Fake/Quasi Flats For Picking

[J-Mags]

I'm usually a flats + pick guy and I've got three basses. Two of them are good to go with flats (GHS Precision Flats and Dunlop).

The third is a J-Bass. I've been alternating between GHS Boomers and Chromes on that one. They both come close. I like the Boomers a lot when I play with my fingers. The Chromes sound OK as well but not as vibrant. The problem is that I still play with a pick most of the time, and the sound of a pick on roundwound strings sounds like garbage to me every single time. I know plenty of Duff McKagan fans will disagree, but I like what I like. It makes no sense to me to have a bass that I won't play with a pick. What am I gonna do, have a guitar tech hand me a different bass between songs down at the corner bar?

Any suggestions for fake-quasi flats that'll get some click? I tried D'Addario half rounds a very long time ago. I recall that I hated the feel, but also somehow enjoyed playing them as my fingers turned black. Are Pressurewounds flat enough in practice to avoid the grind? I don't care about right hand finger noise, sounding like flats, etc. I just want my click!

 

[michael_t]

Any suggestions for fake-quasi flats that'll get some click? I tried D'Addario half rounds a very long time ago. I recall that I hated the feel, but also somehow enjoyed playing them as my fingers turned black. Are Pressurewounds flat enough in practice to avoid the grind? I don't care about right hand finger noise, sounding like flats, etc. I just want my click!

I know what you're saying about the initial feel of half-rounds. It's taken me over two years and three tries with GHS Brite Flats (Alloy 52 half-rounds) to finally get to the point of enjoying what they have to offer both in tone and feel.

That said, the ones on my P bass are now a little over a month old and they're starting to feel nice and smooth with most of the initial stickiness gone. I particularly like their tone when played with a pick with a thick full-bodied punch with clarity and definition, and very little of the roundwound zing or clang.

As for the Pressurewounds, I think they might be a little too "roundwound" in their tonal character for what you're looking for.

 

[michael_t]

Or, you can always try a set of these, maybe...?

https://www.bassexchange.com/la-bella-760ql-deep-talkin-bass-quarter-round-long-scale-34-p-3114.html

 

[sunbeast]

I'm usually a flats + pick guy and I've got three basses. Two of them are good to go with flats (GHS Precision Flats and Dunlop).

The third is a J-Bass. I've been alternating between GHS Boomers and Chromes on that one. They both come close. I like the Boomers a lot when I play with my fingers. The Chromes sound OK as well but not as vibrant. The problem is that I still play with a pick most of the time, and the sound of a pick on roundwound strings sounds like garbage to me every single time. I know plenty of Duff McKagan fans will disagree, but I like what I like. It makes no sense to me to have a bass that I won't play with a pick. What am I gonna do, have a guitar tech hand me a different bass between songs down at the corner bar?

Any suggestions for fake-quasi flats that'll get some click? I tried D'Addario half rounds a very long time ago. I recall that I hated the feel, but also somehow enjoyed playing them as my fingers turned black. Are Pressurewounds flat enough in practice to avoid the grind? I don't care about right hand finger noise, sounding like flats, etc. I just want my click!

I would call the roundwound vibe of Pressurewounds more "growl" than "grind" personally. They do have some flatwound-esque thump and feel, but with more aggression on tap for sure (the best "hybrid" I've tried personally). I really dig them, but hard to say for sure if they'd nail what you are looking for