Flats are off

[BabyBlueSound]

Alright alright they're not technically flats but I got to show this to everyone now!

 

Tapes with a nice leather pick. Smooooooooth tone!

 

[Stub Mandrel]

I have labella tapewounds on an acoustic. Still stiff but much nicer feel thsn fender flats.

[RichT]

8 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I have labella tapewounds on an acoustic. Still stiff but much nicer feel thsn fender flats.

 

Really? I've had a couple of sets of LaBella white tapewounds before now and they're the most flexible strings I've ever used by a country mile. They make TI Jazz flats look stiff. 

[RichT]

On 11/06/2025 at 08:23, Marvin said:

I restrung the Squier P bass last night. I replaced the Fender flats with some Ernie Ball Super Slinky rounds.

 

There is a change in tension, not huge but noticeable. I've always used D'Addario in the past, but I really like these EBs. For rounds you don't seem to get a lot of finger noise and they feel quite smooth for. 

 

For what I'm doing now, I think I'll stick with rounds.

 

I've posted on here on the past about how I liked D'Addario rounds and I kill EB Slinkys within a week... however, a couple of years have passed and as is often the way I've now done a complete 180 on this opinion! I've been putting EB Slinkys on everything where I need rounds and have come to love their sound, including crucially the way they age.

 

It may be due to me moving almost exclusively to short scale, but at 30" scale I now find D'Addarios and Elixirs are a bit pingy and insubstantial on the lower frets of the E string, like they produce odd harmonics that overshadow the fundamental or something. The Slinkys sound a lot more solid in that range. Plus they also have the smoother feel so less finger noise and chewed up finger tips. 

[Stub Mandrel]

8 hours ago, RichT said:

 

Really? I've had a couple of sets of LaBella white tapewounds before now and they're the most flexible strings I've ever used by a country mile. They make TI Jazz flats look stiff. 

 

Only stiff compared to rounds.

[RichT]

1 hour ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Only stiff compared to rounds.

 

The white tapes I used are the light gauge ones sold for Hofners. Those are so bendy I actually had to be careful not to knock the strings off the edge of the fretboard. I guess the black tapes are somewhat stiffer!

[Delberthot]

I've gone the opposite way again.

 

I used Chromes for years on everything then decided around 2017 that I no longer liked the sound so started using D'addario nickels as they are very smooth. I switched to Hybrid Slinkies in 2022 and have been using them ever since.

 

I have still been having issues with my basses balancing the way that I want them to since I lost weight so decided to resurrect my Harley Benton JB75. I haven't weighed it but it's pretty heavy being one of the natural ones.

 

I've got a set of EMGs, BTS system and Hipshot Ultralites fitted - all of which I already had. Plus I had routed the body for the battery when I was using it previously.

 

I had already parked my Chromes on this bass when I stopped using them so decided to leave them on and I must say that I am loving the sound through my preamp pedal and IEMs so I'm going to use it this weekend,

 

I also have a sets of EB and Harley Benton flats so may try these out if I like it this weekend

[Geek99]

@Delberthot interested in view of hb flats 

[Delberthot]

34 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

@Delberthot interested in view of hb flats 

From what I've been reading recently, there have been a few other members who have added them into their orders from thomann so I'm sure we'll find out before long.

 

Who knows, they could become the Sue Ryder of bass strings 😄