What's your take on flats?

[Bill Powers]

I'm in a band that plays an eclectic range of music styles. My TRBX "J" bass has the pickups and tone range for all of them. On a number of tunes I need to get as close as possible to the sound of an acoustic double bass. Stringed with flats (D'Addario Chromes) I can get there with the neck pickup and playing the strings near or on the neck. This gives me the best ASDR (attack, sustain, decay, release) to emulate an upright bass.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Way back in the way back.I was under the influence of Stanley Clarke and getting ready to switch to bass from guitar.
I borrowed a bass from a cousin.
It was an EBO copy with flatwounds.

It sounded dull and whooly.
And felt like steel rods more that strings.
Blech!Horrible!

So every bass that I've had has had rounds ever since.
I love the zing and brightness they give.

Nowadays,there seems to be a greater variety of types of flats than there ever was.
So I MAY try out a set T.I. Jazz flats on my fretless six.

 

[Ricardo basso]

It seems to me that a great majority of TB'ers love flatwound strings. In the basses forum, a lot of folks seem to comment how much better a bass would be if it were strung with flats. Yet, it seems like just about every bass found in the wild has roundwounds on it.
I'm not biased in any direction. I think either type has their merit, but I'm curious if you feel flats or roundwound strings are superior to another and why.

Each type of string has it's merits. It all depends on what sound you are going for.similar to instruments and technique.

 

[michla]

roundwounds for active/slap-bass and rock
flatwounds for jazz and country

simple as that--its about the ding of the ring

 

[The German Brit]

Personally I play a thunderbird with rounds, and a Rickenbacker copy with flats which one I play depends on which songs we are doing. The ricci has a much softer warmer tone whereas the T-Bird is a balls ut rock bass.

 

[Pinheas]

I use both depending on which bass. I have a 76 fretless P-bass that I modified in 82 with a custom Boogie Body fretless neck, among other modifications. The neck is birdseye maple with an ebony fretboard. I had custom abalone inlay in a vine design (that doesn't cross under the strings due to potential buzzing). To prove the fretboard from ruts, I always use D'Addario half-rounds. Flat on the exterior and round on the interior. They give me brightness without digging ruts in the ebony. It's the only type I use on that bass.

I have fretted 4, 5 and 6 string basses that I use round on. I also have a fretless with lines and a coated fretboard (I'm not a fan of lined fretless basses) and I use rounds on that.

When I was playing on stage and in the studio I always brought at least 2 basses. My 76 P and one or two of my fretted. For certain songs I use the fretless and others I use rounds on a fretted.

The half-rounds are not as bright as a full-round but they preserve my custom neck. I mostly use the fretless for jazz and ballads when I want growl, slide and vibrato. I use harmonics a great deal and sometimes will slide them up or down the neck to a different chord. The half-rounds are exactly what I need.

 

[Swampish]

It seems to me that a great majority of TB'ers love flatwound strings. In the basses forum, a lot of folks seem to comment how much better a bass would be if it were strung with flats. Yet, it seems like just about every bass found in the wild has roundwounds on it.
I'm not biased in any direction. I think either type has their merit, but I'm curious if you feel flats or roundwound strings are superior to another and why.

For the longest time, I used the black Rotosound flatwounds (Tru Bass?) as my band was doing lots of 60' and 70's classic rock. I was playing on Fender Ps and a PJ (beautiful blond body and maple neck) that sounded super for that style of music. When I began playing 80s and 90s hard rock, metal and funk, I went to the rounds (currently Blue Steel) and have never turned back. I love when they're fresh out of the pack on my Jazz or Sterling Music Man, they growl beautifully and just give me so much versatility. However, for the style, the Rotosounds were awesome and I swore by them for many years.

 

[The Ox I wish]

Have you tried Pressurewounds? I never really liked Flatwounds to woolly in sound and too slippery in feel, I had them on my very first bass (shortscale, so slippery AND flappy!) I quickly moved to rounds. I even tried Groundwounds (do they still exist?), then I discovered Pressure wounds, I initially tried them on the fretless to reduce string noise and surface damage from roundwounds and I really liked them.
I tried the Rotosound Solobass (apparently developed in collaboration with John Entwistle) they were ok but really seemed little different from roundwounds, so now I'm using the light L7200 GHS Pressurewounds on all my basses.

They take a little getting used to, they are more slippery than roundwounds (particularly when just fitted and treated with string glide) this is an advantage for slides, but means hammer-ons require a little more attention. I see them as "best of both worlds" rather than "compromise", you may not like them, but I'd recommend giving them a decent trial.

 

[Terry Wilson]

It seems to me that a great majority of TB'ers love flatwound strings. In the basses forum, a lot of folks seem to comment how much better a bass would be if it were strung with flats. Yet, it seems like just about every bass found in the wild has roundwounds on it.
I'm not biased in any direction. I think either type has their merit, but I'm curious if you feel flats or roundwound strings are superior to another and why.

Flats vs Rounds: There's a basic difference between...real flats vs groundrounds vs roundwounds vs chrome flats. All have a sound. LaBella flats- like the James Jamerson flats were the first flats I used when I first started playing bass. A Fender P Bass. Joe Osborne, Jamerson. Motown...these flats make it easier eq wise it seems when mixing. They dont' have that bright high end that rounds give you...You stay outta my range...I'll stay outta your range...say when a guitar player wants to constantly play down in the low end. D'Addario Chromes are a great string...a bit of a compromise. They won't go "flat"...dead like a steel string LaBella flat does. My LaBellas on my '61 P Bass are probably 8 years old. They don't ground down your frets like round wounds do...they get a nice percussive decay the mo' dead they get. Hence the Jamerson, joe Osborne tone they get. They cut nicely in a mix and don't interfere in the higher frequencies with guitars, a pianos. I've chosen flats for this reason and most pro/seasoned engineers I know and work with love the tone of a P Bass with flats on it. Flats aren't as friendly when slapping and pulling as rounds are. I've a Jazz with rounds that sounds and plays great....but, don't remember the last time an engineer asked for the rounds once they've heard the P with flats.

 

[ADee Waddell]

It seems to me that a great majority of TB'ers love flatwound strings. In the basses forum, a lot of folks seem to comment how much better a bass would be if it were strung with flats. Yet, it seems like just about every bass found in the wild has roundwounds on it.
I'm not biased in any direction. I think either type has their merit, but I'm curious if you feel flats or roundwound strings are superior to another and why.

I strung mine up last go round with La Bella flexible flats. I was a bit sceptical at first with the thinner guage (can't remember exact numbers, but i think they run like 42 to 118 for the 5s), and I wasn't impressed much with the lack of volume... at first (had to crank volume and treble knobs up and bass knobs down). After several hours use they started sounding better, and better and... Well, still don't get the volume of say DR or Elixer or etc rounds, but the more you let em slip over your fingertips, the better and sweeter they sing. I even put Chromes on my lead hollowbody. Maybe becoming a flatwounder fanatic

 

[ChrisWright]

I personally have never liked flats. I don't like bass tone that sounds like a dull thud, but that's just me.

Use a pick. The combo is outstanding and especially for certain music types.

 

[ryco]

I use all kinds of strings:
flats on the passive '75 "P" about 10 years old.
rounds on the '04 MusicMan Sterling that get changed once or twice a year. The slappy bass!
half rounds on the fretless '77 Ripper -- flats were just TOO thumpy.
rounds on the Jackson Concert V - change every once in a while -- like when I break a string.
rounds on the 4001 - RotoSound that were last changed in '95.

Depends on the bass and it's function.

 

[RustyAxe]

I started playing bass in 1967. Started using flats in 1967. 51 years later, I'm using flats. 'nuff said.

 

[GreyEagle]

I haven't used flats since '77. That's my personal preference. I don't judge, whatever works for one is the right thing! I like the growl & I can smooth it out with my tone knob for the old school feel. I have to accept fret wear using rounds, but...I just have to live with it. Flats feel nicer, but I've gotta get that growl!

 

[shoulderpet]

I've played one year with galli flats:
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The sound was really vintage and nice but in the end I was missing the standard bass sound and I've found them to be too stiff.

105-45 I'm not surprised you found them stiff

 

[btws]

Light D'Addario's Half Rounds on a '73 P-bass with Dimarzio pickup.

 

[Luigir]

105-45 I'm not surprised you found them stiff

I thought it was the standard. Isn't it?

I'll probably try some other flats in the future but now I'm fine with roundwounds. They complement very well the aggressiveness of my L2000.

 

[minimalist freedom]

7 basses 6 with chromes 1 with rounds.
Now this week 2 pressurewounds 2 with rounds and 4 with flats. Some strings sound different on different basses active bass had flats now sounds "different" better with pressurewounds ...more "fit for purpose"
Love chrome flatwounds ..are yes are versatile ..let your fingers do the talking.
P bass with rounds is good pressurewounds my original favorite is a compromise but lends more towards a round when new

I will continue to use flats and pressurewounds (semi rounds) according to what i hear or want to hear at the time
My ears change over time as my musical taste so i think my string preference will also evolve.
.

 

[Kevin Colt]

I use flats on my fretless p, and tape wounds on my 06 p but on all the others I use rounds.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

No, I play on pure 24k gold plated round wound strings. They last a good year and a half (as long as you keep them clean) without rubbing off at or losing almost any tone. I had a pair on for 2 years once, replaced them, and didn't notice a whole lot of difference besides looks. But see,
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Real gold. Now chrome plating on the other hand, wears off very quickly. These don't.

Wow, that's really surprising. 24K gold is really soft and usually rubs off any engraving or embossing in a really short period of time. Now I'm wondering why they use real Gold for strings. Gold is non-magnetic unless it's alloyed with something or something close under it has iron or steel in it. So it wouldn't have a sound of it's own unless there's some iron or steel in there somewhere. Perhaps underneath the coating?? It really surprises me but sounds like it works great for you.