Rounds or flats for learning

[Ddeele]

I'm looking for free advice...

I've had a couple of basses over the last 25 years, but never really done anything with them. Now I'm a greybeard, and my youngest kid has taken up guitar. At last, someone to play with on a regular basis! So I'm finally taking up the study of my chosen instrument.

My first bass was a cheap P-style, with big fat flats and high action. I really loved the sound of that thing, but my little hands just couldn't work it very well (plus the neck was warped). I threw it over for a very nice '92 Ibanez SR800, and I'm having much better success with the thin neck. My only complaint is with its "modernish" tone. It's strung with light rounds (45-95, maybe?), and I've been thinking about trying some flats, to rein in the active electronics on the thing, and maybe recapture a little bit of that old-school thump.

That's the aesthetics of it, and I already know that the only real answer to that part is "try it, and see how it sounds." Please bear with me - there IS a question coming.

I'm really a rank beginner, but I'm trying to develop a good finger-style technique. The bright rounds I've been using really let me know when I'm getting sloppy with either hand (squawk-greck-click). I'm pretty sure that flatwounds will be a step toward the sound I'm looking for, but I'm afraid they will mask some of my less-than-developed technique, and contribute to learning poor habits. So here's the question:

Should I string the flats in search of the sound I'm after, or stick with the rounds as a form of beginner's discipline, until I gain complete control of them? (By the way, it's looking like I'll never gain complete control of them).

[seanm]

Good question. Here are a few random thoughts.

If you like the sound of flats, play flats. I find if you like the sound you will practice more. If you spend all your time thinking "this would sound better with flats" it will affect your playing.

Your technique might get a bit lazy with flats. For example you can get away with dragging the finger up the string. But I bought a new five string that came with rounds. I switched very easily and I haven't played rounds in years. Although I now have flats on it

I don't think you will get any really bad habits. You still have to mute properly. You will still get clicking. And remember, flats came first. If it was real hard to switch from flats to rounds, everybody would still be playing flats and rounds would never have caught on.

And this advice is not free! You now owe me a beer

[Ddeele]

Originally Posted by seanm

And this advice is not free! You now owe me a beer

If there's anything better than good advice, it's the advice you wanted to hear. Cheers!

[snowdan]

i suggest some lower tension flats.

my favorite: TI jazz flats
similar tension, brighter: D#Addario chromes 40-95


both will be easy to your hands and deliver a nice tone.