DOES ANYONE HERE USE ROUNDWOUNDS????

[jweber76]

I keep two J's with flats and two with rounds...

 

[mcblahflooper94]

I think that rounds are the most popular of the two, actually. If you talk to most bass players, they'll likely tell you they're playing on rounds. This is the reason that, when one goes to GC or any other music store, the basses are strung with rounds. I believe there has since been, as some say, a resurgence of flatwound usage. Most likely because a lot of bassists see that they have a large impact on tone, and are very useful in some instances. Flats were somewhat rejected, as I understand, when rounds came out due to the more bright nature that rounds have. Remember, rounds came later.

 

[Sixgunn]

I absolutely LOVE the vibrant, crisp, defined, aliveness of stainless rounds!!

I HATE flats!! Like so may have said, they sound like dead, lifeless rubber bands right out of the package.

They really have no reason to exist.

Rounds can sound like flats if need be but flats can't even compare and if rounds are too hard on your widdle fingees, that's a sure sign that you need to pway more!!

 

[gidbass]

I have been a whore with my string selection for the past two years. Tried lots of different brands(round, flat, ground), and there are a lot of great strings out there for sure.

I ended up where i started, Rotosound RS66's are my favorite. They are on my ric and my steinie spirit.

 

[ampeg baby]

I was a roundwound user until i tried the Thomas Infeld Jazz Flats never went back to round wounds again for years.

 

[DiMarco]

Flats feel sticky and sound dull. I will never ever use them.
Does this answer the question?

 

[jweber76]

I don't really prefer one over the other. After playing only rounds for about twenty years I got my first P bass. As a TB member I had heard all the hype about P basses with flats and a tort guard...Mine had a tort guard so I figured I would try a set of chromes, they were Ok but after playing the flats for a few minutes my fingers felt like they were on fire! Just like any other strings I knew I had to break them in before I passes judgment on them. My fingers got used to the flats and I rather liked the sound so I started trying different types. Turns out my favorites were fender flats, some of the cheapest flats around! I feel like different basses sound best (to me) with different strings so some of my axes are strung with flats and some are strung with rounds.
In reference to toughening up your fingers to play rounds: I found it to be just the opposite. When I started playing bass at about 12 years old I would just sit and play for hours and never experienced (or maybe just don't remember) any discomfort like I felt when I started playing flats. And like I said, I had 20+ years of callouses by then! Yow! Burning fingers!
-John

 

[*Tempest*]

I've used flats for the past 4 years. Just recently started using rounds again on my stingray. I'm LOVING the Ernie Ball cobalt. They tear up my fingers a little, but the sound is incredible and clear. Very bright top, massive bottom.

I keep flats on my precision still.

 

[jweber76]

I am intrigued by the Cobalt... I've been using DR stainless highbeams for years but have been thinking about changing up.
Could someone explain the difference between highbeams and lowriders to me? And maybe someone who has tried both could say how they stack up against the Cobalts ?

 

[Sixgunn]

I've used Lo-riders and Hi-beams and the difference is The lo-riders are on Hex cores and Hi-beams are on round cores. The difference that they advertise and that I've definitely found to be true is Hi-beams feel more flexible (rubbery?). Lo-riders seem to be just a shade brighter which I prefer but I play pretty technically challenging progressive death-ish metal and the more flexible Hi-beams seem more versatile. As in if I play closer to the neck, the flexibility is more apparent with more definition of notes but less forgiving to picking inconsistencies (I'm a finger player) while closer to the bridge for stiffness in faster, more demanding passages. That's what I've found

 

[jweber76]

That is EXACTLY what I was looking for! Thanks!

 

[Bob Palmer]

Funny thing, when I talk to other bassists at multi-band live shows, most seem to be using flats. I keep basses strung with both, but 99% of the time, grab one with flats whether it's for a live show or studio.

 

[deepseabass]

I'll use any string. flats, rounds, coated, anything. I just WON'T use half rounds. those are total crap.

 

[SteveC]

DR Hi Beams all the way. Round wound stainless steel baby. 😛🎸💰

 

[Wookieonbass]

My p5 currently has flats but my other basses have rounds.

 

[Smit_Dogg]

I was a roundwound user until i tried the Thomas Infeld Jazz Flats never went back to round wounds again for years.

I have a set of TI's flats on my fretless, they feel great on there. I'm usually a Chromes man but I prefer a low tension string where fretless playing is concerned.