Are dirt pedals better with duller strings? ...

[FretNoMore]

... like tapewounds or flatwounds? Less harsh highs; the dirt pedals add so much high end that I don't really enjoy the sound with fresh roundwounds. This is with blues and classic rock though, maybe metal players have a different take on this. What say you?

 

[bassmusic17]

I used to play with flat wounds. They weren't bright enough but I did really like the tone. Then I switched to ground wounds and pressure wounds. I liked this a lot better. The feel of the strings were nice and they lasted forever. Then I discovered circle K balanced roundwounds. I love these and I actually prefer the brighter tone I get from them. For a classic rock vibe I'd say try out GHS pressure wounds. I really liked them when I had them. Also liked the GHS flat wounds.

 

[Winfred]

I hear you. I play flats now, exclusively. And one of my bands is classic rock (70s thru 90s mostly).

My OD pedal (a cheap Joyo) sounds better with flats. Not sure why, and of course it's just my opinion, but it sounds fuller. Throw in a little octave and it's a nice big, fat sound in a 3 piece band.

 

[nshuman]

That is an interesting question. When I was a teen I did not pay much attention to strings and just played some very bright strings. That and a pick was all you needed for punk music. All I knew is that I absolutely hated some strings (I was talked into getting LaBella Hard Rockin' Steel strings in the mid 90s by someone at a big music store and I don't think I have ever despised other strings that much aside from maybe Ernie Ball strings).

Anyway, when I started with short scale basses, I went with flats because it just made more sense. I do use some of the relatively brighter flats (TIs and Roto77s). I say relatively because, hey, they are flats.

You kind of bring up a very interesting point because EQing before effects is sometimes very important. With my Bass that has TVJones pickups, I get very very different reactions in my dirt pedals especially. And, it's nit just due to the fact that the pickups are hotter. It might be better to always be able to start with a milder tone and add EQ before effects if you want. Like starting with a cleaner slate.

It's all hypothetical for me though because, when I played with bright strings, I played with really bad effects (guitar pedals that sucked the life out of the bass).

Juan Alderete posted about his evolution on strings. How he went from rounds to flats and then to tapes.

 

[shinybeast]

I know this is obvious, but it depends on what kind of sound you're going for. That said, I really like flats with dirt. One thing I've noticed--flats (or other darker strings) seem to be particularly good for blending dirt with clean signal, because they have less high-end content that makes up some of what "jumps out" in the clean part of the mix.

 

[FretNoMore]

I have tapewounds on the fretless jazz and tried them also on the fretted for a while; I think I'll put them back and see what that does to the drive sounds. I was just about to change out two of the pedals but I should put that on hold until I've listened to everything again with different strings.

 

[jking138]

I agree, I use flats and love using dirt. With rounds I used to get lost in the guitars but now I retain my place in the mix.
Darker settings seem to work better for me, I think the ear is drawn towards the highest frequencies in an instrument.
Dirt pedals have a tendency to scoop as well as add high end.

 

[Turtle71]

I'd say my OD's do sound better with my P wearing flats, it seems to take some of the shrillness out of sound....When I use my Jazz with rounds on it, it requires me to re EQ some things on my board, OD's seem the most affected.

 

[shinybeast]

Should add---The best bass tone I ever got on a recording was tapes on a maple-neck P through a B-15 with volume at about 3/4. I no longer have the bass or amp, but I think the tapes and the maple neck had a lot to do with the results.

 

[yaksonator]

I LOVE playing with flatwounds and dirt pedals.. I prefer the tone a little darker.

 

[JimmyM]

I like either. I generally hate dead rounds but I'm digging on these Dunlop Super Bright Nickels dead. I think the possibility of them being too bright exists, certainly, but amps DO have tone knobs

 

[FretNoMore]

Sure, but I don't find turning down the treble with roundwounds gives the same result as flats or tapewounds. It kills the attack a bit, makes the sound muddy or wooly. I have a passive tone knob on my active jazz, I've used that and it's better but not good.

I just put the white tapes back on the bass and I think I like it.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I do know what you mean. I will have to experiment with EQ ahead of dirt. Having an EQ pedal there all the time might be annoying, but would be tunable and switchable. I suppose if you have identified the frequency above which highs need to be cut (presumably higher than the standard tone control) a toggle switch with a suitable capacitor and resistor might do the job and fit neatly on a bass and give you the highs back for clean tones.

 

[zapped777]

Sure, but I don't find turning down the treble with roundwounds gives the same result as flats or tapewounds. It kills the attack a bit, makes the sound muddy or wooly. I have a passive tone knob on my active jazz, I've used that and it's better but not good.

I just put the white tapes back on the bass and I think I like it.

Which tape wounds are you using?

 

[FretNoMore]

La Bella White Nylon Tape Wound

 

[McFarlin]

I think this one is heavy on personal preference. Using flats for these last several months, I like my fuzz and drive pedals better much better with my usual nickel rounds. Of course, I like the rounds aged several weeks to a few months.

 

[Junior Shark]

Fo sho. But rounds are OK if they're a little dead. At least for myself, I prefer the darker, fuller sound with flats and dead rounds through OD/ distortion.

 

[zapped777]

I switched to flats and never looked back. Dry tone is bigger with more lows and less variation in tone from string to string, especially with regard to the d and g strings. Fuzz and drive sounds are much sweeter to me as well.

 

[JimmyM]

Sure, but I don't find turning down the treble with roundwounds gives the same result as flats or tapewounds. It kills the attack a bit, makes the sound muddy or wooly. I have a passive tone knob on my active jazz, I've used that and it's better but not good.

Good point.

 

[jasonmitsch]

For me it depends on the type of dirt.

OD I like flats or rounds equally.

Distortion I prefer rounds because I really like the clank that it offers.

Fuzz it depends on the type of fuzz. Muffs I like flats slightly more, and gated fuzz I like rounds just slightly more.

Overall, I prefer rounds for their feel and tone on most projects though.