why don't music stores put flats on their basses?

[kevteop]

Seriously? Cost has absolutely no this to do with it, they are the standard because in 99.99% of ways that basses are used, rounds sound better and most of the world prefers basses that sound good. Even pros who record with flats, the majority play rounds live. Why? Because they cut through.

Heh.

Rounds cut through. Precisions fit in the mix. Jazzes get lost. Active Jazzes cut through. Maple sounds bright. Etc.

I love forum wisdom.

The reason music stores don't put flats on their basses is because bass players in music stores simply will not stop ****ing slapping for one ****ing moment. Have you ever been in a music store? It's horrible. The only thing worse is going to a trade show.

 

[rodl2005]

Earlier in this thread was posted. . That Ernie Ball make set of flats, and GHS make one set of flats.
Aren't GHS Precision flats AND GHS Bright Flats both flats???
Also
I just saw a advert in a local mag that shows Ernie Ball making 3 new sets of flats - "SLINKY FLATS" was the name and the advert stated 2015 is aiming up to be the "year of the flats"

 

[StereoPlayer]

Old timer here, 53 yrs playing bass and 48 of it Professionally. I started on and still play upright. My first 2 new basses in the 60s came with flats and I thought that was fine as I didn't know anything else. I remember reading about these newfangled Round Wound Rotosound bass strings, I think it was in Hit Parade Magazine. (Any elders remember that?). It was pretty much the only music oriented magazine I could get in Oregon where I grew up. I think it was a John Entwhistle interview where he mentioned round wounds. I pestered my local music store and they finally got some in. I thought it was literally night and day difference for the better. In the ensuing FIVE decades I have bought less than one set per decade! Every time I do I take them off. Now I have bought and still use " Ground" or Half Rounds on my fretless basses. But I've also used Rounds on them as well a lot with no ill effects other than marks on the FB. I have never worn out a fretboard or frets in my life with one exception. The 57' Precision I used as my only bass for over 20 yrs of daily use was refretted once. I have several basses now that get regular rotation and I can't even tell you what strings are on what bass (18 tot.) except for the Red DRs and that's only cause they are red. Haha. I don't change strings and hate brand new Rounds, I do not like the "zing" and prefer them well broken in. In fact the I usually only change strings when they won't hold a tune anymore. I don't have favorites but frequently use Dean Markly (ok I got them free from friends for 20 yrs) and DiAdarrios and now sometimes DRs usually Nickle, sometimes Stainless and usually buy what's on sale. Frankly it just doesn't make that much difference to me and yes tone is in the hands not the strings. Not too long ago I bought a set and I thought they had too high tension and they hurt to play. I do have callusses too, I tossed them. Everything that needed to be said was said on the first page. Excuse while I go back to playing my dead rounds. Lol oh yea just bought a Ibby Mikro that came with flats. I'll give me a while before I change them out but I'm sure I'll just pull out an old set of rounds I have laying around and be happier them than with the flats that are on it. Ymmv etc. And I put down my bass for 2 hrs to read this....I should have my head examined. Guys stop worrying about strings and go practice.

Ya know, every one says it's in the hands.....but I can't make dead strings ring with MY hands, like a new set of rounds!

 

[Pet Sounds]

Some of you keep repeating ad nauseum that "most players prefer rounds." I'm sure this is true, but could that be because ... you can hardly get your hands on a bass with flats at a music store? Or maybe even *buy* a set of flats at some stores? It becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. I'm not saying flats would ever become more popular than rounds, but they surely would be more popular if more people could try them.

 

[OEW3]

Maybe I'm just a dreamer. It's funny that flats are associated with old guys. I'm the OP and I'm 24. I just like the feel and sound. But I'm also amazed at how many people hate flats lol. I just hate trying a bass and having no idea how it'll sound and feel with my favorite flats. Just makes it more of a gamble I guess.

What cracks me up are the people who seem to get all mad about people using flats, insinuating that they, the flat users, hold themselves higher up or something, and call it the "TB cool club". That's hilarious. I hear more bashing of flat users here than bashing of rounds. Seems all the "cool" kids are using rounds. I'm a big dork, for real. Anyone who would call me cool surely has never met me in person. To you that hate them, when's the last time you actually played a set in a live situation? That's not a snarky question. For real, cause its way different than using them in a music store. I've played plenty of shows with rounds, to know for sure they're not for me.
Best of luck to all bass stringers out there, regardless of the ridgedness or smoothness of your chosen wire.

 

[gln1955]

Earlier in this thread was posted. . That Ernie Ball make set of flats, and GHS make one set of flats.
Aren't GHS Precision flats AND GHS Bright Flats both flats???
Also
I just saw a advert in a local mag that shows Ernie Ball making 3 new sets of flats - "SLINKY FLATS" was the name and the advert stated 2015 is aiming up to be the "year of the flats"

GHS Bright flats are rounds that are ground down to soften the edge of the wrap. I have them on my SS Jag and they're not flats and not rounds either. Some people like em but they never grew on me. One of these days I'll get some Chromes or LaBellas for that bass.

 

[Son of Wobble]

Some of you keep repeating ad nauseum that "most players prefer rounds." I'm sure this is true, but could that be because ... you can hardly get your hands on a bass with flats at a music store? Or maybe even *buy* a set of flats at some stores? It becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. I'm not saying flats would ever become more popular than rounds, but they surely would be more popular if more people could try them.

I am in the minority in that I bought a brand new Precision that came strung with Fender flats. I later flipped the bass but kept the strings, and now use Fender flats on two basses. Had I not received the strings for free, I NEVER would have tried them: Fender flats get such little relative respect on this site that I assumed they must suck.

 

[rodl2005]

Fender flats are my fave flat. Followed closely by TIs & Chromes.
The only NEW bass I've seen in a store that had flats on was the Steve Harris Precision. I think they were Chromes. Seems the ones in Aus had Chromes and not Roto flats.

 

[ThaCoast]

This makes me wonder:What would the local GC or Sam Ash think if I spent the day at one of their stores doing nothing but tuning and setting up all the basses?

This is pretty much my thought everytime i pickup an instrument and it's out of whack big time. It takes two seconds to adjust a truss rod and bridge. Wouldn't mind if intonation is off just a tad bit or that it still buzzes a little, i'd actually love to do the set ups for each and every guitar that came in and got hung on the wall (this is why i do my own set ups - no travel, no waiting time after its done, & free )

 

[BeardedFrog]

Seriously? Cost has absolutely no this to do with it, they are the standard because in 99.99% of ways that basses are used, rounds sound better and most of the world prefers basses that sound good. Even pros who record with flats, the majority play rounds live. Why? Because they cut through.

In a mass produced product, cost has something to do with everything.

 

[Son of Wobble]

Fender flats are my fave flat. Followed closely by TIs & Chromes.
The only NEW bass I've seen in a store that had flats on was the Steve Harris Precision. I think they were Chromes. Seems the ones in Aus had Chromes and not Roto flats.

The Precision I bought was a then-new 2010 USA model. It was on sale and hung way up high with flats on -- I surmised that a Guitar Center employee has swapped out the strings in a bid to steer buyers off of the 'good thing' he had tabbed for himself.

 

[themarshall]

Having got sick of this very thing, I now bring my own flats and tort gaurd when I visit stores to try basses.

Seriously though, replace "flats" in the OP with "my favorite string" and the answer is obvious.

 

[Neon Blues]

The answer is simple. Outside of Blues and Jazz cats, what percentage of players would want flats?

I would put myself in the minority that uses flats for all genres.

 

[Neon Blues]

I think setup costs are also a significant factor too.

 

[Son of Wobble]

In a mass produced product, cost has something to do with everything.

A buddy of mine ran SWR for almost a decade before selling out to Fender. He gave me a SWR Workingman's 15 practice amp and I blew the tweeter.
When he replaced it for me, buddy actually bragged that the tweeter was a mere $3 part. Bragging right rituals are apparently practiced
differently among manufacturers than among consumers.

 

[Humbled]

I like Gin.



And skinny women.

 

[mdogs]

In a mass produced product, cost has something to do with everything.

Thanks for the cost accounting lesson... The point is, they would put a four headed monster doll hanging from the headstock if it helped to sell basses. Flats don't sell basses because 95% of the world doesn't use flats. GC stocks two or maybe 3 different sets of flats and probably 20 rounds, if they sold more flats they would stock more flats.

 

[BeardedFrog]

Thanks for the cost accounting lesson... The point is, they would put a four headed monster doll hanging from the headstock if it helped to sell basses. Flats don't sell basses because 95% of the world doesn't use flats. GC stocks two or maybe 3 different sets of flats and probably 20 rounds, if they sold more flats they would stock more flats.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that while it's certainly true that rounds are more popular, most people who are dropping a grand on a bass aren't going to decide their purchase based on the strings it has on it at the moment.

 

[Neon Blues]

Every store in Australia, you need to order flats in. You will occasionally aee some TIs, Chromes or Fender Flats

 

[Son of Wobble]

I like Gin.



And skinny women.

I swore off gin years ago.
Skinny women, not so much.