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  • Sterling by MusicMan

projectapollo

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Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
678
Location
Knoxville, TN
I put some EB Group 3 flats on my 30th Stingray. Wow, I can't get over what a great tone this is. Punchy, smooooth. I tried flats on my Bongo before and liked them, but the 30th is really really nice. A touch of drive flatters this arrangement, too.
 

Manfloozy

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Mar 9, 2009
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1,047
Location
Naples, FL
You already know how I feel about flats :).... I'll have to get out to hear how they sound on that 30th though! I bet killer.
 

BoH

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Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
46
Location
Plano, TX
I put some flats on my 99 Ray a few days ago. Love 'em!!!!

Next time out, I'll try some Group 3's. Didn't know they existed until now, but if they reflect the greatness that is Ernie Ball I know I won't be disappointed!:)

Bo
 

Golem

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Aug 30, 2005
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2,280
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My Place
My 30th has DR flats, cuz they were a new thing
and I wanted to check them out. They're about
a halfway point between Chromes and TIJF. But
ever since the COBALT flats came out they're my
fave. Only one set so far, on my EBMM Sterling
SUB. Since flats last forever, I doubt I'll live long
enuf to restring everything to Cobalt flats. The
SUB had Cobalt RW, so that was a no-brainer.

The Sterling SUB and the SR 30th are my only
fretted EBMM 4-strings, and I like that they are
quite different from each other, so I'm really not
itching to string the 30th identical to the SUB. I
mean, altho Cobalts are now my faves, I'm still
loving ALL my flats. And they're all mostly nicely
broken in .... waaaay broken in .... and you just
can't buy THAT ! But should I hafta buy any new
ones, it'll be Cobalt flats again.
 
Last edited:

danny-79

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Feb 6, 2009
Messages
2,507
Location
England U.K
New convert here to! , Group IIIs on a Stingray, Great stuff :)

This was a while ago..... I retract my convert status :p Rounds all the way (although I'm still debating a set of Slinky Flats, they were not here when this was first written so.......)
 

Golem

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Aug 30, 2005
Messages
2,280
Location
My Place
TIJFs are low-mid tension. They have little to zero
zing, but the richest low end on the market. Think
"orchestral" bass. Cobalt flats have a full spectrum
but I don't yet know how stable that will be over a
loooong time, and flats are meant to be played for
a really long time, like a career of their own. What
is well established is that TIJFs are stable forever,
but they take MONTHS to break in.

---------------------------------------------------

Part of the sound of TIs is not actually the native
voice of the string, the voice you hear is when you
just pluck and strum a few licks. The sound of TIs
is the sound of HOW they get played. TI's tend to
bring out different playing style, cuz they feel very
different. The tension is somewhat lower on the
treble strings, but not on the bass side. Not only
is there an actual tension difference from typical
string sets [as in pounds of tension], but TIs are
very flexible, due to textile layers in between the
metal layers. OTOH, most flats are actually LESS
flexible than RWs even when tension is equal for
both types. Sooooo TIs are way more flexible vs
Chromes, Cobalts, etc.
 
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