Nice try, but I use flats in addition to roundwounds when the tone is suitable, which applies to my EB3 and Fretless P. But I don't delude myself into believing it's a versatile sound; it's not. You can EQ a roundwound to sound close to a flatwound. You can't EQ a flatwound to sound anything like a roundwound, which I imagine is why most artists don't bother with flats these days. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that would make a roundwound the exact opposite of limited.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
ALL BASS PLAYERS USE FLATS!!!
- Thread starter mdogs
- Start date
Nice try, but I use flats in addition to roundwounds when the tone is suitable, which applies to my EB3 and Fretless P. But I don't delude myself into believing it's a versatile sound; it's not. You can EQ a roundwound to sound close to a flatwound. You can't EQ a flatwound to sound anything like a roundwound, which I imagine is why most artists don't bother with flats these days. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that would make a roundwound the exact opposite of limited.
I think you're wrong to feel that flats are limiting. I use them in all kinds of music. Never an issue. I simply prefer the sound and feel. Nobody I play with cares much if at all.
The EB-3 and Fretless are probably two of the least versatile sounds out there...flats or no flats.
Edit: least versatile=limited
Also, I think you're over generalizing here. There are flats that come much closer to a round (Thomastik Infeld) than any round could ever come to a flat. I don't care what you do to EQ it, there will always be a hollow dip to the low mids on a roundwound no matter how much you gussy it up or how "broken in" they are, IMO.
I disagree, if you're using intentionally dark sounding flatwounds vs zingy roundwounds of course they will sound very different. Brighter flatwounds vs darker roundwounds will not have a massive difference, they both have a certain character to their sound but the biggest factor is the feel IME.
Nobody would think Steve Harris uses flats if there wasn't proof.
The Clairvoyant (Bass Only) [Studio Version]
Here's some Jack Casady, he could get plenty of brightness out of his flats.
Jefferson Airplane - Bless It's Pointed Little Head - 03 - Somebody To Love
Geezer Butler as well, lots of highs from those completely dead flats he played on their first album.
Black Sabbath-Wicked World
And some Roger Glover, flats on a Ric
Deep Purple - Highway Star Lyrics
Here's a poor recording of the former, former, former incarnation of my lame band at our very first practice(We like to record everything) "trying" to play NIB. I was using chromes and my neck pickup through a pretty dark sounding Acoustic combo with no EQ and a touch of gain.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Musicians are only limited by themselves.
Last edited by a moderator:
Wow, people sure get fired up over this.
Flats and rounds both have a place.
I have found that flats sound good on p-basses and fretless, rounds sound good on jazzes and stingrays.
Whatever works.
To each their own.
Flats and rounds both have a place.
I have found that flats sound good on p-basses and fretless, rounds sound good on jazzes and stingrays.
Whatever works.
To each their own.
The crazy thing is, I always thought flats were a one trick pony. Then one day I played vin*tone's STR strung with TI flats, and that changed my life. You could thump with them and they sounded great!
But what is the benefit of a flat that come closer to a round or viceversa? If you put flat on your bass is because you want a flat sound and the same with rounds... And you have halfround that is in the middle
My bass tech thought I was nuts when I asked him to install a Music Man style pickup in the neck position of my 5 string Jazz Bass on which I use flats. I use that bass strictly for roots reggae gigs and damn does it move some air. I've had people tell me my bass feels like their insides are being scrambled. Of course, you feel the notes more than hear them, but that's what I was going for and flats are the way to go if you want that earthquake tone.
Agreed. It's pretty easy to preach from the confines of a bedroom on the benefits of either view. Live and in the studio are when the tires hit the road and both rounds and flats play differently into each scenario. If it works, it works.
I've tried flats once, not on my bass, just on one in store for sale. It was a used bass, but i didn't like the feel of it. I was so used to roundwound strings (cause that's all i use). But i've recently changed the strings on my logical rickenbacker copy bass (it had the factory strings for 3 years) to d'addario halfwounds. I gotta say, as different as it is in feel, i love the tone i get from it. It's mellow enough to get that McCartney tone or reggae, but it has that extra bite to let the high end come out just enough. I enjoy it, but still gotta get used to the feel. But then again ,it's probably the only bass that'll ever have those strings. The others can keep roundwounds, and i'm a happy bassist 
I used TI flats for a while on my Alembic, but switched over to Fender 7250's and they seem to do the trick for me.
So much so, that now all my basses have 7250's.
So much so, that now all my basses have 7250's.
I haven't put flats on a bass since... 1981?
Flats - Meh. But some folks like them - and they are very vocal.
I tried the rotosound SH75 and they felt like u was playing in rebar, I don't know how Steve Harris does it........
I really like flats but I do like rounds and tapewound strings as well.
I have flats on 3 basses, rounds on the 2 5ers and tapes on another bass.
I have flats on 3 basses, rounds on the 2 5ers and tapes on another bass.
