Good Ole Flatwounds

Schnozz

A good ole flatwound question...

Which would you recommend for a jazz bass?

I've tried thomastik infeld in the past, but the 30" scale (eb3) annoyed me and I sold the bass with them still on.

I preferred roundwounds on my '55 precision, as it sounded so growly and aggressive.

What are the best value nowadays? I'm not a huge advocate, but willing to have another go.

proggy

I don't know about nowadays, but I used to play a fretless Jazz Bass and I found Rotosound flatwounds worked best for me.

That was 20+ years ago though but might be worth considering.

Koa

D’addario Chromes are fairly bright for flats, suit a Jazz and mellow out nicely with the tone backed off. I have a really nice set of Status flats on my other JB think they may have changed supplier though.

fretmeister

I use TI flats on my Precision and on the odd occasion I have flats on my jazz I use La Bella.

My Jazz usually has D'addario pro steels though - but I leave them on for quite a while so the top end zing dies down a lot.

JezWynd

I've had La Bella nylon flats on my Jazz for a few months. Downside is they don't ground the signal so can be noisy on a Jazz but they sound and feel excellent.

Best value has to be Olympia Flats - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flatwound-guitar-strings-stainless-Olympia/dp/B005CD2F62/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Olympia+flat+bass&qid=1580293834&sr=8-1 very decent strings.

fretmeister

I forgot I had tried the La Bella White Nylons. They were very good. Smoother than the black nylons.

Noise never bothered me as I've only ever used them with humbuckers or EMGs.
I might try them again actually.

Koa

JezWynd said:

I've had La Bella nylon flats on my Jazz for a few months. Downside is they don't ground the signal so can be noisy on a Jazz but they sound and feel excellent.

Best value has to be Olympia Flats - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flatwound-guitar-strings-stainless-Olympia/dp/B005CD2F62/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Olympia+flat+bass&qid=1580293834&sr=8-1 very decent strings.

Always wondered what the Olympic flats were like, thanks. I notice they’re Stainless. The other cheapies ,Adagio, on there look to be Nickel if that makes a difference.

Bridgehouse

It’s worth saying that imho all flats get better with age - first impressions when you put them on don’t necessarily represent the longer term sound

KKJale

Though I love Labella 760L’s, my value vote goes to Maruszczk flats via Bassdirect. They’re twenny-two squids, the gauges are 45-65-85-105 thus roughly akin to the Labella 760S set, and the feel is very very nice. 

Funkfingers

proggy said:
flatwounds ... 20+ years ago

My first thought on reading twenty year old flatwound bass guitar strings was this guy.

Bridgehouse said:

It’s worth saying that imho all flats get better with age - first impressions when you put them on don’t necessarily represent the longer term sound

Perhaps, you can twist his arm and buy a "relic'd" set?

Bridgehouse

Funkfingers said:

proggy said:
flatwounds ... 20+ years ago

My first thought on reading twenty year old flatwound bass guitar strings was this guy.

Bridgehouse said:

It’s worth saying that imho all flats get better with age - first impressions when you put them on don’t necessarily represent the longer term sound

Perhaps, you can twist his arm and buy a "relic'd" set?

I relic all my flat wounds individually with authentic Motown sweat 

proggy

Bridgehouse said:

Funkfingers said:

proggy said:
flatwounds ... 20+ years ago

My first thought on reading twenty year old flatwound bass guitar strings was this guy.

Bridgehouse said:

It’s worth saying that imho all flats get better with age - first impressions when you put them on don’t necessarily represent the longer term sound

Perhaps, you can twist his arm and buy a "relic'd" set?

I relic all my flat wounds individually with authentic Motown sweat 

"What's going on?"

wrinkleygit

Labella low tension flats every time for me, not as floppy as TI flats & a little brighter tone wise.

Musicman20

Ernie Ball Flatwounds...

PhilKing

I used to use thomastik infeld but they are really expensive.  I still have them on my Thunderbird but on my fretless and 57 Precision replica, I use Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 flat-wound Monel strings.  I like the sound and feel of them and they are a lot cheaper.

octatonic

I like flats on P Basses.
I had them on one of my J's for a bit but prefer round wounds on them.

I use Chromes or Thomastiks.

Snap

Bridgehouse said:

It’s worth saying that imho all flats get better with age - first impressions when you put them on don’t necessarily represent the longer term sound

Still got those Chromes on the Stingray. Still sounding good, nice balance to the bass's natural attack.

JezWynd

Koa said:

JezWynd said:

I've had La Bella nylon flats on my Jazz for a few months. Downside is they don't ground the signal so can be noisy on a Jazz but they sound and feel excellent.

Best value has to be Olympia Flats - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flatwound-guitar-strings-stainless-Olympia/dp/B005CD2F62/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Olympia+flat+bass&qid=1580293834&sr=8-1 very decent strings.

Always wondered what the Olympic flats were like, thanks. I notice they’re Stainless. The other cheapies ,Adagio, on there look to be Nickel if that makes a difference.

It's been a while since I used them but from memory they are quite low tension, esp on e string.

Bridgehouse

Snap said:

Bridgehouse said:

It’s worth saying that imho all flats get better with age - first impressions when you put them on don’t necessarily represent the longer term sound

Still got those Chromes on the Stingray. Still sounding good, nice balance to the bass's natural attack.

If you want flats on a stingray then chromes are definitely the first choice!

Schnozz

Thank you - Now just need to decide on which gauge!

Schnozz

Bought British and went for Rotos - 45 to 105.