Finally trying out flatwounds

andbaggio

andbaggio

Dec 16, 2011
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Treviso, Italy
#1
After years of thinking I finally decided to try out a set of flatwounds. Rotosound. Awesome! Just the best choice I could have made. I mainly play rock but I never liked the brightside of the steel roundwounds. In fact I used to keep my string for two years because I preferred the sound of used strings compared to new strings.

With the flatwounds I finally found what I was looking for. Plus with a little overdrive now I really like the "grind" that my sound has. Now I have to experiment with the different overdrives, distortions and fuzzes that I can get from my Source Audio Aftershock pedal which I find to be an excellent pedal. Any advices? I mainly play garage rock right now, but in my free time at home I usually love 70's rock and grunge rock. I love fuzz.

Anyway, flatwounds feel strange at the beginning but the sound is awesome. really warm.
 
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#2
'18 T-Bird front.JPG I'm glad you like them; I do, too. I use them on this '18 Gibson Thunderbird. I'm afraid I can't really help you with pedal advice. I only have an MXR chorus/flanger pedal, and I hardly ever use that. With the Rotos on the T-Bird, and the amp I use, I don't really need anything else for what I like to play. But, depending on what bass you have them on, I'd imagine that whatever you liked before - just less of it - would work pretty well. Enjoy them...:thumbsup:
 
#3
Congratulations on finding strings you love. Just so you know, Rotosound 77's are among the brightest and stiffest feeling flats out there, any other set you try will move to the darker side and likely be much more flexible.
 
#4
unclebass said:
Congratulations on finding strings you love. Just so you know, Rotosound 77's are among the brightest and stiffest feeling flats out there, any other set you try will move to the darker side and likely be much more flexible.
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Rotosounds will get darker quickly, they don't stay bright long. It's a good middle of the road flat once it breaks in. Most people want them to stay with that new sound though.
 
#7
Thats one major thing I do not like about Roto 77. They are just too stiff for me, and dont produce enough of the tones I like to justify dealing with the stiffness.for me, there are much better flats out there.
 
#12
I wouldn't rate the Rotos as anywhere near the best options (for sound or tension or even price). Labella Deep Talkin Flats, Dunlop flats or if you like low tension, the Labella Low-Tension flats (a better, cheaper option than TI's , IMO) are all better choices. Rotos are like playing bridge cables to me.
 
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#13
GIBrat51 said:
View attachment 3640549 I'm glad you like them; I do, too. I use them on this '18 Gibson Thunderbird. I'm afraid I can't really help you with pedal advice. I only have an MXR chorus/flanger pedal, and I hardly ever use that. With the Rotos on the T-Bird, and the amp I use, I don't really need anything else for what I like to play. But, depending on what bass you have them on, I'd imagine that whatever you liked before - just less of it - would work pretty well. Enjoy them...:thumbsup:
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How do they sound and play on a T-Bird? I've thought of throwing some La Bella Deep Talkin' flats on mine, light gauge.
 
#14
andbaggio said:
After years of thinking I finally decided to try out a set of flatwounds. Rotosound. Awesome! Just the best choice I could have made. I mainly play rock but I never liked the brightside of the steel roundwounds. In fact I used to keep my string for two years because I preferred the sound of used strings compared to new strings.

With the flatwounds I finally found what I was looking for. Plus with a little overdrive now I really like the "grind" that my sound has. Now I have to experiment with the different overdrives, distortions and fuzzes that I can get from my Source Audio Aftershock pedal which I find to be an excellent pedal. Any advices? I mainly play garage rock right now, but in my free time at home I usually love 70's rock and grunge rock. I love fuzz.

Anyway, flatwounds feel strange at the beginning but the sound is awesome. really warm.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure Roger Glover used those on his Ric on Machine Head. I read that somewhere or other.
 
#15
bobyoung53 said:
How do they sound and play on a T-Bird? I've thought of throwing some La Bella Deep Talkin' flats on mine, light gauge.
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I put them on the '18 T-Bird about 2 weeks ago. Between changing a lot of my bass's strings, and dealing with a cranky 13 yo Harley Sportster's carburetor, they aren't broken in quite yet. So, the sound is still kind of bright and uneven, with the usual dull sounding E string that new flats always seem to have. But, they're getting there, and sounding like they'll be what I want. Very middy, not too muddy or too bright; and, although I'm not a "cut thru the mix" kind of player, I think these would do it - with a vengeance. How do they play? They are stiff as a board; typical of Roto flats - but I like that. And, played with a pick, like I always do on a 'Bird? Not a problem (unless you're the pick)...:whistle:
 
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#18
jallenbass said:
Anyone try the light gauge Rotosound's (SM77 40 60 80 100)? I'm curious if the tension is more manageable.
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As opposed to what? The actual tension (i.e., pounds of pull ) will be a little less than the 45-105's I'm using, but as for the stiffness? The lighter set may also be a little more flexible than mine - they probably are - but, how much, I couldn't say. But, they're probably not, when compared to other flats of the same gauge. Roto 77 flats are just notoriously stiff, regardless... which, as I said, is one reason I like them. And, that's the main reason I can't bring myself to try the TI's I've had for a couple of years now. A flatwound E string that droops in my hand like a wet piece of yarn, is just... eewww... :rolleyes:
 
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