Flatwound Bass Strings

[Big Jimi Cee]

With the exception of my EUB, all of my basses have had roundwound stings, Rotosounds, DR's and most recently D'Addario's. While I still like the the sound of the roundwounds, I have just very recently changed my one Smith to a set of D'Addario Chrome Flats and I'm diggin the warmness of the flats. What's everyone else using and is anyone else using the Chromes or flatwounds for that matter. I took a look at Talkbass and there is over 1000 posts on the subject so for what its worth what are you using and why?

[witchhunt]

I use Rotosound R-S77LD flats on all my basses. Easy on the fingers, frets, and fretboard. There's a misconception that you can't get any brightness out of flats. Hmmm? You can if you want. After all, a bass is a bass.

[JackANSI]

Closest thing i've ever used to flats on my basses were a set of 'ground wound' or half round strings. Those were nothing like flats or round wounds. I hated them.

I have played a fretless that had flats on it and I loved the tone. I just don't play anything that would benefit from flats these days or I'd probably have a bass strung up with them.

[JackANSI]

Slapped a set of Chromes on the Carvin and I'm really into their sound, Its not nearly as muddy as I remember (hopefully they stay that way). Only one word of warning to anyone with a string through bass (34" scale), get extra longs if they make them.

Thanks for speaking up!

[Big Jimi Cee]

I am gald you are diggin the chromes, I am real happy with them. I have had them on for a couple of weeks with regular playing time and they are still rather bright for a flatwound string. Everything that I have read about the Chromes has indicated that they have an exceptionally long life to them, works for me.

You are absolutely correct on the string length, the wrappings barely clear the nut on my Smith and it's a 34 inch scale. I was thinking about putting a set on my fretless, it's a 35, so extra long scale for sure.

[JackANSI]

I had to unwrap about 1/4" to clear the nut on the low B.

I'm actually not missing the rough feel of rounds at all, which I thought I would. I think everyone should try a set of these on their #1 bass at least once. I've been pleasantly surprised how much I like them.

[BassFinger]

I like flats for certain finger style playing. It seems the tension is a little more and you can really dig in and get that 'Motown' sound. I've had a set of Fender flats on a bass for two years one time and they still sounded great.

[MOONDOGGY]

I had a set of Status flats on a fretless 6 I used to have. They were Amazing compared to the set that was on it when I got it, but they might have been 5 year old strings for all I know! That bass didn't exactly have a lot of 'mwah' like most fretless basses. With a nice low setup and just a touch of buzz, I'd describe the tone as trumpet-like. The new set of Status strings on the bass simply enhanced every nuance and overtone the bass had. I was impressed with the strings, except the $40 price tag. But next to Carvin, those were the only flatwound 6 string sets I could find at the time.

[bassist_25]

I never cared much for the sound of flatwounds. However, I've never really played a bass with a nice set of flatwounds, either. Even on fretless, I've always used nylon coated strings.

[songsmith]

I usually have roundwounds on my bass, as I'm not a real bassist and just use it to lay down bottom-end on work-demo's, but I use flatwounds on lapsteel. I like them well-used... new strings on a lappy sound skronky and harsh to me. I have a 2-year-old set on Rex, my beater lapsteel, and they give me a nice combination of country warmth and blues-rock sting. They're the chrome ones from Music Emporium... D'Addario, I think.--->JMS