Flatwounds and fret tapping...

[IconBasser]

does it work? I've always liked the sound of flatwounds, but I need to know if fret tapping techniques and chords can be played with them. I'd try them out, but I only have one bass, and my band would basically be SOL if I wasn't able to play my normal parts for a while.

so, has anybody tried playing chord work and fret tapping on a bass with flatwounds before?

[guroove]

Sure. It's not really much different from roundwounds. I'd recommend LaBellas or Rotosound in whatever gauges you like your rounds in.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

As long as you are not going with super high tension flats you will be able to tap.

The most effortsless flats are going to be the T-I's... next in line LaBellas and Rotosound as mentioned above me...

[Duckwater]

I have always found it hard to tap with flats, but chords sound great.

[FunkMetalBass]

Flats are much stiffer than rounds, so you'll want to find a set with less tension than what you might normally use for rounds.

I find that tapped lines usually sound better with a lot of top-end clarity and a thinner, more upper mid/treble-focused tone. The chromes I have on my P-bass don't have that quality at all, and I think they sound very muddy when tapped. Maybe some careful EQing and a bridge pickup will help it, but I don't care for the tap tone of flats at all.

[wraub]

Jazz and Chromes here. I play chords all the time, sounds great.
I generally find it easier/better sounding to tap with roundwounds, but it can be done with flats.

wraub