Using Compressor To Boost Flatwound "Sustain"

[mrjim123]

[Also posted in "Effecs" forum.]

I searched on "compress flat" and came up empty in 3 forums.

I love the sound of flatwound strings for most songs, but find that the relative lack of sustain (compared to roundwounds) is not good for other songs. I am wondering how well a compressor would work with flatwounds to prevent long duration notes from decaying so quickly. Hopefully I would only need to use compression on a few songs. Any opinions on this?

[Krucial]

Offcourse you can use a compressor for improving sustain, but
'Rounds having more sustain than flats' is no universal thruth.
So maybe other flats (like Chromes) give the sustain you're looking for.

[mrjim123]

I have a set of Chromes, but the bass I'm talking about is currently strung with TI Jazz flats. They do not sustain as long as the Chromes do.

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by mrjim123

[Also posted in "Effecs" forum.]

I searched on "compress flat" and came up empty in 3 forums.

I love the sound of flatwound strings for most songs, but find that the relative lack of sustain (compared to roundwounds) is not good for other songs. I am wondering how well a compressor would work with flatwounds to prevent long duration notes from decaying so quickly. Hopefully I would only need to use compression on a few songs. Any opinions on this?

You could try it and see, but note that compression will tend to level out the initial "thump" attack on the notes that is the distinguishing characteristic of flats. So I'd say spend as little money as possible i.e. borrow one and see if you like it.

Another alternative is completely dead rounds. You'd have to play them for a month or two until they lose all their ringing, but once they're dead they give a pretty good flatwound sound but with a little better sustain (generally speaking)...

LS

[thesilence]

Originally Posted by mrjim123

I have a set of Chromes, but the bass I'm talking about is currently strung with TI Jazz flats. They do not sustain as long as the Chromes do.

then why not string that bass with Chromes?

[mrjim123]

Originally Posted by thesilence

then why not string that bass with Chromes?

I prefer the sound of the TI's over Chromes. Like I said, I'm only concerned with sustain on a few songs, and I don't want to give up my favorite flat sound for those few songs.