Hard Rock vs. Flats

[Warpeg]

Background: My main player is a Fender AVRI '63 P-bass that I've kept rounds on since I got it 4-5 years ago. In fact, I've used rounds about 95% of the time since I started playing 25+ years ago. I generally play all sorts of genres at home, but mainly Hard Rock (eg. Foo Fighters, Tool, etc.) in my band.

Q: I've been interested in getting a set of flats for my P-bass, but I'm still on the fence about it. Have any rounds-playing hard rockers out there made the switch to flats and remained happy with your tone?

 

[Mike N]

Ive got flats on my 95 MIA P and we play Dio, Slayer, Megadeth, Maiden etc..... Other than my 20 year old strings (TI flats) going dead suddenly, I love the feel and tone of a P Bass with flats.

 

[bass40hz]

I have a USA P-bass, think its a 2013, I use Rotosound Steve Harris signatures on it set up as BEAD, I tracked a super heavy song with it, of course I ran it through my Helix like I always do to get my signature tone, but for this song, it sounded better than my Spectors...and I am a Spector guy through and through...it was massive and brutal...flats on a P for hard rock...Steve Harris and Iron Maiden...'nuff said...but I use them too on my P and only on the P...all my other basses wear SS rounds ;-)
Rock on.

 

[rob_thebassman]

Cliff burton used flats for kill em all, if it sounds good, use em

 

[mouthmw]

Have any rounds-playing hard rockers out there made the switch to flats and remained happy with your tone?

Yup. Over 4 years now. P with flats (La Bella 760FS). Previously rounds (nickel). Hard rock (super loud heavy hitters) but mostly vintage-retro type of hard rock (Led Zep, Cream, Hendrix, Wolfmother, The Cult etc). I’m flats for life on this P bass and I’ll never go back to rounds for this particular need. Our tone is extremely important part of our sound and we’re known sticklers for that around here (and being loud).