WHats the difference..flats vs. rounds?

sleevey · #1 01-02-2011, 05:02 PM

I've never played with flats...whats the difference between them and rounds?

5string5fingers · #2 01-02-2011, 06:13 PM

The sound of flats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDZJMKfgaCk

Flats are smooth and polished strings that are wrapped in a flat winding (hence the name) and usually have a higher tension than rounds. They give you a fat,warm punchy tone,and cut your highs. Very "old school" sounding,but are not limited to motown,steve harris of iron maiden uses flats.

Stilettoprefer · #3 01-02-2011, 10:13 PM

They're a lot easier on the frets and your fingers. They sound a lot punchier and IMO much better. Since they're generally higher tension your action can be much lower.

JimmyM · #4 01-02-2011, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stilettoprefer

They're a lot easier on the frets and your fingers. They sound a lot punchier and IMO much better. Since they're generally higher tension your action can be much lower.

i would have to disagree with the first comment. flats are actually harder on my fingers. when i switch to flats, my fingers end up getting sore for a couple days until i get used to it. but i do like them, and i'm re-considering going back to them.

theory028 · #5 01-02-2011, 11:20 PM

Flats feel really nice but the sound isn't for everyone. In my experiences, they've lacked character and sounded dead. I remember switching back to rounds after a few weeks with flats and immediately noticed an improvement in tone. Heck, I hated my SVT-VR at first because of my Jazz with flats. The dull sound gave me buyer's remorse. After restringing it with some light rounds, the amp came alive. I'll never go back! The strange part is that I thought I really enjoyed them at the time. It took playing rounds again to realize what I gave up.

The right string for you depends on your tonal goals. I prefer a more rock-oriented tone where rounds really shine.

If you can find a used set in the classifieds, it may be worth giving them a shot. It's about the only way to know if they're a good string for your needs. It seems like people use the same set forever so there's little risk in buying used.

Good luck!

dwm74 · #6 01-03-2011, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theory028

...After restringing it with some light rounds, the amp came alive. I'll never go back! The strange part is that I thought I really enjoyed them at the time. It took playing rounds again to realize what I gave up.

The right string for you depends on your tonal goals. I prefer a more rock-oriented tone where rounds really shine.

Similar experience here. Loved the Chromes for about six months and never thought I'd go back, but on a whim decided to restring with an old set of rounds I had laying around. The different tones (and lower tension) made it feel like a whole new bass!

ray_yo · #7 01-03-2011, 08:56 AM

construction-wise, a string is made up of an inner wire wrapped up by an outer wire. with roundwounds, the outer wire is like a piece of spaghettini pasta (round) - leaving grooves between wraps. with flatwounds, the outer wire is like fettucini (flat) so the end result is a smooth string, with no grooves.

5string5fingers · #8 01-03-2011, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i would have to disagree with the first comment. flats are actually harder on my fingers. when i switch to flats, my fingers end up getting sore for a couple days until i get used to it. but i do like them, and i'm re-considering going back to them.

I'm the same way. I've been playing on GHS flats recently which are pretty high tension and my fingers have been sore for a few days now from playing a lot.

theory028 · #9 01-03-2011, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwm74

Similar experience here. Loved the Chromes for about six months and never thought I'd go back, but on a whim decided to restring with an old set of rounds I had laying around. The different tones (and lower tension) made it feel like a whole new bass!

A lot of my tolerance for flats at the time, for me, at least, was probably due to the consistent praise that they get on these boards. It's almost as though I had convinced myself that I liked them before I even had a chance to play a set. I'm curious about how often this happens here. Flats get recommended as a remedy for so many problems that could otherwise be resolved without having to dull down the tone.

Stilettoprefer · #10 01-03-2011, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

i would have to disagree with the first comment. flats are actually harder on my fingers. when i switch to flats, my fingers end up getting sore for a couple days until i get used to it. but i do like them, and i'm re-considering going back to them.

Maybe its because i play upright (with flats) almost as much as electric, that my fingers never get very sore playing electric for long periods of time.

Double Agent · #11 01-03-2011, 12:22 PM

I agree with JimmyM and 5strings....the texture of flats may be easier on your fingers than rounds, but the tension can be as much of an irritant, or more of one, on flats compared to rounds.

However, I love the sound of the fat high notes that you can ONLY get with flats. For example, when you play the high A (14th fret on the G-string) with flats it just jumps out at you more than it would with rounds IMO. I love both rounds and flats for the different sounds they make. If I could only have one, it would be rounds, but I have come to a point where I think I will always have one bass with flats on it.

One thing I have noticed people say is that flats can take the personal character out of your tone, and I have to say that I agree to an extent. While no two people ever sound exactly the same regardless of string choice, flats can be a bit of a neutralizer when it comes to "your" tone, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. For one, you may find that blend better into the mix, giving your band a fuller sound, with flats. Second, since your tone will be a bit neutered, you can try show your style by how you play instead of worrying so much about your tone.

I think everyone owes it to themselves as a bassist to just try flats at least once, and try them with a whole band, not just in your bedroom. It can open your eyes a bit, even if you think flats are "not your style". This Saturday night, I will be playing slap on a P-bass with flats (Thank You by Sly & the Family Stone) and it sounds pretty funky. I never would have expected it to work as well it as it does, but I'm glad I tried it. And, if you hate them, at least you will know not to waste anymore time worrying about it.

blist · #12 01-03-2011, 02:14 PM

I use flats and rounds and I don't find a problem with the tension on certain flats in comparison.

I used la bella 760FL for a long time with no problem at all.

I just started using 760FM and they definitely have more tension but it is manageable IMO.

The 760FM give me the tone I really like, the 760FL start to lose it a bit.

I am curious what some tapewound (760N) would sound like on my electric bass. I just started using them on my ABG and I really like the feel of them. Tone is brighter as well.

gscroggin · #13 03-22-2011, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5string5fingers

The sound of flats YouTube - Flatwound String Comparison on my P-Bass

Flats are smooth and polished strings that are wrapped in a flat winding (hence the name) and usually have a higher tension than rounds. They give you a fat,warm punchy tone,and cut your highs. Very "old school" sounding,but are not limited to motown,steve harris of iron maiden uses flats.

I realize this is a bit old, but I wanted to thank you for posting the link to this video! I've been debating a 6 string set of LaBella 760FM-CB, and after hearing this video, it affirmed my thoughts on the purchase. I definitely prefer the tone over the other ones showcased.

Thanks again!

fearceol · #14 03-22-2011, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blist

I use flats and rounds and I don't find a problem with the tension on certain flats in comparison.

Same here. I use TI jazz flats which have very low tension.

vin*tone · #15 03-22-2011, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwm74

Similar experience here. Loved the Chromes for about six months and never thought I'd go back, but on a whim decided to restring with an old set of rounds I had laying around. The different tones (and lower tension) made it feel like a whole new bass!

I've gone back and forth a few times and I have a new theory (for old school funk on a P-bass) .... rounds for live, flats for recording.

I find rounds can help with punch, detail and articulation in a live setting - but going direct at my recording last night (think Meters, Jimmy Smith, Soul Tornados) there was no question. Flats.

JazznFunk · #16 03-22-2011, 09:34 PM

I struggle with reconciling my overriding love of flats all the time while learning to tweak rounds to my taste in terms of the overall punch/treble factor. I'd have flats on everything if there were a flat that tolerated through-body stringing... there are some advantages to the tone/feel that I perceive and prefer with thru-body, though that I know is debatable (not opening that can of worms here). Despite my preference for flats, there are indeed some of my basses just sound better with rounds in some cases, depending on how naturally trebly they are, or what their midrange characteristics may be. My 5-string basses all wear rounds because for some reason I find that their overall treble profile is less prominent than some of my 4's... I attribute some of that to scale difference, pickup placement, and neck mass (with graphite reinforcement).

I hate anything that is too sizzly, as I find that sizzle is a prime ingredient for getting lost in most any mix. Flats seem to bring everything in focus in terms of a mix by accentuating the sweet spot in the mids and chopping out the highs that are normally occupied by the guitars and other 'sizzly' elements (like cymbals, etc.). With that said, I do like the round, bell-like clarity and piano-like focus & timbre of a good set of rounds, but I always find that I have to really tame the highs way down and nurse the mids through a combination of preamp and on-amp adjustments. I personally have found that flats are more comfortable to my fingers than rounds (maybe because of my upright bass training/experience), and digging in on flats yields a pleasant 'crack' vs. the 'pop' that rounds yield. In short, I find that it takes pretty much zero effort to slot into the mix with minimal EQ adjustment with flats. With rounds I have to tweak more to my taste.

You will never get a set of rounds to sound exactly like a set of flats, nor vice-versa. I have 2 identical basses set up the same way, with one wearing flats and the other wearing rounds of the same gauge. The sound difference is like night and day, and I find that flats tend to really bring out the best, most sculpted characteristics in the midrange of said bass(es). Even with a large attenuation of highs on a set of rounds you can never get that midrange characteristic to match what a set of flats does.

In short, you have to evaluate your concept of what you want as your personal tonal goal(s). I like flats primarily, but there are certain characteristics of rounds which escape flats... but the overriding detail is that with flats you never have to tame down those pesky highs.

tylerwylie · #17 03-23-2011, 12:57 AM

If you want your bass to sound like it can suck the life out of anything use flats. :P

I had the Ernie Ball flats on my P/J Aerodyne for a while, was actually a welcome change....however playing with flats gave me a new appreciate for roundwounds.

fearceol · #18 03-23-2011, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tylerwylie

If you want your bass to sound like it can suck the life out of anything use flats.

It is all in the ear of the beholder. One man's meat is another man's poison.

darkstorm · #19 03-24-2011, 03:42 PM

Rounds sound much better to me and also feel better, flats have a kind of tacky sticky feel to me.

MajorAssburn · #20 03-24-2011, 04:14 PM

There's one thing that isn't being mentioned here. Namely, the noise that round wounds create when you move your fingers over the windings. Flats don't have this annoying problem.

Want a good tone with flats? Keep your strings clean (occasionally soak in alcohol overnight), set the action as low as you can tolerate, use hot passive pickups, a tube preamp, a 31 band EQ and play aggressively.

Running hi/lo is also a great help ... it's almost like mixing two isolated instruments.
- ROn -