whats up with half-wounds

[60's Bluesman]

ive never used them before and dont know anyone who uses them, what are they like and how close are they to flatwounds?

[lunarpollen]

I used them for a while, didn't care for them much... a little less finger noise, a lot less sparkle than roundwounds. Sounded like really dull rounds.

[60's Bluesman]

Originally Posted by lunarpollen

I used them for a while, didn't care for them much... a little less finger noise, a lot less sparkle than roundwounds. Sounded like really dull rounds.

kind of a upright sound then?

[bassybill]

All the ones I've tried have been a lot closer to rounds than flats in tone. The general idea of them is to get something like roundwound highs whilst losing some of the roughness. Any claims along the lines of "all the tone of roundwounds with the feel of flats" should be taken with a very large pinch of salt, though, based on the ones I've used.

The RS Solo bass (pressurewound rather than being ground to a smoother surface) aren't far away at all from Swing Bass rounds in tone and are a little bit smoother in feel (nowhere near as smooth as flats, though). I really like these on my fretless, they're a very good compromise for what I'm after.

[Floyd Eye]

Possibly an acceptable way to go back and forth between classic bass tones and modern ones with the same bass, although it's my opinion that it is at best a compromise, which is why I have basses with rounds and basses with flats sitting on the stand.

[bassybill]

I agree about them being a bit of a compromise, but I'm not sure they're intended as a compromise between the different tone of rounds and flats. I seem to recall that when I first came them about 30 years back, they were touted more like "the tone of rounds with a a flatwound feel" or something intended to suggest similar.

All the ones I've ever tried have been about 90% round-like in both tone and feel. In other words, they have just a tad less zing than rounds (when new, they sound like a set of rounds that have been played for a couple of hours or so) and are just a little bit smoother - like, just enough to notice. I would think lovers of flats would not like them very much! Then again, I haven't tried them all.

By the way, another good thing about the Solo bass is that they seem to be lasting really well. Maybe the slightly smoother surface means they don't get the windings filled with gunk as much as the rougher Swing bass rounds? I dunno. Anyway, after some extended use, they sound pretty much like a set of played in roundwounds, despite being slightly less bright to start off.

[jscomposer]

Anyone here try D'addario half-rounds for 5-string? Is the low-B balanced with the other strings? I actually got a set once, but it turned out I needed the super long scale set, and so I really didn't get to try them!

[El Beardo]

Here's a visual, hope it helps. I don't know if your just asking out of general curiosity or if you are looking for something between a round and a flat. If it's the latter you may want to try nylon tape wound strings. They're in between flats and rounds too but closer to the flats side imo. I personally do not like flats but I use the tape wounds on my fretless and my abg.

[TripleDouble]

I got the brilliant idea to use them for an album's worth of basic tracks a while ago, and in hindsight (hindhear?) I'm not at all pleased. I had though at first listen that they had the best of both flats and rounds and started cutting tracks, but really they did just sound like dead roundwounds. Dang. i say no.

[Honk'n_down-low]

Originally Posted by 60's Bluesman

ive never used them before and dont know anyone who uses them, what are they like and how close are they to flatwounds?

I've used them and liked them - you'd really have to try them.

Dean Markley has been making them forever and I would recommend them if you are going to try a set.

[Phalex]

I'm a fan of them myself. I'll never put anything else on my Precision.