Author Topic: Flats for a Brown Bass (Read 195 times)

bassman10096 · « **on:** September 10, 2007, 01:32:58 PM »

I just received delivery on a Brown Bass. I love it, it feels great, sounds like the voice of the great outdoors, etc. But it has roundwounds on it that make it a bit bright for my taste. I'm a flats guy from forever. What kinds of flats will fit an SC? I love the sound of TI flats, but prefer higher tension strings. I like a fairly warm sound. Can anybody offer any suggestions? I play pretty traditional rock, blues and R&B fingerstyle (not a slapper)- anywhere from dub to more bite - Motown to Zeppelin to Beatles to Tom Petty to ZZ. Thanks

hieronymous · « **Reply #1 on:** September 10, 2007, 01:44:17 PM »

I'm becoming a convert to LaBellas. Just put the lightest guage medium scale flats on my Starfire. The Brown Bass is short scale isn't it? But there's also distance from the tailpiece to the saddles that have to be taken into account. When I go home I can measure my Starfire if you want.

The only weird thing about these strings is that the silk winding is orange!

bsee · « **Reply #2 on:** September 10, 2007, 07:22:13 PM »

I have a set of LaBellas on my SC right now and not loving them. I have read that Chromes are the best flats for a rock sound, so I have a set that I am ready to put on. Also, the long scale LaBellas are too long. I broke an E string trying to install the first set. The Chromes I bought are medium scale. Supposedly, the strings some companies make for Hofners should be a better length, but the gauge availability tends to be pretty limited.

flaxattack · « **Reply #3 on:** September 10, 2007, 08:51:35 PM »

i second the chromes
been back and forth with them and the ti's
for rock?
chromes
tension is higher than ti's
so neck adjustments are a must

bassman10096 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 27, 2007, 03:21:23 PM »

Thanks for the recommendations. Anybody have other thoughts on flats or maybe half rounds?

bsee · « **Reply #5 on:** September 27, 2007, 03:30:39 PM »

I tried the D'addario half rounds. They were nicer than typical rounds, but flats are better in most ways. If you want more roundwound grind in your tone, I would go with a compressed roundwound. I like the factory Alembic strings as well.

bassman10096 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2007, 03:39:35 PM »

I've hear some good things about D'addario half rounds, but I really know very little about half rounds. What's a compressed round?

bsee · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2007, 08:51:50 PM »

Well, rounds are a round outer wrap. Flats are a flat ribbon outer wrap. There are a couple things that can be done to bridge the gap. Some strings use an oval outer wrap or one that's flattened on one side. Some start with a roundwound and then grind the outside down. Compressed strings are typically like the oval outer wrap that started round and was pressed. With some of the options, you can increase the density of the string as compared to rounds, thus increasing the tension that it takes to get them up to pitch. That can be an important consideration when you're going short scale.

I was always afraid to try TIs on the short scale because of their rep as a low tension string. Floppy strings on a short scale sounds like a bad combo to me.

kungfusheriff · « **Reply #8 on:** September 27, 2007, 10:41:29 PM »

I had TI flats on my short-scale graphite bass for ages and it sounded great to me...a little plinky when I played over the bridge pickup, but not bad.
The Chromes I have on there now have huge lows and decent mids, but after something like nine months they're still pretty bright. They might work better on a Brown Bass, with the walnut neck and ebony board.

jacko · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2007, 04:18:43 AM »

I have Labella deep talkin' flats on my kelly dragonfly and I think they sound and feel superb. Avoid rotosound jazz flats at all costs.

Graeme

jseitang · « **Reply #10 on:** September 28, 2007, 02:15:11 PM »

i use and like the d'addario halfwounds. they have a nice feel, like roundwound strings that havent been changed in years.... as for pure flatwounds... its goona be pyramids. what else?

bassman10096 · « **Reply #11 on:** October 02, 2007, 01:21:14 PM »

Thanks folks

adriaan · « **Reply #12 on:** October 02, 2007, 11:50:19 PM »

I bought a set of Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 flatwounds and put them on my Epic, which had been wearing TI Jazz Flats until last week. The action went just crazy before I made adjustments - the difference in tension between Rotos and TIs is extreme.

They're also very stiff, so they're only playable with low action, whereas the TIs seemed to prosper with a high-ish action. I still need to set the intonation for the Rotos, but I'm not totally convinced that they will play in tune (on a fretless).

If they don't work out on the Epic, I'll try them on my Spoiler.

hieronymous · « **Reply #13 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:42:26 AM »

adriaan, I had a similar experience when I put the Rotosound flats on my Gibson EB-2 - I was really surprised how high the tension was, and I wasn't even going from TIs! The LaBellas are a big discovery for me - I have found them to be between Rotos and TIs, which is exactly what I was looking for.

adriaan · « **Reply #14 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:51:29 AM »

I'll try out the LaBella's sometime. Not sure if they're easy to find where I live.