Flats on a fretted Jazz bass.

[Bagman]

13 hours ago, Agent 00Soul said:

 

The Black Label flats were my favourite.  Our rehearsal space in Brooklyn was down the street from the old Sadowsky factory so I just used to walk over and buy them direct.  The current Blue Label flats that replaced them sound quite similar, but a bit more modern and hi-fi I've found.  I still love them.

I've got my last set of Black Sadowsky 5's on my MTD 

great strings 

they were made by LaBella for Sadowsky

 

i don't know who makes the new Blues 

[Deaklet]

I have LaBella DTB flat strings on a J bass and I could not be happier with my setup. The sound is pure vintage and the strings have been a huge help to my hands. No more blistering, no more pain, smooth fingering and no more strangling the board. I also use foam near the bridge. I don't miss round strings one bit and I will never go back.

[-asdfgh2-]

On 27/08/2025 at 20:39, Papabull said:

Is this taboo. Asking for friend. Be as opinionated as you want and tell it as you see (hear) it.

Why would it be taboo?

[jonno1981]

TI flats live on my jazz and BB. They must be at least 5, maybe 10 years old now.
One thing that makes a colossal difference to tone is keeping them clean, way more than any round wounds I’ve used in the past. A couple of wipe downs with fast fret with the cloth supplied and they zing back into life and feel much better. There might be a superior product to use but it works for me. 

[Stub Mandrel]

6 hours ago, Deaklet said:

The sound is pure vintage and the strings have been a huge help to my hands. No more blistering, no more pain, smooth fingering and no more strangling the board.

 

This shows how much personal experience is a factor. I find flats play havoc with my fingertips.

[Bagman]

4 hours ago, -asdfgh2- said:

Why would it be taboo?

Kay Parker

[Agent 00Soul]

On 03/09/2025 at 00:36, Bagman said:

I've got my last set of Black Sadowsky 5's on my MTD 

great strings 

they were made by LaBella for Sadowsky

 

i don't know who makes the new Blues 

 

I remember them telling me that they were made by LaBella.  Lots of the companies like Sadowsky that make strings "on the side" job out their own spec designs to only a few string companies as they are the only ones tooled up to make them en masse.  They certainly don't sound or behave like regular LaBellas.  Unless I am suffering from the placebo effect.

[bassbiscuits]

Flats are good on any bass. Different sound and feel to rounds, but plenty of good things to be had with flats. 

[Bagman]

On 04/09/2025 at 19:40, Agent 00Soul said:

 

I remember them telling me that they were made by LaBella.  Lots of the companies like Sadowsky that make strings "on the side" job out their own spec designs to only a few string companies as they are the only ones tooled up to make them en masse.  They certainly don't sound or behave like regular LaBellas.  Unless I am suffering from the placebo effect.

Sadowsky Black Flats - definitely LaBella made them 

 

New Sadowsky Blue Flats - I don’t know… I have only 1 Bass with them 

so I’m not sure- they have a GHS Precision Flats vibe feel sort of 😂😂😂

 

 

[Dan Dare]

D'Addario Chromes work well in a J bass. A little brighter than La Bellas and similar more traditional flats, so they preserve more of the essence of a J and don't make it sound too close to a P in my experience.

[chris_b]

1 minute ago, Dan Dare said:

D'Addario Chromes work well in a J bass. A little brighter than La Bellas and similar more traditional flats, so they preserve more of the essence of a J and don't make it sound too close to a P in my experience.

That's why I took flats off my Jazz bass. They made it sound too much like my P bass. I don't need 2 basses with that sound. I put NYXL's on the jazz and now, after losing the twang, they have mellowed to a nice warm tone with the hi mids that the P bass doesn't have.

[Lozz196]

This is very interesting chaps, I’m loving my new Sandberg SL TT but would like some more Precisiony low mids, you reckon flats will help in this?

[Reggaebass]

44 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

This is very interesting chaps, I’m loving my new Sandberg SL TT but would like some more Precisiony low mids, you reckon flats will help in this?

I think they could Lozz, I only use labella myself, I’d say maybe look at the 760FL or if you want a lighter gauge the 760FX, they really aren’t dull and thumpy like some say, there’s lots of mids and brightness to them, i roll mine back for what I play but imo they do the full range , pretty sure Sean Hurley uses the 760FL