• Ernie Ball
  • MusicMan
  • Sterling by MusicMan

bovinehost

Administrator
Joined
Jan 16, 2003
Messages
18,197
Location
Dall-Ass, TX
As the title says, so you've never tried flatwounds on your bass.

Tell me why not.

I need to know.

Come on, dig deep. I may be able to help you.
 

phatduckk

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 25, 2004
Messages
8,145
Location
San Mateo, California, United States
never ever.

im one of those crazies that likes stainless steal strings ... nice n bright.

describing sound with words is impossible (for me at least) but the sound i get from my Sterling w/ a set of DR Hi Beams on is pretty much perfect for me. nice n growly but bright.

i may be a lost cause jack ... i even turn all the eq knobs on the bass to 10. help me sir
 

Aussie Mark

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 9, 2003
Messages
5,646
Location
Sydney, Australia
phatduckk said:
never ever.

im one of those crazies that likes stainless steal strings ... nice n bright.

describing sound with words is impossible (for me at least) but the sound i get from my Sterling w/ a set of DR Hi Beams on is pretty much perfect for me. nice n growly but bright.

i may be a lost cause jack ... i even turn all the eq knobs on the bass to 10. help me sir

I'm guessing you also like tweeters in bass cabs? :rolleyes:
 

TheAntMan

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
972
Location
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
I tried flats a looooonggg time ago. I did not like them, too clunky.

I did try the TI-flats on my fretless and loved the tone. I also got spanked by BP for not trying EB flats :eek:

So, I have ordered a set of Group III EB Flats (45-65-80-100) and custom gauge set of 50-65-80-95 to give them a try on my fretless. I will let you all know how it comes out.

btw...I did pickup another set of TI-jazz flats as a backup until the EBs come in...don't tell BP!!!! :eek:

Ant
 

jongitarz

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Messages
6,049
Location
Here
I am not a bass player, but doesn't it all boil down to your style and the type of music you play?
 

jongitarz

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Messages
6,049
Location
Here
I actually have flatwounds on a Jazzbox guitar that I hardly ever play. Not really my style ;)
 

bovinehost

Administrator
Joined
Jan 16, 2003
Messages
18,197
Location
Dall-Ass, TX
I am not a bass player, but doesn't it all boil down to your style and the type of music you play?

In some cases, yes. At my age, Chris Squire comes to mind as the end-all and be-all of roundwound sound during the latter part of my "formative" years. He certainly wasn't going for old school thump on "Fragile" or "Close to the Edge", records that had quite an impact on the bassists I knew at the time.

These days, many bassists go for a post-modern zingy sound albeit with plenty of bottom, and, in some cases, severely scooped mids. I'm sure there are a lot of bands out there whose sound is, to some extent, dependent on that particular bass tone.

I personally feel that flats work for nearly everything I do. Classic rock, blues, standards and of course rockabilly/y'allternative. They were part of the sound I grew up with. McCartney is the obvious icon, but also all that hot Motown stuff from the early 60s, the Stax records, everything I heard coming out of New Orleans when I was a kid.

So I'm curious as to how many guys here have never even tried them. For you modern guys who never delve into blues and so on, there may not be any hope for you. And, frankly, flats may never do what you want them to do.

But I'm interested in the guys who play old-time rock and roll, I guess, or soul or R&B, but who have never had the opportunity or motivation to try 'em out.
 

shamus63

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
4,018
Location
San Mateo, CA
I've got TI Jazz Flats on my Sabre; initially I wasn't impressed (except for the FAT tone!).

Now that I've gigged them, I'm hooked! Got a fatter tone than Mama Cass after a binge weekend!
 

basspastor

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Messages
450
phatduckk said:
i even turn all the eq knobs on the bass to 10.

I know of a couple really good bass players (not me) that keep all knobs on their bass wide open and do the adjusting from the amp. They claim you are getting the full effects of the bass when doing this.
I tried it and well it does give you a different sound, I do it some time depends on which of the three amps I am using.
 

jongitarz

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Messages
6,049
Location
Here
Jack..I totally understand what you mean. There is that certain sound with flats, be it old school thump or whatever you would call it, and I love that sound. I am thinking maybe Rocco(my favorite bass player living or dead) uses flats.
 

Big Poppa

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2005
Messages
18,598
Location
Coachella & SLO, California
guys

This is what i'm talking about...if I ran the company with forumites preferences I would be homeless......worldwide roundwounds out sell flat wounds 100 to one.....

Maybe I will take the pressure off and just sell flats... smaller factory fewer employees less workers comp to bitch about guitar center wouldn't care ....**** I could take up fly fishin!
 

tommyindelaware

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 24, 2002
Messages
3,274
Location
wilmington , delaware
jongitarz said:
Jack..I totally understand what you mean. There is that certain sound with flats, be it old school thump or whatever you would call it, and I love that sound. I am thinking maybe Rocco(my favorite bass player living or dead) uses flats.

squibb cakes !!!!

their current singer is amazing too !!!!!!!!!
 

jongitarz

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 15, 2003
Messages
6,049
Location
Here
tommyindelaware said:
squibb cakes !!!!

their current singer is amazing too !!!!!!!!!


Oakland Stroke!!!! The shortest best FUNK in the world! The album with Squibb Cakes is" Back To Oakland" Awesome stuff!
 

shamus63

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
4,018
Location
San Mateo, CA
jongitarz said:
Oakland Stroke!!!! The shortest best FUNK in the world! The album with Sqibb Cakes is" Back To Oakland" Awesome stuff!
I bought my flats with Rocco definitely in mind!
 

bovinehost

Administrator
Joined
Jan 16, 2003
Messages
18,197
Location
Dall-Ass, TX
Here is why I'm asking the question. A few decades ago, Derek (God bless him, wherever he is at the moment) sent me some swag, and he knew I played flats so he gathered up what he had at the moment and sent 'em to me. But there were only three gauges! He was out of the 85s!

So I had 50s, 70s, and 105s and what do you do with that?

Nothing. So they sat here for the better part of two years.

I hornswaggled Derek into completing the sets this week, so now I have four sets of Ernie Ball flats, gauged 50-70-85-105.

What I want to do is give deserving forumites the opportunity to try these strings at no cost. I initially thought of a contest involving naked girlfriends posing with Bongos, but.....well, but NOTHING! I still think it's a damned fine idea, frankly, but....

Here's the deal. If you're willing to try these fine strings and will promise to give them a fair shake and give us a report back (hey, this is wide open, so positive or negative is fine), then email me at bovinehost at comcast dot net and the first four to respond get a set of free strings, just like the old 'register your instrument' days!

Postage is on me. It's the least I can do. And give Derek a kiss when you see him, right?

Jack
 

Bill

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 4, 2005
Messages
2,317
Location
Denham Springs, LA
I'm a flat guy. Wait...that didn't sound right. I like flatwounds. I find that I can still get plenty of "brightness" out of them when I need it. Plus, they feel nice under my fingers.
 
Top Bottom