Defretted P-Bass

[HunsBassist]

I'm having a problem with my Fretless Squier Standard P-Bass. I love this bass to death, but I hardly ever use it. My brother suprised me with it for my birthday about six months ago and defretted it. But every time I play it (especially when I play fingerstyle on the low strings) I get this weird, almost Distortion sound when playing through an amp. Is this a result of the defretting (it's either that or the fact that this was a used bass that he got for $100 at Guitar Center and it might've been like this before it was defretted). I would really appreciate anyone that's been in a similar situation to shed some light on what's going on. Can anyone help me?

[Petary791]

Hey that happened too mine too! Only through crappy amps though.

Maybe you can raise the action or lower the pups. I'm wondering the answern to this problem too.

Are you using flatwounds?

[HunsBassist]

Please forgive me for my ineptness, but I don't know the difference between Flatwounds and Roundwounds. I'm not even sure what kind I use

[HunsBassist]

Thank you so much. I don't know if this will work yet. But I will pass this on to my brother (who does all my maintenance for me cause he knows a heck of a lot more about it than me). Again thanks. I'll post again on whether it works or not for other people that have this problem.

[HunsBassist]

I just tried it. It seemed to work through my Kramer practice amp, but it's a rather unreliable one. I'm gonna put it to the ultimate test tonight. I'm going to gig with it for the first time through my Electar 65 watt amp. If it doesn't work out, I'll try it a few more times, but I'm very optimistic that it will work. Thank you SO MUCH!!!!

[gilbert46]

flat wounds are smooth strings and dont eat up the fingerboard, roundwounds are what are normally used, they are like little saw blades on a fretless neck. if you didnt change the strings chances are they are roundwound. You will grouve the neck if u use them for a long time. Flats will prevent this and give you a cool thud/mwah sound you associate with a fretless bass.

rounds are like this ^^^^^^ flats are like this ---------

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/archiv...p/t-15463.html

[HunsBassist]

But when buying strings, how do I tell the difference?

[HunsBassist]

Just adding, the gig went great. No distortion. No Overdrive. I probably played the best gig I've ever played.

[silent method]

umm read on the package where it says either round or flat, or i guess you could look at the string the ^^^^^ vs. --------- is a pretty good diagram

[silent method]

here is a flatwound

[HunsBassist]

Originally Posted by silent method

here is a flatwound

cool, is there a price difference?