What are the most roundwound-like sounding *flatwounds*? brightness/mwah/tension/etc

[osciphex]

I want to use flatwounds on the fretless I'm buying partially for decreased fingerboard wear but also because I like the smooth surface/feel of flatwounds.

What is the most roundwound-like sounding set of flatwounds? I realize I can't get the full roundwound mwah with a set of flats, but I'd rather not have the super-dead sound that characterizes a lot of flatwounds.

[Blues Cat]

I would say Chromes based on the mp3 samples I've heard on the web & the BP string shootout.

[blackreverend]

Great Topic!
I'd like to see more on this too; I've got a Lakland 55-94 that I'm debating about moving to flats to get some extra thump, but I dont really want to lose all the snap of my rounds either.

[Thurisarz]

Originally Posted by blackreverend

Great Topic!
I'd like to see more on this too; I've got a Lakland 55-94 that I'm debating about moving to flats to get some extra thump, but I dont really want to lose all the snap of my rounds either.

+1 i wanna know too but i don't have a Lakland bass

[Diego]

Daddario chromes hands-down IMHO

[Dan1099]

Try out some LaBella Black Nylon wounds. They KILL for what you are looking for.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Try out some LaBella Black Nylon wounds. They KILL for what you are looking for.

So will Fender nylon tapewounds. I've used both and I think after years of using the LaBellas I'm starting to prefer the Fender nylon tapes.

[bazzanderson]

D'Addario Chromes. Great strings!

[ogrossman]

Have you considered half rounds? I'm using D'Addario ENR71-5s in a hard rock band and they're cutting through pretty well.

[markjazzbassist]

Originally Posted by bazzanderson

D'Addario Chromes. Great strings!

+1

i use them on my jazz fretless. love em.

[7flat5]

If you want the brightness of fresh roundwounds, then the nylon tapewounds don't do it. I think the halfrounds, ground-rounds, or whatever a particular manufacturer decides to call them, are better for that.

If you want a lot of fretboard buzz (mwah) get a very lively low-tension string like the TI Jazz Flats. One more you might want to look into are the TI Jazz Rounds. I have never used them, but they have a much finer outer wrap than most roundwounds. I have a set of their acousticores on a bass and they are much smoother than, say, the Ernie Ball or GHS roundwounds I have, even though they are roundwounds, and they do not leave scoring on the fretless maple fretboard they are on like the normal roundwounds (I think Ken Smiths) it came with. I have not tried the Jazz Rounds myself, though.

[jumbosilverette]

"Have you considered half rounds? I'm using D'Addario ENR71-5s"

+1

[rbrown13]

I have to agree with the d'addario chromes, Iv'e used them on a couple of my basses, and they have a crisper sound than say the rotosound monel flats, but I have only tried maybe three or four different brands of flats.

[Jazzin']

From what I've read in other threads, the Rotosound 77s would be the most roundwoundy flats.

[4Mal]

Chromes are a great flat but they aren't a bit round wound sounding... very woody and a beautiful string. D'Addario half rounds provide a lot of the thump with an additional portion of ringing that you don't get in any flat, not even TIJF's.

One thing to watch for is that both Chromes and half-rounds are a little higher tension than some strings. You may have to do a truss rod tweak if you are coming from a low tension string. No biggie for the most part and this is often the case when string swapping.

If you want more of the feel of a flat but with a bit of zingy round wound tone on top - Half Rounds are it...

[skewh]

Originally Posted by Jazzin'

From what I've read in other threads, the Rotosound 77s would be the most roundwoundy flats.

I second that one, I use Roto 77's on my fretless Jazz bass and can get a very convincing roundwound growl.

[Mojo-Man]

Originally Posted by skewh

I second that one, I use Roto 77's on my fretless Jazz bass and can get a very convincing roundwound growl.

+1
Roto's have the most treble, of any flats I've used.

[osciphex]

http://www.rotosound.com/bass.html#
From the sample on this site, the Jazz Bass 77's seem too have the exact sound I'd like... but I'm concerned because I've read some other threads saying these strings lose a lot of their brightness really quickly.

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by Mojo-Man

+1
Roto's have the most treble, of any flats I've used.

Ditto. I ordered a set for a new bass and felt like I was paying too much for a set of strings. My P has had Fender flats on it for its whole life and I'm ordering a set of rotos for it.

Comfortable under my fingers but the E felt a little rubbery. It felt ok after a week or two.

[KeithBMI]

Originally Posted by ogrossman

Have you considered half rounds? I'm using D'Addario ENR71-5s in a hard rock band and they're cutting through pretty well.

That's what I'm using, but I've yet to use them in a band setting.