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06-01-2009, 02:55 PM
| | | | Slap and Pop strings!
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Hello guys, I'm looking for some strings that can help me get a tone somewhat similar to Flea's or Larry Graham's tone. I know a lot of it has to with technique, but strings are one step in the right direction! Lemme know what you've messed around with!  |
06-01-2009, 02:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lafayette, LA | | | what bass would they go on?
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06-01-2009, 03:03 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston, Texas | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Geddyleefan30  Hello guys, I'm looking for some strings that can help me get a tone somewhat similar to Flea's or Larry Graham's tone. I know a lot of it has to with technique, but strings are one step in the right direction! Lemme know what you've messed around with! | Flea has some GHS signature models that are supposed to be great...but I've never used them before.
For slap, get some D'Addarios or DR Hi-Beams. Most people will say to get light gauge but I do ok with regular gauge and prefer them for how much more thump I can get when I slap the E. Make sure you have a/some punchy cab(s) too...that can have a LOT to do with your tone as well
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06-01-2009, 03:03 PM
| | | | I haven't completely decided. I'm gonna swap em around. Either a Fender J Bass ( Squire ), a Tradition B-100, or and old johnson bass I got my hands on for kicks... most likely the Fender or Tradition though. |
06-01-2009, 03:07 PM
|  | @Crawfication
Endorsing Artist: Gravity Picks | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ohio/West Virginia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Geddyleefan30 I haven't completely decided. I'm gonna swap em around. Either a Fender J Bass ( Squire ), a Tradition B-100, or and old johnson bass I got my hands on for kicks... most likely the Fender or Tradition though. | Flea has his own GHS Flea Boomers. This, or Marcus Miller's signature strings.
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06-01-2009, 03:10 PM
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Endorsing Artist: MLaghus Custom Basses | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boca Raton - FL | | | Pretty much any quality, round wound, stainless steel strings will do it. DR, Sadowsky and Fodera are good examples... |
06-01-2009, 03:32 PM
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Endorsing: Ampeg | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Apopka, FL | | | Strings don't matter in the least. Find a set you like, and you should be able to slap on them no matter what they are. I have slapped just fine on every single type of string I ever used, including flatwounds. Roundwounds are the typical slap string, but the brand or metal formula, or even the type of winding, doesn't matter in the least.
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06-01-2009, 03:45 PM
| | Banned
Endorsing Artist: MLaghus Custom Basses | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boca Raton - FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyM (...)the brand or metal formula, or even the type of winding, doesn't matter in the least. | Matters if you want to simulate Flea's tone... Can't cope it with flats... At all... |
06-01-2009, 03:51 PM
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Endorsing: Ampeg | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Apopka, FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by allexcosta Matters if you want to simulate Flea's tone... Can't cope it with flats... At all... | Don't know about that...Flea spent 6-7 years with a Jazz Bass strung with flats.
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06-01-2009, 03:53 PM
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Endorsing Artist: Gravity Picks | | Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ohio/West Virginia | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyM Don't know about that...Flea spent 6-7 years with a Jazz Bass strung with flats. | Hmm.. never knew that.
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06-01-2009, 03:56 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portsmouth, VA | | | DR "Fat Beams" MM-45 (45 65 85 105). I tried GHS, Rotosound, Fender, and Dean Markley. Fat Beams hands down sound the best playing Slap and Finger style. |
06-01-2009, 03:57 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lincoln, NE | | | FWIW, IMO, YMMV - I find hex core string to slap better than round cores. |
06-01-2009, 04:00 PM
| | Banned
Endorsing Artist: MLaghus Custom Basses | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boca Raton - FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyM Don't know about that...Flea spent 6-7 years with a Jazz Bass strung with flats. | Alright, if I had mentioned Graham you'd found something similar to say. Forgot you're never wrong. Never mind... |
06-01-2009, 04:06 PM
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Endorsing: Ampeg | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Apopka, FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by allexcosta Alright, if I had mentioned Graham you'd found something similar to say. Forgot you're never wrong. Never mind... | Oh, don't be such a sourpuss! I've been wrong plenty and I've admitted it every time. I just happen to think slapped flats sound excellent and I'd like to see more of it.
But yes, Flea's most well-known slap tones have been done on rounds.
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06-01-2009, 04:09 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Columbus, Ohio | | | IME and IMO, I have really come to love the tone of the blue label Sadowsky stainless steel rounds. They're not as rough to the touch as High Beams or the black label Sadowsky strings but they have a unique brightness that really has a lot of thump and pop when you start slapping. IMO, the tone I get from the blue labels makes it much more effortless to get a nice slap tone than a traditional set of stainless steel strings.
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06-01-2009, 04:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Houston, Texas | | | I concur with the comments that, generally speaking, a full-roundwound string on the lighter side of the gauge line, are what you want rather than a specific type.
I opted to go for the Ernie Ball "Pink" Superslinkies, (0.45-0.100) and they work for me. But I'm sure others would as well.
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06-01-2009, 04:14 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Houston, Texas | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Geddyleefan30 Hello guys, I'm looking for some strings that can help me get a tone somewhat similar to Flea's or Larry Graham's tone. | BTW, I think there are other considerations as well: the type of bass, pickups, tone settings, you-name-it.
The reason these discussions continue to be had here, is that there are so many variables.
Would that "what type of string should I...?" would provide the whole answer. 
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06-01-2009, 04:16 PM
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Endorsing Artist: MLaghus Custom Basses | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Boca Raton - FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyM Oh, don't be such a sourpuss! I've been wrong plenty and I've admitted it every time. I just happen to think slapped flats sound excellent and I'd like to see more of it. | That's cool. I just can't seem to understand the answer "any string will do it" when someone asks for advice for a very specific tone like Graham's or Miller's... |
06-01-2009, 04:20 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing: Ampeg | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Apopka, FL | | Quote:
Originally Posted by allexcosta That's cool. I just can't seem to understand the answer "any string will do it" when someone asks for advice for a very specific tone like Graham's or Miller's... | Graham's most well-known stuff was done on tapewounds. He uses rounds now but he's on record saying that he can slap on anything and get his sound.
However, in this case, you are correct and I am wrong. See? I'm not afraid to admit it.
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06-01-2009, 04:44 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Central Illinois, USA | | | Larry Graham used to use GHS on his basses, starting with flats (Sly & The Family Stone stuff) then moving to Boomers, according to the only interview I read with him where he talked about that stuff. It was an old Guitar Player (before there were any bass mags) interview, so the information is quite dated. And Flea did use that Jazz Bass with flats for at least one album and tour (I don't know about "6-7 years" because I don't pay that much attention to him.
But pretty much any good roundwound will get you there. The instrument's electronics, the amp settings, and the way you physically play the bass are going to have a much greater affect on the ultimate sound in this case than the strings.
jte
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