Flats. I Dig 'em...BUT...

[plangentmusic]

...I gotta be real. Their use is limited. I think it's one of these fashions that is more popular with bass players than the people bassplayers play for -- in other words, bandmates and studio engineers.

I love the smooth, fat, punchy sound and some things that's great. And hey, Steve Harris uses flats on a P and gets the ultimate "Metal" sound (contribued by his EQ and touch). But there are too many times when a somewhat modern sound is needed and that's when flats are glaringly inappropriate.

It's easier to sound vintage with rounds, than modern with flats.

I choose nickel because they're smoother, less clangy than steel , and with the highs rolled off,can get close to flat sound. HAlf rounds just sound and fell horrible to me. They are not an option. Nice try, but just don't work.

What do you think? Is flat use one of those retro fads? Or will more and more people use them and mabe eventually turn the tide?

[madbassplaya]

i think this has been covered numerous times!

nickels do one thing well, flats do something completely different.

i personally love flats, but use rounds on occasion.

[jallenbass]

Seeing as how I never need a modern bass tone flats are all I need. Punch like an upright. Vocabulary is what I use for variation.

[pudgychef]

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

...I gotta be real. Their use is limited. I think it's one of these fashions that is more popular with bass players than the people bassplayers play for -- in other words, bandmates and studio engineers.

I love the smooth, fat, punchy sound and some things that's great. And hey, Steve Harris uses flats on a P and gets the ultimate "Metal" sound (contribued by his EQ and touch). But there are too many times when a somewhat modern sound is needed and that's when flats are glaringly inappropriate.

It's easier to sound vintage with rounds, than modern with flats.

I choose nickel because they're smoother, less clangy than steel , and with the highs rolled off,can get close to flat sound. HAlf rounds just sound and fell horrible to me. They are not an option. Nice try, but just don't work.

What do you think? Is flat use one of those retro fads? Or will more and more people use them and mabe eventually turn the tide?

hmmm I have found the opposite to be true. Recording engineers and bandmates (in particular guitarists intent on having the entire spectrum of their greatness recognized) LOVE bassists playing flats. Makes both of their jobs easier.

I often think it is bassists used to hearing rounds, when playing alone, who feel like they are giving something up. To my ears rounds sound better on a bass solo - flats make the band sound better - but reduce the bassists 'look at me' potential. Flats can really fill up a band, add ooomph and widen the girth....but you don't notice it until its gone and the band sounds exposed and vulnerable.

Like an O-lineman or an official - you don't notice them until they stop doing there job.

I think part of the return to flats has been a re-realization of what the bass really is in music, and the fact that bassists went through their 'look at our heroes, look at us shred - we are musicians too' phase and now that their egos are sated and pissing matches done - can refocus on being the support and balls of the beast.

[lucas vigor]

I get what you are saying plangent, however, I think flats are useful for a lot more genres then you might think. To me, it's the sound of the original bass, and soooo many classic tunes were recorded with them. Its really a sound that is ingrained in the audiences psyche, though they probably are not aware of it!

They would not be my first choice for smooth jazz or certain types of funk/R+B, but I have gotten away with using them on pretty much everything else.

[James Hart]

Right tool for the right job... why choose between? I maintain at least one bass with flats at all times.

[Jaco who?]

Originally Posted by plangentmusic

It's easier to sound vintage with rounds, than modern with flats.

I agree, I want to like flats, but a slightly dead set of Sunbeams on my fretless gives it a quicker sounding attack when I need it, but I can still mute with my fingers to get a passable flat sound, too. And, btw, I don't like Flashy bass playing at all...................

[TIMD]

I guess there have been a ton of the flats vs rounds threads but I have actually had the opposite experience from allot of people. I actually prefer flats and always hated the bright clanky thin sound of rounds until I started playing with my current band. I had to switch to rounds to get the quick punchy mids I was looking for. For about the last three years I have been playing 105-50 gauge XL's and love them. The heavier gauge gives me the stiffness of flats and rolling the tone down I can still get the thick tone I'm looking for but with more focused mids. I have tried a couple times to switch back to flats and they sound and feel great at home but as soon as practice rolls around I remember why I changed to rounds in the first place. Between two guitars, a Rhodes and a synth I was muddying up all the low end.

[Gero]

I liked flats the last time I used them. They were on a p-bass that I pieced together. Since posted here more, I've noticed it get brought up a lot, makes me want to grab another set and see if I still like 'em.

Timd brings up a good point. I never used flats in a band context, so it might be best to have 2 basses, one with each, in my case.

[bassbully]

I wont use anything else..hate the roundwound feel and overtones. Flats are cheaper since you only change them if they break. if I was in a punk band playing w/ a pick. I then would use rounds, but since that isnt going to happen I dont have to worry about it.

[Valerus]

Flats on my P, Rounds on my J. That's all I need.

[5string5fingers]

I think it depends on the music you play. To me flats sound great in funk(finger,not so much slapping), motown style music,rock,blues, hell they even sound pretty good punk style with a pick assuming you're using the right type of flatwound.

I wouldn't recommend labellas for punk,but chromes would work great. But if you're playing jazz,and you do a lot of soloing,and slapping,and what not then rounds are better,because you want a bright,articulate tone and you're very present and out front in the mix.

But most other genres,where bass is in the mix,and filling out the band, flats work, because most of the time,the grind from roundwound strings gets lost in the sound of guitars and cymbals and you're left with fundamental,which is what flats focus on.

[lucas vigor]

Originally Posted by 5string5fingers

But most other genres,where bass is in the mix,and filling out the band, flats work, because most of the time,the grind from roundwound strings gets lost in the sound of guitars and cymbals and you're left with fundamental,which is what flats focus on.

Exactly!

[phmike]

Originally Posted by pudgychef

I often think it is bassists used to hearing rounds, when playing alone, who feel like they are giving something up. To my ears rounds sound better on a bass solo - flats make the band sound better - but reduce the bassists 'look at me' potential. Flats can really fill up a band, add ooomph and widen the girth....but you don't notice it until its gone and the band sounds exposed and vulnerable.

Like an O-lineman or an official - you don't notice them until they stop doing there job.

I think part of the return to flats has been a re-realization of what the bass really is in music, and the fact that bassists went through their 'look at our heroes, look at us shred - we are musicians too' phase and now that their egos are sated and pissing matches done - can refocus on being the support and balls of the beast.

I was reading this thread and thinking what I was gonna type but pudgychef pretty much said what I was thinking.

[wateroftyne]

Originally Posted by pudgychef

hmmm I have found the opposite to be true. Recording engineers and bandmates (in particular guitarists intent on having the entire spectrum of their greatness recognized) LOVE bassists playing flats. Makes both of their jobs easier.

This.

[chadhargis]

Just strung up my G&L L-2500 with TI Jazz flats and play D'addario Nickels on my Ibanez BTB.

Two basses couldn't sound more vastly different, but both sound good. The G&L has that "old school" tone where my BTB had a more modern full range sound.

[fretlessguy]

I primarily flats, tapes and pressure wounds these days, but keep at least one bass with rounds and active electronics for modern tones when needed.

[JimmyM]

what matters is how you play. you can play any kind of music with any kind of strings.