Flatwounds

Cirrus

My bassist would like to try flatwounds on his Tele bass, I don't have a clue about gauges, brands etc in this area so does anyone have any recommendations?

Brize

My favourite:

https://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/strings-c1/string-sets-c865/bass-guitar-c34/thomastik-infeld-jazz-flatwound-jf344-bass-strings-43-100-nickel-p842

Funkfingers

T-I strings are excellent but, possibly, a little pricy for somebody just dipping a toe in the pool, so to speak.

.045 - .110 is typical from the Ernie Ball, D'Addario, Fender and Rotosounds of this world.

A '68 style Tele Bass should sound okay. The '72 style with the Wide Range Mudbucker may prove too thuddy.

JezWynd

Olympia Flatwounds are good for a first try, they're cheap but sound okay.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flatwound-guitar-strings-stainless-Olympia/dp/B005CD2F62/

My personal faves are LaBella Flats, 39-96. I get them from Bass Direct. They have a nice slinky smooth feel to them and last forever.

rze99

I bought a USA 60s style bass 5 years ago. The guy I bought from said he’d had the same German made flatwounds on it for about 20 years. They sounded great to me. Full round with thunk and heft but a sweet upper mid.    I moved them to 50s style precision build and they sound even better on that bass to my
ears. 

The reason for posting this is that I’d recommend having two basses one with flats the other brighter rounds. 

fretmeister

Different makes of flats sound amazingly different.

La Bella DTF are very old school thumpy. EB Cobalts are as bright as rounds.

Everything else is in the middle somewhere.

Get him onto Basschat classifieds - people sell old flats on there all the time. Get a few sets to see what he likes.

stickyfiddle

I have only ever used TIs in anger but I love them. 

I’ve had compliments on sound from bassists at multiple gifs so I’m not inclined to change!

Chiliwailer

Best to get a light guage first IMO. The extra tension is really noticeable (unless getting TIs or labella low tension). 40-95 are great IMO, like GHS Precision for old school or Ernie Ball Group IV for a more brighter tone. Personally love TI, but it’s a marmite string. 

Plus, I feel the note is cleaner with a lighter guage, but if you want room filling boom, go heavy and exercise them fingers…  

mike257

I've got a set of Detroits that I've moved between a couple of different basses for years, they're inexpensive as flats go, but they still sound lovely.

Flats in general are more expensive than rounds, but they also last a lot longer, so it balances itself out!

Cirrus

Thanks guys, this is all dead helpful. I'll show it to my bassist when I next see him.

Schnozz

Rotosounds for me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isHdUdreR_4
I use them on a Precision and EB type.

Reggaebass

I only use labella flats but if your friend just wants to try some I would recommend Adagio flats, they are on eBay and for the money are really good, I’ve had a set on one of my jazzes for about 7 years and they still sound good 

fretmeister

Schnozz said:

Rotosounds for me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isHdUdreR_4
I use them on a Precision and EB type.

I love them nearly as much as Ti Flats - but I've now got a nickel allergy so I can't use them anymore.

Only Steel strings for me now.

Ossyrocks

TI’s or LaBellas. Those TI’s at Strings Direct are quite expensive, I don’t pay anywhere near that much for them over the counter at my local music shop. Shop around.

From experience, a cheap set might put him off for good. I bought Picatos at first, “to try flats”. I very nearly didn’t carry on with flats. Compared with TI’s they were high tension and had no ummph. 

wellsyboy

Labella LTF4A Low tension flatwounds are superb.

Reggaebass

wellsyboy said:

Labella LTF4A Low tension flatwounds are superb.

Yeah definitely, they are on nearly all my jazzes and precision’s and they get better with time too, I’ve TIs on another P and labella 760FL on another which are also great 

Jeremiah

I went through a phase of trying quite a few different flatwounds, and ended up preferring the Dunlop ones.