Finally got flats on the P-bass.

2

Comments

  • ChiliwailerChiliwailer Frets: 107
    edited June 2018
    It just doesn’t get any better than flats on a P Bass! 

    My two penny worth below, on strings I regularly use/used in the last few years. 

    I love Chromes too, as they retain some definition. They are my fave. D’Addario are quite similar. 

    LaBellas are great, but for my dubby fingers they are just too deep. Nice on my travel bass though. 

    LaBella low tension felt like Thomastiks to me, but again sounded to deep and thuddy. 

    Fenders are good value, but Chromes are a more quality version of the Fender IMO. 

    Thomastik are lovely on the right bass, and awful on the wrong one! I guess that’s the same with any string. Really worn in Thomastiks can be very special on the right P Bass.

    EB Cobalts are awesome for retaining brightness, they don’t sound like round wounds, but they have some bite. 

    String guage is really important too, it can change everything. I loved really heavy ones on a CS 55 Pbass, but need lighter than my usual guage on my Stingray. The ‘wrong’ gauges really affected my enjoyment of those basses. It’s part tonal, and part that different basses play better with different tensions, IME. 

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  • ChiliwailerChiliwailer Frets: 107
    PhilKing said:
      I use roundwound on my 66 Precision to get more growl from it, but also use it for different stuff.
    Just in case you fancy trying flats on it one day and haven’t tried Chromes, my 66P growls like a guard dog with them on :)
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  • PhilKingPhilKing Frets: 1473
    PhilKing said:
      I use roundwound on my 66 Precision to get more growl from it, but also use it for different stuff.
    Just in case you fancy trying flats on it one day and haven’t tried Chromes, my 66P growls like a guard dog with them on :)
    I'll take a look at them.  I have pretty smooth roundwounds on a lot of my bases, but I can't get them anymore (they are Scalar strings).  I have Thomastiks on my Thunderbird, but don't play it out much as it is a big fragile beast (but sounds incredible through a B15N).
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  • ChiliwailerChiliwailer Frets: 107
    PhilKing said:
    PhilKing said:
      I use roundwound on my 66 Precision to get more growl from it, but also use it for different stuff.
    Just in case you fancy trying flats on it one day and haven’t tried Chromes, my 66P growls like a guard dog with them on :)
    I'll take a look at them.  I have pretty smooth roundwounds on a lot of my bases, but I can't get them anymore (they are Scalar strings).  I have Thomastiks on my Thunderbird, but don't play it out much as it is a big fragile beast (but sounds incredible through a B15N).
    Liking the sound of that combo very much.

    You may like the EB Cobalts too by the sounds of it, I liked them very much as an alternative to roundwounds and traditional flats. 
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  • I've been experimenting a bit with flats. Initially tried the cheaper end with some picatos which were recommended by a friend and going from rounds, loved the feel and instant vintage sound.
    Then tried the EB cobalts which felt quite different, a slightly grippy feel initially which soon wears off and a good halfway house between rounds & flats sound wise. Went for a set of chromes next which felt great but deadened off fairly quickly. Put another set of cobalts on which are still on now. Might stick the chromes back on to see how they compare with the worn in cobalts. Still fancy a go with some labellas. How do these compare with chromes/cobalts for sound and feel?
    The Swamp City Shakers
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  • RockerRocker Frets: 4947
    Guys, when you say Chromes, what brand? A quick search on Thomann brings up a lot of flat strings, some very pricey.  Thanks.
    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. [Albert Einstein]

    Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    Be seeing you.
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    Yep - ECB81’s if you have a 34” scale bass - 45-100’s
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723

    I've now done 5 x 45 min sets using the DRs and they have performed very well.

    Tension is very slightly higher than the (very old) rounds I had on the bass, but I quite like this. 

    As yet there is not obvious loss of high end, although I suspect these strings aren't as toppy to start with as a set of chromes.
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    Yep - ECB81’s if you have a 34” scale bass - 45-100’s
    Presumably the tension on these would be lower than the 45-105 DRs?

    Is that correct?
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    jpfamps said:
    Yep - ECB81’s if you have a 34” scale bass - 45-100’s
    Presumably the tension on these would be lower than the 45-105 DRs?

    Is that correct?
    Not sure - the tension doesn’t necessarily correlate to string dimensions. 
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    jpfamps said:
    Yep - ECB81’s if you have a 34” scale bass - 45-100’s
    Presumably the tension on these would be lower than the 45-105 DRs?

    Is that correct?
    Not sure - the tension doesn’t necessarily correlate to string dimensions. 
    No, the core diameter will have an effect too.

    It's odd there isn't a 45 - 105 set, which seem to be the most popular gauge. 
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  • BridgehouseBridgehouse Frets: 24579
    edited June 2018
    jpfamps said:
    jpfamps said:
    Yep - ECB81’s if you have a 34” scale bass - 45-100’s
    Presumably the tension on these would be lower than the 45-105 DRs?

    Is that correct?
    Not sure - the tension doesn’t necessarily correlate to string dimensions. 
    No, the core diameter will have an effect too.

    It's odd there isn't a 45 - 105 set, which seem to be the most popular gauge. 
    At the fat end I’m not sure I’d be able to tell the difference between a 100 and a 105 - esp on flats
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  • ChiliwailerChiliwailer Frets: 107
    I fancy a go with some labellas. How do these compare with chromes/cobalts for sound and feel?
    Completely different mate, for me it’s like comparing chalk and cheese. LaBella are very old school, they thump and sound more lo-fi, which is great if you want that 60’s raw tone. I really like them, but after many attempts they have never suited my style. 
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  • ChiliwailerChiliwailer Frets: 107

    Yep - ECB81’s if you have a 34” scale bass - 45-100’s
    I use them on my P and Jazz. Oddly, they felt wrong on my Stingray so I had to go 40-100 which was perfect for that bass, but felt wrong on my Jazz when I tried them. Go figure  :3
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  • ChiliwailerChiliwailer Frets: 107

    jpfamps said:
    Yep - ECB81’s if you have a 34” scale bass - 45-100’s
    Presumably the tension on these would be lower than the 45-105 DRs?

    Is that correct?
    You’d think so, but best check the tension ratings on the websites. 
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  • I fancy a go with some labellas. How do these compare with chromes/cobalts for sound and feel?
    Completely different mate, for me it’s like comparing chalk and cheese. LaBella are very old school, they thump and sound more lo-fi, which is great if you want that 60’s raw tone. I really like them, but after many attempts they have never suited my style. 
    Cheers for that. the picatos I tried, which were only 23 quid sound like they may have a similar sound and feel. They were definitely the slickest out of the flats I've tried and had that instant old school Motown thing going on. I loved the sound and feel but not the ideal string for the pub covers band I'm in. 
    The Swamp City Shakers
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    edited October 2018

    I've now fitted La Bella Deep Talkin Bass 45-105 and they feel smoother than the DRs.

    I'll report back after this evenings gig.

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  • brooombrooom Frets: 1170
    in my experience flats take around 2 weeks to settle into the sound I like. They're usually quite bright when new.
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    brooom said:
    in my experience flats take around 2 weeks to settle into the sound I like. They're usually quite bright when new.
    I've got 6 gigs in the next couple of weeks, we usually do 3 sets as well, so should be able to report back.
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