jcadmus Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Anyway, it sounds like sour grapes. Peace Davo You're sour grapes. "Tours widely in the southwestern tip of Kentucky" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Yup. I meant me anyway. Davo "We will make you bob your head whether you want to or not". - David Sisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewImprov Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Davo-Nice playing in that clip! Definitely your tone serves your style, and a thumpy set of flats would not. But have you checked out the TI Jazz Flats? I get really clear harmonics and great sustain from them on my bass, and I personally love the tone. Turn up the speaker Hop, flop, squawk It's a keeper -Captain Beefheart, Ice Cream for Crow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butcherNburn Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I am CEO, Treasurer, Chairman and Managing Director of the anti-flat league.... Excellent, I'd like to talk to you about my subscription to your website, it's not what I expected at all. If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 string Mike Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I tried my first set of flats (DR's 45-105) they sound nice on my MIM P. I was wondering how bass players use Flats no matter the musical style? (Funk, Hip-Hop, Rock, R&B) I had flats on my P- I miss them now that I'm doing mostly blues /classic rock right now. They are better served for the old-school fat & punchy sound. When I'd play with a pick near the bridge, they had a good sound- kind of a low-mid kick but still prety warm. ... You can get the same tone with rounds and turning the tone pot down. ... Davo That's a matter of opinion, but I disagree with that statement. I used to think that way until I actually played with flats. You can get close turning the tone down- you lose the highs but it's just not the same. The beefy warm low end just isn't there as prominent with rounds and the tone dialed back. Although, with an active preamp's bass boost, you might pull it off. Bottom line, lots of players use flats for different things. Some exclusvely, others not at all. I like them for the old school blues/ classic rock stuf I do, but like the rounds for most other things. "Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Davo-Nice playing in that clip! Definitely your tone serves your style, and a thumpy set of flats would not. But have you checked out the TI Jazz Flats? I get really clear harmonics and great sustain from them on my bass, and I personally love the tone. Yeah dude keep up - I have TI flats on my fretless ABG. Davo "We will make you bob your head whether you want to or not". - David Sisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1111000 Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Can you get the same tone with rounds -treble that you can with flats? I don't really think so, because flats are also affected by the tone knob(s) quite a bit. They definitely have a treble frequency response that a lot of people just ignore--mainly it's the woody snap and snarl that can also be heard on some URB recordings. Also, forgive me, but it's REALLY stupid to talk about "rounds" as if that is one thing and "flats" as if that is another, and that's all there is... everyone here knows that no two sets of rounds nor flats are alike (well, I've met some music store salesman that say all flats are alike, but generally they are exclusively roundwound players). Just compare DR Sunbeams to Rotosound SS, for instance, or D'Addario Chromes (my preference) to TI JFs. Worlds and worlds of difference. Now, ultimately, I agree with Davo's position that if you just have one fretted bass, put rounds on it. On a fretted bass, rounds do have a little more potential. But they can't do everything that flats can and vice-versa, so what you want the sound to be is the final determinant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 You're the final determinant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Amen. Have we finished? Till next time ... Davo "We will make you bob your head whether you want to or not". - David Sisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1111000 Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Have we finished? As the final determinant, I believe I can settle this one for you. Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele C. Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Hi, friends. Just went back to flatwounds today, ready for my jazz master classes. I have listened to my recordings and really like the mids and high mids of flats, the singing quality and lack of finger noise. This time I chose Ernie Ball 40-95, because it's what they had in the shop, but thinner strings seem to be a tad brighter and sit in between. I wanted that singing quality this time and really think have gotten it. And yes, you can still slap, it's a different slap but I do not miss slap anyway: we have a drummer for that. -- Michele Costabile (http://proxybar.net) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 The right combination of bass plus flats can yield a really great result, and that's with frets. I've owned some basses that really came alive with the right set of flats for them. For instance, a Geddy Lee Jazz with a 50-gauge set of Fender flats--huge bottom end and miles of that burpy J bass sound. A Rickenbacker 4003 with Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats ... just wow. Played with a pick, it's my favorite bass tone, actually. Sadly, I have to amend this. Yes, a 4003 with JF344s is still a heavenly thing to me, but I have had too many sets with duff E strings. In fact, perhaps every set to varying degrees of duffness. Sad. I'm trying DA Chromes now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 RE: Davo's video clip Everything sounds great, except, for that horrible string noise. Rocky "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Daddy from Motown Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I have to admit to having returned to flats after many years of using rounds exclusively. Right now I have 2 precisions strung with flats , one with TI's and one with Labella's. I like them both. I still like rounds and end up using them for most gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I'm sorry if my playing and sound is not to your taste Rocky. I suppose that is the point. Davo "We will make you bob your head whether you want to or not". - David Sisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Suspect Rocky's tongue might have been placed a little over towards his cheek there Davo! http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rizzo9247 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I'm currently enjoying some chrome flats on my 50's p bass tuned Eb. A set of DR Fatbeams are patiently waiting their turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklab Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Try out the LaBella Jamerson flats, Rizz. I'm really digging those on my 50's P-Bass. Obligatory Social Media Link "My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I'm sorry if my playing and sound is not to your taste Rocky. I suppose that is the point. Davo The playing was very good, and I enjoyed the video. I was just condeming round strings and their finger noise. I did not intend to discredit your playing. Rocky "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlrush Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 I have a set of TI JF344's on my P Special and think they sound great. They feel better than any strings I've ever used and the jury is still out whether they are the best sounding on the Fender, but they might be. I moved the 1 1/2 yr old set of DA Half Rounds from the Yam TRB5 to the Yam BB. The DA HR's sound great on the BB, even being that old. They still sounded good on the fiver but were getting a little hard to play because of tension, but are much easier to play as a four string set at this stage. Visit my band's new web site. www.themojoroots.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron G Posted October 12, 2009 Author Share Posted October 12, 2009 Flats sound so nice on P-Bass that I'm putting Rotosound Jazz 77's on my Jazz Bass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I haven't reached the point of trying flats. Maybe someday on my BenLoy. Maury has black nylons on his, and it sounded cool, but I'd need to try it out more. I think that there are many applications where you just need to pick the sound you want to deliver for the music that you are playing. P or J, flats or rounds, active or passive, whatever. You decide if you like the sound - then you make it work. If it doesn't work, you change something and go again. Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 We actually did a side-by-side comparison in the studio between flats and round-wounds when we were recording a while ago. We did this because we were looking for the right bass sound for a song. Both basses were fretted American P basses going through the exact same DI into the same board. The only real difference was the strings. For us, the flats sounded best on the songs with busy passages, and the rounds worked better on the more droning songs, as they seemed to provide more sustain. The bass with the rounds was more piano-ish. The flats were (as expected) more thumpy and low-endy. Both worked for us in different situations. As it stands right now, we keep both basses ready to go in the studio all the time, but our bassist uses the P with flats about 90% of the time. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlrush Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 I'm currently enjoying some chrome flats on my 50's p bass tuned Eb. A set of DR Fatbeams are patiently waiting their turn. Fatbeams rock. Visit my band's new web site. www.themojoroots.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremy c Posted October 13, 2009 Share Posted October 13, 2009 Listen to the samples on this cd. I was a hired studio player and used a P-bass with flatwounds. The bass sounds great as far as I am concerned and the first note on the cd is played by me! Free download of my cd!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted October 14, 2009 Share Posted October 14, 2009 Today I removed a set of two year old Chromes and installed a new set of TI Jazz Flats on my favorite bass, a FrankenFender Precision Plus. First impression was that the TIs have more clarity and brightness with less tension, but surface texture and the feel on the finger tips is about the same. On another forum there was discussion that we should not use flats on a string-thru bridge. My bridge is the Deluxe string-thru Fender with the 3 or 4 spiral groves. I carefully inspected the Chromes where they went over the saddles to see if there was any signs of wear or stress. They looked fine and I don't see a problem with the TI's strung thru the bridge. The Chromes are in such good condition that I will install them on my next favorite bass. The TI's are cosidered by many to be the finest strings available, but for the money, D'Addario Chromes are a great second choice. Rocky "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 On another forum there was discussion that we should not use flats on a string-thru bridge. That's an interesting tidbit. URBs only use flatwound strings and they're about as "string-thru bridge" as you can get. What was their reasoning for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Several manufactures of flatwound strings warn against using their strings on a string-thru bridge. I don't remember which ones but it was two or three major companies. They claim that the problem is the sharp curve that the string takes over the saddle. That is why Fender uses the Taperwound rounds on it's bridges, also, for whatever reason, Fender does not make a Taperwound flat. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davio Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicklab Posted October 15, 2009 Share Posted October 15, 2009 I haven't reached the point of trying flats. Maybe someday on my BenLoy. Maury has black nylons on his, and it sounded cool, but I'd need to try it out more. I think that there are many applications where you just need to pick the sound you want to deliver for the music that you are playing. P or J, flats or rounds, active or passive, whatever. You decide if you like the sound - then you make it work. If it doesn't work, you change something and go again. Tom This, I believe, is where some G.A.S. can pay off. It's because I've got a few basses that I feel comfortable putting "specialty" strings on some instruments. -My 50's P-Bass has a set of LaBella Jamerson flatwounds. It gets that old school thump going on. -The Jack Casady signature has some Fender nylon tapewound strings. It works for the vibe of that bass. -As for the rest? Most of them have Dean Markley Blue Steel's. I just like stainless steel roundwounds. Those help me get "my sound". Different kinds of strings just suit certain basses well. Obligatory Social Media Link "My concern is, and I have to, uh, check with my accountant, that this might bump me into a higher, uh, tax..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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