Best Strings to Play Surf Music?

dejm1 · #1 11-23-2010, 02:39 PM

Is it safe to assume you'd want to use flatwound strings if you're looking for a traditional surf bass sound? To play Ventures style. Thanks!

N.F.A. · #2 11-23-2010, 02:40 PM

I do believe that is a safe assumption...

wshines1892 · #3 11-23-2010, 02:43 PM

Incorrect, strings wound from the steel of Excalibur are the best. Now for a new question, what's the best bass for surf music?

dejm1 · #4 11-23-2010, 03:01 PM

good follow up question, but not sure what you mean by the steel of Excalibur... i get the reference though. so you think steel strings are good, too.

was going to use a Fender Jazz bass for now.... but would love to hear some other suggestions. will be using a pick for sure.

wshines1892 · #5 11-23-2010, 03:13 PM

A hollowbody would suit you well I'd assume, but that's with my limited knowledge of surf music. You can't go wrong with a Precision of course.

dejm1 · #6 11-23-2010, 03:20 PM

here an old Talk Bass thread:

Surf Bass

Pilgrim · #7 11-23-2010, 06:40 PM

Surf is what I play... and the playing style matters more than the bass. I do recommend flats... esp Labella flats. Rounds only work for me if they're a couple of years old so they are not bright and zingy. But surf works great on hollowbody, semi-hollow, solid body, doesn't matter... as long as you sell it and use a pick when you really need a percussive sound, it will work.

I play surf on a Casady bass, a P, a Gretsch 2202 Jr. Jet, a Bronco, a J, a Rogue "Beatle bass", an Aria predecessor to the Hi-Flyer, a Schecter Diamond, and even on a '64 Gibson EB-0, although to tell the truth the mudbucker on the EB-0 is a bit woofy for some numbers, so I don't use it for everything. Most of those basses have flats on them.

SurferJoe46 · #8 11-24-2010, 08:47 AM

Right on, Pilgrim!

Using flats or really dead rounds is the answer, and using a pick can really emphasize the small touch of reverb you can use in surf music.

I like a nice slap-back using a Fender heavy pick and stay away from the Bright or High-Beam type strings.

I try to palm-mute at the same time to get that 'pop' in the string which the slap-back picks up and just makes is 'Surf' to me.

Bert Kamferdt (sp?) was the instigator of that sound originally with his 'Swinging Safari' and 'Sandy's Theme' with his German/Euro Pop orchestra, and it just carried over to surf and trash-rock.

BTW: I just hit a new (to me) surf guitar site:: http://www.surfguitar.com/