I've been a flatwounds user for fretless, but...

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

...yesterday had the chance of playing a cheap fretless bass with rounds (which has some very noticeable grooves on the fingerboard, BTW) and I was really impressed with the mwah I got. I know that there are several factors involved, but I feel that the strings had so much to do with it. Anyway, I will not put a set of rounds on my beloved fretless Bongo since I want to preserve it the most I can, but this experience left me curious about the alternatives, which I've never tried. I've just did a search and read many threads about half-rounds and pressure wounds, but they left me unsatisfied. So, my apologies since I know that this has been already asked, but haven't found "definitive" answers. Basically, I'd like to know the differences between half-rounds and pressure wounds (Again, I read about it but still don't get it - Pictures would be great, I think), know if they are as easy on the fingerboard as flatwounds and if they enhance the mwah factor compared with flats. In other words, I'm curious about trying a set of strings for my fretless that feels and sounds the closest possible to rounds, but still helping to preserve the fingerboard. Thank you in advance!

[bassteban]

My understanding of(D'Addario)half-rounds is that they are essentially a roundwound string; the outer wrap has just been ground smooth. For this reason they feel pretty much(not exactly)like flats but sound(very much, IMO/IME)like rounds. I have them on my Stambaugh fretless 6 & Washburn AB-20(self-defretted). Both of these basses' fingerboards are uncoated; neither get palyed hard or often enough to say much about wear but I haven't seen any appreciable marks yet.

[mobis.fr]

i think elexiers have with their coating a minor issue on the fretboard. maybe if you like them, you can get a nice sound of them.

i played them in a store on a (german) human base daily fretless and this was a mind opening situation. i normally dislike elexier strings, because they are so slippery.

[wateroftyne]

I've been in exactly the same position. I used La Bella flats on my fretless P for years. They record really well, but they get lost in the mix at a gig.

I tried all sorts of alternatives... D'Darrio Halfwounds didn't do it for me, and then I tried Thomastik TI Jazz Flats. They're flats, but they have tons of growl, mwaah and presence. In fact, I'm waiting for mine to mellow out a bit...!

Expensive, but worth it.

[Jools4001]

I use elixirs on my fretless. When they're new they sound a bit like roundwounds where the zing has just started to die and where you would normally start thinking about changing them if they were on a fretted bass. But, since to my ears, fretless sounds better with less zing than brand new roundwounds anyway this is no bad thing.

The good thing about this sound is that it lasts for the whole life of the string, they have incredibly consistent sound right up until they get so worn that the coating starts to wear off and they obviously need changing at that point.

I know some people don't like the slippery feel, but again, I love this feel on fretless and they do seem to be very kind to the fingerboard. I have an uncoated rosewood fingerboard on my fretless and it has been used a lot since 1994 and so far has no wear whatever - even though I used standard rounds before the Elixirs

I think that much of this has to do with a reasonably light touch and proper fretless vibrato technique

[Jaco who?]

I use DR sunbeams on a Fender MIM jazz. Easy on my fingers, no fret wear, growl when I want it, no growl when I don't.

[GM60466]

Rounds really tear up ebony board. I've never used them, but I have tried the halfrounds. I didn't much care for them.

G

[Thunderthumbs73]

Originally Posted by Alvaro Martín Gómez A.

...yesterday had the chance of playing a cheap fretless bass with rounds (which has some very noticeable grooves on the fingerboard, BTW) and I was really impressed with the mwah I got. I know that there are several factors involved, but I feel that the strings had so much to do with it. Anyway, I will not put a set of rounds on my beloved fretless Bongo since I want to preserve it the most I can, but this experience left me curious about the alternatives, which I've never tried. I've just did a search and read many threads about half-rounds and pressure wounds, but they left me unsatisfied. So, my apologies since I know that this has been already asked, but haven't found "definitive" answers. Basically, I'd like to know the differences between half-rounds and pressure wounds (Again, I read about it but still don't get it - Pictures would be great, I think), know if they are as easy on the fingerboard as flatwounds and if they enhance the mwah factor compared with flats. In other words, I'm curious about trying a set of strings for my fretless that feels and sounds the closest possible to rounds, but still helping to preserve the fingerboard. Thank you in advance!

Regarding wounds:
Roundwounds do not in all cases do "short work" on the fretboard. I have a standard MIJ Fretless Jazz Bass. It's my first bass. It came with roundwounds. It has had roundwounds for all of it's 14 years, but for one. I have played this bass on countless gigs and countless hours of practice. It has what I consider to be very minor string markings on it's Rosewood surface and does not need a neck job or fretboard replacement. Not even close. I've even done some slapping and popping with this bass...

Good luck with it!

[FretFree]

So weird.

I have used nickel rounds on my fretless Stambaugh with a macassar ebony board for 4 years now. No grooves. Marks? Yes. Grooves... definitely not.

[Bob the bassist]

I, too, recently switched from flats to halfs. Great mwah!

[king_biscuit]

Be careful with coated strings and a piezo bridge -- it may not work correctly.

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Be careful with coated strings and a piezo bridge -- it may not work correctly.

Really? I had Black Beauties on my Washburn ABG for awhile & they worked fine.

[Demon_Hunter]

Rotosounds rounds on my fretless. I love the sound. Go with what sounds good to you.