Are any of you using flatwounds on your Sterlings?

[Busterkilrain]

HI Everyone,
I'm thinkin gof taming my HS Sterling a bit. Are any of you using flats with your Sterlings? What brand and gauges? Any sound clips? I think that's about it.
Oh, what does BFR stand for? sorry for being a newbie.
Take Care,
B

 

[maddog]

Ball Family Reserve

no haven't tried flats on a sterling.

Try some EB's.

 

[kakobass]

I just put some TI flats in my Sterling for fun, but me no likey.

I switched back to nickel rounds after one gig. I was missing too much definition and articulation.

Try using nickel strings, in case you were using stainless steel, or try Elixirs, which are coated strings that sound a lot mellower. Also, nickel strings wear out in a few weeks and lose their brightness a bit - and that is how I like them the most, anywhere from 2 months to 8 month. They get nice and mellow, but still have bite when I need it.

And try adjusting the EQ in your amp and bass. Leave everything flat and bump the lows, or cut the highs, etc.

Also, using the parallel switch position (closer to the bridge) will also give you the smoothest sound of all. Series and single coil and more aggressive.

 

[muggsy]

I've had TI flats on my Sterling fretless ever since I got it, probably 4-5 years ago. My fretless playing is still a work in progress, but I've heard that Sterling played by real fretless players (like Bassmonkeee) and it sings.

 

[Chris C]

I had TI's on a Sterling a couple of years ago... lasted two songs into the gig. Grabbed my backup bass, and that was the end of that experiment. I tried them on a F*n*er--nope, same problem. As was mentioned above, I just lost all the definition and articulation. I gave the strings away on another forum.

Of course, it depends on the sound you want. Fits some players just great. Try 'em! That's what I did. You can't know until you try, whether they work for "your sound."

 

[tkarter]

EB flats won't play the same way as the TI. If you are curious try some. Try them both.

You may learn a lot on a forum but to be totally you. You must try things. They won't always be the right thing. But they were your thing and you go on after you have made a mistake.

There is never any knowledge better than that you have learned for yourself.

imho

tk

 

[bovinehost]

Flats are special.

I have a Bongo (may your deity of choice have mercy on my vodka-drenched soul, it's BP's single H four banger) strung with flats and absolutely love it.

YES, they are Ernie Ball flats, oh ye of little faith.

I had my Sterling strung up with Slinkys for a while and liked it a lot; I even gigged it once with rounds on it, which is highly unusual and relatively scary for me.

But tone is such a personal thing - like underwear, I think. Most of the guys here know I'm a fan of Old School Thump, and there is nothing like flats for that sound.

The Sterling now has flats (EB) on it and while I was considering selling it back when it had rounds, I've now fallen back in love with it, despite its unusual moniker.

Remembered conversation from 11-2006:

Dave LaRue: "Sterling keeps talking about those single humbucker basses. Do you like yours?"

Jack: "Oh man, you wouldn't believe it."

DL: "You have one here!"

JW: "Yeah, here, try it."

DL: "Oh....it's got flats."

JW: "Of course."

DL: "Well....I mean, those are perfect for your gig, but, um....."

They're not for everyone. But they might be for you. The Ernie Ball Flats are really cool. Not a big investment, and you never know.

Jack

 

[PocketGroove82]

The Ernie Ball Flats are really cool. Not a big investment, and you never know.

YEAH RIGHT!
Jack, you'd laugh if I told you how much I spent on my EB Flats on the Penn!
I spent so much on them I'm nervous, and unsure which bass to put them on!
I bought them to put on my fretless 30th, but I'm interested to see how they sound my on my single pup SR4.
And I'm scared that the flats are not gonna "MWAH" as much as rounds on the 30th.

So here is my question, will the flats totally banish the mwah, while increasing the "whoomph"? Or is there still a good bit of sing left to them? Mark, how's the mwah on your FL 30th?

thanks for any info or soundbytes!

 

[PocketGroove82]

Flats are special.

But tone is such a personal thing - like underwear

is it just me, or is jack starting to sound a lot like Garth from Wayne's World?


I cracked open a bottle of Kendall-Jackson 2003 Reserve Merlot (great 15buck California Red) practiced my fretless skills for a couple, then chose to put the EB flats on the fretless. And although they are still to fresh to say, I can tell already that when they mellow, they are gonna retain the mwah and suit my needs nicely.

 

[newtley]

No Chicken Grease..

my SR4 and Sterling both actually love **really dead** slinkys- 45-100's.
With low action and a light touch it's Thud city. Intonating a dead E can be a bit of a moving target however, but it can be a cool effect.
The TI jazz rounds work well also if you can deal with the adjustments required to accomodate the super-low tension.

 

[Kirby]

Got flats on my Onyx Sterling right now, I love the tone. It sits just right with the female singer I play for. I love slappin with flats too! Just an awesome muted percussive tone.

 

[DKWilkins]

My black/maple Sterling wears TI jazz flats and they sound great. I'm a big fan of those flats and they work really well for me on that Sterling. My blue pearl/maple is wearing a set of unknown rounds and they sound killer as well. I use both Sterlings on 2 different gigs. They both have their place in my arsenal.

 

[Fuzzy Dustmite]

I have EB flats on my Sterling and I love 'em. I also have them on my Stingray. I'm not about singing highs and bright chunky lows.

I liked the thump I got from dead rounds, and was ecstatic when I found that from flats right out of the pack.

Easier on my hands, too, blister and callous-wise. Though I'm a finger player.

 

[bassmonkeee]

I've got flats on both of my Bongos--EBs on the fretted HHp, and Sadowsky flats on the fretless SCHp. I still get plenty of mwah with flats, and I think a 30th Anniversary mahogany body with that pronounced midrange would get mwah with strings made of raw twine.


For people giving TI Flats two songs before giving up on them, you are missing out on a great string. Yes, they require a bit of tweaking of technique, but that isn't a bad thing. And, the tone of Jazz Flats after two songs is not even remotely similar to the tone after two weeks, or even two months.

 

[Busterkilrain]

Thank you all for your responses. Such a great forum!
B

 

[Aussie Mark]

the tone of Jazz Flats after two songs is not even remotely similar to the tone after two weeks, or even two months.

or even two years (or ten, for that matter)

 

[bassmonkeee]

or even two years (or ten, for that matter)

Heh, well--I wouldn't expect most people to have the patience to wait that long to give strings a fair shake.

 

[tkarter]

Mark has it right. Listen or don't.

tk