Going fretless again, what kind of flatwounds do you guys recommend?

Blazer · #1 01-03-2007, 07:22 PM

Today I decided to rip the frets out of one of my basses. This one.

Actually, I didn't rip the frets out, I carefully cut through the finish on the fingerboard using a Stanley knife and then using a little wooden hammer and a flat chisel, popped the frets out. After doing so I filled the slots with two component filler and waited until it dried, I then sanded the fingerboard, removing both the residue of the filler and the clear coat that was on the fingerboard. Then I fine sanded the board before applying several layers of linseed oil and presto I had myself a fretless bass.

My Ricky Re-think has a very fat neck, so judging from my experiences from working with Double basses I had a really good feeling about how this one would sound when turned into a fretless and I was right, it has a very deep Double bass-like growl and the all maple body makes for good sustain.

All I need to do now is buy some good flatwound strings, D'Addario Chromes or rotosounds. Any good suggestions from you guys?

justBrian · #2 01-03-2007, 07:26 PM

TI Flats--without question the best sounding and feeling flats I've ever played. Kind of pricey, but totally worth it. I've got them on my fretless Stingray and they absolutely kill.

justBrian · #3 01-03-2007, 07:27 PM

Nice looking bass, btw.

bigd4207 · #4 01-03-2007, 07:37 PM

I have fender nylon filament rounds, they are awesome. I hear the full on nylon tapewounds are good too, I would probably go rotosound for those though. The filament rounds by the way, are sanded flat. They have a silky metallic feel to them, I love it. The sound is incredible, I won't say how, you just gotta try em.

keb · #5 01-03-2007, 08:04 PM

TI Jazz Flats for victory.

Mixoux · #6 01-03-2007, 08:09 PM

I've tried Rotosound nylon wrapped flatwounds, gives a very thumpy, double bass like sound; only real problem I had with them was that they could be a little too thumpy for my liking, and it was pretty hard to get anything too dynamic out of them.

I'd recommend TI jazz flats as well

basspraiser · #7 01-03-2007, 09:46 PM

What does "TI" stand for in TI Flats? Is that all (TI)? I would like to look for a set but cannot find them on the net when I search for "TI Flats".....thanks!

Tbirdbassist · #8 01-03-2007, 10:00 PM

DR Highbeam Rounds...

Brad Johnson · #9 01-03-2007, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by basspraiser

What does "TI" stand for in TI Flats? Is that all (TI)? I would like to look for a set but cannot find them on the net when I search for "TI Flats".....thanks!

Thomastik-Infeld

Philbiker · #10 01-04-2007, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigd4207

I have fender nylon filament rounds, they are awesome. I hear the full on nylon tapewounds are good too, I would probably go rotosound for those though. The filament rounds by the way, are sanded flat. They have a silky metallic feel to them, I love it. The sound is incredible, I won't say how, you just gotta try em.

I have the fender nylong filament strings on my four string fretless and I absolutely adore them! I have LaBella nylon tapewound strings on my six string fretless and I love them, but if I could get the Fender Nylon Filament strings in a six string set I would.

bigd4207 · #11 01-04-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbiker

I have the fender nylong filament strings on my four string fretless and I absolutely adore them! I have LaBella nylon tapewound strings on my six string fretless and I love them, but if I could get the Fender Nylon Filament strings in a six string set I would.

Yeah the filaments are great.
As far as the TI flats go, I always thought that meant Titanium flats, so this isn't so? Also, somewhere I saw gold flats. I bet they would sound good, I have heard the rounds, really bright though.

basspraiser · #12 01-04-2007, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Thomastik-Infeld

thanks!!! now I can search intelligently!!!!

Orco87 · #13 01-05-2007, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keb

TI Jazz Flats for victory.

x10,000

I put em' on my first fretless ibby sr400fl... it really sings.

They are great strings and will really bring out the sound of the bass... + they're sooo smooth.

Brad Johnson · #14 01-05-2007, 06:57 AM

IME roundwounds really bring out the sound of a fretless.

PocketGroove82 · #15 01-05-2007, 07:31 AM

Tomastik Jazz Flats are great strings, but do realize that they are a different kind of flatwound. They feel different, sound deeper and smoother (duller even), and have a much lower tension than other flats. I like them on my 6string, except for the B string, which is flabbier than gramma's biceps.

Eldermike · #16 01-05-2007, 07:33 AM

It might just be me and my bass, but I would stick with roundwounds. I wish I had saved the money trying all those flats only to go back to rounds in the end.

Philbiker · #17 01-05-2007, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PocketGroove82

I like them on my 6string, except for the B string, which is flabbier than gramma's biceps.

A visual that I did not need!

Eldermike · #18 01-05-2007, 10:47 AM

It might just be me and my bass, but I would stick with roundwounds. I wish I had saved the money trying all those flats only to go back to rounds in the end.

edwinhurwitz · #19 01-05-2007, 05:21 PM

It really depends on what sound you are after, but I really like DR Sunbeams on a fretless. I know they are round and you are asking about flats, but flats on a fretless are cool, but not as cool as rounds! People are afraid of fingerboard wear, but on a good board that's been well coated, you can get years of great tone before you have to think about recoating it.

Edwin

Brad Johnson · #20 01-06-2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwinhurwitz

It really depends on what sound you are after, but I really like DR Sunbeams on a fretless. I know they are round and you are asking about flats, but flats on a fretless are cool, but not as cool as rounds! People are afraid of fingerboard wear, but on a good board that's been well coated, you can get years of great tone before you have to think about recoating it.

Edwin

+2... on the Sunbeams and the wear issue.