Flatwounds comparison / Fender vs. La Bella / Fender JMJ Road Worn Mustang Bass

[@theinvisiblebassist]

Very nice. I like both. Looks like I need to buy 2 Mustangs!

[@stephenboutwell1012]

Ha! Why not? Ironically, I just sold mine. Will probably regret it!

[@filippocappiello9490]

LaBella Tone 0% : the pure essence of fundamental bass tone.

[@stephenboutwell1012]

Can’t argue with that!

[@miqueiasxavier.]

🔥🔥🔥

[@stephenboutwell1012]

@@miqueiasxavier. Thanks! 🙏🏻

[@RefactoringRyan]

Interestingly, I found that the finger style sound of the Labella's at 100% on the tone knob sounded like a louder variation of the picked sound you got out of the Fender strings.

[@stephenboutwell1012]

Nice catch! I think the LaBella’s have a more pronounced midrange while the Fender’s have a stronger low fundamental with less midrange. The pick is the only thing bringing out the midrange in the Fender’s which is how I could see it sounding similar. I actually prefer the picked Fender’s over the picked La Bella’s.

[@idolbass]

I like them both and use Chromes

[@stephenboutwell1012]

My first flats were a set of Chromes that I used for years and loved them. The only reason I switched is because I broke one of the strings! Also wanted to see how another brand would sound. Just have to keep them on for so long before they really settle in!

[@oldasrocks9121]

9050s live in between the good thumpy flats and the bell tone flats like TIs and LaBellas. I like the Fenders on PBasses but thats about it. The LaBellas are wonderful on your Mustang!

[@stephenboutwell1012]

@@oldasrocks9121 Thanks! They came stock on the Mustang. Never had them on a P bass, though. They seemed to have good, low fundamental which I liked but lacked the mid-range punch of the LaBellas. The 9050s were fine, just not my style. However, when it came to a muted pick sound, I liked the 9050s better.

[@oldasrocks9121]

@@stephenboutwell1012 My favorite thumpy flats are the DR Legends. Ernie Ball Cobalt flats live in this odd spot between flats and round wounds, flats for feel rounds for sound. But not quite like rounds sound wise. I have them on my jazz bass with foam mutes between the string pairs. They need cleaned regularly, the develop a rough-ish patchy corrosion but a swipe of Albolene with a good wipe after has fended that stuff off so far after it first developed. I keep them on but I'm still asking myself "do I like these?" Bandmates do so there's that.

[@stephenboutwell1012]

@@oldasrocks9121 Interesting about the DR Legends. I have a set of those as well that used for a time. Here’s a cover of Bernadette I used them on: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2GYg52YfJaAgpIsi=54oTu4IBDudh300L I hear what you mean about the thumpy-ness, though I didn’t notice it at the time. Never played Cobalt flats but did play a set of D’addario Chromes for years. Aptly named, even after they broke in, they retained a glassy smoothness and clarity that I really liked.

[@crpat]

both sound great! can i ask if you were mic'ng an amp, running direct or using an amp sim?

[@stephenboutwell1012]

Thanks! Recorded direct. Bass > Cali76 Compact Bass > Scarlet 2i2 > Roland GO:Mixer Pro > iPhone

[@ABRAXAS37]

It says in the video that he recorded it directly…

[@7171jay]

With roundwounds that are a year old and using a compressors well there isn't as much if a difference in sound between rounds and flats as there could be. Considering these things the tone control provides more of a difference in sound than old dead rounds vs flats.

[@oldasrocks9121]

9050L's are Fender flat wounds