The truth about flatwound strings, please

[Dee_01]

Looking at this logically...

Maple fretboard: adds percussive attack and brightness to a guitar or bass. Rosewood fretboard: adds a touch more warmth and maybe a little less sustain due to being a naturally oily wood, so the overtones are slightly dampened. Flatwound strings are not particularly bright, so "on paper" at least, flats + maple = possibly a good combination. Like putting a good hifi together, you need to focus on components that balance with each other. It's no different for instruments, in my opinion. On the other hand, if you want to avoid brightness and attack, and instead go for a richer, more mellow bass sound, rosewood and flats would be the better option.

 

[jmceachern36]

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?

I had flats (GHS) on a Stingray and I thought it sounded fantastic. Much better than it did with rounds. I also tried the TI flats on it as well and I did not like that sound at all.

 

[drewfretless]

I had flats (GHS) on a Stingray and I thought it sounded fantastic. Much better than it did with rounds. I also tried the TI flats on it as well and I did not like that sound at all.

Thanks, I am going to give it a go.

 

[mrman740]

I had flats on my car and it wouldn't......nevermind......!

 

[Kalyptic]

'Grounds on a car work, but they can be dangerous

 

[peterbright]

Put them on anything you like.

 

[greywolf31]

Ok, Which La Bella do you recommend?

I have recently bought into the 5-String market with a Killer B by Tobias, and frankly, I hate the way Roundwounds sound on this... My personal nightmare...
That and I am unsure as to how much tension is a factor with regard to 5-Strings and Flatwounds.

But as I read the threads I see Flatwounds may be a nice alternative.

My guess would be that a lighter guage is better for brightness, but what is the concensus?
Which particular "Brand" of La Bella should I be considering?

I am looking for a rock/blues tone, that with some tone/volume adjustments, will flow nicely into Jazz stylings.
So an all-around string then.

Thanks in Advance...

Todd

EDIT: If they weren't so cost prohibitive I would buy different sets to try, but I think applying a more educated guess based on the experiences of others will provide a better hit/miss ratio... =)

 

[jrfrond]

If anything, flats have more "zing" on a maple board. They are darker on a rosewood board axe.

I've been using Rotosound RS66 flats, and they are pretty bright, but not with "sizzle". For me, a bass needs to SOUND like a bass, not like a baritone guitar. The trebly roundwound tone walks all over the lower registers of the guitar. Flats have more punch and blend better.

I work primarily as a drummer with bass being my second instrument. Last year, our bassist got sick and we used a sub one night (whose sound had more sizzle than a steakhouse), and the next night, I played bass and the bandleader sat in on drums. When I plugged in my bass (a Fender P-Bass with an added J pickup) and it shook the house, our soundman couldn't believe how HUGE it sounded as compared to the usual roundwound-equipped basses we normally heard. When something works, don't fix it.

 

[lmfreeman9]

Ok, Which La Bella do you recommend?

I have recently bought into the 5-String market with a Killer B by Tobias, and frankly, I hate the way Roundwounds sound on this... My personal nightmare...
That and I am unsure as to how much tension is a factor with regard to 5-Strings and Flatwounds.

But as I read the threads I see Flatwounds may be a nice alternative.

My guess would be that a lighter guage is better for brightness, but what is the concensus?
Which particular "Brand" of La Bella should I be considering?

I am looking for a rock/blues tone, that with some tone/volume adjustments, will flow nicely into Jazz stylings.
So an all-around string then.

Thanks in Advance...

Todd

EDIT: If they weren't so cost prohibitive I would buy different sets to try, but I think applying a more educated guess based on the experiences of others will provide a better hit/miss ratio... =)

I have recently fallen in love with Flats-LaBella flats. I was warned not to try the Jamerson set because of high tension. (I have vintage stuff) So I tried the mediums (FM 49-109) on a G&L SB-2 (jazz bass) and the Standards (FS 45-105) on a MIJ P-Bass. I love the FM's for Blues, Blues Rock and classic rock which is what I play. If I wanted to play Jazz, the FS would probably work, but I might consider going lighter laBella FL's or TI Jazz flats. For both Blues and Jazz, I'd try the standards-FS.

 

[PaulMacCnj]

UPDATE: The strings have settled in again and I'm not having to tune them so frequently. I played the P bass last night at a jam session and the thump is back! Who knows what caused that stretching period. I keep/play the bass at room temperature, never leave it in a car and always use the same EADG tuning. Oh well, I'm just happy to have the tone back!

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?

 

[bigbass94]

Flats are awesome. They can make any bass classy. The one thing it wont do is turn you into a black guy with chrome pickups cover's and action as high as a mother.

 

[Oric]

I'm thinking about doing the switch on my Jazz bass- for awhile I've worried about slapping, but I realized my Danelectro has a great slap tone, so I'll keep some rounds on there

 

[Psychosis]

I've got flats on my Squier fretless. It sounds like very dull roundwound strings to me... they feel nice and all though.

It does add more bass and classic tone though. Think Jimi Hendrix's bassist.

Actually I've heard that the Jimi Hendrix bassist, Noel Redding (R.I.P), was one of the first ones to use roundwound strings.

 

[odin70]

The gaining popularity for flats (that last forever) must be a real pain in the ass for some string companys I cant remember seeing an add for strings THAT WILL LAST FOREVER.

 

[P-BASSLOVER]

I am a newcomer to the bass and have two of them...a Fender Active P-Bass special with maple neck and a Fender MIM Jazz with rosewood (currently has a fretless neck but I also have a fretted neck for it).

I have flatwound strings on the Jazz and prefer the feel of them. However, I have been told that flatwound strings sound horrible on a maple neck.

Is that true? Will my P-bass Special sound lousy if I switch it to flatwound strings?

Thanks,

Jim

So, so, not true! In fact, they sound better on a maple board!
On the Active bass though, I would put Nickel rounds on it
however. To me for some reason, flats on an active bass
seem to be an oxymoron! Kind of defeats the purpose of
having active electronics!

 

[Sub5ound]

If anything they sound better on a maple fingerboard. Maple boards can be a little bright/harsh with certain roundwounds in my opinion. Flats can balance this out. I would say flats probably sound better with maple than with rosewood.

 

[Sub5ound]

Actually I've heard that the Jimi Hendrix bassist, Noel Redding (R.I.P), was one of the first ones to use roundwound strings.

JOHN ENTWHISTLE

 

[kirkm24]

Rosewood fretboards are generally warmer and darker sounding than maple fretboards which are generally brighter. That doesn't mean flats would sound bad on them though. In fact, some flats IMO sound very similar to roundwounds but with a different feel. I think they would be fine if you like flats already.

 

[jordacr]

I don't slap due to lack of coordination (or taste).

LOL!!!!!

 

[JustOpenYourMind]

Don't forget that on fretted instruments, the strings don't even touch the fretboard so the difference it makes is minimal,

Someone here recorded his jazz bass twice using a maple fretboard and a rosewood fretboard, same bass, same strings different neck.

Trust me, you really have to listen closely, in total silence to hear the difference.