Optima flatwounds 4440

[chefothefuture]

Meatier = More mass

Papery= Weak Sustain.

Another euphemism= Spaghetti Noodle....

[Fish Islander]

*ONE WEEK AFTER USE UPDATE*

Boys I ain't lying. These strings are great. I was a little worried honestly at how the E string was dead sounding but after using these strings for a week I mean it just sounds awesome. Somehow over time the E string came to life. I guess it's not as deady sounding now since the other strings have broken in a bit more. Forgive my lack of intelligence involving this stuff. Through my Fender Bassman Ten running through a compressor, these strings sound amazing on my 4003. Perfect amount of thump and growl. Also with a bit foam under the strings an awesome McCartney tic tac tone. With the horseshoe pickup and the toaster pickup together (I upgraded the pickups which the original 4003 pickups are for sale if anyone is interested! I'll be more than reasonable on price) I can best describe the tone I get as the tone Paul has in "With A Little Help From My Friends". Which that song had the dream bass tone as far as I'm concerned. Anyway I thought I'd miss my roundwounds but these strings have made a much better impression then I thought. Still have the growly tone I thought I'd lose switching from rounds to flats. Anyway I'd totally recommend these strings to anyone. I can't say for certain what they'd sound like on say a P bass or J bass but I'm sure they'd sound just as good. Hopefully some one will read this review about these strings that a dumb 21 year old aspiring musician wanted to write!

[bigbajo60]

[we tigers]

Here's a little video I made with a fresh set of the 4440 set. Love these Optima flats!
https://youtu.be/7P-awDJED_A[/youtube]

[jps]

Here's a little video I made with a fresh set of the 4440 set. Love these Optima flats!
https://youtu.be/7P-awDJED_A[/youtube]

The RRF doesn't seem to support embedding of videos any longer. Please, just post a link.

[bassduke49]

Worked fine for me (Safari on Mac).

[jps]

(Safari on Mac).

Same here, but for several months now I can't see the embedded videos.

[bigbajo60]

I imagine that this is the video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P-awDJED_A

If so... Great tune and tone!

[we tigers]

Thanks!

[jdogric12]

As of today videos work on my android...

https://youtu.be/AG7o0CnRXEA

[jps]

Worked fine for me (Safari on Mac).

Most of the time I just see nothing but a big blank area for the video to be embedded, like this:

Other times I see this:

[jdogric12]

I'm using the silver RRF layout and Firefox.

[chefothefuture]

All fine with Mac/Safari OS X 10.10.5

[kennyhowes]

So.

4440 vs. TI JF vs. D’Addario ETB?

[iiipopes]

Personally, if the bass can handle them....

Unless someone along the way did not adjust hairpin truss rods properly, screwing them up (pun intended), they can handle anything reasonable. I had '76 4001 which I used Boomers 45-65-85-105 with no problem. Regular Boomers have a little heavier core than, say, D'Addario's, and so they have more tension than a typical a nickel plated rounds set. On my 4002, which also has the old-style hairpin truss rods, even though I prefer Progressives (looking forward with great anticipation to the release of 2.0 in the "balanced" 44-106 gauges), I have taken this last year as an opportunity to go on string safari, and have had strings with higher tension than the gauges might otherwise indicate, including Fodera 45-106 round core nickel plated rounds, and GHS PBN, both the 40's and the 44's. The truss rods are fine.

That said, I don't use any of the "50's" sets on my 4002, unless I am tuning down. I don't use Chromes or EB flats, even in 45's, because the D-A strings, especially the D string, are way too tight, both for the bass and for my fingers. I haven't tried La Bella 760L's 43-104 on them, but that would also probably be alright. The 760FX's in 39-96 and the LTF's are definitely alright. The TI's are obviously alright, from all the threads about them, including their incredibly non-useful A string that is a rubber band and needs to be a 75 instead of a 70 to match the feel of the other strings in the set.

That is the origin of "do no use other than Rickenbacker strings," because stock Fender flats back then were essentially a 50's set.

And remember, don't be confused by "regular gauge" nylon tapewounds being 60-115. The nylon wrap is @ 15-17 thou thick, and doesn't add tension, although you have to adjust the width of the nut slots so they don't bind. The cores are stainless steel rounds in 43-96, as I measured them when I finally killed a set I had gigged solid for two years, essentially the same as a medium light or light set.

The purpose of all this discourse: the Optima RB 4440's, tension-wise, are perfect for Rickenbacker 4001 basses.