Confessions of a Flatwound convert...

[monsterthompson]

damn. listening to the raw mix of the new cd my band is working on, and there are sections where i love the flats, and there are sections where i wish i had recorded with my lo-riders. guess i will have to get two basses and a budget big enough to record multiple tracks and pick and choose.

 

[Buskman]

I have too experienced some of what you say, but a little different as I play in two bands (one is classic RnR, and the other playing Blues, R&B with some soul, and jam band type music. My band has gtr, sax,trumpet, drm, vocal, and occasional harmonica. I have found the obvious....i.e. the flats sound great with some music, but the rounds bring more deffinition to most of what is played in both bands.

the flats sound great but leave alot to be desired when the bass line is very detailed. The rounds help in reproducing detailed bass lines.
The largest influence on how much Bottom End, or Tone for that matter, that I get seems to lead more towards a discussion on finger technique rather than strings.
Regards, Robbie

This has been my experience as well. As much as I love the sound of flatwound strings,I find in most settings I favor nickel plated roundwounds. Alot of the gigs I play I never know what the room is going to be like. I find with rounds I can come in,dial in my tone and be ready to go. You really can do so much with technique. Steve

James Jamerson produced some pretty detailed basslines using flats... same with Paul McCartney, Family Man Barrett, Bernard Edwards, Pino Palladino, Me'Shell N'degeocello, etc... etc... etc...

The 'technique' argument can be flipped - it's not in the strings being used, but in the hands playing them!

 

[wateroftyne]

I fought for a while to get a sound on stage using flats & a P-Bass that echoed the tone I heard in the studio. After dabbling with a number of cabs, I finally found the key when I bought a pair of Berg HS210s.

Those cabs are so detailed, they relay the warm growl of my La Bella FLs perfectly. It's a joyful sound.

 

[p-bass]

James Jamerson produced some pretty detailed basslines using flats... same with Paul McCartney, Family Man Barrett, Bernard Edwards, Pino Palladino, Me'Shell N'degeocello, etc... etc... etc...

The 'technique' argument can be flipped - it's not in the strings being used, but in the hands playing them!

Duck Dunn,Carl Radle,Bob Babbitt (now uses rounds),Chuck Rainy (switched to rounds,and last I heard is using flats again),Harvey Brooks,Joe Osborne,Carol Kaye...ect...ect...ect. These are some of my favorite players,including the players you mention. I agree,it's not the strings as much as the hands playing them. Again,I am explaining what works best for ME. Steve

 

[Buskman]

Duck Dunn,Carl Radle,Bob Babbitt (now uses rounds),Chuck Rainy (switched to rounds,and last I heard is using flats again),Harvey Brooks,Joe Osborne,Carol Kaye...ect...ect...ect. These are some of my favorite players,including the players you mention. I agree,it's not the strings as much as the hands playing them. Again,I am explaining what works best for ME. Steve

I understand (and respect) that. But this is a thread about FLATS...

 

[p-bass]

Oh yeah.....FLATS......I love them in some settings ! Steve

 

[Buskman]

Oh yeah.....FLATS......I love them in some settings ! Steve

Well played, sir... well played.

 

[p-bass]

Buskman,what kind of flatwounds are you using ?

 

[Buskman]

I currently have Chromes on my passive Yamaha BB415 (they sound GREAT with the bass' P pickup!), and I have LaBella tapes on my fretless Stingray 5. I recently sold a '70 Gibson EB-0 that I had strung with TI's.

I've experimented with a bunch - TI's were great sounding (tone-wise they fit the Gibson like a glove IMO), but I couldn't get past the super low tension. I really enjoyed playing the DR flats on my Squier VM Jazz, but I'm not quite sure if they're the right strings for that bass just yet (I still have them in case I want to give them another try).

Overall, the Yamaha is my go to workhorse bass. With the broken-in Chromes it sits in the mix very well, and having the flats on there I think has a lot to do with it!

 

[p-bass]

I like the Chromes too but have been diggin' the GHS Precision Flatwounds on a couple of Fender Precisions. Some people on this thread think I'm anti-flatwounds,but that is so untrue,I love the sound of flats ! Steve

 

[ChorusPedal88]

Got my chromes and put them on the P today

I REALLY like them, that nice mellow sound to them, I jammed along to Seven Seas of Rhye by Queen with them and they fit like a glove and give out a tasty mellow sound and with the treble boosted you get that Steve Harris Aces High sound, which is unusual for flats!

Ill give more of a review when they have mellow out a little.

 

[Sundogue]

Got my chromes and put them on the P today

I REALLY like them, that nice mellow sound to them, I jammed along to Seven Seas of Rhye by Queen with them and they fit like a glove and give out a tasty mellow sound and with the treble boosted you get that Steve Harris Aces High sound, which is unusual for flats!

Ill give more of a review when they have mellow out a little.

I think you will find that as they mellow out a bit, they also become more full sounding and more balanced. The brightness wears off a bit, but they'll remain brighter than traditional flats.

They'll settle in and stay that way for a very long time.

 

[WayneS]

you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the bass and drums at times now.

Then whats the point of playing?

I'm more percussive, not melodic. Chicks don't dance to melody.

I'm the opposite. I enjoy playing melodies, I think it makes the music sound better. I'm not in a band to make chicks dance. I'm here to make music. We're not a chick oriented band though.

That being said however, no string sounds better than a new set of Rotosound Flats.

 

[Buskman]

I like the Chromes too but have been diggin' the GHS Precision Flatwounds on a couple of Fender Precisions. Some people on this thread think I'm anti-flatwounds,but that is so untrue,I love the sound of flats ! Steve

I've been wanting to try out a set of those GHS flats, ever since I found out that's what Bernard Edwards had on his Stingray for all of those great tunes (LOVE his tone!).

No worries, Steve - it's obvious you dig flats, so it's all good!

Side note: I did some recording last night with the Yamaha BB415/Chromes combo... WOW! Deep, smooth as a baby's butt and punchy as heck. With just a touch of compression we had the perfect tone. Can't wait to hear it all after the final mixdown!

 

[Sundogue]

Then whats the point of playing?

Because I'm a bass player and part of the rhythm section. I love the power, control and influence the drums and bass have over the music.

I'm the opposite. I enjoy playing melodies, I think it makes the music sound better. I'm not in a band to make chicks dance. I'm here to make music. We're not a chick oriented band though.

I think melody without rhythm sucks. I play music for myself, but onstage I play it for others...specifically others that want to dance. I don't have an ego so large that I don't care about the people who pay me or the people who come out to dance to the music we make.

It isn't up to us if we are a "chick oriented" band or not. I can't help it if our band attracts hot looking women...but apparently "chicks" seem to dig us.

If you would rather play your music to intellectual guys who stare blankly at you while you play, or jump up and down while pumping their fists at you as their beer spills all over, who am I to judge?

Personally, I don't swing that way.

 

[blowabs]

uh-oh!!

 

[p-bass]

Buskman,the GHS Flats are a very trad. sounding flatwound string, and work purfect for the Blues band I play in. I have had a set on one of my P's for a good while, so they are nice and broken in,very fat and warm sounding. They do start out kinda bright,but mellow quick. Steve

 

[WayneS]

Because I'm a bass player and part of the rhythm section. I love the power, control and influence the drums and bass have over the music.



I think melody without rhythm sucks. I play music for myself, but onstage I play it for others...specifically others that want to dance. I don't have an ego so large that I don't care about the people who pay me or the people who come out to dance to the music we make.

It isn't up to us if we are a "chick oriented" band or not. I can't help it if our band attracts hot looking women...but apparently "chicks" seem to dig us.

If you would rather play your music to intellectual guys who stare blankly at you while you play, or jump up and down while pumping their fists at you as their beer spills all over, who am I to judge?

Personally, I don't swing that way.

Its all good! As the old adage goes... Different strokes for different folks!

Personally I commend you for having such a tight focus on what you want out of your music. As do I. But you see a lot of bassists and guitarists who "just play" without any specific goal other than playing a song.

Kudos to you my friend.

 

[p-bass]

uh-oh!!

I think feel it coming on again...

 

[blowabs]

I think feel it coming on again...

LOL.

I just keep learning with every post...........