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The truth about flatwound strings, please
- Thread starter jwsamuel
- Start date
I'm a total convert to TI Jazz flats. I have 4 Fenders (Jazz fretless, '51 P RI, Classic '50s P, fretless P) and all but the Jazz have maple fingerboards with TI flats.
Not only that, but a friend I'm working on a project with has a Squier Jazz he's had since '91 or so, and after playing my basses he put a set of TIs on it (doubled the value of the bass
).
The TIs sound great and last forever, so even though they are initially more expensive (currently $55US at MF) they last for years.
James Jamerson seemed to do all right with flats on a P.
Not only that, but a friend I'm working on a project with has a Squier Jazz he's had since '91 or so, and after playing my basses he put a set of TIs on it (doubled the value of the bass
).The TIs sound great and last forever, so even though they are initially more expensive (currently $55US at MF) they last for years.
James Jamerson seemed to do all right with flats on a P.
I had TI Jazz flats on my P-bass and is sounded awesome finger and pick style, but I couldn't get a good slap tone out of the A string. I changed over to Labella light flats and the slap tone really lit up. It is much more responsive, not like rounds, but I like it better. There is no zingyness (nice word ya?). It turns out that the A string on the TI flats is really skinny. this must have something to do with it.
I really like the Labellas better. The higher tension lets me set the action lower and they sound really good almost right away. You don't have the 1 month break in period that the TIs required for me. I also put Laballe flats on an old 90s Fernandes five string active bass (really modern sound) and it is just amazing. The growl really defines the notes and the B string is tight even with a 34" scale.
I really like the Labellas better. The higher tension lets me set the action lower and they sound really good almost right away. You don't have the 1 month break in period that the TIs required for me. I also put Laballe flats on an old 90s Fernandes five string active bass (really modern sound) and it is just amazing. The growl really defines the notes and the B string is tight even with a 34" scale.
One of the bestest ever bass tones is a maple necked P bass with flats. Fender didn't even make a bass with a rosewood fingerboard until '59-ish and then it was only for looks. Fender basses all came with flats for decades.
I'd love to give whoever said that a blindfold test between two similar basses except for fingerboard wood, both strung with flats. 
Flats are the shizzle. Got a set of Chromes on my Fender Jazz. The older they get, the better they sound
Not GC, but another small chain of stores that begins with a G and has stores in Pennsylvania and Florida.
Jim
Man, a set of nicely broken-in flats on a maple board P is my absolute favorite bass sound.
All this talk about "grind" on bass forums---the kind of "grind" I like is running worn-in flats on maple, and then actually cranking the highs, for that classic 70's soul/funk sound---yummmmmy goodness . . . .
Then just roll off the highs and you're in reggae, roots, classic country, etc. territory, etc.
All this talk about "grind" on bass forums---the kind of "grind" I like is running worn-in flats on maple, and then actually cranking the highs, for that classic 70's soul/funk sound---yummmmmy goodness . . . .
Then just roll off the highs and you're in reggae, roots, classic country, etc. territory, etc.
This is exactly what I was gonna say. The flats don't see fretboatd color- they are equal-opportunity tone-improvers.
- Jan 23, 2008
- 960
- 7
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Spector Basses
It depends on what kind of sound you are looking for. I think you get a deeper smoother bass sound from flat wound and get a brighter sound out of round wound. If you play slap bass you want round wound.
I have flats on my Fender P which has a maple fingerboard. They sound great.
Your bass won't sound lousy if you switch to flatwounds. It will sound different.
I have a set of La Bella flats on my Fender P-bass. They've been on since early June of last year. I liked the strings for about 6 months since I was getting that great thump sound. Then, for whatever reason, they started stretching out considerably and I've been needing to tune the bass more often. Now, the "thump" is gone and it's a dull "thud" sound. Is that typical of flats?
I have always used flats on my Fenders and I just recently started playing a MM Sterling and for some reason I feel like flats will not sound right on the Sterling. Does anybody use flats on a Musicman?
