Pressure Wound or Nickel rounds on fretless

[the low one]

Do you prefer Pressure Wound or Nickel on fretless. They are both rounds and both are supposed to be kinder to a fretless fingerboard. Which do you prefer? Which is kinder to a rosewood fretless fingerboard? Personally I’ve tried the Rotosound Solo bass stainless steel pressure wound and didn’t like the feel, just as abrasive as ordinary stainless steel.

[blindeddie]

Labella Black Nylon Tapewounds! sweeeeet! that's what i like.
but seriously. i have not had a chance to try the pressurewounds, but i've heard good response. personally i didn't care much for the nickels. still pretty rough on the board and didn't really sound that great to me.

[joelb79]

Oh those pressure wounds would be great. They have a nice loose tension, nice snappy highs and very very round bottom.

The (current) bass player for Rare Earth swears by them and i'm beginning to like them as well. The sound AWESOME on a P-bass. I would think they would sound earthy on a fretless.

Really though, the tone is in your hands, and if you like a light tension, then Pressure wounds may end up being your cup of tea.

[Asaf]

Originally Posted by the low one

Do you prefer Pressure Wound or Nickel on fretless. They are both rounds and both are supposed to be kinder to a fretless fingerboard. Which do you prefer? Which is kinder to a rosewood fretless fingerboard? Personally I’ve tried the Rotosound Solo bass stainless steel pressure wound and didn’t like the feel, just as abrasive as ordinary stainless steel.

Rotosounds are very Coarse strings...and stainless steel are usually even more Coarse.
if you want to use Nickel Steel strings try LaBella Slappers, D'Addario XL or Coated DR...these are the smoothest ones i tried.

Flats are Great, they are really great and they have that "classic" old tone...which is great but totally something else.
i never really tried pressure wounds (or groundwounds ) but i know they have muted treble and that they are something between Flats and Nickels.

I have a coated fingerboard, and I love Nickels. so using nickels is my choice.

[billbern]

I'm using Ken Smith Compressors on my fretless.
My favorite so far.

[bassman blue]

ghs pressurewounds would be a good string to try. they are somewhat smoother than rounds. they are very much like the ken smith compressors (same gauges, same type of metals... hmmmmm).