The great flatwound comparison

[woodyng]

I have a set of Labellas on my 4003. I find them to be terrific with regard to tone and feel.

Are you referring to the older Labella set or the new LTF-4A 's? (low tension flexible set recently introduced). I was just on the Labella website,these are roundcore,SS,gauged 42/56/70/100.

Sounds like competition for TI Jazz flats. Would be intersting to hear these in action.

In Labella's online description of these,they make an indirect reference to the TI's,claiming the new strings are flexible,not floppy,"like some other manufacturer's".... Oh yeah,they're competing for sure.....

[JakeK]

I just gave the comparison another listen, but this time, I edited the track to play the TI pickstyle and the Optima pickstyle back to back. They do sound very similar, but the Optimas have that bassy thump to them that seems to have that McCartney vibe. The TIs, however, have that brightness that will cut through a mix.

Here's a question for you, Jonathan: Would you ever consider doing another comparison of these strings again? That time, using the mute and/or diming the tone controls.

[8mileshigher]

Interesting thread, Jonathan !

[coolingitdown]

Here's a question for you, Jonathan: Would you ever consider doing another comparison of these strings again? That time, using the mute and/or diming the tone controls.

Certainly! With Gary's cooperation, of course, since he has all the gear. Maybe I'll even try to see if I can dig up some photos that indicate how Paul set the knobs on his 4001S. I know he usually solo'd the neck toaster, but I like to leave a bit of horseshoe in there when I emulate his tone. It just adds a bit of depth to the tone, IMO.

[HofnerVox]

LaBella's are my absolute favorite...I have a set that's about 13 years old on a V63 and the tone is priceless.

[iamthebassman]

None of the above: GHS Precision Flatwounds. Have used them for most of our Beatle band's 23 years.

[MaplegloMatt]

+1 for the GHS Precision Flatwounds (light). I get a great Macca tone with 'em.

[woodyng]

I like those,(GHS) too. They are pure SS,i believe,and i do prefer strings with Nickle content overall.

[doctorwho]

Here's a question for you, Jonathan: Would you ever consider doing another comparison of these strings again? That time, using the mute and/or diming the tone controls.

Certainly! With Gary's cooperation, of course, since he has all the gear. ...

We can certainly do that some time!

[Wally]

Anybody have any pointers on installing TI flats on a Rickenbacker 4001S? I just got one of the "Special" reissues from Guitar Center. It's obvious that the truss rods would need to be adjusted but what about the nut and bridge? I've only been playing bass for one year and I'm clueless on setting up a Rickenbacker bass. I heard the TI Jazz flats are really low tension.

[loveboatcaptain]

I've been using TI flats for years on my ricks, mainly because of their kindness to the necks and because people say they nail the McCartney sound. I really feel they don't and listening to this sample confirms that. (baring in mind that the sound clip is just using the toaster with tone rolled back, just one of Paul's sounds).

The TI's are far too Phasey sounding (not sure if that's the right definition but the TI's seem to have their own thing going on which no other flatwound string does. There's a similarity there, being that they are flats and they are quite mellow, but the Optimas in this sound clip are easily more bang on the money. That's my opinion anyway. I think TI's have got this reputation for being the closest McCartney sounding strings (prob cause John Hall said they were closest to the old ric flats, at the time) and even though i like them and have used them a lot, I don't think they are, as much as i wanted them to be.

Ps, the new Labella Low Tension Flexible Flats are just AWFUL strings.

[edski]

None of the above: GHS Precision Flatwounds. Have used them for most of our Beatle band's 23 years.

I've recently decided to get these for my fretless. Have had brite flats on it (which I love), but I can tell after 8 or 9 months that long term they will eventually chew up the fingerboard. So to real flats I go...

[iiipopes]

None of the above: GHS Precision Flatwounds. Have used them for most of our Beatle band's 23 years.

I've recently decided to get these for my fretless. Have had brite flats on it (which I love), but I can tell after 8 or 9 months that long term they will eventually chew up the fingerboard. So to real flats I go...

If the concern is fingerboard wear, then many folks, including me, have gone to tape wounds. I also just like the feel of them. I have D'Addario tapes on my 4002 right now, and I'm really enjoying the rounder tone that still retains good articulation and light tension. I have La Bella regulars on my 5-string, and they are very well balanced and even tonally. I have Fender tapes on my P/J, and I'm getting Rotos for my acoustic bass.

You mentioned brite flats - GHS tapes seem to have something similar to brite flats as the core, while most of the others have a round wound string under the tapes. I don't care for the tone of the GHS tapes, but the others, being coated rounds, keep good definition. If you go with La Bella regulars or Rotosound, you will have to widen the nut slots; if you go with D'Addario or La Bella lights, you shouldn't have to do anything to the nut slots, but being lighter tension, you might have to tweak the truss rods and bridge setup.

[edski]

Great info, Scott - thanks.

I'm not too concerned for the wear, but enough to know that flats are in the future. It might need to be refinished/cleaned up in 10 years if I continue with the Brite Flats, if it ever got to that point. And it's not like any fretless neck is perfect. It's a massive fingerboard piece ( ~0.35" thick) so if it needed to be cleaned up in the future there are certainly a few thousandths to give.

I used rounds on my fretless J bass for a couple years when I first got it as a stupid kid, and did far more to that neck than I'm doing to the new FL. There never really was a problem and I never noticed the marks I had made; I guess I just didn't want to be making sawdust.

[anoukane]

Im not meaning to hijack the thread, but which flatwound strings would you recommend to get this sound?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFGnNAKMjRY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFGnNAKMjRY[/youtube]