guitar_ed wrote:If it makes a difference, I am pretty of a blues/R&B/country kind of guy. No heavy metal, no progressive. Definitely Stax type stuff.
I tend toward the same direction. I would definitely say to try flats. I've experimented quite a bit on different basses. Here are some ideas for a starting point:
1. D'Addario Chromes: These are reasonably priced strings that I have on an '81 L-2KE and a late '90s L-1500. They have a fairly high tension, but if the bass is set up well and the action is fairly low that's not necessarily a bad thing. I personally like these for the types of music you mentioned. To my ears, they emphasize the fundamental tone when the bass is in passive mode but can get pretty growly when it's active.
2. LaBella Deep Talkin': Slightly more expensive than Chromes, but I can feel and hear a difference in performance. The regular gauge set is about the same tension as Chromes, or maybe slightly looser. I have them on my '80 L-1K.
3. LaBella Original 1954s: These are a
very heavy gauge version of the Deep Talkin' set. Their claim to fame is that they are identical to the LaBellas that James Jamerson used on the classic Motown recordings. I have a set on my '85 SB-1, just to get the Jamerson experience. They are extremely high tension, which produces a different feel and maybe a bit tighter of a sound. Personally, I would not go straight to these without working up through some lighter gauge sets. It would probably be too stressful physically.
4. Rotosound 77s: I have these on a Lynx and a fretless L-2K. They have less tension than any of the ones I've mentioned above, but they aren't floppy. To my ears, they have quite a bit of growl and maybe a bit of a scooped-mids sound...very much the Rotosound vibe. I like the way they feel. They might not be the top choice for the styles you mentioned, but they are still a very decent choice IMO for starting to explore flats.
5. Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats: I have these on a fretless Guild Pilot. They are probably the most expensive bass strings out there, at around $70 a set. I had to try them after hearing a lot of rave reviews, but I doubt I would invest in them for any of my G&Ls. They have an extremely low tension, to the point of clicking against the fingerboard. The note definition and clarity are amazing, but probably most suited for fretless IMO. They work very well for getting the Jaco Pastorius sound.
6. Pyramid Golds: I saved the best for last. These have become my go-to string, on fretted and fretless. The tension is a bit softer than Chromes or LaBellas, but much firmer than TI Jazz Flats. The E and A strings feel pretty thick compared to the the D and G or to most other sets, which is the only thing I haven't loved about these strings. The tension and volume is even across all four strings, though. They have a ton of fundamental, but with the right EQ settings they can also be pretty bright. I currently have them on an L-2K fretless and an El Toro.
I hope this helps. FWIW, I buy most of my bass strings from
http://www.bassstringsonline.com (no affiliation). They have very competitive prices, amazing customer service, and will even discuss string selection over the phone to help you find the right set.
Ken