String recomendation for Ovation ABG

[csm672]

I bought a beater Ovation Celebrity bass. It has the original 8 year old bronze rounds on it. I would like to try some flats on it. Wondering if this would be a horrible idea? I would like to get that kind of dull thud of an upright. I would be open to other suggestions if flats wouldn't be a good "fit" for the Celebrity. Thanks in advance! Casey

[bassist4dalord]

Hmm... Dull thud of an upright... Try Fender 9120 Nylon Tapewound strings, or LaBella Black Nylon Tapewound, or Rotosound TruBass 88 Nylon Flatwound. These will give you the most thumpy, upright sound you can get without bustin' out the DB. Best of luck man!

P.S. Nylon strings are typically quite a bit thicker than metal strings. This may require some setup adjustments, such as filing the nut and/or bridge.

[csm672]

Thanks for that info. Quick question... Is there a difference between tapewound and flatwounds? Is one smoother than the other or is it just different names for basically the same thing? Thanks, Casey

[MD]

The LaBella 760N (black nylon tape wounds) are stainless steel round wounds with an outer wrapping of black nylon tape. They're smooth and silky under the fingers, producing zero finger/fret noise. Really nice sustain and low end growl as well.
$19.00 off the Carvin site. Buy 2 sets to soften the S&H. They last a long time so a couple of sets should get you a couple of years of use (depending on your situation of course).