D'Addario ECB81-5 Chromes XL Flatwound Bass Strings - Light Gauge  

After trying many different brands of round wounds, I've been a long time DR Hi-Beams, Fat-Beams and Sun-Beams user/fan for different basses but, not so much now. Maybe, this Squire Jazz 5 w/Lindy Fralin pick-ups is just picky? But, these sound absolutely Amazing! Smooth, Phat & Deep with good clarity and great tone! I think Jamerson also! And, I love that thick, classic vintage sound. These are going to stay on this bass and, I'll just need to save up to get a Sadowsky to put some round-wounds on but, I might fall deeply in love till then. I've had a MIA 4-string Fender Jazz w/Fender Custom Shop 60's p/u's that sounded great with GHS Precision Flatwounds that sounded great together years back but, that great bass has nothing on these AMAZING, SMOOTH, RICH and, DEEP sounding Flatwound Strings! We'll see how they last. If it's at least 3-4 months I'll be very happy.

I purchased a set of the D'Addario ECB81-5 flatwound strings for my Fender American 5-string about a month ago. I do a lot of recording and I am oh so tired of re-doing passages because of unwanted string noise so I tried a set of these strings. Pros: They do take care of the string noise problems and they are easier on the fingers. Cons: They do not sound like a roundwound of course so if you are expecting that they should you will be mistaken. They do produce a lower thicker plunkier sound much like Jamerson's which has been mentioned already so if that is what you like these do that. What I noticed most is the loss of playability which may have come back over time. These are stiff and it is much more difficult to bend these. There was also an obvious tendency in faster passages for notes to drop out in the mix with these strings no matter how articulate you play. I read the reviews before I bought these strings that talk about these strings sustaining well. I didn't get that. While they do sustain some they do not compare in any way to other premium roundwound strings I've used. There is no right or wrong in choosing between flatwounds and roundwounds. It's all in what you like so I'm not bashing these strings but rather just reporting my experience in trying these. I would prefer to live with the string noise now and then for what I sacrificed with the flatwounds.

If you are tired of thin sound and want more depth to your sound, then consider these strings. Do not pass these up, they are very PHAT sounding. Lively in high,s but dry and detailed, very Jamerson-esqe! The string tension is not as high as Labella flats or Fender flats, Serious Vintage Tone! Good sustain and Thump! Bass tool of the pro,s!

These are the best flatwounds I've ever used. I use mine on my 5 string MM Bongo and the depth and range of tone is incredible. I'm not a big slapper, so it doesn't matter to me about losing the "twang" from the strings. Frankly, these strings make your bass sound like a bass. Plus our worship drummer thinks my bass is the best he's ever heard/played. That says a lot since he lives with bass player of his other band. Some of that credit goes to the strings. I've had these on my Bongo for over a year now and they still sound great (playing with clean hands and cleaning your strings helps. Never put your bass away "wet".) By now my Rotosound, Steve Harris, Monel flatwounds will have either broken at least one string (usually A) or lose their luster. But I have to admit, on my 4 string Sting-Ray they sound awesome. Anyway the D'Addario Chromes are the best flats available, period.