Recommendations for Strings

[Kevin Hsieh]

Hi All, I'm usually on the DB side but I just decided to start shedding on my Electric chops again so I sent in my Schecter to get converted into a fretless and now I'm looking at string choices.

I'm looking for a warmer, darker toned string to be used in funk, fusion and jazz. I don't slap much but would like to start learning that too. I listen a lot to Steve Swallow and Jaco Pastorius and really dig their kind of tone. (i'm actually really digging steve swallow's tone)

i don't use a pick.

please let me know your recommendations.

[mario222]

Since your bass will be fretless and you want a darker tone I suggest butting on a set of flats or tapewounds. For flats I suggest Pyramid Golds a mellow sounding string imo that will get darker with time. For tapewounds I suggest both Pyramid's Black tape wounds and Roto 88's black nylon. The Rotos I find are a litle brighter than the Pyramids. Personaly I love the Pyramids there my favorite tapewound. Of course you cant go wrong with worn in set of Labellas DTB for thud and warmth but they need time to arrive at that beautifull "dead" tone. Hope this helps.
Mario.

[wiro]

To my taste the Thomastik Infeld jazz flats are wonderfull.
Look at 'Jazz E-bass' and 'Infeld bass'

http://www.thomastik-infeld.com/guitars/index.html

[mambo4]

I believe part of Jaco's tone was his use of roundwound strings, for that growl and mwah...flats may not give you the same effect.

[dbcandle]

Jaco uses lots of "false harmonics", which "true" flats won't do well.

TI Jazz Flats are a very expressive string (not "true" flats), and have very good intonation compared with "true" flats. Their feel is very "mushy" though, and if you are used to DB, you may prefer the feel of something with a lot of tension.