Please forgive me if this has been asked before. I have checked the fretless club posts, and the "string" forum to no avail. I have a newly converted fretless made of maple with maple and mahogany neck and ebony fretboard covered with epoxy. The sound is very bright! The question: can substantial mwah only be achieved with round wounds, or can this sound be achieved with flats? If yes, can you recommend a certain brand of flats that's better than other for the mwah tone.

Thank you
Maurice :help:

I need rounds & a strong low-mid boost to get it, but I've heard Norm Stockton & Steve Lawson do it w/flats.

thank you bassteban.
anyone else?

I'd try stainless flats, medium lights(.40 or .45 to no more than .100) and get the relief as little as possible and the action low as well. MWAHH nirvana!
Josh

Thank you Josh. Does anyone else agree that stainless medium flats is the best choice?
thanks

I'd say you get more 'mwahh' with roundwounds, but stainless steel-flats are probably the best option if you want to run flatwounds.

More mwah and growl come from roundwounds. I was astonished when I heard Steve Lawson uses flats, I had always assumed he used rounds but he does have graphite necks on his Modulus basses.

Davo

These are TI Jazz Flats, Rosewood board

BTB 1005 fretless TI Flats Direct
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=2483861&q=hi

Bill

I use DR low riders on my 6, however too much mwah sounds like a trombone (IMO). Brightness for days with rounds.

I use D'adario Nickel rounds (190 XL ?) 40 - 100 and find they great for my fretless.

I have also used "Half round" nickel strings before and found them to be great as well.

The nickel is a little less damaging to your fretboard but really I've never been to concerned with hurting a fretboard. It would take many many years to do that.

I'm not in favor of flats ever. The response is just never the same as rounds.

Peace,

Gerry

Hi,
Thanks for all the responses. Billbern, the TI flats sound like what I am looking for; thanks for posting the clip. I wish they were not so expensive. Is there a "poor man's" equivalent string, or are the TIs just in a class by themselves?
Thanks
Maurice :bassist:

Hi,
Thanks for all the responses. Billbern, the TI flats sound like what I am looking for; thanks for posting the clip. I wish they were not so expensive. Is there a "poor man's" equivalent string, or are the TIs just in a class by themselves?
Thanks
Maurice :bassist:

That would be carvin. Can recall off hand what brand those are right offhand, La bella maybe?

$21.99
https://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=FW40

That would be carvin. Can recall off hand what brand those are right offhand, La bella maybe?

$21.99
https://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=FW40

The Carvin flats (LaBella) are a fine product, I have a set. But, IMHO they are nothing like the TI Flats.
The TI Flats have MUCH less tension, less thump and more pronounced mid range.
I know they are pricey, but I've had the same set for 4-5 years, on and off different basses. They still sound great.

Bill

+1 on TI's uniqueness, though I haven't tried them on a fretless.
Also agreed on the concept of too much mwah- I have a hack-defretted Hohnberger that is just way too growly. I think I'll put a good preamp in it to see if I can tame it a bit.