Your favourite flatwounds + p pickup combo?

[Sir Toby]

So!

Wich set of flatwounds create magic for you when paired with wich p pickup? And most importantly WHY?
Let me know your dynamic duo and why it works so good and for what genres or scenarios. The nerdier and more detailed answers the better.
Would you for exemple put TI flats on a bass with Dimarzio Model P or would that be so mid-heavy that it spols all the thump? Not my preference or so, just a wierd exemple to get you fired up about the subject!

 

[scarekrow]

I’ve find the LaBella LowTension Flats on my old P bass with a Bartolini 8P to be very versatile. Im old, so Motown reminiscence is easily accessible and inspirational with that combo. I’ve also grabbed reminder tones of 70s band Free and also recorded it with using a Distressor, Pultec eq, Keeley Bassist, RNDI and had success with the Darkglass products. Still, stand alone straight into any amp, I love the tone and feel of those strings and pickup. Backing off the treble with the tone pot creates inspirational throw downs as well and a bit of sponge beneath the strings just in front of the bridge... yeh sometimes that’s all my baby needed.

 

[bolophonic]

Labella Low Tension Flats with DiMarzio Model P. Just a beautiful, buttery thump.

 

[HaphAsSard]

I can't get over how growly my friend's Squier CV Precision with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound SPB-3 sounded with a couple months old set of Fender 9050L flats. And yeah, no, not quite an old school combination. But someone else might like it, so there.

 

[Luckydog]

The flats that have checked most of the boxes for me are no longer made, unfortunately. Sadowsky black label. There is nothing out there precisely like them, although some come close. Very smooth feel, medium tension/stiffness, plenty of thump, but also plenty of cutting mids, great bloom. I know who made them and all of that stuff. The fact is, they were made to Sadowsky specs, are no longer made, and have not been copied to my knowledge. If you stocked up before they disappeared, you are very fortunate.

 

[Sir Toby]

I’ve find the LaBella LowTension Flats on my old P bass with a Bartolini 8P to be very versatile. Im old, so Motown reminiscence is easily accessible and inspirational with that combo. I’ve also grabbed reminder tones of 70s band Free and also recorded it with using a Distressor, Pultec eq, Keeley Bassist, RNDI and had success with the Darkglass products. Still, stand alone straight into any amp, I love the tone and feel of those strings and pickup. Backing off the treble with the tone pot creates inspirational throw downs as well and a bit of sponge beneath the strings just in front of the bridge... yeh sometimes that’s all my baby needed.

Sounds like the LTF set does all the classic sounds but friendlier on the fingers and neck relief. Will check them out! Could you get a decent old-school slap tone out of those if you're going for more Sly than mid-scooped?

 

[Sir Toby]

Labella Low Tension Flats with DiMarzio Model P. Just a beautiful, buttery thump.

Wow!! Sounds like a perfect match! Thinking of puttning the cream dp122 on a p bass so the LTF:s might go on that as well. Not to aggressive for old school soul and funk? I bet they work Great together for classic metal

 

[Sir Toby]

I can't get over how growly my friend's Squier CV Precision with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound SPB-3 sounded with a couple months old set of Fender 9050L flats. And yeah, no, not quite an old school combination. But someone else might like it, so there.

No, not very classic but they might be the ultimate combo for modern rock! Hard to find a swiss army knife type of bass, but that combo would really make you want to explore things you wouldn't think of on another bass. Thats the collector mania trying to rationalize buying yet another bass

 

[Sir Toby]

The flats that have checked most of the boxes for me are no longer made, unfortunately. Sadowsky black label. There is nothing out there precisely like them, although some come close. Very smooth feel, medium tension/stiffness, plenty of thump, but also plenty of cutting mids, great bloom. I know who made them and all of that stuff. The fact is, they were made to Sadowsky specs, are no longer made, and have not been copied to my knowledge. If you stocked up before they disappeared, you are very fortunate.

Heard great things about those recently and couldn't find them anywhere. Now I know why...
You should start a TB petition to bring them back. The power of numbers might get them back in production

 

[Phaidrus]

Currently a 2008 AmStd Pbass with Pure Vintage 63 pickup (and 82nF cap) and a two month old set of Dunlop flats (45105). Perhaps not quite magic but I like it.

 

[2F/2F]

La Bella 0760Ms with any Fender vintage reissue P pickup. Sounds...like "A P Bass," of the sort played by the great session electric bassists of the '60s.

 

[BAG]

I have a Franken Pbass with Bill Lawrence P46 pickup and use D'addario chomes.... mainly because they are the cheapest and most readily available in this part of the world. It has a great sound that sits in a mix really well.

 

[Grapevine921]

Delano P pickup: very bright loud and aggressive
DR Legend Flats: somewhat mellow and thumpy

This combo gives me the attack and sustain I want out of my P-bass with subjectively too much output.

 

[JRMK]

TI flats + Fender Original '62 is the midrange Phatness

 

[Jefenator]

I currently have Pyramids with Lollar.
Love to get back to the Labella 1954 strings (pretty sure the ol' truss rod is still up to it). They don't exactly play themselves, but there's nothing quite like the hefty "oomph" you get with them.

 

[Bodeeni]

My favorite is Seymour Duncan SPB-1 with Chromes 100-40. To me it has the best of the classic P sound and the Chromes have a broad spectrum and a nice tension. I like to hear the high end in flats and use them for a lot, including slap.

 

[Killing Floor]

TI Jazz over a Fralin +5% churns my butter.

 

[Bruiser Stone]

La Bella 760FS or Fender 9050M paired with Lindy Fralin stock wound PU.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

GHS Precision Flats and a 1971 Fender P pickup.

 

[commonplayer]

Fralins + Chromes. Can’t be beat.