Transitioning from Roundwound to Flats

[burgerdj]

+1 on Cobalt Flats - especially if you want to retain some characteristics of rounds. I’ve had a set on a Warwick for about 3 years. They’ve retained great fundamental, responded well to eq and sit great in a live mix. They can even take a little slap/pop if the occasion calls for it.

 

[staurosjohn]

So - I used Roto SS 66’s (.045-.105) on my RIC, for 35yrs… sold my RIC, about 10yrs ago & began ‘assembling’ P bodies with J necks (or slimmer P necks)…
I’m a ‘hard’ player - have cycled thru many popular flats (TI, LB LTF, D’A Chromes, etc) and have settled on these sets.
GHS Precision Flats (3025): .045-.095
EB Cobalt Flats (2814): .045-.100
Fender Flats (9050L): .045-.100

These seem to best match the ‘feel’ of my finger style. It is helpful that @michael_t has given tension specs… I’m just going by feel & experimentation

 

[iiipopes]

Only as a general rule, traditional flats tend to be stiffer in feel than rounds of similar gauges.

That said, there are a handful of options for flats that are designed to be more flexible and comfortable to play on.

For old-school = La Bella Low Tension Flats.
For semi-modern = Dunlop flats.
For bright and roundwound-like = Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (aka Slinky Flatwound).

The above three are known for their relative flexibility and comfortable playing feel.

Add to that:
Fender flats for modern growl - my favorite flats for a lot of situations
Ernie Ball stainless steel flats (not Cobalt) for good presence and a touch of growl - probably the most underrated flatwound strings out there, and great all-round strings
Curt Mangan for round tone a little less articulate than La Bella, very smooth
DR flats start dark and get darker, and darker, and....
D'A Chromes start zingy then over time fade to worthless thump
TI flats are like rubber bands, especially their underachieving A string which flops.
Optima RB - the spiritual successor to OEM Maxima flats used on Rickenbacker basses of days of yore - a little less articulation, but really great round 1960's style tone, and a little less stiff under the fingers.
GHS Precision flats are the "chocolate tone" of strings - luscious.

Time machine: the original Fender flats made by the V. C. Squier company for the "golden age" Fender basses set the standard for everyone else with their resonant, woody, organic tone. Decades long gone.

 

[Bass Blender]

Once you go flat, you may not go back!

Hi everyone! I know there are countless threads about strings and everyone has varied opinions about sound, but my question is more specifically about feel. Apologies if this has been covered, but I couldn't find a thread dedicated to this and hey, it seems like everyone likes chatting about strings anyway!

I just picked up a lovely 2019 Squier CV 70s Jazz - what a steal! I've always used rounds on my Yamaha but these EB Slinkys on a J-Bass are not what I'm looking for. I'd like to try some Flats but my concerns are about feel. These hands are getting old and I don't play as much as I used to (hoping that will change). My understanding is that Flats have more tension, so is low tension the way to go? And, I'm worried that my fingers have grown accustomed to the texture of Rounds, and that my fingers will slip and slide as I'm playing. (I play exclusively with fingers - no pick, no slap)

I'm happy to take specific recommendations, but more so I'm looking for general info for those who played Rounds for many years (in my case, 35 years) and switched it up to Flats in search of that classic J-Bass sound. Thanks!! Matt

 

[jthisdell]

TI flats are great, low tension is easy on the hands. They do play a little different so not for everybody but I have used them for going on five years. Great toan. Not the best if you slap. I also play electric upright and I have Obligatos on that which are also low tension so going between is easier.

 

[swarfrat]

Another chromes user. Especially if you like a brite flat. I play chromes with a pick on a fretless P with a big old-school bright full rock tone. (Not super modern tweeter bright, just sorta kinda bright)

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Hi everyone! I know there are countless threads about strings and everyone has varied opinions about sound, but my question is more specifically about feel. Apologies if this has been covered, but I couldn't find a thread dedicated to this and hey, it seems like everyone likes chatting about strings anyway!

I just picked up a lovely 2019 Squier CV 70s Jazz - what a steal! I've always used rounds on my Yamaha but these EB Slinkys on a J-Bass are not what I'm looking for. I'd like to try some Flats but my concerns are about feel. These hands are getting old and I don't play as much as I used to (hoping that will change). My understanding is that Flats have more tension, so is low tension the way to go? And, I'm worried that my fingers have grown accustomed to the texture of Rounds, and that my fingers will slip and slide as I'm playing. (I play exclusively with fingers - no pick, no slap)

I'm happy to take specific recommendations, but more so I'm looking for general info for those who played Rounds for many years (in my case, 35 years) and switched it up to Flats in search of that classic J-Bass sound. Thanks!! Matt

Matt as in the case of roundwound strings you have to try a bunch of flats models before finding what you like .. it’s unavoidable.
Start with a cheap model which is not excessively stiff .. I recommend the Rotosound SM77 model for this.
Best wishes !

 

[Plain Old Barry]

I use mostly D'Addario XL rounds and Chromes flats. I prefer Chromes one gauge lighter than the XL's. For example, most of my 34" EADG basses use 45's in rounds and 40's in flats.

Other than some minor setup adjustments and getting used to my fretting fingers slipping a little on the smooth flats, it wasn't much of a transition at all.

 

[logdrum]

GHS Precision Flats if no one has mentioned it yet. I just started playing these last year and wish I had known before. I have Thomastik Flats on a bass that I took off. I do have EB cobalt as well but I have the light version but contrary to what everyone does, I have high action on that bass

 

[Egg250]

I tried flatwounds over 30 years ago and didn't like them at all. I picked up a second hand bass strung with GHS Precision Flats and was blown away. They are comfortable, easy on the fingers and have a fairly bright sound.

 

[Bassnkeys]

Hi everyone! I know there are countless threads about strings and everyone has varied opinions about sound, but my question is more specifically about feel. Apologies if this has been covered, but I couldn't find a thread dedicated to this and hey, it seems like everyone likes chatting about strings anyway!

I just picked up a lovely 2019 Squier CV 70s Jazz - what a steal! I've always used rounds on my Yamaha but these EB Slinkys on a J-Bass are not what I'm looking for. I'd like to try some Flats but my concerns are about feel. These hands are getting old and I don't play as much as I used to (hoping that will change). My understanding is that Flats have more tension, so is low tension the way to go? And, I'm worried that my fingers have grown accustomed to the texture of Rounds, and that my fingers will slip and slide as I'm playing. (I play exclusively with fingers - no pick, no slap)

I'm happy to take specific recommendations, but more so I'm looking for general info for those who played Rounds for many years (in my case, 35 years) and switched it up to Flats in search of that classic J-Bass sound. Thanks!! Matt

Not so much on the feel of flats, but more your comment about that classic J-bass sound with flats. I associate flats more with a classic P-bass sound (e.g. Jamerson). I feel like most flats feel the same (in terms of your slippery comment), but it would be a matter of finding ones that will suit the sound you are thinking about.

 

[KevinDBassist]

Go for Chromes . I Just put a fresh set on my pj today for a jam session earlier tonight . I realized why I should have never strayed from them . Fantastic rock tone with a pick and very versatile finger style depending on attack and technique .

 

[bordinco90]

I have been playing LaBella Black Nylon Tape wound strings for years.
.136-.060 I do play 5 string.
I love them for many reasons.
1, they are brighter than a steel flat, but not as bright as a round wound string.
2, they are easy on my 70 year old fingers lol
3, they are easy on frets, & fretboards.
4, They last a year or more depending on how often you play and they look cool.
When I played out all year I would change them spring and fall, but now I only gig out May through October so each spring because most of our gigs are outside. Good Luck in your quest
Duke View attachment 4758752View attachment 4758753

I've always wanted to try tapes on my bass. I know the tension is much lower on these. Does the nylon fray or try to come off?

 

[bordinco90]

Once you go flat, you may not go back!

This is true. I was a rounds player for years. I've tried flats before and never kept them on any of my basses. Fast forward to now, flats is all I play on my basses. They sound great, feel great, and you can keep them on as long as you want.

 

[GIBrat51]

Add to that:
Fender flats for modern growl - my favorite flats for a lot of situations
Ernie Ball stainless steel flats (not Cobalt) for good presence and a touch of growl - probably the most underrated flatwound strings out there, and great all-round strings
Curt Mangan for round tone a little less articulate than La Bella, very smooth
DR flats start dark and get darker, and darker, and....
D'A Chromes start zingy then over time fade to worthless thump
TI flats are like rubber bands, especially their underachieving A string which flops.
Optima RB - the spiritual successor to OEM Maxima flats used on Rickenbacker basses of days of yore - a little less articulation, but really great round 1960's style tone, and a little less stiff under the fingers.
GHS Precision flats are the "chocolate tone" of strings - luscious.

Time machine: the original Fender flats made by the V. C. Squier company for the "golden age" Fender basses set the standard for everyone else with their resonant, woody, organic tone. Decades long gone.

I pretty much have to agree with iiipopes. There are some flats listed here that I've not tried - yet; The Ernie Ball SS "Group" Flats, and the Curt Mangans. As for some of the others? Well...
DR Legends - the short scale DR Legends - have been on my Kramer "The Duke" for a couple of years now. I don't know if their fate will be as described, but... hasn't happened yet. What they do sound like, right at the moment - and have done, since they broke in - is the 50-107 GHS Bass Boomers that they replaced. Which are dark - for rounds. For flats? Not so much; Boomers would be tending more towards "mellow", if they were flats... With long scales, though? Different story, maybe; none of my long scale basses wear them, so...?
GHS Precision Flats - Yes, the tone of the short scale sets on my Warmoth Mini-Precision, and my Eastwood Flying V Bass, is just as described. The long scale 45-95 set on my '78 Fender P-Bass? To my ears, they sound an awful lot like the description of the V. C. Squier Fender Flats; which would have come on that bass originally. And which the 3 gentlemen who founded GHS - and used to work at V. C. Squier - have said they tried to duplicate. My ears say they came very close, so... we'll have to agree to disagree...
TI Jazz Flats - I'll agree that the A string could stand some improvement; but the one on my Alembic Epic isn't all that bad. But, that set is only 3 years old, so... we'll have to wait and see.
D'Addario Chromes - The set I put on my G&L ASAT Bass was a few years old when I installed them - and that was 3 years ago. They are zingy no longer, but... haven't reached "worthless lump" quite yet. I'm not sure if I want to wait and see if they do - or just go ahead and replace them. With EB SS Group flats, maybe...?

That said, if you want to go a little further afield in the search for flats?
- Optima makes "Chromes", too; 4099RL's. Their tone is a little different from the RBs, but to my fingers, they feel much the same. They're on my aluminum-necked Kramer, with very high output Kramer pickups. It has a sound all it's own, which makes comparing the strings it's wearing to others... kind of difficult. All I can say is that I really like the tone, and they ain't coming off that bass any time soon...
- Dogal R44's - 42-100 gauge; Italian, smooth and supple - but not quite as supple as TIs. IMO, a similar tone, though. I like them a lot. They sound surprisingly good on my Gibson Thunderbird, too...
- Sadowsky Blue Label Flats - They're... stiffish, but no more so than some other flats. Certainly not as stiff as most La Bella DTFs. Very mellow, "modern flats" tone; just a little darker than the Fender 9050L's - which I'm in complete agreement with iiipopes about. These flats sound just right, paired with the big humbuckers in my Carvin LB-20...
- LaBella 760FX's - Very light gauge (39-96) flats. They aren't very stiff at all, and although they are DTFs, IMO they're actually a little brighter than the Fender 9050L's; but not as bright as D'Addario Chromes - or EB Cobalt Flats. I have no problem getting "that Dano Sound" from my Dano DC59 Pro with them...
Yes, there are a lot of different flats to choose from - and they all sound as different from each other as rounds do. The ones that will make you happy are out there; your mission? Find them. Happy hunting...

 

[4StringDave]

LTF4A and Ti flat, just for tone reference, but on Squier CV50P and Vintera P.
LTF4A sound to old school, if you liking with growl thing on 70s Jazz bass, the string completely no suit to you.

Is that the natural tone of the LTF set or are ou using a mute/foam?

 

[Yahboy]

Is that the natural tone of the LTF set or are ou using a mute/foam?

Yah, tiny piece of mute foam.

 

[theduke1]

I've always wanted to try tapes on my bass. I know the tension is much lower on these. Does the nylon fray or try to come off?

I have never had that happen. The quality has vastly improved since the 60s when they first came out.
Duke

 

[Bass Blender]

For real! Chromes were my first try with flats & I do like them. Had them on one bass for over 7 years. Currently, I have Rotosound flats on my P bass & jazz bass. My Epiphone Les Paul bass that had the Chromes on it now has Rotosound black tapewounds on it. I used half rounds for years before I switched over to flats.

I guess it’s personal preference though. That applies to other stuff as well, I suppose.

This is true. I was a rounds player for years. I've tried flats before and never kept them on any of my basses. Fast forward to now, flats is all I play on my basses. They sound great, feel great, and you can keep them on as long as you want.

 

[iiipopes]

I've always wanted to try tapes on my bass. I know the tension is much lower on these. Does the nylon fray or try to come off?

If the strings are installed correctly, the nylon does not fray. After a time, and for me it was two years of continuous gigging with a set of La Bella White Tapes regular gauge, I did get fret divots to the point the strings did finally lose their integrity and stability. As I have posted on the tapes threads, a set of regular gauge La Bella tapes, 60-115, is about the same tension as a set of 45-100 rounds, since the nylon tape adds about 14-15 thou to diameter, but negligible mass. The light set, both La Bella and D'Addario, are 50-105, so the tension on those two sets of strings is about the same as a set of 35-90 rounds.