Why do so many players love flats?

[jnewmark]

Flats have two personalities, clanky when installed and warm and tight when broken in. Different strings settle in differently (obviously).

It's all personal and what we expect to hear dictates or opinion. An issue I've noticed with many players are when they initially install flat wounds. Most flat wounds need a period of break in before they settle into their (basically) forever tone. Chromes, as example, are known for their initial clanky tone (some like, others... not so much) but eventually (months) settle in quite nicely (bottom tightens and high sweeten). That experience was similar to the Fender 9050Ls that I use on my Jazzes (one of my Ps has very old Chromes).

Not all flats have the same break in period.

Some people like the clank, I do not but was patient enough to work through and now they're exactly what "I" want.

So, if you just try 'em and rip 'em off cause you can't stand the clank, you might be giving your self a great disservice. Be patient, I say (easier said than done LOL)

If you're looking for a non-break in, no stickiness, no clank flat, I would try GHS Precision Flats. I was quite amazed at how " broke in " they sounded right off the bat.

 

[Skillet]

best flats for metal..does it exist, could it exist..seems like it'd sound like sht, or could be the next best thing.

 

[brianrost]

Flats on my Fenders, rounds on my Steinbergers. Both have their uses.

 

[Relsom]

Both. I love flats - they sound great, feel great, and last forever. But they don't suit every style of music.

Not much to add to that.

 

[fourfinger]

I played rounds for years -- was biased against flats after trying them once as a beginner on a poorly set up bass.

Then read a thread here, and soon did a 180 after trying flats and loving the tone in a band setting. Punching through, instead of cutting through.

Also I slide into a lot of notes; flats are less noisy and easy on the fingers.

Best for me with very light foam muting allowing full sustain but dampening the overtones.

 

[Tommy Sparks]

Don’t know that that I love it in every situation but, I certainly love em on my RIC. I have flats on one of my Ps and it’s just OK,
I’ll use that bass when the song or my mood calls for it.
If I’m not in mood I’ll just use a Mute.
1/2 rounds sounds great on my J.

 

[bassballs27]

Flats just have “that sound”.
When strung on a Pbass, that’s a special recipe! Not for everyone or every music style.

Flats feel amazing too. Rounds are rougher on the hands.
Rounds sort of get boring with age, especially tapered core. I’m speaking in terms of tone. Brand new rounds sound great too, with a bit of wear to tame the initial over brightness.

 

[Joe Nerve]

I'm not at all a fan of flats but can easily see why others might be.

I always went for a brighter more defined tone, and I have what I think might be a unique aversion to flats. They accentuate the frequencies that kick my tinnitus in. The few times I tried flats it was literally painful to play.

So yeah . Flats are not for me.

 

[Honkey tonk]

Flats get closer ( not by much ) to an upright, the inspiration for the electric bass

 

[DWBass]

Never use flats. Don't like the feel of them.

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I’m interested in why so many bassists love using flats as a posed to rounds.

For me personally, I have never really enjoyed using flats on any of basses. I could never get used to the feel or find a decent tone with them.

So, do you use flats, rounds, both, something else?

I use flats, rounds, nylon tape wounds.

I use flats for their tone, feel, & longevity.
I use rounds for their tone.
I use nylon tape wounds for their tone & longevity.

 

[Kashofa]

Currently playing with a regular rock band and doing a jazz class plus some practice room jazz jams. For the rock band I only considered using rounds and play a Jaguar bass with a P-J config. For jazz I put flats on a jazz bass. I am contemplating fretless but still a bit intimidated by this idea.

For me these two string types work well in these two contexts.

 

[lokikallas]

I have one bass strung with flats. I find it hard to bring to gigs, because inevitably an RHCP song will be in the set, and I don't want to play those with flats. Sound great for "what I like about you" and the other classic rock stuff though. I have found I prefer much more flexibility in my strings, so much that I prefer round core strings over hex core, so flats are a tough sell for me.

 

[Deleted member 365158]

I like rounds, tried flats and hybrid flat rounds and just haven’t cared for the feel or the sound. Tried coated strings too and again, didn’t care for the feel or sound, the worst part of the coated strings was it felt like slight carpet burn when sliding and I have some pretty good calluses on my fingertips.
People just use what feels and sounds right for them.

 

[Plectrum72]

Both. I love the feel of flats and love the sound of rounds. As a compromise, many of my basses are strung with D'addario Chromes. Rotosound Swing 66 for my P/Js though.

 

[ThingsAbove]

Vinyl records are flat and round at the same time.
So there you have it.

What were we talking about?

 

[SLO Surfer]

By the way, I dissagree that "so many players" love flats.

Have you checked these poll results lately?

 

[klejst]

Interesting! When I’ve played my short scale with flats in live settings, I’ve had two separate sound techs comment that the bass was too boomy, muddy and/or sub heavy - no tonal definition. Both preferred the sound of my Jazz bass with rounds, apparently it was significantly easier to mix properly. I really do like my short scale for recording, but will likely put rounds on it when playing live.

Well you can put whatever on whatever of course, I myself just have had better luck with rounds on my regular scale and flats on short scale. Bu again, that's me. I know quite a few others share that belief as well though.

 

[projectapollo]

As a bass mentor taught me, keep one P bass with rounds, the other with flats.

 

[RattleSnack]

Have you checked these poll results lately?

Yes, I have. It is skewed, as most statistics here are. Check out any music store, in person or online, and count number of roundwound vs flats packages on the shelf. Here's Sweetwater for you: