are flatwounds too mellow for rock?

[bass geetarist]

Could be but I haven't broke a string in years

Ya me neither, but I haven't broken a flatwound in decades

 

[bassdude51]

Rounds are WAY more versatile. You can make 'em sound like flats (dull and lifeless), but you can't make flats sound like rounds.

With all due respect................I want my bass guitar to sound like a bass and not like a bass guitar. Make any sense? That's why use only flats.

 

[bassdude51]

I think Mr. Entwistle, Mr. Squire, Mr. Lee and countless others would disagree. I'm not a soloist by any means but sitting in the background playing rubber bands is definitely not for me.

Bass solo on My Generation..............flats!

 

[RandomBox]

Never too mellow. I put some TI Jazz flats on my rickenbacker, and the tone is still punchy and rough or smooth (depending on which pickup I use). It sounds great from rock to punk and even grunge.

 

[Bassdude15]

I think Mr. Entwistle, Mr. Squire, Mr. Lee and countless others would disagree. I'm not a soloist by any means but sitting in the background playing rubber bands is definitely not for me.

Actually most of the "sitting in the background" bassists (i.e. mainstream rock, mid-80's to now) use rounds. Chris Squire in fact used flats for a long time; he didn't start using rounds until the recording of "Fragile"

 

[therhodeo]

Chris Squire in fact used flats for a long time; he didn't start using rounds until the recording of "Fragile"

Because he wanted to or because thats what was available?

 

[Bassdude15]

He said in an interview once he just didn't bother paying the extra price to order a set from Rotosound. Seeing the Who play live that year changed his mind I guess. Kind of strange that switching to round wounds was the last piece of his signature sound to emerge (he used a Ric, .47 tone capacitor, and a pick when he still used flats ).

 

[Pilgrim]

"....are flatwounds too mellow for rock?"

Considering that almost all rock music in the 60's and early 70's was recorded with flats, the answer is obvious.

 

[Sixgunn]

With all due respect................I want my bass guitar to sound like a bass and not like a bass guitar. Make any sense? That's why use only flats.

No. Makes no sense at all. Again, rounds can sound dull and lifeless too.

 

[Sixgunn]

Bass solo on My Generation..............flats!

Early stuff before he discovered rounds.

 

[Sixgunn]

Chris Squire in fact used flats for a long time; he didn't start using rounds until the recording of "Fragile"

And what a change for the better!

 

[donn]

Well, you have to have some sympathy for some of these guys. I mean, you've been making out pretty well playing bass, and then you, like, discover your inner banjo player, but what are you going to do? Not much money in the banjo.

 

[Sixgunn]

Ya me neither, but I haven't broken a flatwound in decades

I've never broke a flatwound lol

 

[Bassdude15]

Watch one of Cream's live performances and listen to Jack Bruce's bass. Still think flat wounds are too mellow for rock?

 

[Rockbobmel]

I put a set of Labella XLong flats on my Dingwall AB1-5 Saturday. I have an tribute to AIC coming this month and was worried about these. What I did was add some sparkle with my VT Bass pedal. It sounded KILLER!

 

[billgwx]

Steve Harris? From what I've read elsewhere on the forum I understand he uses Rotosound flats, which I've found to be pretty bright and clanky...a good compromise between "bassy" and "twangy" if you don't mind their bridge cable tension.

 

[Sixgunn]

Steve Harris? From what I've read elsewhere on the forum I understand he uses Rotosound flats, which I've found to be pretty bright and clanky...a good compromise between "bassy" and "twangy" if you don't mind their bridge cable tension.

Yeah, he uses some sort of flats. He'd be SOOO epic with rounds!!!

 

[therhodeo]

Heres the thing with flats. They are a sound. Rounds are a sound. Are they your sound? Thats for you to decide in the context of your playing and the sound of the group you're playing in.

When you say "rock" it can mean a million different sounds. People keep referencing players who used to play flats in their early days. I think its a bit ridiculous to pretend that all rock in 2013 requires nothing different than what Squire or Entwistle did in their early days. Its also completely possible that your brand of rock doesn't require anything more than what they did in their early days.

 

[Bassdude15]

This guy I know in a GRINDCORE band uses flats-chromes, to be exact.

 

[dlawlis]

Steve Harris? From what I've read elsewhere on the forum I understand he uses Rotosound flats, which I've found to be pretty bright and clanky...a good compromise between "bassy" and "twangy" if you don't mind their bridge cable tension.

[Bringing this thread back to life like a set of freshly boiled strings ]
It's my understanding that Mr. Harris also changes his strings for every gig. My experience with flats inform me that a fresh set can sound bright after being restrung but then sound very dull the next day.