If you’ve read my original bass string primer, you’ll know that there are many different tonal characteristics to be found in the roundwound string realm. But for many, they prefer the smooth feel and tone that flatwound strings provide. However, in talking with many people online and in person, it’s apparent that flatwound strings seem to be the most widely varied from company to company. So, I took it upon myself to try some of the more mainstream – and easy to obtain – flatwounds on the market.
This is not meant as a comparison in terms of “Which flatwound is the best?” because that question can only be answered by you, the player, and your tonal wants/needs. This is meant as a guide to what is out there and what you can reasonably expect.
Special thanks go to Eric Cocco at LaBella strings, for providing me with the set of Deep Talkin’ Flats when I originally mentioned this project to him at Bass Player LIVE! in November.
WHOA, NOT SO FAST!
But first, let’s talk about how flatwound strings are made. Much like their roundwound brethren, flatwound strings are created by winding wire around a hex (most common) or round (not as common) core wire. The final wrap wire of a true flatwound is a flat ribbon wire. Because this wire is flat, it lays down much like a row of bricks would (as opposed to a round wire) so how tightly/loosely this wire is laid will have an effect on the overall stiffness of the string. Once the flat wire is laid down, the string is polished smooth. This is another important step, as flat ribbon wire by itself is very sharp so without this step, the strings would not feel nearly as smooth.
Specs: All these sets were strung up on a ’76 Aria Precision Bass copy, and played regularly at gigs and in the office for 2 weeks (note: while I know that many say the tone of flatwound strings isn’t realized until at least a month at the earliest, I picked two weeks to allow the strings to settle in somewhat, but also keep this whole experiment to a somewhat reasonable timeframe). For recording, the audio was direct, using Tsunami cables with an Apogee Jam interface into Garage Band, with the tone knob on the bass taped at the same spot.
AND NOW, THE STRINGS!
GHS Precision Flats – M3050 (.045-.065-.085-.105): This set is usually recommended alongside the LaBella for those wanting warm, vintage tones. I found these had less tension than the LaBellas under your fingers, responding more like typical roundwound strings. While there is that fundamental “thump!” that people revere, I thought these had a bit more “air” and “voice” to the strings.
LaBella Deep Talkin’ Flats – 760FL (.043-.060-.082-.104): One of the most recommended sets of flatwounds, LaBella DTF sit squarely in the old school vintage “thump!” category of flatwounds. They are one of the smoothest and stiffest feeling sets that I tried, reminding me of classical double bass strings, in their feel and response. The tone is thick and meaty, with a good punchiness to them. While they sit pretty low in the tonal mix (maybe that’s why they’re called “Deep Talkin’ Flats”), you don’t get lost.
DR Legends – FL-45 (.045-.065-.085-.105): This one was the hardest for me to place in terms of feel and tone. They sit more toward the vintage side of flatwounds in terms of tone, and were on par with LaBella in terms of being one of the stiffest sets that I tried.
Rotosound Jazz Bass 77 – RS77LD (.045-.065-.085-.105): This set uses Monel as the flat wrap (which is a nickel-copper alloy) over the more commonly found stainless steel. In terms of tonality, I felt these sat about the same as DR, but favored the more modern tone just a little. In terms of feel, they felt about the same as the Precision Flats in that they were stiff, but not overly so.
D’Addario Chromes – ECB81 (.045-.065-.080-.100): Considered by many to be the brightest set of flats on the market, Chromes are known for their more modern-voiced flatwound tone that mellows nicely, while retaining that focus and definition. Polished to a glassy finish, the feel under the fingers was solid; about middle of the road between very pliable and stiff. Tonally, they sat fairly forward in the mix (for flatwounds), while still holding the low end. This is one of the few flatwounds that, depending on EQ, you could get a fairly decent slap tone out of.
Fender Flats – 9050L (.045-.060-.080-.100): While in terms of gauges, this was the lightest set I used, they still felt solid under the fingers. Tonally, they had a more modern sound like the Chromes, but a bit darker sounding in the mids, which I felt gave these strings a really nice character and voice on the bass.
In the world of flatwound strings, there is no “one size fits all.” Depending on your playing style, tonal preference and band needs, you may try a number of different flatwounds in the hopes of finding THAT sound. Hopefully this little guide has given you some basic information on all the most popular brands to help you make a more informed choice from the beginning, and allow you more time to just sit back and play.
