your favorite flats on a budget?

[bigswifty1]

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:

I hear some string pops in that which don’t sound like flats to me.

 

[LUCE]

DR. Broken in feel right out of the box.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Fender Flats are the cheapest, I really like them!

 

[uwrossl]

Assuming you want the old school Joe Osborn tone and not the slap bass that was added in 79' for the soundtrack. Joe used the same set of La Bellas from 62' for 15+ years according to interviews. La Bellas or GHS Precision Flats would be your best choices and the DR Legends do have a broken in La Bella vibe right out of the package so those would work well also. GHS will be the most budget friendly of the 3.

 

[Alex J]

l
so that I may sound like this:

Pretty sure that's Wilbur Bascomb, who was almost certainly playing rounds. Definitely sounds like nickel rounds on the pops.

I love GHS flats but you won't get that snap from them in my experience. Fender flats are also not too expensive but again, not that bright.

 

[Mili]

I heard very good things about fender 9050L and it's budget friendly but everything you choose, don't order from juststrings.com and stringsbymail.com.
They sell what they don't have in stock
After two weeks delay with juststrings and one week with stringsbymail I went with TB store.
I wish i did it at first. They sent it fast with free shipping.

 

[Vinny_G]

Pretty sure that's Wilbur Bascomb, who was almost certainly playing rounds. Definitely sounds like nickel rounds on the pops.

Nickel rounds in 1979? It already existed at the time?

 

[smo]

....any set of flats out there on the cheaper side that are worth trying?

Flats live for years and years. The money you'll save.....
My advice is to wait, save up and buy a good set.

 

[Phaidrus]

Fender 9050L and not just on a budget. Deep round and string-to-string balanced tone, balanced feel, low tension, cool green silks.

 

[onda'bass]

I'd use fenders if they brought all gauges back: 125-40 specifically

 

[Stewie]

Unfortunately, GHS Precision Flats .045-.105 are out of stock pretty much everywhere, and I need a set for my fretless Precision

 

[rohi]

I'm a TI guy all the way, but I have a set of GHS flats on my L2500 and I friggin' love them. I'm at the point where I can only recommend TIs for 4 strings, and for anything else I'll be sticking with these GHS strings

 

[Trailertrash74]

GHS Precision Flats. $24.95 at JustStrings.com
Sound good & last as long as any other flatwound.View attachment 4026149

The GHS Flats are on all but one of my basses. The price has gone up on Amazon but they are still out there in the $25 range (just purchased 2 sets on Ebay from Select Sounds LLC for 25.95 ea. with free shipping).

 

[Snibborwocky]

I have Fender flats on a hollowbody that I absolutely love and more recently I decided to try Ernie Ball flats on my precision. They may just be my new favorites because I instantly felt comfortable playing them within minutes of putting them on. Both sets are under $30 which makes it even better.

 

[DISCOSTUVW]

Used ones off of Talk Bass

 

[InnerBass]

Black Diamond

 

[bolophonic]

I do my string experimentation on the cheap by buying out of the TB classifieds. I’d never pay full retail unless I’ve tried the strings out and liked them.

 

[William K]

thanks folks!
I'm surprised how people either love or hate the fender flats

 

[William K]

I hear some string pops in that which don’t sound like flats to me.

I know..! I'm not sure either

 

[BobbyT]

Used flats come up on the classifieds fairly often—if you’re patient, you can snag a set for much less than retail. And as a bonus you don’t have to break them in.