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DOES ANYONE HERE USE ROUNDWOUNDS????

#123
tekdiver500ft said:
Yup. They were based on guitar strings. Rounds were on the first bases, all the way back in the 20s. Flats were invented in the mid '50s.
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Huh. Where can I read about this stuff? I mean, gut strings were all I was aware of existing in the early part of the century.... Not metal on metal round wounds. If you mean metal on nylon or metal on gut then those weren't applicable for electric instruments.... So not a predecessor on electric bass. The first strings I've ever been made aware of on electric bass were flats.

But if there is evidence to the contrary showing metal core round wounds before flats on bass guitar then I'll believe it if I see it. :-)
 
#124
#126
tekdiver500ft said:
Steel guitar strings were invented ca. 1890 (http://19thcenturyguitar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=75), the bass guitar was invented ca. 1933 (http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_guitar, the Tutmarc bass used Danelectro guitar strings, which were round-wound. Rotosound is much like Harley-Davidson, not only in that they claim to be first, but that their claimed start date is more a matter of marketing than reality.
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Thanks for the links, I'll read them now! :-)

In the meantime, if you mean predecessors to the fender bass like the infamous tic tac bass... I think the most successful of them, does anyone here really consider that a useful electric bass when played on its own? I recall it only being used to double upright lines in the 50s and early 60s.

I think most folks consider the fender precision the invention of the electric bass guitar and the first to have a tone that worked great on it's own in the studio. Pretty much, anyhow.

Along with that came flat strings.... Since the fender was based on upright tone capability in a portable fretted package.

Then rotosound invented and mass produced good bass first strings that worked properly on a fender scale length and has more flexibility, longer sustain, better harmonics, and played better up the neck compared to flats OF THE DAY, brought about because the fender bass had introduced the bass world to easier high fret access and people were unhappy with the current strings.

Again.... I have only read this stuff over the years and was not there.... It's heresy and could be wrong. However it's what I've come to find to be widely accepted history.... So if what I just wrote is wrong then I'm sorry... It's just a heck of a hell of a surprise! LoL
 
#127
tekdiver500ft said:
Steel guitar strings were invented ca. 1890 (http://19thcenturyguitar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=75), the bass guitar was invented ca. 1933 (http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bass_guitar, the Tutmarc bass used Danelectro guitar strings, which were round-wound. Rotosound is much like Harley-Davidson, not only in that they claim to be first, but that their claimed start date is more a matter of marketing than reality.
Click to expand...

OK I read those links. So steel core guitar strings existed, but I see no info or reason for the existence of round wound bass strings. No bass guitar, no need for round wound strings. Uprights obviously can't use them.

So I don't think rounds existed before rotosound brought them out.... Based on your links and common sense. Those strings for the Dani might have been round wounds.... But if so it's interesting they weren't used on the fender bass. My assumption is they weren't maybe very good strings, but maybe a simple as not the right scale length and gauge for a fender.

Secondly, that bass the guy invented was a novelty. Not mass produced, so i don't really think it would be considered the first bass you could buy... We'll leave that for fender). And the wiki didn't mention the infamous tic tac bass, as used on famous albums where they hired that famous Lady session bassist etc. (Was it carol Kaye?)... So i question it's completeness and accuracy. Which one of us here on tb wrote that wiki anyhow LoL... Likely one of us.
 
#128
My favorites
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#130
dkelley said:
In the meantime, if you mean predecessors to the fender bass like the infamous tic tac bass... I think the most successful of them, does anyone here really consider that a useful electric bass when played on its own? I recall it only being used to double upright lines in the 50s and early 60s.
Click to expand...
Tic tac, as they called it. The only reason that was the case is because until Motown, producers were very slow to catch onto the electric bass on a wide scale, and the tic tac bass was about as close as they came. They used it to give the upright a little more definition. But just like you can play tic tac on a regular 4-string bass, you can also use 6-string basses for playing actual bass. Two of the Beatles' biggest hits, "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude" were cut with John or George playing a Fender Bass VI, and tons of records were cut with the bassist using a Dano 6-string.

So while slapping on it was never the easiest thing, all it took was the right EQ for it to be a useful electric bass.

BTW, they weren't predecessors to the Fender Precision...they all came after.
 
#131
I have read a ton of "I love me some flats" threads. I tried them with different basses several times, sometimes for a month or more at a time to make sure that I was giving them the proper break in and testing that they needed.

Long story short, I hate them. Can't make them work for me. It's ok if you like flats. I just don't. Roundwound for me all day, everyday.

DR HiBeams are my current favorites. I've used them for the last five years.
 
#133
JimmyM said:
Tic tac, as they called it. The only reason that was the case is because until Motown, producers were very slow to catch onto the electric bass on a wide scale, and the tic tac bass was about as close as they came. They used it to give the upright a little more definition. But just like you can play tic tac on a regular 4-string bass, you can also use 6-string basses for playing actual bass. Two of the Beatles' biggest hits, "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude" were cut with John or George playing a Fender Bass VI, and tons of records were cut with the bassist using a Dano 6-string.

So while slapping on it was never the easiest thing, all it took was the right EQ for it to be a useful electric bass.

BTW, they weren't predecessors to the Fender Precision...they all came after.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks for following up on that. I knew it was part of history but didn't know the specifics or exact order of events. Cool.

Don
 
#136
My first bass was a Hofner copy and it had flats.

My second bass was a Hofner and it had flats.

My third bass a Gibson SG/eb bass it came with flats but I put on roundwounds.

My fourth bass was a 68 Rickenbacker 4001 it came with tapewound flats and I put on rounds.

All of my other basses were always strung with rounds.
 

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