Audio Shootout: Rounds vs. flats

JimmyM · #1 03-20-2007, 11:04 PM

One of these basses has new roundwounds on it. The other has new flats on it. They are identical style basses. See if you can guess which one has flats. I was surprised at how close the tones were. Now I see why Steve Harris sounds like a roundwound player even though he uses flats. He must change them before every show.

Anyway, vote:

http://www.bigassbroadcast.com/strings1.mp3
http://www.bigassbroadcast.com/strings2.mp3

jumbosilverette · #2 03-20-2007, 11:09 PM

They are very close, but I think #1 are flats.

JimmyM · #3 03-20-2007, 11:16 PM

OK, I'm not going to tell the answer just yet, but I'm going to say that if you listen closely, it becomes apparent which are which. So this is less of an audio shootout and more of a "wow I had no idea flats could sound like that" thing.

PilbaraBass · #4 03-20-2007, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumbosilverette

They are very close, but I think #1 are flats.

no way #1 are flats...

#2 are flats and sound quite nice...great for fingerstyle

aside from having a deeper bass and slightly mellower tone changing from note to note, the flats didn't sound very different from the rounds until the slap and pop stuff...the flats just don't have the sparkle that the rounds do...

but #2 sample are flats, definitely

EDIT:

i was confused...sorry change my vote, too...

everything I said above, but switch the recordings, ok?

thanks

ras1983 · #5 03-20-2007, 11:34 PM

i think #2 are flats.

#1 seems to have a bit more midrange growl than #2.

but i could be wrong.

alembicf1x · #6 03-20-2007, 11:39 PM

the string noise from doing the slides is a dead giveaway

JimmyM · #7 03-21-2007, 12:08 AM

Why you! Had to blab, didn't ya? That tears it! I'm not counting your vote!

lillitnn92 · #8 03-21-2007, 12:16 AM

i say #1 is flats because i hear finger noise sliding across the rounds on #2.

Mudfuzz · #9 03-21-2007, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

"wow I had no idea flats could sound like that" thing.

Yes, you can get a assless, thin tone from flats if you need too

so what?

molsen · #10 03-21-2007, 12:19 AM

easy. knew it in the first 2 or 3 seconds which was which

JimmyM · #11 03-21-2007, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron Noguer

Yes, you can get a assless, thin tone from flats if you need too

so what?

I hate Talkbass!

I guess I didn't think this through, or maybe I didn't notice the finger noise. Poop on it.

Akami · #12 03-21-2007, 12:26 AM

Well maybe I was wrong... I voted #2 for the flats.

Clip #1 just sounded more like rounds to me right from the start.

Then I went back and listened again; guess I should have listened twice before voting.

UBU · #13 03-21-2007, 12:28 AM

Frats am #1

Mudfuzz · #14 03-21-2007, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

I hate Talkbass!

Actually I knew before the squeaking, all I use are flats, and have always used flats, I know what they are capable of.

Oh, and it's all about the groove

JimmyM · #15 03-21-2007, 12:31 AM

Thank you!

PilbaraBass · #16 03-21-2007, 04:43 PM

IMO...flats will always produce a sweet, rounder tone...

but yet, they can produce the necessary bite, too...

I have two basses strung with rounds, two with nylon tapes, and 1 with flats...

I think flats are great, especially in 90% of fingerstyle and 80% of pickstyle applications...where they fall down, in my opinion, is that they lack shimmer on popping, and they're not agressive enough for some pick style.

Blues was made for flats

...guitar and bass alike

Beefbass · #17 03-21-2007, 06:18 PM

Wow, the slap tones from those flats is amazing! Are those the laBella flats you use, or did you change to something else?

Either way, both sounded very darned good! Are those your Precision basses Jimmy?

AshenBassist · #18 03-21-2007, 07:28 PM

I'm gonna guess at #1

I'm definately gonna string up my jazz with some flats once i get it in a couple weeks!

JimmyM · #19 03-21-2007, 11:08 PM

Beef, ya, they're my "new" 79 Precision and a parts P bass I put together. And the strings are Fender stainless flats and D'addario XL's. I'm trying to see if I like the sound of somewhat newer flats over the 7 year old LaBellas I had on it before. If I like them, someone has dibs on the LaBellas already, so sorry.

Beefbass · #20 03-22-2007, 04:39 AM

Hey Jimmy, I have the Fender flats on my Pbass deluxe. Once those break in, I think you're gonna love the thumpy sound they produce-I do

I've never tried LaBellas before, but people say the Fenders are very similar. Let me know if you find that to be so.