds for my P?
- Thread starter scottbass
- Start date
I have had a set of Chromes on my Birdsong Mesquito for almost a year now that are strung through the body flats with no problems at all. But the Birdsong is a short scale bass so there is less tension on the strings and therefore less stress at the 90 degree bend. FWIW
Flats are not supposed to be strung through the body! The sharp angle will separate the windings and the saddle, IMHO, not a good idea.
My favorites are TIs, and Sadowsky light-gauge. The Sads have great clarity and perfect tension, but I usually still prefer the texture and sound of the TIs.
My favorites are TIs, and Sadowsky light-gauge. The Sads have great clarity and perfect tension, but I usually still prefer the texture and sound of the TIs.
I have a Squier VM TB with Fender flats and a Sting-edition P with Rotosounds. I like the feel and sound of the TB better but both are very nice.
I just put back my set of TI flats on my Squier VM fretless, having had a set of fender rounds on it for a while. Those TI's sound really awesome on that bass! Great strings, but I don't think they suit rock very well (like someone else already said - too low tension). So I voted for the chromes.
I've got no choice with the 2-TEK. The Chromes have been on it for about 5 years with no problems.
I had been planning to buy a Precision V since they came out and knew I was going to put on a set of Chromes if it didn't already have flats on it.
I finally just bought one and the previous owner had just put TI's on it before he sold it to me. They're floppier than I'm used to, but I'm loving the tone and feel. I'm going to give them a good long trial before I make any decision but if I get used to the low tension they're going to stay on for quite a while.
Not that I don't love the Chromes I have on my fretless Jazzes. That hasn't changed, and right now they'd still be my first choice because i like the feel of the higher tension. However, I still voted TI based on how much I love the sound of this Precision with them.
For what it's worth, the previous owner strung the TIs through the body. I never heard about stringing flats only through the top, but guess I'll find out soon enough if any problems are going to occur.
I finally just bought one and the previous owner had just put TI's on it before he sold it to me. They're floppier than I'm used to, but I'm loving the tone and feel. I'm going to give them a good long trial before I make any decision but if I get used to the low tension they're going to stay on for quite a while.
Not that I don't love the Chromes I have on my fretless Jazzes. That hasn't changed, and right now they'd still be my first choice because i like the feel of the higher tension. However, I still voted TI based on how much I love the sound of this Precision with them.
For what it's worth, the previous owner strung the TIs through the body. I never heard about stringing flats only through the top, but guess I'll find out soon enough if any problems are going to occur.
+1 on the Joe Osborn's. I've been using them on my Noguera fretless five string for a decade, on my P's for four or five years.
The reason I'm interested in this thread is that I use a hybrid set of JO's - the heavier set on the D&G, the lighter set on the E&A (and B for five string). This requires a special order, which I don't want to do right now. My Godin A4 fretless could use a new set of strings, so I'm curious about impressions. Please keep them coming.
FWIW, I used the lighter set of JO's on my Noguera fretless five for a long time (8+ years). My P's had the hybrid set, having gotten three sets of them from a Lakland endorser. I like the hybrid set better and I was very happy with the B string performance on the fretless five. OTOH, the G string from the lighter set was too light - it (subtly) didn't feel or sound like the rest of the strings. I wanted to change but didn't until a friend borrowed the bass and broke the G. Now that it's got a hybrid set on it, I like it much better.
Chromes and Sadowskys are the frontrunners for the Godin, just for the ease of placing the order. I wish that the Hybrid set of JO's were a catalog item.
KO
I didn't like the .135 B string of the TI's. I gave the two or three years and a lot of playing. In the end I just didn't like them and I'm happy their gone. I might like them more on a four string, but I'm just not _THAT_ big a fan of TI's. To each their own.
KO
I've been using D'addario flats for about a year now on a 71 P bass but they appeared to get duller and weaker....presto just fitted a set of Fender 9050ml's and pow!...what a difference.
They were a bit bright to start with but a month in and these strings are mellowing and deepening out beautifully. True their quite firm but the taughtness seems to have improved my touch somewhat. I love em.....
They were a bit bright to start with but a month in and these strings are mellowing and deepening out beautifully. True their quite firm but the taughtness seems to have improved my touch somewhat. I love em.....
Interesting - how so? In what way are they improving your touch? I am using the Chromes, and gave up the Fenders several times due to their tight feeling, but they didn't stay on my bass long enough to really say they had a fair trial. I'm interested in how they have affected your right hand technique.
I've got Fender 9050ML flats through the body on my '51 reissue P-bass and while there is a sharp bend over the bridge the strings are fine, been on for months and no problems.
+1 on TI flats too. Once you get used to their low tension they're really fun, pulling off both fat notes or woody barks with ease!
Funny that I absolutely _HATE_ the Fenders. I've tried them on three different basses and I can safely say that I don't like them. Again, to each their own.
KO
They're pretty dead sounding on a split coil P-bass, but with the single coil pickup on the '51 reissue they sound really bright and thumpy with a nice growl.
I've tried a few flat wound strings, and Labella's are easily my favorite. Keep in mind I was looking for a traditional thumpy P-bass sound, and that's exactly what Labella's deliver. Chromes tend to have more top end, and they're not bad by any means. Webstrings make a half-decent set of flatwounds for an unbelievable price too... very dead (but i mean that in a good way, they didn't seem to need much break in time), though they don't feel quite as nice as some others (particularly the Labellas). I know i might be in the minority, but I really didn't like TI's for this application. I'm sure they can "get" thumpy, but it's not their inherent character the way it is for Labellas, Fender, or even Chromes. The construction on TI's is top notch... they feel like very high quality strings, but they sound nothing like the other flats I've played on. Personally I like some tension on a set of strings... too little and I'll wind up bending notes flat without meaning to, and my pick doesn't get the necessary resistance needed in order to play with any amount of quickness. (Yes, i'm a pick player but so are a lot of the great flatwound players like carol kaye.) TI's have much more of a midrange sound, and without nearly as much thump or fullness as some of the others. I think they're a love it or hate it type of string.
My vote went to Labella's for overall feel, tone, thump, construction, and general awesomeness! Oh, I tried Fender Nylon tapewounds once too... basically roundwound strings with a layer of flat black nylon wound around the roundwound core... they gave a weird "plunky" sound. Played fingerstyle they were usable, but felt cheap to the fingers... with a pick I couldn't stand them. Not my cup of tea.
My vote went to Labella's for overall feel, tone, thump, construction, and general awesomeness! Oh, I tried Fender Nylon tapewounds once too... basically roundwound strings with a layer of flat black nylon wound around the roundwound core... they gave a weird "plunky" sound. Played fingerstyle they were usable, but felt cheap to the fingers... with a pick I couldn't stand them. Not my cup of tea.
+1, I voted LaBella even though they say don't string though the body. Second choice D'A Chromes.
Just roll off your tone a little for band 1, dime it for band 2
