String Recommendations for Fretless

[JayM]

I just got a used MIM fretless jazz. It currently has some broken in rounds of unknown type and vintage. These strings sound pretty good, but I was concerned with rounds wearing the fingerboard. I have a few questions about strings for fretless basses.

Is is pretty much accepted practice to use a less abrasive string (flats, tapewounds, etc.) on fretless basses?

Is there a problem with using rounds long term?

What strings do you folks typically use on your fretless bases (rosewood fingerboard)?

Thanks.

[JEDI BASS]

I don't like fretless bass w/ flats near as much as I like roundwounds. Get HG Thor to coat the board, and you can play whatever strings you want with no real wear..... forever! I can't wait 'til i get my neck back from him.

Roundwound steels are worst on naked wood, nickel roundwounds are a little less abrasive, then there are the different flat rounds (roundwounds that are sanded semi-flat), then you have flatwounds which are easiest on the boards.

Hope this helps.

-Jody Jordan

[MysticMichael]

Jay,

If you continue to use roundwounds on an untreated fingerboard, it's just a matter of time before they will eat the board. As JJ said, steels are (much) worse than nickels. But they both will do damage eventually...

Suggestion: Let your first consideration be tone, not board wear. If you prefer the roundwound sound (more lively, more mwah), then get the board expoxied. Then you won't have to worry about wear.

I've also had an epoxy job done by HG Thor on my fretless bass, and he does great work. But I must warn you, you'll likely be on his waiting list for a good 18 months or so. So either be prepared to wait, or find someone good who's less busy.

Of course, if you really prefer the darker, more traditional fretless tone, then flats or tapewounds will be just fine. And they'll hardly wear your board at all - whether you get it epoxied or not.

MM

[funkytoe]

My all-time favorite strings for fretless are GHS Brite Flats. They are actually ground round wounds so they retain alot of the brightness of rounds but won't chew up your fretboard as fast as rounds. Great sound. Give em a try.

[JEDI BASS]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

I've also had an epoxy job done by HG Thor on my fretless bass, and he does great work. But I must warn you, you'll likely be on his waiting list for a good 18 months or so. So either be prepared to wait, or find someone good who's less busy.

I was lucky and only had to wait 6-8 months. But, the projected wait IS 1.5 to 2 years IIRC. My Thor coating job: fretboard leveling, nut replacement, epoxy, and shipping (neck only) to and from is gonna cost around $390. Not cheap, especially when you consider I only paid $200 for the early 80's Yamaha BB fretless. Not cheap, but it'll be worth it! I wanted an affordable alternative to a Pedulla buzz w/ P/J pups. I hope the sound is all I expect it to be.

[Philbiker]

The problem with rounds eating fretboards is real, but is overstated. Unless you're a pro playing every night, in practical reality it's not going to be a problem. And if it is, it will be 10 years before it causes any noticable performance degradation. There will be visible wear/ridges.

My advice is to play what you like the sound and feel of and don't worry about wear. I personally prefer nylon tapewound strings on my fretless basses. You might hate them.

[Bushmaster]

Originally Posted by JayM

Is is pretty much accepted practice to use a less abrasive string (flats, tapewounds, etc.) on fretless basses?

As has been stated before, I would chose the strings that to my ears sound best with that particular bass. A fingerboard can be dressed from time to time, and some day finally replacing it neither will be a big deal.

BTW, I once managed to damage 2 coated fingerboards nevertheless, and I also wasn't particularly crazy about that harder and more synthetic sound.

What strings do you folks typically use on your fretless bases (rosewood fingerboard)?

D'Addario ProSteel in custom gauges (.030 - .050 - .080 - .125) for 5ths tuning (C1 G1 D2 A2) on a Jazz b/c I wanted a bit more edge...

Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flatwound JF346 (.033 - .043 - .056 - .070 - .100 - .136) on a standard 6-string b/c wanted that uniquely refined sound that only these provide.

(Otherwise I'd probably still go with good nickel-plated roundcore roundwounds like Status or DR. Although admittedly I'm not really wild about roundcore strings on fretted basses...).

[JayM]

Thanks for the info so far. I guess I'll try a few different sets to see what sticks.

[JEDI BASS]

Originally Posted by Bushmaster

BTW, I once managed to damage 2 coated fingerboards nevertheless, and I also wasn't particularly crazy about that harder and more synthetic sound.

To each his own.... the coated sound is the only fretless sound that I like. Actually, I love it!! I play rock/hard rock/alternative....whatever and a smooth/mellow-sounding uncoated board w/ flats would just NOT fit. I need a ballsy, growly, nasty fretless.

[demented6th]

Originally Posted by Bushmaster

As has been stated before, I would chose the strings that to my ears sound best with that particular bass. A fingerboard can be dressed from time to time, and some day finally replacing it neither will be a big deal.

BTW, I once managed to damage 2 coated fingerboards nevertheless, and I also wasn't particularly crazy about that harder and more synthetic sound.



D'Addario ProSteel in custom gauges (.030 - .050 - .080 - .125) for 5ths tuning (C1 G1 D2 A2) on a Jazz b/c I wanted a bit more edge...

Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flatwound JF346 (.033 - .043 - .056 - .070 - .100 - .136) on a standard 6-string b/c wanted that uniquely refined sound that only these provide.

(Otherwise I'd probably still go with good nickel-plated roundcore roundwounds like Status or DR. Although admittedly I'm not really wild about roundcore strings on fretted basses...).

Can you recommend string for me please?
I play a 4 string JB copy mostly in church although the music is quite contemparary. My bass has a very ancient set of rounds which I really like but are getting pretty dead. I play with my fingers & don't like slap bass sound, just a nice growly bwaaah.

Many thanks
Russell

[JTE]

The primary consideration is sound. I like roundwounds on my fretless. Yes, they DID chew up the fingerboard after using stainless steel rounds on the rosewood board it came with, but it took several years of playing for it to get to a point where it was a problem. Of course, I dressed the fingerboard regularly with steel wool to keep it smooth.

When the rosewood got worn pretty far I had the fingerboard replaced with a big hunk of ebony. Now that was about ten or more years ago. Since then, I've still used mostly stainless rounds (it had TI flats on it for a few months) and I still dress the fingerboard with steel wool on occasion but it's not wearing nearly as fast as the rosewood did.

jte

[the low one]

I agree with everything that's been said about tone etc. At the end of the day you choose what you want for the sound you want. Rounds will chew up your board but if that's the sound you want then go for it.

On my MIM fretless jazz I use Rotosound Jazz flats 40 to 100. I like the tension and tone, and the current set has been on for 2 and a half years and still sound great.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by Bushmaster

I once managed to damage 2 coated fingerboards nevertheless, and I also wasn't particularly crazy about that harder and more synthetic sound.

+1
While it's pretty much a given that anyone desiring roundwound strings on a fretless bass wants a pretty aggressive, bright sound, I'm not sure folks realize how much the epoxy fingerboard affects the tone of the instrument. I had one fretless w/ an epoxied board and it was just a bit too much for my tastes. (Then again, I tend to prefer a more organic, "woody" fretless tone.)

Before I got my Rob Allen (strung w/ tapewounds) I was using unfinished rosewood or ebony fingerboards and Ken Smith Compressor Wound strings, which are a nickel roundwound that's had the outer winding "squeezed" into a flatter profile, so it's less abrasive than a full roundwound.