The Feel of Old String, Straight Out of The Pack!
Ernie Ball has officially released the highly anticipated Pino Palladino Smoothie Flats, a new set of flatwound bass strings developed in close collaboration with the legendary session bassist himself.
Designed for players chasing a rich, vintage tone with ultra-smooth feel, the Smoothie Flats are crafted using a precision-polished cobalt alloy ribbon. This unique construction gives the strings lower tension and a deep, thumpy low end that flatwound fans—and especially fretless players—will appreciate.
Palladino, known for his iconic fretless tone and his work with artists like D’Angelo, John Mayer, and The Who, was deeply involved in the development process. “They feel so good,” he says in Ernie Ball’s demo video. “You don’t get any string noise. They’ve got that real thump and tons of low end. It’s a different approach compared to roundwounds.”
String gauge was also key to the final design. The Pino Palladino Smoothie Flats are available in two sets:
- Extra Light: .038, .054, .068, .098
- Medium: .043, .061, .076, .108
Whether you’re after classic Motown warmth or a modern, articulate flatwound vibe, these strings are definitely worth a test drive.
