Perfect example of strings that work great on some basses and not on others - the first bass I tried them on, my Boulder Creek fretless 5, I didn't like them at all, but then I moved them over to another bass and they're just fine.
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Best strings... for Fretless ACOUSTIC Bass?
- Thread starter The Water
- Start date
For fretless and acoustic, I've always liked and use D'addario nylon black strings, kills all the bright scrape sounds but still provides some round wound quality. Very soft, flexible and easy to play, easy on the fingers.
THIS!!! I had a defretted Ovation acoustic bass, first owner had bronze strings on it -I personally hate them-... So I took the bass, clean, light-sanded and conditioned the fretboard, and put white nylon strings on it... That thing SINGS!!! I love those strings that much, that I bought a set for my Pbass!!!
I have a Guild B240EF (30 1/2" scale) and a Breedlove Solo (34" scale). I quickly replaced the stock bronze roundwounds pretty quickly on both of them with TI Jazz Flats (and I haven't had to replace them on either bass ever since). You'll definitely lose acoustic volume with any sort of flats or tapes, but smooth strings against a smooth fingerboard is certainly closer to the sound of an upright bass. I like LaBella deep talkin' flats on my fretless electric, But TI flats sound a lot more "musical" on my acoustics, especially with a little vibrato (remember that vibrato is up-and-down the length of the string on fretless - and side-to-side the string on fretted).
- Dec 21, 2007
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If the string is flexible enough to allow it, I prefer doing the up-and-down on a fretted instrument, too.
It is subtler than on fretless but it does move the pitch above and below the unvibratoed note, unlike side-to-side (which can only be just to sharp and back).
It achieves this not by altering length but tension: tightening (when you pull toward the nut) *and* loosening the string (when you pull toward the bridge, even though the point of contact obviously stays at the fret, you're alleviating tension ever-so-slightly).
I have a Carvin AC50, but I have 4 5 string basses total and they all wear LaBella Black Nylon Tape Strings. I have been playing them for many years. They are brighter than a flat, but duller than a round. As a left handed playing right handed a pick is not an option for me.
I used Nylon strings back in the late 60s , but the quality today is much better. They are much easier on my fingers as well.
Short answer try them until you find what you like, it could take so time and money, but when you find it you will know.
Good luck on your quest and let us know when and how it ends!
Duke
I used Nylon strings back in the late 60s , but the quality today is much better. They are much easier on my fingers as well.
Short answer try them until you find what you like, it could take so time and money, but when you find it you will know.
Good luck on your quest and let us know when and how it ends!
Duke
I'd just go with some bright flats, like Chromes or similar. Guys get really good results with tapes on fretless ABG, but ive never tried. I generally dislike bronze strings on ABG, except for the LaBella gold white tapes which I think are a bronze string wrapped in tape - THOSE would sound cool on a fretless ABG.
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I use Gallistrings Synthesis Flats on my Eston fretless acoustic. The synthetic core works so well with the Fishman pickup and preamp. I used to use Labella LTF on the bass but now prefer the Gallistrings.
Cool to see others enjoying TI Jazz Flats on their fretless ABG's... I bought a set of LaBella Tapewounds for my Breedlove and found that they would not work with the bridge, which does not use the typical bridge pins... insstead the strings just pass trough the bridge and the tapewounds were too fat at the ball end to fit properly without modifying the bridge by drilling it out, a scary proposition since it would be a tight squeeze to get a drill bit in there.
I just so happened to have a set of broken in TI flats around, so I put those on rather than putting the noisy bronze rounds back on. The rest is history... I just love the flats on there and with a bridge mute, it does get a really good emulated upright tone.
Highly recommend trying the TI JF's!!
I just so happened to have a set of broken in TI flats around, so I put those on rather than putting the noisy bronze rounds back on. The rest is history... I just love the flats on there and with a bridge mute, it does get a really good emulated upright tone.
Highly recommend trying the TI JF's!!
I had tried rounds, half-wounds (ground wound rounds) and flats, I personally prefer Labella DTF tape wounds. Regular flats have too much tension for my liking (and my 2 fretless AGBs aren't fond of them either).
I've also tried the La Bella 750G Deep Talkin' Bass Gold White Nylon Tapewounds on a fretless electric and really liked them - basically, ABG bronze rounds covered in thin white nylon tape - I think they would also sound really great on fretless ABG, haven't tried them yet though. But worth a look if you're leaning towards tapes.
For the record I ended up with the D'addario XL chrome flats. After my bad experience with the tru bass nylon tapewounds I just couldn't bring myself to go tapes again - too tight and dull on my fretless. The chrome's have that twang and zing I was looking for with a nice deep resonance and sustain - very much more like a double bass now than with the tapes! I find myself picking up the instrument more and enjoying playing it again regularly, whereas it just gathered dust before I found the strings so off-putting. The chrome's might sound too bright on an electric? Or the tapes might sound good on one, so I am planning on getting a mustang to try them on. But anyway, love chromes on a fretless acoustic...
...may try GHS boomers next.
...may try GHS boomers next.
How's the intonation on the Guild with the TIs (I mean, how off/spot on are notes at the 12th line)? Did you get the short scale set or the regular long scales?
Just bought one along with a set of short scale TIs and medium scale Daddario tapes but put the latter on. Still debating that decision
The "short scale" TIs are really medium scale and fit well. I really like them. Tapes sound kinda "plasticky" to me on fretless, and Tis sorta "sing" on a fretboard. I think you'll like the difference.
Intonation is not perfect across the 12th line, but intonation on fretless is much more "in your ears" than it is on the lines. I suppose you could correct it a bit by compensating the bridge saddle, but I don't think that would be worth the effort. It hasn't been an issue for me.
Congrats on finding a B-240EF, especially since they've been discontinued. In time, I think you'll really like it.
Thanks for the answer. I had no idea they discontinued it, it's still in stock on various European websites.
I might just throw the TIs on then and see what happens. My other fretless is an unlined MIJ P and out of all the flats/tapes I tried the TIs were clearly « singing » the most, but I have rounds on these days.
