Really? Flats feel distinctly grippy on the fretting and plucking fingertips to me. Rounds have much less friction. Try playing with a lighter touch and moving fast on the neck, maybe you’ll see what I mean.
I think it’s the additional surface contact area of the flats.
I must say that flats have never felt sticky to me. I like how they slide, even if I’m way much a roundwound guy. I’m happy to have one bass in flats actually, it’s cool for those double bass sounds. (but my 5 others basses are strung in roundwounds)
Anyway I just ordered a set of Labella 760 FS-S : I hope that the heavier gauge will help with my intonation issue. It was hard to choose between the FS-S and the FL-S , because the gauges seems nearly identical. I hope it will be ok, because those strings are quite expensive here (I paid 55€).
Also I disassembled a saddle to see how it’s made. The setting screw is a bit too short : 20 mm threaded lentgh, where 22 would fit all the available range. So I ordered some M2 22mm screws. Also with my measures I think I can modify the saddles a bit, to make it move a bit further, and to hopefully extend its travel range for about 2 millimeters .
I will change the screws anyway, and I will modify the saddles only if the string change doesn’t fix the issue. Should be OK at the end.
I’ve got a set of the LaBella Jamerson flats nib I could send you
Fender Chromes are slick-feeling. Don’t know about others.
That’s nice, thank you @Wombat-metal , but as I live in France I think the shipping would be way too expensive ! Anyway the 760 FS-S should hopefully be OK !
Still nope.
My T-40 needs the lightest of touch to play and no sticky icky issues.
“Hi. How can I help?” (Yes. Yes we are.)
As for sticky flats, I do feel like my new D’Addario Chromes are a bit “sticky“ (even after being wiped down with alcohol and played for a few hours so far) – definitely much “stickier” than my LaBellas.
I’m going to stick with the Chromes because I want to give them a fair shot, and besides, bass strings are too expensive to run through like Kleenex; I feel like I’ve got to at least try to love them.
The LaBella strings, though… Oh my gosh, smooth as butter. So luxurious. The Cadillac of flats. (I’m making myself wish I had gone ahead and special ordered them for this new medium-scale bass!)
I was playing a lot of rock and pop, so I decided from reviews that the Chromes might work a little bit better since they are known to be a bit brighter — “the flat-wound string for people who prefer round-wound strings,” one review called them — and sure enough, they are a bit zippier. But grippier too.
Either way, in my limited few months on bass, I find that I don’t really get along with rounds. I tried putting some back on my Gretsch (tried some Rotosound that I need to put up on the Donate it Forward thread; not for me those Roto), and nah… I’ll keep my flats. I can understand where people are coming from who say flatwound strings are too slick and what have you. I get that, but the comfort level is to die for. And, I like the sound.
Anyway, I know I’m late to the party; I hope the LaBellas satisfy your needs @terb
I think that, if they fit your bridge the way you need, you will LOVE the sound (much more so than the Chromes)!
we’ll see, at least if UPS finally manage to solve the crazy delivery issue there is with this parcel … but yeah, I hope the Labella’s will do the job !
Interesting. I have D’A Chromes on a used bass I bought and there’s zero stickiness to them. But I’m a rounds fan, so I’m used to feeling friction in my strings. You might want to try some strings lube on yours, because (to me) Chromes sound surprisingly bright and punchy for flats.
Finger Ease helps
I do like the D’addario chrome flats fwiw
@Wombat-metal @MikeC
I do use that Finger-Ease, and it does help. It also seemed to help with the gloss neck on my Squier CV to not get “sticky” during recent rehearsals. (I eventually sanded my other bass and e.guitar necks, but I’m in no hurry to sand if I don’t have to.) The Chromes winding, though, just seems microscopically “rougher” than that of the LB’s, which were perfectly smooth from day one and really don’t require spray (though I do go ahead and use it). I don’t know what it is… It’s weird, isn’t it, how different players perceive differences in the same exact product? The D’As do sound good. I like how they can so easily give me a good rock sound or (with the tone rolled off) a deep, smooth, Motown/blues vibe. I’ll play these D’As ‘til they’re either broken in or broken down! 
I don’t know why they put such a heavy gloss on the back of Squier necks. I sanded down my Squier P - though I completely understand your reticence to do so.
I don’t mind gloss on the fingerboard.
I actually like gloss on the fingerboard. Makes it easy to clean. Some people even use Windex 
I LIKE IT TOO,
I use Gun oil, on theFret Board and the back of the Neck, and it’s fine for me
These Chromes are getting more and more broken in, less grabby (which is a better description than sticky). I’m going to enjoy them, I think.
Unrelated note: My 12-year-old daughter played her 2nd (or 3rd?) gig today with the Gretsch Junior Jet that wears the LaBellas. The ensemble had six guitarists, six bassists, two lead singers, and a drummer. Can you imagine?!