Flatwounds - wanted!

ICBM

fretmeister said:

La Bella DTF shortoes for thumpy.

Dunlop Flats Shorts for a more modern tone and lower tension compared to the La Bellas. Eye-wateringly expensive though.

Thanks - I'll recommend the LaBellas. The owner is going for 'underground nuclear test' type tone from it...

fretmeister

I have 2 shorties - one with each of those strings.

I like them both - but there's a particular weight to the note on the La Bella's that I really like. 
Especially with a pick and a farty drive.

fretmeister

@ICBM Bass Direct are usually the cheapest for them by far. Even if it takes them a week to send them.

ICBM

fretmeister said:

I like them both - but there's a particular weight to the note on the La Bella's that I really like. 
Especially with a pick and a farty drive.

Sounds ideal for the EB-1 .

bandmaster188

fretmeister said:

My basses with flats..

P - La Bella DTF
P - Dunlop Flats
J - Ernie Ball Group iv flats (not the cobalts)
Ibanez Mezzo 4 string: Dunlops
Ibanez Mezzo 5: Dunlops

The string types all sound different.

The La Bella DTF are proper old school and thumpy when worn in. Quite high tension so it's common to pick a lighter gauge when swapping from rounds. Great sounding string as used by Duck Dunn and J Jamerson. Can be a bit grabby to the fingers if the fingers are hot and sweaty as they are very smooth. I actually rough them up a bit with wet& dry because of that. Works well.

Dunlops. A bit more flexible than the La Bella's. Feel much nicer under the fingers but don't go as thumpy. Michael League from Snarky Puppy loves them and he gets a great tone. Work very well with active pickups too.

EB Group iv: Brighter again. These are my favourite for a jazz bass. They have enough top end for a bit of 1970s slap (but not modern Marcus Miller top sizzle) and they sound really full. Particularly awesome with the tone down and the bridge pickup alone. Favoured by Joe Dart on his stingray. The Vulfpeck "Live at Madison Square Gardens" will give you an idea. One of my favourite bass tones.

Ti Flats. I'm not currently using them as I developed a nasty nickel allergy and now I can't. But I used them a lot in the past. Amazing strings for a P bass and still damn good for a J. Very low tension compared to others and there is only 1 gauge available. Thomastik have no interest in making other gauges. Very nice under the fingers but hard pluckers might struggle with the low tension. Lovely low mid heavy sound with loads of articulation. Designed to emulate (a bit anyway) a proper DB. Pino Palladino swears by them on his Fender signature P.


Bass Direct are usually cheapest for the La Bella's by quite a margin. EB's usually cheapest on Amazon.

Dunlops have recently gone mad on price. I'll be leaving mine on forever as a result. I've had 6 years out of them before, and only needed changing them because I managed to bend a string in the speaking area when the bass was stupidly lent up against some furniture.


Finally - to quote the great Ed Friedland - Change your strings every 10 years whether you need to or not!
As it happens he's got a P with 22 year old La Bella's on and it still sounds amazing.

@fretmeister ;
sorry to hijack thread, but interested in the EB group flats.
firstly I’m assuming that group 3 & 4 are the same strings but different gauges? And how do they compare to chromes? I’m not a fan of chromes. I’ve been using cobalt flats on my p bass for quite a while now and despite the rust, I really like them. Just fancy trying something different and have seen you praise the groups before. I’d probably go for the group 3’s .45-100.
cheers!

fretmeister

Group 3 and 4 are just the gauges.

Out of the packet they are as bright as the Cobalts but then the calm down a lot more to be closer to trad flats. But they keep enough of the top end for 1970s style funk / slap. But not enough for Marcus Miller!

They can always be calmed down faster / completely with the hand cream trick if necessary.

I wasn't a fan of Chromes either. Didn't like the feel.

fretmeister

impmann said:

I'm going to be removing the flats from the Jazz Bass I recently bought as I don't like them. No idea on the brand but  the vendor said they were expensive ones. Would happily part with them if you (or anyone else) wants them...

Put a photo up of both ends and the speaking bit.

I might be able to tell you what they are.

bandmaster188

fretmeister said:

Group 3 and 4 are just the gauges.

Out of the packet they are as bright as the Cobalts but then the calm down a lot more to be closer to trad flats. But they keep enough of the top end for 1970s style funk / slap. But not enough for Marcus Miller!

They can always be calmed down faster / completely with the hand cream trick if necessary.

I wasn't a fan of Chromes either. Didn't like the feel.

Thanks for the info. Just ordered a set!

impmann

fretmeister said:

impmann said:

I'm going to be removing the flats from the Jazz Bass I recently bought as I don't like them. No idea on the brand but  the vendor said they were expensive ones. Would happily part with them if you (or anyone else) wants them...

Put a photo up of both ends and the speaking bit.

I might be able to tell you what they are.

Pics below. If anyone wants the set, let me know. 

ICBM

Those look like Rotosounds. I’ll take them if no-one else wants them, but don’t hold them for me specially.

fretmeister

ICBM said:

Those look like Rotosounds. I’ll take them if no-one else wants them, but don’t hold them for me specially.

I think you are right. The wraps look tighter than Thomastiks.

impmann

OK - if you want them mate, just drop me a PM with your address. They are going in the bin otherwise.

Schnozz

I really like Rotosound flats - They sound like what I had in mind when I first bought flatwound strings. Thomastik Infeld are always recommended and I've tried them a few times, but I just like Rotos. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isHdUdreR_4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5OBcPXR5Qw

fretmeister

Those Rotos sounds ace - but they have an unbelievably high nickel content which triggered my nickel allergy.
The tension on them is mad as well. Their 40-95 feel like 50-110 rounds.

impmann

Flat wounds have now gone to a new home.

p90fool

fretmeister said:

p90fool said:

I've just ordered some Fender 45-100 Stainless flats for my Precision, I'll let you know what they're like when I fit them. 

They are very nice!

They are. They feel fantastic to play and sonically have a lot more going on than the "dead roundwounds" thing I was half expecting. 

fretmeister

p90fool said:

fretmeister said:

p90fool said:

I've just ordered some Fender 45-100 Stainless flats for my Precision, I'll let you know what they're like when I fit them. 

They are very nice!

They are. They feel fantastic to play and sonically have a lot more going on than the "dead roundwounds" thing I was half expecting. 

They can get a bit grindy. Which is very nice: I did a quick play through with a set. 

https://youtu.be/9T50naTryXQ?si=i4_Z5SupnumneaDE

p90fool

Sounds great @fretmeister ;