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09-22-2010, 08:26 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Des Moines, IA, USA | | | Growliest six-string set for fretless?
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I've been playing my six-string fretless project at church a lot recently, and I have it strung up with Carvin flatwound strings, which I understand are actually just rebranded GHS Precision Flats. They are decent strings, but they're just way too mellow for my taste, and the way my bass is set up (mahogany body, single humbucker pickup in the "P" position) doesn't add any significant bite.
I'm looking for a set of strings that is available as a six-string set that has a nice singing, growly tone, and that preferably won't eat up my fretboard. Any thoughts? |
09-22-2010, 08:33 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Cincinnata, Ohia | | | I've been using D'addario XL's on my fretless Gecko 6 for about 10 years now without any significant damage to the board. Granted, it's a fat slab of ebony, and was the most expensive piece of the build. There are only a few surface scratches, which I'm willing to deal with for the sound. |
09-22-2010, 08:43 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Leeds, England | | | For some real growl, I would say get some roundwounds rather than flats. It'll mark your board after a while, but you can always use some steel wool to bring it down and just reseal the wood if it ever gets too bad. As above, I've also heard ebony is harder to mark with the strings. I'm also a fan of D'Addario XL for rounds. Nickel I've had experience with and ProSteels I've heard can get a lot of brightness with their growl too.
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09-22-2010, 08:58 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tallahassee FL | | | Stainless PRosteels are the growliest strings Ive played. If there are any others out there Id like to know as well.
Last edited by waytoodeep03 : 09-22-2010 at 09:16 AM.
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09-22-2010, 09:03 AM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona 85029 | | | 1. Stop using your neck pickup.
2. Boost mids.
3. Roundwounds. Flats will leave marks like rounds too if you don't play them properly, so rounds aren't any more dangerous for your fretboard.
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Originally Posted by McThumpenstein  I don't think the wife would buy the "I need to take off this knob and put a whole new bass under it" story. | |
09-22-2010, 09:17 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Tallahassee FL | | | I agree Bridge pickups and a preamp with good mid selection(the more mid options the better) helps too |
09-22-2010, 02:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: UK | | | i tried stringing my fretless with D'Addario prosteel roundwounds but quickly discovered they are too rough for slides. They have a rough textured surface which could also eat the board faster. Now I'm using D'Addario Nickel plated roundwounds. Still bright, but smoother surface.
Even smoother are D'Addario EXP coated Nickel roundwounds, the coating makes them super slippery. Still just as bright. Unfortunately no six string set though. |
09-22-2010, 02:20 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kansas City, MO | | | Get yourself an OD pedal.
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09-22-2010, 02:44 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Des Moines, IA, USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass 1. Stop using your neck pickup.
2. Boost mids.
3. Roundwounds. Flats will leave marks like rounds too if you don't play them properly, so rounds aren't any more dangerous for your fretboard. | 1 - I have one pickup on my fretless. It's in the neck position.
2 - I do, mainly at 400hz on my Aggie OBP-3. I'm still getting an annoying upright-like "clank" more than a nice, singing tone, though.
3 - That's what I'm asking about. I don't want to drop a lot of money on a set of strings that won't get me the desired effect. |
09-22-2010, 02:48 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Des Moines, IA, USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by chokeslam512 Get yourself an OD pedal. | If you look at my profile, you will see that I have an assortment of drive options. That's not what I want. I want strings that growl. |
09-22-2010, 03:00 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Cincinnata, Ohia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by bassman1185 1 - I have one pickup on my fretless. It's in the neck position.
2 - I do, mainly at 400hz on my Aggie OBP-3. I'm still getting an annoying upright-like "clank" more than a nice, singing tone, though.
3 - That's what I'm asking about. I don't want to drop a lot of money on a set of strings that won't get me the desired effect. | IME, It's hard to get a good growl the farther you are from the bridge. Also, try the 800hz on the OBP-3. If the bass has a naturally darker sound, this might help clean up the lows a bit. Blend it with a tiny bit of the 40hz on the bottom, and roll the highs almost all the way off.
XL's and Prosteels are relatively cheap, but really any round will do. D'addario used to make a Halfwound that I used on my fretless jazz, which had a rosewood board. Don't know if they still do... |
09-22-2010, 03:10 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Nashville area | | | I'd go for a coated roundwound instead of a flatwound. The coating (even though its microscopic) will give you a little protection. I was chewing at the frets on my Warwick until I switched. The coating also minimizes the zing - which will help too.
I use D R Black Beauties and I think it's an excellent string | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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