Realized I couldn't stand my tone...

**JdoubleH** · #1 10-21-2011, 11:32 AM

So last night I was practicing some new material for a gig with a singer songwriter next month. I was just not happy with my sound. Nothing I did with eq. fixed it. I was playing my stock MIM Fender std jazz with XL Half wounds through my Genz shuttle 6. I tried it with the Genz 12t, a 1x8 practice cab I just built (which turned out stunningly awesome, but that'll be another post), and a set of headphones. Garbage - all of it. Dead, muddy, lifeless. The strings were pretty new, and still had plenty of upper zing.

I thought that not only did my cabs not suit me, but that I might have to spring for new pickups, or bought the wrong amp. When I plugged in the headphones, I was really puzzled, as I remembered really liking my bass through the Shuttle into headphones way back when. Then it dawned on me- I did change strings a while back- from rounds to half wounds. Could that be the problem?

I just changed back to the rounds. OMG! Problem solved! The rounds are unknown brand (came with bass), but are a bit heavier gauge than the D'Addario XL Half Rounds - reg light gauge. For a brief time, I really liked the half wounds, but honestly, they're rougher than the rounds and felt stiffer as well. Now I realize I can't stand the tone of them on a Jazz bass.

What a fool am I though, thinking I needed new pickups! I mean, I know better. Changing strings is such a simple change but one which offers possibly the biggest impact on tone for the least dough.

Lesson learned.

Again.

FunkMetalBass · #2 10-21-2011, 12:00 PM

My experience with Jazz basses is that steel or bright NPS rounds seem to sound best.

stflbn · #3 10-21-2011, 12:04 PM

My personal approach is that I can always roll off treble of roundwounds, but it's damn tough to add in good clarity and crispness to flats or half rounds.

Yet for some reason I keep having to try them and realizing the same thing. I 'think' maybe this time I've finally learned my lesson.

FunkMetalBass · #4 10-21-2011, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stflbn

My personal approach is that I can always roll off treble of roundwounds, but it's damn tough to add in good clarity and crispness to flats or half rounds.

Yet for some reason I keep having to try them and realizing the same thing. I 'think' maybe this time I've finally learned my lesson.

Good luck. I keep doing the same thing too. I'm convinced I can like the sound of flats or halfs and then I will need it for some song, but they always just end up in my extra strings box after a month.

soulman969 · #5 10-21-2011, 12:21 PM

For some reason a Jazz Bass just seems to sing with rounds whereas it loses it's snap and growl in the muddier darker tones of the flats. I've played rounds on Jazz Basses for years but the one I bought recently had GHS Flats. Last night I put on a set of GHS Pressure Wounds and the difference was impressive.

Lot's of good things being said about them by guys who play them and I think they're a very nice compromise between flats and rounds without a compromise in sound or tone. I slide between notes a lot and not having the string sound of rounds is nice. They have a better feel too.

**JdoubleH** · #6 10-21-2011, 03:20 PM

I've used flats on a few other basses, including a P with EMG active pups and a Yamaha fretless with Bartolini p/j passive- to good effect. I even had nylon wounds on a Gibson EB3 at one point. I don't ever remember putting anything un-round on my Ric, though so that's something.

I'm sure at some point during the past 30 years I've had a set of halfs, but I can't remember. I can say that I doubt I'll buy another set in the future. They seem like a half-posterior'd foray into flats for the flat-o-phobic.

Edit (so I can ramble on): So I'll stick with rounds on the Jazz, as I love the growl.

steamthief · #7 10-21-2011, 03:59 PM

I tried the same halfrounds once, I too thought the feel was much rougher than rounds, and I concur with you 100% on the dead, lifeless tone. I'll never go back there again.

Johnny Crab · #8 10-21-2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulman969

For some reason a Jazz Bass just seems to sing with rounds whereas it loses it's snap and growl in the muddier darker tones of the flats.

To reduce or eliminate this:
1) Get pickup height perfect
2) EQ for the strings you use

IMO also: you can always roll highs off but can't put it where it never was.

soulman969 · #9 10-21-2011, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny Crab

To reduce or eliminate this:
1) Get pickup height perfect
2) EQ for the strings you use

IMO also: you can always roll highs off but can't put it where it never was.

I've done both before and it's not that the tone is horrible or the growl is non-existent it just isn't as pronounced. I'm not opposed to flats I just don't like them as well on a Jazz Bass but on a PBass I do like them. Go figure.

tylerwylie · #10 10-22-2011, 05:58 AM

I find tone issues are best resolved with a new set of strings from DR or Circle K.