10 Best Flatwound Bass Strings
for October 2023

The DR Hi-Beam Bass strings were our favorites among bass strings we tested. They're ideal for rock players looking for rich, warm tone, and they respond well both to percussive playing and to more melodic playing. The strings have excellent sustain and a nice, natural low-end response, and the wound strings exhibit little of the stiffness and twanginess that can sometimes be a problem with flatwound strings. The strings have a natural, earthy sound that blends well with all other instruments, and they're versatile enough to be used for both rock and country musicians. They are also extremely durable, and we liked their feel, balance, and intonation. The strings require an unusually high amount of care and time to manufacture, and the string gauges and tensions are slightly different from those on other bass strings. But it's worth it, because the DR Hi-Beam Bass strings are the best flatwound bass strings we've ever tried, and we think they'll continue to appeal to bassists looking for rich, warm tone.

This set has average tuning and sustain, and we found the tone to be slightly bright, but that's typical for flatwounds. They have good intonation and a nice, punchy sound. They sound good both at low and high volumes. The strings also feel fairly smooth, and the flatwound design helps produce a good, full tone. They're good for fingerstyle players, and since they're medium gauge, they're good for slappers, too. They're also ideal for players who like to play jazz, blues, or funk.

DR Strings Flatwound Stainless Steel Round Core Bass strings are some of the best strings you can buy for bass. They're tuned like round-wound strings (low to high) and they don't break as easily. The strings are very flexible, which makes it easier to play complicated bass lines, and the string-to-string balance is more consistent than on most other bass strings. The tone is warm, resonant, and powerful, and the strings last much longer than those from most other bass string manufacturers. There are 4 different gauges: 45, 65, 85, and 105. The 45 is the lowest gauge, and it's a good choice if you want a thick, meaty tone but you don't want to move the strings far from the bridge. The 65 is the next gauge up, and it's a good choice if you want a thicker, warmer tone, but you don't want to move your strings far from the bridge. The 85 is the next gauge up, and it's a good choice if you want a mids-pleasing tone, but you don't want to move your strings far from the bridge. The 105 is the highest, and it's a good choice if you want a penetrating, focused tone, but you don't want to move your strings far from the bridge.

The Rotosound SH77 Steve Harris Monel Flatwound Bass Guitar Strings are an excellent choice for flat-wound bass strings. The Monel metal used for the strings provide great tone, power, and volume. The strings have a long lasting life and sound great. The strings have a smooth feel and are comfortable to play. Lastly, the strings are extremely affordable.

The GHS 3020 bass strings have a rich, deep sound, and the strings are evenly wound, so they feel smooth, even under your fingers. The strings also hold their tension well, even once they've been played for a while, and they don't separate. The strings have a deep, punchy sound, but they aren't quite as bright or clear-sounding as some of the more expensive bass strings we tested. They're also a bit too heavy, so tuning can be a challenge. The strings' finish is very smooth, so your fingers glide easily across the strings, and you won't ever notice any fret buzz. The GHS 3020 bass strings are a great option for the beginner or intermediate player looking for a good all around set of bass strings, and the price is comparable to other strings in this price range we tested.

The Dunlop DBFS45105 Flatwound Bass 4 Strings/Set Accordion Accessory has the best fundamental for our testing, and it's the only string set that is consistent from string to string. It produces a clear, solid sound, with solid low notes, clear high notes, and a nice, bright midrange. The strings have a warm, smooth feel, and they don't buzz at all. The set comes with 15 strings, and each one is individually wound, so they're easy to tune, and they don't run out of tune. The set comes with a tuning key, and it's easy to install them. In our testing, they lasted about 25 hours of use before they began to break. The packaging is just like any other string set, and you don't have to unpack them if you don't want to. The strings come with Dunlop's 35-year warranty, and Dunlop offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

The GHS Strings 3120 flats are some of the sharpest, most defined-sounding flatwound strings we've tested, with powerful, tight lows and crisp, cutting highs. The strings are smooth and rounded, with a smooth satin finish. The windings are well constructed, producing a tight and projecting sound with good dynamics. The scale length is 35.5 inches, and the set weighs 30.6 ounces, making it heavier than most other flatwound strings. The strings are pretuned to A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The set comes with a 3.57-inch string winder, which can be difficult to use. The set also comes with a string wrench, which is helpful for changing strings.

These Pyramid Gold flatwound short scale bass strings have a rich, warm sound. The gauges are .040, .055, .070, and .100. The .040s have a warm bright tone, and the .055s have a mild bright tone. The .070s have a mellow warm tone, and the .100s have a warm mellow tone. The Pyramid Gold bass strings have a medium tension. These Pyramid Gold flatwound short scale bass strings are easy to work with. They hold their pitch well. These Pyramid Gold flatwound short scale bass strings are durable and have a long life. These Pyramid Gold flatwound short scale bass strings are easy to clean.

The Rotosound SM77 Monel strings, with their distinctive warm sound, are a popular choice among bassists, and this set offers an affordable way into monel strings. The 40-60-80-100 set offers a balanced mix of bright, medium, and dark monel strings, so they're a great choice for electric basses, and fairly versatile for acoustic basses as well. They produce plenty of volume, and they're quite responsive. Our only complaint is that the set is quite expensive for what amounts to just 40 strings.