Flatwounds? Opinions?

[MSUsousaphone]

I can't stand them. I find them dull and lifeless. I prefer a bright, articulate style, though. TEHO.

[coldbrightsunlight]

I do find myself turning up the treble on my amp when I have flats to get some more bite and attack, but every time I'm really close to getting new rounds I play with some fuzz and just waaaay prefer flats for that. Clearly the solution here is to get a second bass.

[one bad monkey]

Definitely gonna order some TI Swing 11s. Also now curious about the GHS nickel rockers and burnished nickel rockers.

Those sound like they're made just like their Pressurewound strings for bass (which I use). They're nice; smoother and a little more mellow than regular rounds but still retain the clarity.

[Gearmond]

I can't stand them. I find them dull and lifeless. I prefer a bright, articulate style, though. TEHO.

second. they take all the interesting things out of the guitar and give the fundamentals in a really boring way. it always sounds like the guitar is mumbling unless you whale on it, or pick every note. which makes sense since the only time flats actually sound good is with trad jazz bop daddies

[Mudfuzz]

On bass that is what I use.
Guitar... I have used them... I love them on lapsteels.. but for normal guitars I like that crusty string noise that rounds give you, hate it on bass though...

[Tendollarcat]

Flats are pretty hit and miss I think. They are always popular on forums and the lure of not having to buy strings very often is often lurking in the background as a cool bonus.

Tried TI flats after a bunch of recommendations and couldn't believe how floppy they were. I preferred D'adarrio Chromes, Labellas and Sadowskys after that. I found I liked the chromes a lot - and then realised that I liked that they sounded a bit like well worn in nickel roundwounds.....so I went back to roundwounds and was even happier.

I know some people rock flats really well. I'm not one of them.

[Moustache_Bash]

I like them on bass. They have a lot less noise, and I can get a quick short attack like a keyboard on a bass guitar setting which is what I like.

[higain617]

I like the feel of flats better but they do give a darker, duller tone that won't cut through the mix as well in a noisy band. I would still be using them but was urged to switch up to rounds for a more aggressive sound.

[nightterrors]

Nailed it.

I also feel that flats get a slightly smooover and more even response out of fuzz, rather than the squeaky shrieky thing rounds tend to do.

Definitely agree. Had flatwounds on the bass I bought recently. Switched over to roundwounds again and noticed this.