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Extra Heavy Flatwounds?

C

Chaddycakes

Mar 19, 2007
569
12
40
New Orleans, LA 70115
#1
I have a Fender Mark Hoppus Signature P-Bass that I've been playing with the Jamerson-heavy gauge of flatwounds for a while now. Is there a reason that I shouldn't move up yet again to a .112 or even a .115 E? I realize that they will be very difficult to play, but I'd love the challenge and the resulting tone.

I won't blow my bass up, will I? :hiding:
 
#6
Chad.mundt said:
I have a Fender Mark Hoppus Signature P-Bass that I've been playing with the Jamerson-heavy gauge of flatwounds for a while now. Is there a reason that I shouldn't move up yet again to a .112 or even a .115 E? I realize that they will be very difficult to play, but I'd love the challenge and the resulting tone.

I won't blow my bass up, will I? :hiding:
Click to expand...

Yessir, go for it. I'd ask to shake your hand but you'd probably turn mine into meat pulp!
 
#9
Chad.mundt said:
I have a Fender Mark Hoppus Signature P-Bass that I've been playing with the Jamerson-heavy gauge of flatwounds for a while now. Is there a reason that I shouldn't move up yet again to a .112 or even a .115 E? I realize that they will be very difficult to play, but I'd love the challenge and the resulting tone.

I won't blow my bass up, will I? :hiding:
Click to expand...

Why increase the tension to 'challenge' yourself? That's not a challenge, that's a disability.
 
#13
For many years I used .50-.115 roundwounds...they aint that tough once you get used to 'em. I'd swear I much prefer the tone.

Just bought a set of Circle K's that are .49-.118 which sounds crazy, but they're really slinky for their size...possibly too slinky for me :)
 
#15
neebs said:
dang .118 for E.. that's pretty hardcore.

I've used .112 from circle k, and they did feel sorta slinky.. But it did make my tendons hurt. Call me a sissy.
Click to expand...

Well, I mostly play upright bass, so I guess I'm just used to bigger strings :)

Everyone should play what's comfortable:bassist:
 
#17
Danno1985 said:
So you're saying Jamerson could've had better "tone" by moving up a couple gauges? :hmm:

By all means, go for it man, to each their own, but if you have a buzz free setup and like the sound you're getting with the Jamersons you have now, personally I don't really see the point in making it harder on your tendons just for kicks.
Click to expand...

Hmm...tiny bit mean-spirited :)

I don't have anything to prove...was actually looking to go slightly lighter, and even though the Circle K's are larger, they really feel quite slinky.
 
#18
Hmm. Maybe I need to bite the bullet and do some hard research here. La Bella said they'd make me custom sets, but I'd have to buy 6 sets. I want to record myself playing on the Jamersons and then on the .112s, so we can actually see the difference.

Anybody else want to take the Super-Motown Challenge?
 
#19
Chad.mundt said:
Also, when your hands are strong, you play better. You lift weights to get strong, you play heavy strings to get strong hands
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Wrong.

Sorry, but it's not about strength, it's about dexterity.

I am physically strong enough to snap a bass string if it's tuned to pitch. That doesn't make me a good bass player. I play with a pretty light touch, a small child could easily exert as much force on a string as I do when I play.

I use heavy strings because they have narrower vibrations, which allows me to get lower action without buzzing than if I used thinner strings.
 

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