Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Which flatwound strings would you suggest for a 4001C64 for that Beatles-era sound? Gauge? Thanks

TI (Thomastik Infeld) jazz flats are quite good in that application. Chromes are also pretty popular around here.

Pyramid Gold

I play bass in a Beatles trib band and string my 4001SLH with Chromes. TIs don't give me enuff treble bite for songs like "...Help From My Friends", and Pyramids are even worse(duller). Believe me, I've tried them all. YMMV.

And if it makes you feel better, Chromes are easier to get too! probably cheaper too!

Hmmmm...Chromes.....Floppy they are .

Never in my experience, Barry. TI's yes, but not Chromes.

Pyramids practically ruined my c64. Real bad tailpiece lift and they basically bowed the neck too. Put some Chromes on and she was fine.

john-what was the gauge size on the chromes? just curious,pyramid flats only come in one gauge,and when i switched to the same gauge in chromes,they seemed to have a similar tension...i recently took pyramids off my 4000,although i was not experiencing any difficulty with them.

oh yeah,meant to say that when the pyramids were still on my bass,it sounded x-actly like the sound on macca's "silly love songs"- i never tried roto tru-bass nylon strings,probably would sound good,but they are a really large gauged string set.

I've just switched to TIs from Pyramids, and I like the TIs better. They don't seem floppy to me, and I think they sound better. Plus, I like the fact that I'm not putting so much tension on my bass any more. I had tailpiece lift with the Pyramids, but when I switched to TIs my tailpiece has almost no lift now.

So, if I put a set of TI JF344's on my C64 I should not have any problem with tail-lift? Is the gauge on these strings lighter than the factory-installed rounds on the C64?

yes,richard,the ti's are definitely a much lighter gauge,very low tension string. i can't imagine any tension-related problems coming from using them-and a lot of folks do like them.to me,they are just too small/loose feeling...and according to john hall,ti's are the closest thing to the flatwounds rickenbacker installed on their basses in years past...

I use the D'addario Chromes Extra Light on my '72 4001. The are not too costly, not floppy, not a taillifting proposition, and they can really nail the sound you're after.

And if you really want to nail "Lucy in the Sky" try just a touch of mute.

Im just a glutton for punishment.....I really like Pyramids , Fender Flats , and especially LaBella Jamersons . I like high tension strings for some reason......I did grow up playing 60s Fender basses