your favorite flats on a budget?

[William K]

looking to put new flats on a p-bass, but I don't have the means to buy one of those super expensive sets. I'm familiar with Chromes and do like them, but am open to something different. any set of flats out there on the cheaper side that are worth trying?

so that I may sound like this:

 

[Gorn]

No flats are cheap but they last for years. You don’t have to get TI’s but you’re not gonna find a budget set that costs what cheap rounds cost. I think chromes are the cheapest.

 

[2saddleslab]

TI's that last over a decade turn out to be quite the bargain. But that would be after the flat string brand testing stage.

 

[JKos]

Dunlop Flats seem reasonably priced at $32 and well received. I just put them on a bass that had Chromes and find them fairly similar, a bit to my surprise.

I guess one needs to define what price point "budget" means. Long term or short term budget?

TI's that last over a decade turn out to be quite the bargain.

They are very budget friendly in that respect.

 

[primusfan1989]

Chromes are the cheapest Im aware of (maybe fender flats are cheaper) but Im not a fan. DR or La Bella are the best for me, not the cheapest but definitely better than chromes for me

 

[JKos]

Chromes are the cheapest Im aware of

Chromes $40. Dunlop flats $32. Fender flats $27.50.

 

[MCF]

These are on my list to try; haven’t tried them yet. But I like the company and use their round wound Power Steels on a couple of basses. I love their acoustic guitar strings and have used them for yraes.

I’ve seen them as low as $28/on some sites for the four string 45 - 105s
Link Removed

 

[michael_t]

For "semi-modern"...

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

For "old-school"...

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Old ones still on from 15 years ago.

 

[Guild B301]

GHS Precision Flats. $24.95 at JustStrings.com
Sound good & last as long as any other flatwound.

 

[TimboZ]

Another vote for GHS. Have them on 3 of my basses.

 

[DJ Bebop]

ELECTRIC BASS 4 STRING - WEBSTRINGS DETROIT BASS - STAINLESS STEEL FLATWOUND

 

[bassinflorida]

 

[Killing Floor]

Rotosound 77s are nice for the money. I have them on a bass now and a set of LB waiting for them to die. And they won't die. Which is weird because their rounds don't last as long as some. I like the way they feel and sound well enough that I am not in a hurry to replace them. For comparison the touch is smooth, not sticky at all, similar to your Chromes except lower tension. I think I'd buy a set. They're $30-32. They have a very warm tone. I didn't buy them, they came on a bass. But I am not taking them off any time soon and I have a handful of string sets on hand so I wouldn't hesitate to remove them if I was unhappy.

 

[Killing Floor]

ELECTRIC BASS 4 STRING - WEBSTRINGS DETROIT BASS - STAINLESS STEEL FLATWOUND

Wow, that's low cost. Are they good? I'm not scared to try new strings.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Wow, that's low cost. Are they good? I'm not scared to try new strings.

I liked them. I was using their heavy 50-110 set but, they don't offer them anymore.
The heavy set reminded me of La Bella's 1954s. I have a set of La Bella's on now.

They are stiff, the webstrings flats, like La Bella's or Rotosound Monel flat wounds. Not soft like TI flats or Pyramid Golds.

I would buy their strings again, I've used their steel rounds before as well. I liked those too.

 

[WillyW]

The Ernie Ball cobalts are easily my second favorite flats, and at the time of this post can be had under $28.

First favorites are Pyramid Golds and if I’m lucky I can get them under $55.

 

[brianrost]

Ernie Ball "Custom Gauge Group xxx" bass strings, I've got two basses that have had them on for 20 years. $34 at Amazon, not cheap but not expensive, either. They come in at least four gauges.

 

[bherman]

I'd go with LaBella, lots of gauge options. If you're patient watch for a set in the TB classifieds.

 

[Abner]

Came to post the link to Detroit Bass flats as the cheapest flats. (Maybe not the best, but the cheapest I've seen), but that's already been done. But I concur that the Ernie Ball Group series flats maybe the best value. If you can get them for $34, I'd consider that a steal.