Flatwounds on a "clanky" bass

[karankumar]

I have the Cort Artisan B4 which is overall a great bass but where it loses out is the sort of clanky highs it gives me. I've decided to switch to rounds to get a sort of deeper (less clanky) tone alongwith the great feel that flatwounds have. (I've used GHS Precison flats earlier and loved them)

Since i'm probably gonna stick to flats here on, i narrowed down on getting a set of TI's based on a lot of research. However, since the TI's have such less tension, will it make my bass sound even more clanky? (That word is beginning to piss me off now :P)

Or should i go for maybe heavier gauge strings that are more tense? But that would screw up my neck and action. So sort of a Catch-22.

Thoughts?

PS: Please dont advise changing my pickups/preamp. Don't wanna spend that kind of $$ now

[soulman969]

I'm not sure what's creating the "clank" that you describe. If it's just coming from the rounds you've been using then the flats should cure that problem. But if it's a combination of the string and the string tension then a lower tension flat will still cause you a problem but it probably won't be quite as pronounced.

How are you tuned? Standard or in a dropped tuning?

If you're tuning below standard then a higher gauge and higher tension string may be a better way to go which would point you back in the direction of the GHS PFlats. It's hard to say without knowing more information.

When you change strings you're gonna need to do a setup anyway so I'd worry more about the "clank" issue that been annoying you and not the set up. I play GHS PFlats on my PBass and the action is set quite low with no problems with fret buzz at all.

[karankumar]

Originally Posted by soulman969

I'm not sure what's creating the "clank" that you describe. If it's just coming from the rounds you've been using then the flats should cure that problem. But if it's a combination of the string and the string tension then a lower tension flat will still cause you a problem but it probably won't be quite as pronounced.

The clank is more a combination of the pickups and preamp, as far as ive figured. The pickups on this bass (Bartolini MK1's) tend to naturally produce harsh highs and unpronounced lows. The roundwounds that ive got on (the bass came with stock with some D'Adderio rounds which are inherintley bright) just add to this clank. And theres also some fret noise when i slide. I hope this gives you some sort of indication. I just feel that with flats, that have a smoother texture, deeper lows and not as bright highs, this problem might get resolved. Just not sure if the low tension flats will mess things up by adding to the clank.

Originally Posted by soulman969

How are you tuned? Standard or in a dropped tuning?

Standard. Drop D sometimes.

[Setebos]

I bought a Cort GB74 a couple of months ago. Mine is not "clanky" but "treblee". Even if you put the mids all the way down still need to cut a little on the treble to make the sound feel more round.
Thought about changing PUs or the pre but I decided to start changing the strings. Had a set of older Chromes that I took off another bass and put them on the Cort. So far, it much less "treblee" and has a more overall balanced sound. I like it.
Need to see how it goes playing with the band but I have great hopes