{"id":261,"date":"2018-12-16T18:52:50","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T02:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bassguitarshack.com\/?p=261"},"modified":"2021-09-13T17:57:35","modified_gmt":"2021-09-14T00:57:35","slug":"flatwound-string-reviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bassguitarshack.com\/flatwound-string-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Flatwound String Reviews"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are so many flatwound<\/g> string brands and options available now that it can be a little overwhelming to make an informed choice. In general, all flatwounds<\/g> will give you a warmer, mellower tone than roundwounds<\/g> will, but there are differences with each brand. I wanted to do one of these flatwound string reviews, first of all, because I’m such a huge fan of them. But I’m also hoping just a bit to nudge some other bass players who’ve never tried them into stepping into the flatwound world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Although the basic design for flats is largely the same across brands and models, there are several small differences in the construction of the string that can have a large impact on the tone and feel of each flatwound<\/g> string set.

While roundwound<\/g> strings are still, by far, the most popular bass strings available, flatwounds<\/g> have seen a huge resurgence in popularity within the last ten years. As a consequence, there are now many more choices for flats than ever before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve listed some of the top flatwound<\/g> brands available today and reviewed their overall tone and feel. I would have listed more, and there are many more, but I haven’t played them yet. One important thing to mention is that different string gauges will give you different tones. I tried to sample the most average gauges (.045-.105 in most cases).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Note: We make a small commission on any of the affiliate links in this article.  They don\u2019t cost you anything, but they help us keep this site running, so thanks in advance if you choose to purchase anything through those links!<\/em>)
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D’Addario Chromes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Carbon steel hex core with polished stainless steel wrap.

Chromes to me have a slightly grippy feel and are a little oily at first. The oily feel goes away with time, and the strings have less tension than most other flats, although still more than any other roundwound<\/g> string. My first impression with Chromes is that they have a distinctive upper-mid range<\/g> bark with nice, full lows and an overall well-balanced tone across the strings, although the D and G strings sound a little louder than the A and E.

Chromes are quite bright and clanky at first, almost like half-rounds. But after a few months, they will settle in and start to thump more as any good flat should. I did notice that after several months of regular playing, the E string seemed to deaden a little more than the other strings. Overall, very good strings for a decent value. To me, Chromes sound best on a Jazz Bass.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n \n \"D'Addario\n <\/a>\n\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n D'Addario XL Chromes Flat Wound Bass Guitar Strings - ECB81 - Long Scale - Regular Light, 45-100 <\/a>\n
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