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Anybody else went back to rounds?
- Thread starter Just Wrong
- Start date
Must be nice.......unless I'm running the sound (smaller clubs) it seems to be the rule for me anymore. Were you handing pre or post signal off to the techs?
Edit: As I think about this, expectations also play a large part. A sound engineer will let highs pass through for certain styles (slap, etc). But for those of us playing in a rock environment there's an expectation that the bass will have little to no high end (as it should if the engineer is slotting frequencies) to fit properly into the mix. Every house engineer in this geographical area follows a similar formula. If you are a rock bassist you have to accept the fact that you will be mixed a certain way.
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Yes. About 24 hours after each time I’ve tried switching to flats.
I haven’t “switched back” but I’ve definitely become more open to using them. I keep every bass except for one strung with flats, just a personal preference thing. I find for most bands I’m in (3 piece with me singing with a guitarist and a percussionist) flats are what I want. Lots of low end, very easy to dial in a good bass tone. However, the Labella Ian Marin Allison strings are really cool. I keep them on my squier PJ with EMG GZR’s whenever I need something different. Different tools for different sounds. Always great to have options.
I have not used flats in a while - in my musical context I have generally found that rounds blend better with the other instruments and have a bit better sustain. I don’t hate them or anything but rounds just tend to fit me better for what I do. This is after years and lots of dollars spent experimenting. YMMV
That hasn't been my experience either. There are guys in my area that I have to ask to shelf the highs, depending on my backline. Often I'll have to leave HF intact in my signal so I can get the definition I want for myself, but it's not my intention to send that out front. The guys I work with frequently don't do a whole lot to my signal - I'm sending a fairly well processed sound. I find a humble, open conversation works well in the venues I'm grateful to play regularly these days. Multi-band shows? I don't even worry about it. Line check, bash it out for 45, move on. We don't do a lot of them any more.
I can totally see this happening, though. Sounds like a pain to deal with.
My first set of rounds was a set of Roto-Sound Swing bass in 1973 and there was no looking back at flats. I bought a JB last summer that came with a set of flats. Four recording sessions one gig and numerous hours of practice, the Fender Jazz now has a fresh set of DR Lo Riders and all is well in the world again.
I will say this. After 50 years of mostly playing Motown and R&B using rounds, I’ve had zero complaints from any band mates, soundmen, sound engineers, or producers about my tone. I have had conversions with the same that have mention working with bassists and their well loved flats they wouldn’t part with for a million dollars but should…
Yes I had a revelation with TI flats, but then had even more of a revelation with TI jazz rounds. Rounds all around. Fretless fretted etc. they’re Dang spendy now though with all the new taxes on us consumers.
About two years ago three of my basses had flats, including my main P-Bass. These days only the Hofner has flats and that gets used very seldom. The reason for the change is arthritis, after playing I had aches in the finger joints, so I switched to light gauge roundwounds.
D
For recording I choose rounds/flats based on what the song/genre calls for.
For live gigs I use rounds almost exclusively. I often feel like I get lost in the "mix" on stage when I use flats. 95% of the time I can get "close enough" for live gigs with rounds, a piece of foam and a passive tone control. But of course, sometimes "close enough" isn't really close enough...
For live gigs I use rounds almost exclusively. I often feel like I get lost in the "mix" on stage when I use flats. 95% of the time I can get "close enough" for live gigs with rounds, a piece of foam and a passive tone control. But of course, sometimes "close enough" isn't really close enough...
D
TI Jazz Rounds are EXCEPTIONAL strings. The tone is totally unique and has an organic, "woody" quality that no other roundwounds are even remotely close to. They're not comparable to ANY other roundwounds. They are pretty much in a category of their own. I love them.
I like them better on short scale basses though. On long scale basses they get a bit too floppy for my playing style. Unlike most other strings, the short scale set actually feels slightly tighter overall than the long scale set
With TI Jazz Flats it's the other way around. I love the long scale set, but find the short scale set almost unplayable. The A-D-G-strings are too floppy for me, and the E-string is far too stiff/inarticulate. The drop in tension from E to A with the short scale set is insane! The rather hard to find "Höfner" short scale set is much better balanced, but too light/floppy for my taste.
TI seems to have a rather strange approach to electric bass strings. Each type is only available in ONE gauge, and it sometimes feels like they've picked the gauges for their bass string sets blindly out of a hat.. Take it or leave it. Which means they can be extremely hit-or-miss, depending on personal preferences.
That happened to me!
I’ve used flats (and the occasional nylon tapes) for almost a decade on all my basses. For a few years, my dream bass tone was rooted in the 60s-70s so I used La Bellas, Pyramids and GHS and was fine with those. Then I got a bit bored with the tone and tried experimenting with brighter flats, I had good luck with both Chromes and TIs. But as my former band’s music was changing and as we started touring more and more, I always had to or was asked to boost the highs. Which led me to being curious about rounds again, I put a set on a bass, then another, then another. Now all my instruments but one wear rounds. I just like the flexibility and versatility better. I know it’s not “the same” but I find it quite easy to fake a flatwound feel with proper technique and a bit a foam. Close enough to fool a lot of peers at least haha.
I do expect to restring some with flats in the future but I dont believe there’ll be another massive takeover.
I’ve used flats (and the occasional nylon tapes) for almost a decade on all my basses. For a few years, my dream bass tone was rooted in the 60s-70s so I used La Bellas, Pyramids and GHS and was fine with those. Then I got a bit bored with the tone and tried experimenting with brighter flats, I had good luck with both Chromes and TIs. But as my former band’s music was changing and as we started touring more and more, I always had to or was asked to boost the highs. Which led me to being curious about rounds again, I put a set on a bass, then another, then another. Now all my instruments but one wear rounds. I just like the flexibility and versatility better. I know it’s not “the same” but I find it quite easy to fake a flatwound feel with proper technique and a bit a foam. Close enough to fool a lot of peers at least haha.
I do expect to restring some with flats in the future but I dont believe there’ll be another massive takeover.
- Oct 22, 2015
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Pulled off a most excellent set of EB Group IV flats for a set of Smith Compressors. The reason is I need the StingRay for a completely new project. Jason suggested the Smiths based on the criteria I gave him.
Just hate to see those flats go, because they are beautiful (to my ear). And hate to toss them before they even reach their prime. Originally installed the flats because I needed the full-on Bernard Edwards funk tone (and got it in spades). Now I need something else, so. Off they go. (The new project is tres
)
The StingRay has worn rounds for 42 of its 46 years. My favorite rounds on this instrument are DR Black Beauties. Using the Smiths because their pulling tension is a very close match for the Group IV flats. The neck is absolutely stable. If the Black Beauties came in .040 - .096, I'd be all over a set.
The Nordy Cat bass wears GHS Balanced Nickels, end of story.
The Pyramid Gold flats are on the big semi-hollowbody, as they should be. "This bass should always wear flats," my luthier tells me, and I agree. It is my British Invasion bass, and dub bass. These are "forever" strings.
"Basses chose their strings," it is said, and I won't disagree.
Just hate to see those flats go, because they are beautiful (to my ear). And hate to toss them before they even reach their prime. Originally installed the flats because I needed the full-on Bernard Edwards funk tone (and got it in spades). Now I need something else, so. Off they go. (The new project is tres
)The StingRay has worn rounds for 42 of its 46 years. My favorite rounds on this instrument are DR Black Beauties. Using the Smiths because their pulling tension is a very close match for the Group IV flats. The neck is absolutely stable. If the Black Beauties came in .040 - .096, I'd be all over a set.
The Nordy Cat bass wears GHS Balanced Nickels, end of story.
The Pyramid Gold flats are on the big semi-hollowbody, as they should be. "This bass should always wear flats," my luthier tells me, and I agree. It is my British Invasion bass, and dub bass. These are "forever" strings.
"Basses chose their strings," it is said, and I won't disagree.
Always post, and often with a pedal board. However, after thinking about it, I have had subs cranked way too loud. That can kill your definition. But it happens a lot less than it used to when neo subs first appeared and everyone was so enamored with the extended lows that they forgot they were mixing bands.
I install the Cobalt flat for my Charvel Pro Mod PJ since the day i have it. Several months ago, i swap the Cobalt flat with NYXL , 7250L and DR Sunbeam...... and finally back to Cobalt flat again.
