Flatwounds Playability

Bass_Machine · #1 07-15-2005, 10:49 AM

Ok, so I have a new fretless, and with my rounds I got a nice "Jaco" tone and the playability seemed fine. Now I out on some Rotosound Jazz Bass flats and I think the playability is a little worse. It feels like it takes that extra little bit of effort to pluck, and this is slowing me down. I also seem to not be able to get that "Jaco" tone anymore, which is why I started fretless (that and Pino Palladino). My questions are:

1. Will reverting back to flatwounds give me better playability?

2. Is it possible to get "Jaco" tone with a set of flatwounds? I've heard TI jazz flats are good, would you recommend them?

Thanks, Hector

billbern · #2 07-15-2005, 12:13 PM

I also don't like the high tension of "regular" flats. I've had TI Jazz Flats on my BTB 1005 fretless for over a year now. Real low tension, great feel IMHO

Here is a clip BTB 1005 fretless, rosewood board, TI Jazz Flats 12 months old.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/bi...dbassmusic.htm

Bass_Machine · #3 07-15-2005, 12:55 PM

Thanks for the help there man. I may just go with a set o' these TI flats.

Beefbass · #4 07-15-2005, 08:57 PM

I would like to suggest D'addario Chromes. I have a set in gauges .45-.100 but you can get lighter ones than that.

I have them on my jazz fretless with DiMarzio Model J's. I found the XL roundwounds a bit too twangy for it, so I got the chromes to mellow out the sound a bit.

IMHO they are easy to play-a little stiffer than TI's, but not as stiff as Fender flatwounds I've used. They also really sing on a fretless bass.

And yes, they can be growley too, if you want that sound

Nighttrain1127 · #5 07-16-2005, 02:36 AM

I have them on my fender american Jazz bass and they will make you lose some of that Mawww that is the Jaco sound . it is enhanced by roundwounds against the fretboard . That is what makes that sound and unfortunately they will make much less of that because the Ti's are very smooth.

**TheEmptyCell** · #6 07-16-2005, 07:14 PM

It is quite difficult to get close to the Jaco tone without rounds, at least in my experience. Those TI Jazz flats do a good job, however they still don't have the treble attack that rounds do.

I used D'addario Chromes on my old fretless 5 for the longest tone, and I could never get the Jaco tone, but they still sounded and played great. A little brighter and better feeling that other flats I've used.

On my epoxied fretless 4, I use D'addario Prosteels tuned BEAD (.130 B to a .65 D I believe), and when I was using the top 4 of the set, the Jaco tone was really good. Sadly, it's hard to get without having a jazz PU set-up as well. Check out the tune "The Chamber" from my Soundclick http://www.soundclick.com/bands/7/jakeposega_music.htm to see what I mean about mwah. Those steels rock.

Tsal · #7 07-20-2005, 04:39 PM

Rotosound flats are very stiff, so you want to drop your action a bit. Experiment with different string heights.

Jaco used roundwounds on epoxy coated board I think, which is much slicker than the wood surface, resulting in different sound. Much of the fretless mwah comes from the strings grinding against the fretboard so smooth flats lessen the effect.

AGCurry · #8 07-21-2005, 08:37 AM

If you want low-tension and roundwounds, you will not do better than TI Jazz ROUNDS.

BuffaloBob4343 · #9 07-21-2005, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGCurry

If you want low-tension and roundwounds, you will not do better than TI Jazz ROUNDS.

They are soooo low tension, they kind of scare me. LOL!
But I'm going to try them on my Modulus Fretless Jazz and see how they sound. I have LaBella Tapewounds on it right now (came with the bass when I bought it).

The tapes don't sound too bad actualy, but I really want to open her up. Also, those tapes are pretty high tension. They are smooth, but high tension to be sure.

fretlessrock · #10 07-21-2005, 10:30 AM

If you want a good sounding roundwound with the TI sound, but don't want the super low tension of the Jazz Rounds, then try the SuperAlloys. I'm using them on a few basses and they are the closest thing to the Jazz Flats in a roundwound. Even the same color silk!

LoveThatBass · #11 07-21-2005, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass_Machine

Thanks for the help there man. I may just go with a set o' these TI flats.

I use them on an American Jazz Bass and love them. They will not have the zing of a roundwound but they are smooth, deep sounding on the lows and have excellent mids and smooth highs.
I really like them.

BuffaloBob4343 · #12 07-21-2005, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fretlessrock

If you want a good sounding roundwound with the TI sound, but don't want the super low tension of the Jazz Rounds, then try the SuperAlloys. I'm using them on a few basses and they are the closest thing to the Jazz Flats in a roundwound. Even the same color silk!

Actually, it will be a toss-up between the Powerbass (SuperAlloys) and the Jazz rounds.

I hear so many people say that the Jazz rounds are ideal for fretless, that I am inclined to try them, despite the fact their tension is even lower than their flats.

Hell, I may just buy a set of flats, rounds and Powerbass and try all three. An expensive experiment, but it sounds like fun!

ErnieD · #13 07-22-2005, 03:03 AM

I won a KSD fretless 5 on thebay and it came with ken smith roundwounds. It has a lined fretboard, I preferred a unlined but the noone else bid and I got it pretty darn cheap. Does a lined board sound different than an unlined? This bass has very little mwah that I can hear, it came with the action set pretty high. I am droppin it off tomorrow to get a setup
(lower action) and have the D'Addrio flats put on it. Will the setup and flats make this bass sound more like a fretless than what it now does? All in all a very nice sounding bass, gobs of low end with the onboard pre. A few weeks ago, I passed up a good deal on a fretted 5er 70j, wish I knew then what I know now of this bass.

BuffaloBob4343 · #14 07-24-2005, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErnieD

I won a KSD fretless 5 on thebay and it came with ken smith roundwounds. It has a lined fretboard, I preferred a unlined but the noone else bid and I got it pretty darn cheap. Does a lined board sound different than an unlined? This bass has very little mwah that I can hear, it came with the action set pretty high. I am droppin it off tomorrow to get a setup
(lower action) and have the D'Addrio flats put on it. Will the setup and flats make this bass sound more like a fretless than what it now does? All in all a very nice sounding bass, gobs of low end with the onboard pre. A few weeks ago, I passed up a good deal on a fretted 5er 70j, wish I knew then what I know now of this bass.

I'm not sure how much effect lines on a fingerboard should have. I have a fretless with inlaid lines, but the FB is so smooth that the lines should really have a pretty small impact I would think. I would think that the FB material would have far more impact. What kind of FB does yoour bass have?

Make sure you follow up with a post on how the new Chromes (or are you using nickels?) sound and whether the lower action has helped in the mwah department.

Anti_Wish · #15 07-25-2005, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beefbass

I would like to suggest D'addario Chromes. I have a set in gauges .45-.100 but you can get lighter ones than that.

I have them on my jazz fretless with DiMarzio Model J's. I found the XL roundwounds a bit too twangy for it, so I got the chromes to mellow out the sound a bit.

IMHO they are easy to play-a little stiffer than TI's, but not as stiff as Fender flatwounds I've used. They also really sing on a fretless bass.

And yes, they can be growley too, if you want that sound

+5000

i have my Ric currently strung up with d'adario cromes and i have never heard that bass growl so much... but for fretless (my other bass) i know that i never like the rotosounds... but the TI's are god on fretless. i havent tried them on my ric yet though...

Groovecenter · #16 07-25-2005, 12:53 AM

I also just switched off d'addario XL's on my fretless 5 back to some TI JF's I had lying around, you do lose a little mwah, but the feel and expressiveness of these strings is just amazing. The sound is exactly what I had been wanting, slightly less sustain, more punch, more mids. That being said if you want the jaco sound, flats are not the way go, but you won't know until you try it, and as expensive as they are, TI's are at least worth the try.

BuffaloBob4343 · #17 07-25-2005, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beefbass

I would like to suggest D'addario Chromes. I have a set in gauges .45-.100 but you can get lighter ones than that.

I have them on my jazz fretless with DiMarzio Model J's. I found the XL roundwounds a bit too twangy for it, so I got the chromes to mellow out the sound a bit.

IMHO they are easy to play-a little stiffer than TI's, but not as stiff as Fender flatwounds I've used. They also really sing on a fretless bass.

And yes, they can be growley too, if you want that sound

What kind of FB does your fretless have and do the Chromes wear it at all given that the Chromes are flatwound but stainless steel?

Beefbass · #18 07-25-2005, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffaloBob4343

What kind of FB does your fretless have and do the Chromes wear it at all given that the Chromes are flatwound but stainless steel?

The FB is rosewood, with lines in it. So far, there seems to be no wear from these strings. They actually feel pretty smooth.

Even the XL rounds I had on it didn't put much wear in it at all, although they were only on for about a year.

All in all, I really love the way the Chromes sound on this bass

BuffaloBob4343 · #19 07-25-2005, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beefbass

The FB is rosewood, with lines in it. So far, there seems to be no wear from these strings. They actually feel pretty smooth.

Even the XL rounds I had on it didn't put much wear in it at all, although they were only on for about a year.

All in all, I really love the way the Chromes sound on this bass

Cool! Thanks for the data point.

I think I am going to buy a pack each of D'Add chromes and half-wounds, and a pack each of TI Jazz Rounds and Power Bass. And then I'm going to have an A/B Fest!

If I had some recording equipment, I would do some some "Sound Bytes" as well. Unfortunately, I don't at this time.

Beefbass · #20 07-25-2005, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffaloBob4343

Cool! Thanks for the data point.

I think I am going to buy a pack each of D'Add chromes and half-wounds, and a pack each of TI Jazz Rounds and Power Bass. And then I'm going to have an A/B Fest!

If I had some recording equipment, I would do some some "Sound Bytes" as well. Unfortunately, I don't at this time.

I'm curious about those half rounds. Let us know how they sound