what strings shall I put on my fretless?

TD3691 · #1 03-03-2010, 01:35 PM

what would you suggest I use.
Currently my other bass (Fender P-bass) i have La Bella Deep talkin flats and they give some extremely deep bass which i love but for my other bass (Fretless J-bass) i don't want the same sound,
i want something with a bit more punch like sum of the Police or Cure tracks

example sound:
Message in a bottle - Police
So lonely - Police
Cure - A Forest
Cure - Lovecats (i know its a upright bass)

have a listen to those tracks, basically I want something different from my Labella's as they are nice laid back dub bass but I want this bass to have a more prominent punchy sound.

tk421 · #2 03-03-2010, 01:40 PM

try some med light halfrounds or groundwounds. i like the 95-40 set.

T. Alan Smith · #3 03-03-2010, 02:56 PM

GHS Pressurewounds or GHS Briteflats.

whitedk57 · #4 03-03-2010, 02:56 PM

TI Jazz Flats

jelpo · #5 03-03-2010, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whitedk57

TI Jazz Flats

Yes, +1.

JTE · #6 03-04-2010, 10:43 AM

Sting uses (or at least used to use) DR Sunbeams- nickle wrap on a round core- for his basses. In The Police days he used Rotosound rounds. So go figure...

John

BassLife77 · #7 03-07-2010, 10:22 PM

Rotosound steels and GHS Super Steels for fretless

thirtypoint87 · #8 03-07-2010, 10:24 PM

I like D'Addario's "1/2 round" set on a fretless. Good luck

**BLDavis** · #9 03-08-2010, 03:07 PM

Fretless Jazz + TI JF's =

FromTheBassMent · #10 03-08-2010, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassLife77

Rotosound steels and GHS Super Steels for fretless

Wow. Steels on a fretless? That's going to make hamburger out of your fingerboard in no time flat.

I am loving GHS Pressurewound on my fretless Stingray 5. Yeah, I'm getting a little more marking on my fingerboard than with groundwounds (D'Addario Halfrounds, Ken Smith Slickrounds), but it's worth the tradeoff for the added zing. Groundwounds sounded lifeless on the B and E strings. These GHS Pressurewounds sing.

BTW, don't base your choice for your fretless on what Sting uses (or used) on fretted basses. Different animals.

REAPER52 · #11 03-08-2010, 10:08 PM

T I Flats IMO are the bomb. after having said that ,i believe the sound your looking for would best come from DR Sunbeams . I have a Jazz Fretless and it came with DR'S and i have to say they sounded pretty good. Kind of rough feeling to me though .So i immediatly went back to my fav.TI J344. Just really hard to beat these strings.

Mr. BassmanPT · #12 03-09-2010, 05:23 AM

thomastik infeld!

BassLife77 · #13 03-10-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FromTheBassMent

Wow. Steels on a fretless? That's going to make hamburger out of your fingerboard in no time flat.

I am loving GHS Pressurewound on my fretless Stingray 5. Yeah, I'm getting a little more marking on my fingerboard than with groundwounds (D'Addario Halfrounds, Ken Smith Slickrounds), but it's worth the tradeoff for the added zing. Groundwounds sounded lifeless on the B and E strings. These GHS Pressurewounds sing.

BTW, don't base your choice for your fretless on what Sting uses (or used) on fretted basses. Different animals.

only a sanding and recoat every few years. just regular maintenance to me. never cared for flatwounds or nickels

Beefbass · #14 03-10-2010, 07:17 PM

I use Fender 7150XL pure nickel rounds on my fretless, with DiMarzio Model J's. I really like it.

I say, use what you find you like best, and enjoy!

hasbeen · #15 03-13-2010, 08:16 AM

I'm a huge fan of DR strings. IME/IMHO, Sunbeam Nickel are the best fretless string out there. Great, great tone and feel.