Using roundwound .45 and want to try flats but which guage?

[tildeslash]

I am currently using 45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834).
Should I used the same gauge in the flats or 1/2 round or dimensionally I need to adjust to a larger size?

Actually I am asking that if I am using the above mentioned gauge of round wounds.
What gauge should I be using for a similar feel and what impact does it have on tension?

 

[fronobulax]

I am currently using 45w-65w-80w-100w (Super Slinky Bass #2834).
Should I used the same gauge in the flats or 1/2 round or dimensionally I need to adjust to a larger size?

Actually I am asking that if I am using the above mentioned gauge of round wounds.
What gauge should I be using for a similar feel and what impact does it have on tension?

I'll ask which bass but I will admit that, even with that answer I will still have no idea about your original question.

 

[tildeslash]

I am using a Guild Pilot 4 string.
I am using .45 round wound and I am used to that tension.

Will using the same gauge in 1/2 wound or flat wound increase tension?
Should I go to a lower gauge to maintain the same tension?

I've read/heard someplace that when switching from round gauge to 1/2 or flats you can't use the same guage as the diameter of 1/2 or flats are sized differently?

 

[fronobulax]

I am using a Guild Pilot 4 string.
I am using .45 round wound and I am used to that tension.

Will using the same gauge in 1/2 wound or flat wound increase tension?
Should I go to a lower gauge to maintain the same tension?

I've read/heard someplace that when switching from round gauge to 1/2 or flats you can't use the same guage as the diameter of 1/2 or flats are sized differently?

Well, look here.

d'Addario says that T (Tension) = (UW x (2 x L x F)2) / 386.4 where UW is unit weight, L is string length and F is frequency. Since you are just changing strings on the same bass, L and F won't change as you change strings. Thus as the Unit Weight increases then so does the tension.

d'Addario publishes a document with the unit weight of all their strings (as well as some other info) here. I don't have the product line memorized but it looks like within their product line, you can get rounds and flats with similar unit weight and thus similar tension. I'm not motivated enough to do the work for you but one thing you could do is find a d'Addario set of rounds that match the gauge of your current set. Then find one or more sets of d'Addario flats with the same unit weight (or as close as you can get) and then look at the string gauges in those sets.

From skimming the d'Addario page and info, I think it is safe to say that higher gauges have higher tension when comparing only rounds to rounds and only flats to flats. I also think it is safe to say that for the same gauge rounds will have higher tension than flats.

Now the big caveat with all this is I am using d'Addario's numbers and skimming the specs. It is almost certainly true that different brands will have different unit weights and it is possible that in skimming I missed something important. But if you are enough of a math geek to want the correct answer you need to find the unit weight for the strings you have on your bass and then find a similar unit weight in the line up of strings you are considering as replacements. It's not clear that such information is as accessible for d'Addario as for other brands.

I sure hope you weren't expecting an easy answer since it doesn't seem as if there is one.

 

[mellowgerman]

Different brands will have different tensions and sometimes different brands will have a subset of different formula options that will result in more tension differences... that's four different differences in one sentence :mrgreen:
I'm currently hooked on DR Legend flatwounds. 45-105. They make for a very nice thumpy warm "old school" tone and don't take long to break in.
For flats I've tried Fender, Rotosound, TI, Pyramid, Ernie Ball, D'Addario, GHS, LaBella, and probably others that I can't recall off the top of my head. I used to swear by the old formula Fender flats, but since getting into these DR's this past summer, I think they are my new favorites. There does seem to be some confusion on the web whether Legends are wound on a round core or hex core. They may make them both ways but the two sets I've purchased (from a fresh order/shipment at a local shop) both had hex cores.
I would describe their tension as medium. Going by the apparent web consensus that TI's are low tension and LaBellas are high tension. In my experience, the gauges will only dictate tension within the limitations of a specific brand/model of string. From brand to brand, there are way too many construction variables to make the assumption that higher gauge results in higher tension.
With the DR's for example, the 105 E tension feels about the same as the D'addario 100 E and looser than their 105 E.
So I suppose what I'm saying is that your best bet is trying out different types and until you find a set you like.

 

[hieronymous]

I'm going to have to second the idea of experimentation. Unfortunately, it's an expensive experiment!

I have found the highest tension strings to be the LaBella "Original 1954" - beware!

Next would be D'Addario Chromes - not too bad but pretty high tension compared to round wounds.

Next are GHS flats - I found them to be a bit more flexible than Chromes.

On the absolute lowest tension end of the scale of course are TI Jazz Flats - very different feel than any other string, flat or round.

I would love to try DR flats but haven't found them when I was looking for flats. mellowgerman, where do you get yours?

I guess one question would be, what are you looking for in flats? Are you looking for a specific sound or just experimenting?

 

[fronobulax]

So I suppose what I'm saying is that your best bet is trying out different types and until you find a set you like.

Spoken by someone who does not want to "do the math" :lol: :lol: :lol:

But buried in my commentary and mellows response is the very important point that the same gauges by different brands are quite likely to have different unit weights, and hence different tension.

 

[mellowgerman]

I would love to try DR flats but haven't found them when I was looking for flats. mellowgerman, where do you get yours?

I guess one question would be, what are you looking for in flats? Are you looking for a specific sound or just experimenting?

"The Cool Little Music Shop" here in Fredonia, NY is a small store, but the owner brings in and stocks really neat/unusual things. I was actually just going to pick up a set of D'Addarios but he was out and that's when I noticed the DR's. I always loved their "Pure Blues" guitar strings so I thought I'd give em a shot. Killer strings! No issues with string-thru-body bridges (at least in my experience). And on that note, it might be worth mentioning, that certain types of flatwound strings will break if strung thru-body... I think LaBellas are particularly known for this. But Pilots have top-mount bridges right?

Also, good call on "what are you looking for in flats?"
Some players just want the smooth feel and low string noise, but aren't too crazy about the thumpy warm tone... in which case strings like the GHS "Brites" might be your best bet.