LeftyBassist.com

been like 10 years since I had flats and they were the TI flats. I think I remember needing to have the nut slots enlarged to accommodate the TIs even though the gauge was the same as the rounds I was using at the time (this was on a bass I've since sold).

My question for those with Chromes exp....

Am I likely to need to do this again? If so should I assume it's a flats thing? Or is it just a TI thing? Or just a personal problem that only I had thing?

Not that it was a big deal but just wanna be ready.

I've easily changed back and forth on my basses. Shouldn't be a problem. I like chromes

What kind of bass are you thinking of putting them on? I've never had a problem on any Fender bass. Even with LaBella Jamersons, which are just about the thickest flats you can get (tapewounds notwithstanding) fit perfectly fine on my P bass. Chromes come in different gauges anyway, so you could always go with a lighter gauge if needed. What I would pay attention to, though, is whether or not they'll fit in your bridge slots/holes.

Thanks y'all for the responses.

Just a plain ol' precision.

My concern isn't about overall tension on the neck or how the action might be affected but rather the nut slots being wide enough. I remember having 45-105 rounds on a Pbass and then buying exactly or almost exactly (but not larger) TI flats and having to enlarge the nut slots.

Another way of getting at this: Should I expect a roundwound .105 to be the same as a flatwound .105? Logic tells me yes and I would assume the conventional thinking is that they are the same. But I can also imagine a scenario where it's understood that one is a little thicker because it's "flatwound". Something along those lines could explain my previous experience.

I've switched from D'Addario rounds to Chromes (same gauge) countless times. Never had an issue.

Matt R. wrote:I've switched from D'Addario rounds to Chromes (same gauge) countless times. Never had an issue.

Thanks. I'm gonna chalk up my last experience to being a fluke situation. And it's not impossible that the nut wasn't slotted exactly right for the rounds that were on it to begin with and only discovered when the TIs were installed.

I'll be slappin' 'em on soon enough and am looking forward to it.

On a side note, as good a quality and sounding string as the TI is I found myself in the camp that is not comfy with the floppiness of them. 10 years later I remember exactly how floppy they were and I am not someone who prefers heavy strings nor above-average tension. They were just that floppy.

What's your take on the Chromes tension? Above, below, or about average?

I find them slightly more tense than their round wound counterpart. Not in a bad way either. My fingers bounce off them really nicely. They almost remind me of spirocores on my upright.

I bit off topic, but I want to recommend you try Sadowsky flatwounds. I have the light gauge and I think they have the perfect tension and perfect sound, not too dark and not too bright. Great definition and clarity while still giving you all that flatwound goodness. I have on my P-Bass (with a Dimarzio P pickup) and I love them.

I've spent quite a few hundred $$$ trying different flats, including lots of TIs (which are too loose and dark for my taste), and always love these Sadowsky. And I think that Chromes have way too much tension and not enough booty.

Here's a video I just did a few weeks ago (fast forward to 2:20) - it's a long video so feel free to fast forward.

http://fusion.net/Video/video/suenalo-groovin-425249

I have Chromes on a Jazz and TI's on my Yamaha. I like them both. Niether bass had to have the nut slots widened. Going forward, I will stick with Chromes for all my flatwound needs because I don't feel that the TIs bring enough extra to the party to justify the expense.

They're the least flatwound of all flats I've used but if you find the Chromes are cool but too far from rounds, try the Steve Harris Signature flats. I think they're sweet sounding and they're very high tension. A bit more bite than a typical flat without losing their flatwound quality.

Matt R. wrote:They almost remind me of spirocores on my upright.

Didn't see that coming but that's exactly what I want to hear.

Lefty007 wrote:I bit off topic, but I want to recommend you try Sadowsky flatwounds....I've spent quite a few hundred $$$ trying different flats, including lots of TIs (which are too loose and dark for my taste), and always love these Sadowsky. And I think that Chromes have way too much tension and not enough booty.

Here's a video I just did a few weeks ago (fast forward to 2:20) - it's a long video so feel free to fast forward.

Lefty, thanks for this insight. Was not aware of the Sadowskys.

I'm not having any luck playing your fusion vid. It tries to load but just hangs. I'm on windoze 7.

I'll keep trying.

andrew wrote:...try the Steve Harris Signature flats. I think they're sweet sounding and they're very high tension. A bit more bite than a typical flat without losing their flatwound quality.

Is it your understanding that the 50-110 set is the only offering? That may be more than I want to bite off although I much prefer a 50 "G"

Oh! I almost forgot...

Do I want the Long or Extra-Long scale?

For a plain vanilla Pbass top-load bridge

No you just want the regular long-scales
I use the Chromes 105-45 on my Squier VM and I did not need any nut adjustment. They sound great.
On my PBass I use Labella Deep Talking 760 fl which have a little less tension than the Chromes but more than the floppy TI's (which I took off as Carlos said they are too floppy and mid focused). I only paid $35 incl shipping for the Labella's at www.bassstringsonline.com and I love them on the PBass. They are really thumpy and well balanced. Pino Palladino uses the same ones

I just went through trying some different flats on my USA Pbass. I started with 40-100 Chromes which I quite liked but noticed the tension was stiffer then 45-105 rounds. They fit perfectly though.

I then bout a set of Rotosound 77's 45-105 and they were really really stiff. I was able to slam the action but my plucking hand was really feeling the added tension and I just wasn't crazy about the tone.

Finally ordered a set of long scale TI Jazz flats 43-100 and I am quite happy. The Chromes had more zing and we're livelier (more like rounds) but the TI's have this loose tension great warm tone. I pluck pretty lightly so the looser tension is ok and they are easy on the hands.

The Chromes are great too and I still have a set on my Sterling fretless that are just perfect on that bass.

If the OP has already tried TI's and wasn't happy, I think Chromes would be the next logical choice to try.

KingOfAmps wrote:

Matt R. wrote:They almost remind me of spirocores on my upright.

Didn't see that coming but that's exactly what I want to hear.

I'm talking feel-wise, now. Not sound. Because you can NEVER reproduce the sound of a double bass on a slab.

PM sent to KingOfAmps

Although I really just don't like flats all that much to begin with, my experience across the board has been very similar to C-Los...

TI's are too dark and floppy and Chromes are too tense and thin.

The Sadowsky lights are perfect for me... I think they're made by LaBella... but, anyway, they seem to be the perfect balance of tension and tone.

YMMV.

Addison wrote:Although I really just don't like flats all that much to begin with, my experience across the board has been very similar to C-Los...

TI's are too dark and floppy and Chromes are too tense and thin.

The Sadowsky lights are perfect for me... I think they're made by LaBella... but, anyway, they seem to be the perfect balance of tension and tone.

YMMV.

Sometimes it all depends on the bass you're using them on (or what kind fo sound you're going for). I hated TIs on my P bass. Way too flabby. However, I took the TIs off the P bass and put them on my SC Tele bass (strung through), and they were perfect. As for Chromes, I have a few sets on various basses, including my '72 J. I don't find them to be too tense or thin once they're well broken in (The set on that bass is probably 15? years old).