Switching To Flatwounds On P-Bass?

[muggsy]

$20?? Man you got a good deal on flats. Chromes are like at least $30 after tax and/or shipping and thomastiks are ridiculously expensive. Not to mention the setup a lot of guys ending having to do if switching from rounds and/or lower tension.

TI flats are expensive, yes, but they last forever. I have them on my walnut P Special (installed 2002), my EBMM Sterling fretless (installed 2002) and my 30th Anniversary EBMM Stingray (installed 2006). Other than an initial truss rod tweak to account for the lower tension, I've done zero maintenance and all three sets are going strong.

 

[Michael Rhead]

Chromes!! Recently fell in love with some 50-105s. Why didn't I try these 10 years ago?

 

[Dragan]

Five of the six basses I own all have round wounds with the exception of my Fender Jaco signature J fretless which has the flats. Love it BTW.

I am tempted to convert my current production Am Std P-bass to flats but don't really know what I'm in store for tone-wise. I love the tone of the flats on the Jaco but sometimes would like that same tone with a fretted bass. Will the pickups on my P react well with flats or are they more designed for rounds?

Thanks,

you obviously (which is good for you) ain't spending enough time on TB

 

[Mosstone]

Here's another vote for EB Cobalt flats. I was decidedly not a flatwound guy for almost 30 years. Every time I tried flats, half-rounds, ground-rounds or any other deviation from round-wound strings, they didnt stay on the bass very long. But I'm really hooked on the Cobalts for my P-bass. They're almost as growly as rounds, but you can also get that old-school thump. Best of both worlds.

 

[bobyoung53]

I believe the first iteration of EB cobalt flats had this problem because the wrapping around the string core would shift apart a little when at a sharp angle. This left a weak point in the string. If you unstring and restring a few times it could break.

They've since fixed it I think.

THEY SAY.... if you put flats on an American Standard, to use the top holes, not the through body, as the sharp angle leads to breakage.
So they say,,,,,

Labella deep talkin' flats are not recommended for through body basses right from the manufacturer, I think Labella make flexible flats for that. I wouldn't try it with Fenders either. I never heard or felt any difference in a bass whether it was strung through the body or on top anyway.

 

[sears]

I think that the TIs have a slightly more aggressive sound. They can give your P more of a bite. I think they're a bit much for an aggressive-sounding bass but not a P. They have less tension than the Deep Talkin'.

The Pyramid Gold flats have a round, rich sound and less tension than the Deep Talkin'. They're also wonderful.

I bought the Labella low-tension strings, to replace the TIs on the aggressive bass I have. But I haven't made the move yet -- aggressive isn't bad.

You cannot over-discuss flatwound strings.

 

[Marko 1]

I just tend to stick to the Jaco method I read in one of his interviews once about rounds. The theory goes: keep the tone knob all the way down when they are new and only turn it up as they age or want a bright tone for certain songs.

That's what I do.

 

[Antisyzygy]

Labella deep talkin' flats are not recommended for through body basses right from the manufacturer, I think Labella make flexible flats for that. I wouldn't try it with Fenders either. I never heard or felt any difference in a bass whether it was strung through the body or on top anyway.

Thanks! I'm not familiar with those. I was just giving an example that I knew a bit about.

I actually don't even have any string-through basses at the moment so I suppose it's moot. I do have a bass body with string through holes I need to do something with, however my other basses are G&Ls or have a Gotoh classic top-loading bridge.