• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Round wounds vs flat wounds

Round wounds vs flat wounds. Which do you prefer?

  • Round wounds

    Votes: 156 46.7%

  • Flat wounds

    Votes: 178 53.3%
  • Total voters
    334
#143
here ya's are...
thangs have changed since '77...
i really hope this is a help. i also advise buying a micrometer. you'd be surprised how many strings i've bought in wrong envelopes... gosh y'all remember when there many many gauges of flats [and rounds] sold separately? almost got in a physical altercation w/ a 'bassist' i stupidly let sit in and told him absolutely not to slap or pull. well, he did and broke the A string. i had some old rounds in the case...so i was able to replace, kinda...got thru the night. he never paid me. so, nobody plays my basses but me. i can forgive, but not forget. it's tough at the top, yes?
ebsgg009A.jpg
ebsgg008A.jpg
ebsgg007A.jpg
ebsgg006A.jpg
ebsgg005A.jpg
ebsgg004A.jpg
ebsgg003A.jpg
ebsgg002A.jpg
ebsgg001A.jpg
ebsgg009A.jpg ebsgg008A.jpg ebsgg007A.jpg ebsgg006A.jpg ebsgg005A.jpg ebsgg004A.jpg ebsgg003A.jpg ebsgg002A.jpg ebsgg001A.jpg ebsgg009A.jpg ebsgg008A.jpg ebsgg007A.jpg ebsgg006A.jpg ebsgg005A.jpg ebsgg004A.jpg ebsgg003A.jpg ebsgg002A.jpg ebsgg001A.jpg ebsgg009A.jpg ebsgg008A.jpg ebsgg007A.jpg ebsgg006A.jpg ebsgg005A.jpg ebsgg004A.jpg ebsgg003A.jpg ebsgg002A.jpg ebsgg001A.jpg ebsgg009A.jpg ebsgg008A.jpg ebsgg007A.jpg ebsgg006A.jpg ebsgg005A.jpg ebsgg004A.jpg ebsgg003A.jpg ebsgg002A.jpg ebsgg001A.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: FyllingenOy, Iristone, taketwo and 1 other person
#147
rick harper said:
here ya's are...
thangs have changed since '77...
i really hope this is a help. i also advise buying a micrometer. you'd be surprised how many strings i've bought in wrong envelopes... gosh y'all remember when there many many gauges of flats [and rounds] sold separately? almost got in a physical altercation w/ a 'bassist' i stupidly let sit in and told him absolutely not to slap or pull. well, he did and broke the A string. i had some old rounds in the case...so i was able to replace, kinda...got thru the night. he never paid me. so, nobody plays my basses but me. i can forgive, but not forget. it's tough at the top, yes?View attachment 4841365 View attachment 4841366 View attachment 4841367 View attachment 4841368 View attachment 4841369 View attachment 4841370 View attachment 4841371 View attachment 4841372 View attachment 4841373 View attachment 4841365 View attachment 4841366 View attachment 4841367 View attachment 4841368 View attachment 4841369 View attachment 4841370 View attachment 4841371 View attachment 4841372 View attachment 4841373 View attachment 4841365 View attachment 4841366 View attachment 4841367 View attachment 4841368 View attachment 4841369 View attachment 4841370 View attachment 4841371 View attachment 4841372 View attachment 4841373 View attachment 4841365 View attachment 4841366 View attachment 4841367 View attachment 4841368 View attachment 4841369 View attachment 4841370 View attachment 4841371 View attachment 4841372 View attachment 4841373 View attachment 4841365 View attachment 4841366 View attachment 4841367 View attachment 4841368 View attachment 4841369 View attachment 4841370 View attachment 4841371 View attachment 4841372 View attachment 4841373
Click to expand...
This is invaluable information! Especially the fact that it includes gauge data and set designations by other string companies, as you'd already revealed in advance. Practically a complete overview of the string market back in '77. THANK YOU!
 
#149
Nice bass tone!

I had DTF’s on my Precision V for about 4 or 5 years I’ve been surprised that there’s still some high end in them. They’re thumpy, for sure, but the impression of them I got on TB is that they’d be all thump, the whole thump, and nothing but the thump. But mine still have enough mids and highs to be articulate and audible in a mix. I’m not saying that I’m disappointed in them, rather, I’ve been pleasantly surprised them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati
#150
It depends. Some of my basses have flats (P bass, Uke bass, Tacoma Thunderchief, custom build fretless), some have rounds (4003, Stingray, Jazz). It all depends on the type of music that I use the bass for and what makes it sound the best.
- LaBella for the flats on the standard length basses.
- Kala flats for the uke bass.
- Elixers for the rounds.
 
#151
I was a pure flats guy since 2010 till just a few months ago. Why the change? A tone better suited to metal. I still can’t get over the rough feel of rounds or the very loose feel since I’ve been so used to stiffer strings for the better part of a decade. The one place flats do excel in my opinion is in feel and playability. However, playing fast with rounds is soooooo easy (I play only with my fingers), so playing flats has definitely improved finger strength and speed. Nowadays I practice songs I’m learning on a bass with flats then record with rounds. This way I don’t worry about killing my strings so fast and I learn to play on a more difficult set of strings (stiffness), making recordings a breeze.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jazzfretless
#152
The first time that I began paying attention to the sound of a bass was from someone who used rounds.

But the first bass that I ever played(a borrowed no name EB0) copy) had flats.
Compared to the rounds,it sounded awful.

So when I bought my first bass,I was determined to go directly to rounds.
It's been that way ever since.

Many bassist are "old world traditionalist"
In sound and style.
I am not.
 
#153
Jazzfretless said:
I can easily duplicate the tone of flats from any other strings.
Click to expand...
You might think I’m just being picky, but my take is that you may be able to imitate the tone/sound, but I’ve never been able to duplicate it, even with the most thumpy rounds.

That said, the whole world of flats and bass strings in general has changed so much over the last 20 years, and the line between flat and round is not so easily drawn now — evidenced by the development of flats like Thomastik flats, EB cobalt flats, and then rounds that are compressed, rolled, etc. So in that sense, you have a point.

But if there is a round wound string that can duplicate the sound of say, La Bella DTFs, I’m not aware of it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mastermold
#154
Selim said:
You might think I’m just being picky, but my take is that you may be able to imitate the tone/sound, but I’ve never been able to duplicate it, even with the most thumpy rounds.

That said, the whole world of flats and bass strings in general has changed so much over the last 20 years, and the line between flat and round is not so easily drawn now — evidenced by the development of flats like Thomastik flats, EB cobalt flats, and then rounds that are compressed, rolled, etc. So in that sense, you have a point.

But if there is a round wound string that can duplicate the sound of say, La Bella DTFs, I’m not aware of it.
Click to expand...
It's think it's difficult to have a good reasonable conversation on these forums because each time, you can only express a short text version of what you're saying, and what you actually mean.
When I said I can duplicate the tone, I'm not only talking about the strings and the tone controls, but the technique of my fingers and playing style. There's not a bass tone that I can't duplicate. Maybe from playing fretless, playing for so many years, etc, but maybe that's just me.
Have a great day!
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrapeBass
#156
I go back and forth and both of my basses are strung with rounds at the moment. I recently did a large purge and either sold or parted out my other stuff.

I made a realization recently though. Due to other interests I am not playing as much at the moment - which means I am not really developing any sort of long term callous and rounds can start to burn a bit after while…so considering going back to flats. Ah, how the cycle continues. :bored:
 
#160
MB_Speed said:
Which do you prefer, and why?
Click to expand...

Roundwounds, by far: Of the 9 basses I currently own, 6 of them always wear roundwounds. Of the other 3, 1 wears tapewounds, one groundwounds, and only 1 flatwounds. (And, as noted in this post, I don't even like the bass with flatwounds all that much!)

And it's been that way for me since the late 1970s. After having flatwounds on the first two basses I owned, when I discovered the sound and feel of roundwounds there was no going back. There is just nothing about flatwound strings -- other than the fact that a set can last for years -- that I find appealing, or that contributes to my ideal tone on a bass.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back