Best tapes or flats for my mahogany bodied Martin Acoustic Bass

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velalv

Oct 5, 2010
464
166
4,551
Woodbridge, VA
#1
I have a Martin Mahogany bodies acoustic bass that I love. I've had it strung with TI Flats for the last 8 years and was thinking about changing it up just because. I tend to use it to accompany people at church playing on their acoustic guitar when there is no drummer, or at a blues jam, also when there is no drummer. I was looking for something with a more upright tone, or low-mid thud with more girth, that is a bit more percussive to make up for the fact that I am not playing with a drummer.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
#2
velalv said:
I have a Martin Mahogany bodies acoustic bass that I love. I've had it strung with TI Flats for the last 8 years and was thinking about changing it up just because. I tend to use it to accompany people at church playing on their acoustic guitar when there is no drummer, or at a blues jam, also when there is no drummer. I was looking for something with a more upright tone, or low-mid thud with more girth, that is a bit more percussive to make up for the fact that I am not playing with a drummer.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!
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I've been using Chromes or Fender flats on my ABG's for years, just recently tried TI jazz flats and love them. A bit less low end, but nice growl and definition - to me they sound a bit more like an upright... However, I'm now down the rabbit hole and strung one bass with TI acousticores to see if they might be even more 'acoustic-ish'. Haven't played them enough to form an opinion yet.

I'm also curious as to how LaBella LTF would work on ABG, I've just recently tried them on my Pbass and love the sound and feel. Their solid low end thunk and mid range definition might be just the thing...

The thing I love about trying different strings is that for fairly small investment it's like having a completely different instrument! TI JF on my Ric... LTF on the Stingray... don't know where it will end but sure is fun.
 
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#3
I talked to Martin today regarding my bcpa4 acoustic bass. They recommend 191lb of pressure and to not go higher than that on my particular bass. I’m not sure how to find that rating but it would vary depending on the bass and scale length. Flat wounds tend to have a greater pressure.
 
#4
I’ve been using LTFs on my ABGs for a while now, much prefer them to all others that I’ve tried - TIJF, Chromes, Fender flats, D’Addario tapes, Roto 77’s.... the LTF have a solid fundamental but still nice upper mids for definition.

Ok when soloing in the upper register the TIJF have a really sweet tone that LTF can’t match. But for everything else the LTF are fantastic.
 
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