uncle psychosis Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 So, during the summer I decided I wanted to try flats. Mcnach of this here parish was kind enough to let me try some of his basses, and pointed me in the direction of status hotwires. I ordered some...and they've sat on my shelf ever since. Tonight I put them on my TRB...and.... Why have I not done this before? This is what basses are supposed to sound like!! (plus they feel nicer ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 Couldn't agree more. I have been playing nylon flats on my fretless for about three years now, but when I slapped some La Bellas on my fretted it was like.... SHAZAM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted December 19, 2012 Share Posted December 19, 2012 In my experience flats respond in different ways to different basses. For example, flats of any expense sound terrible on my Blazer, but awesome on my bitsa P. Sometimes I just love thudding away to some old Etta James stuff, no treble, plenty of bass and a light touch. Lovely feeling! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 It's. shame flats are synonymous with the word 'thud'. They do so much more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alstocko Posted December 20, 2012 Share Posted December 20, 2012 Experiencing flats at the start of uni was a revelation to me. Just over a year on and I now grate my teeth when playing someone else's bass with rounds on. The only rounds that I'll play are on a fretless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1355980051' post='1905248'] It's. shame flats are synonymous with the word 'thud'. They do so much more. [/quote] Totally agree. My bass sound is anything but 'thud'. I have a very aggressive, trebly tone. I just couldn't go back to rounds now. they have nothing to offer me that I can't get with my flats. I sometimes get players coming up to me at the end of a gig to complement me on my tone and do a double take when they realise that I use flats. I've used Roto flats for a few years which are great on the Ibanez but have just begun using D'Addario Chromes now and they work so well on my precision. The 40 gauge ones are perfect tension for me. Truckstop - have you tried Roto flats on your Blazer? I got a really good sound with them when I had mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted December 21, 2012 Share Posted December 21, 2012 Yeah I tried the Black Rotos, LabBella Deep Talkin's and d'Addario whatever's and was just really unsatisfied with the tone. With the tone boosted a little it all sounded really hollow and limp and with the tone cut totally, it was just a really dull thump rather than a lovely creamy tone that I can get from my bitsa. I'm just gonna stick with my Labella Steps on the Blazer from now on; killer sound! Flats seem to take to the bitsa P really well so I've kept them there! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted December 22, 2012 Share Posted December 22, 2012 I'm another Flat convert. Don't know why I didn't try them yonks ago! I went for Tomastic Infeld Jazz strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted December 23, 2012 Share Posted December 23, 2012 Just fitted some deep talkin flats on the classic vibe P. Down went the action and Slip, sliding away, slip sliding away.......... More resonance that I expected too Happy bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoker Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Roto flats on both my basses and they sound amazing! Fat, warm and room shakingly good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I started with flats (vintage Hofners) and went back to them when I bought a '65 P-bass. I PM'd three Basschatters who I thought would be able to give me a steer on the right choice (WaterOfTyne, Beedster, Clarky) and all three came straight back with LaBella FLs. IMHO they're pretty much unbeatable, at least on a Precision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Well I`ve just ordered a set of D`addario Chromes. Have had them a couple of times, but for some reason never gave them a chance in the mix, always taking them off the bass after using at home, thinking they won`t work, although I like the sound for home practice. And in my usual slow learning capacity, as I`ve come to realise that usually a sound I don`t think is that great on its own works well in the mix, I`m going to persist this time. Chromes have a bit of the round about them - it was Clarky that recommended them to me (and he was kind enough to give me a set to try out). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 [quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1356544799' post='1911021'] I PM'd three Basschatters who I thought would be able to give me a steer on the right choice (WaterOfTyne, Beedster, Clarky) and all three came straight back with LaBella FLs. [/quote] FWIW, I'm now running Lakland flats on everything. The La Bellas are awesome, and the Lakkies are a different flavour of awesome (and far cheaper, which helps ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil-osopher10 Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I put status flats on my thumb bass, not my thing at all sucked the tone out of it and I think the E string was dead. Sounded horrible. Also the tension was far too high for me. I hear ti flats are lower tension but at £50 a set I'm not sure, since I quite like the sound of Warwick red labels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil-osopher10 Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I put status flats on my thumb bass, not my thing at all sucked the tone out of it and I think the E string was dead. Sounded horrible. Also the tension was far too high for me. I hear ti flats are lower tension but at £50 a set I'm not sure, since I quite like the sound of Warwick red labels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franzbassist Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 [quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1356548311' post='1911084'] FWIW, I'm now running Lakland flats on everything. The La Bellas are awesome, and the Lakkies are a different flavour of awesome (and far cheaper, which helps ). [/quote] +1 to this [quote name='Phil-osopher10' timestamp='1356549302' post='1911094'] I put status flats on my thumb bass, not my thing at all sucked the tone out of it and I think the E string was dead. Sounded horrible. [/quote] +1 to this too. I liked the D and G strings on the Status flats, plenty of sustain, but the E and A strings were just totally dead thud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 4, 2013 Share Posted January 4, 2013 I spent the afternoon yesterday trying out a few sets of flats on my P (I had a few used sets in my box). I've been using LaBella 760FL for a while as they seem to be the standard recommendation - I didn't like them at first as they were quite bright, stiff and sticky, although they got better with age. Tried the Chromes and they had the same issues as the new LaBellas. Then I put the Pyramid Golds on and they are never coming off! They just sound perfect on this Classic 50s P of mine, and are so smooth to the touch that they, to use an overused Talkbass term, 'play like buttah'. Slides are just so effortless and I have the action nice and low - I can't put it down now, and have only done so long enough to write this, and now I'm off again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus x-1 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 I notice the Lakland flats have quite a few fans on here, where do you buy them from? If direct from Lakland is it an easy process re. customs/exchange rate etc? cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Direct from Lakland. Works out about 21 quid shipped - they arrive in a week or so.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus x-1 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 gee that was quick, thanks.....no probs with customs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 Nope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus x-1 Posted January 6, 2013 Share Posted January 6, 2013 cheers for that, will order a set Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omikin Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 I switched from rounds to flats about 18 months ago. Stuck a set of Fender flats on my P bass, and quickly put them on the Rick and the Jack Casady afterwards. I love the tone and feel of them - right up my street. Not too bright and beautifully playable. The bass guy in my local Dawsons was telling me about D'Addario flats and enthusing about them but from what people on here are saying they're quite bright (for flats), but I'm interested in upgrading my Fenders. There's clearly a lot of love for the La Bella FLs, although my instinct is to go for the La Bella FSs as the 45-105 seems more natural for me as it's what I've always played. Anyone played both? Also - are the Lakland ones as good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 [quote name='omikin' timestamp='1358726086' post='1944259'] Also - are the Lakland ones as good? [/quote] Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omikin Posted January 20, 2013 Share Posted January 20, 2013 Thanks, mate! They seem a lot more reasonably priced too. You seem to be mainly a P bass user (as am I) so I will take your recommendation gladly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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