Flats or Rounds?

[bassbully]

I’m trying rounds again after only playing flats for years. I feel an acticve bass sounds better with rounds were as a passive bass sounds better with flats.
My 55-01 Lakland although active has Chromes. My new 55-02 has DR Pure Blues. I feel the flats carry better live and keep the low end tight we’re as the rounds have zing but get lost more with the guitars. Jury is still out on if I will keep rounds on that bass but so far they are kinda growing on me.

 

[BeauZooka]

View attachment 3190340

What does this mean? Why is the camel sleeping? Do the 4 moving sticks represent the four strings of the bass? Why is the man masturbating? I need a beer.

 

[michael_t]

View attachment 3190110

Yes, I've seen that. It's an obvious error on the package.

The info on their website is correct:

Specialty Strings - Ken Smith Basses

 

[garciawork]

Flats. I LOVE my GHS precision flats. Tried Thomastiks, tried, Fender flats, Chromes, La Bella's, and I can honestly say I see no reason to ever try another string on my P. Heck, you could remove the tone knob and just keep it off all the time, and I'd be fine.

 

[Wfrance3]

One bass flats one bass with coated rounds done.

 

[lowplaces]

What do y'all think?

- Sam

Cheers Sam !

Do you like what you hear on Dark Side of the Moon, The Police's early stuff, and Phil Lynott's tone with Thin Lizzy ?

If so, Rotosound 77's are hard to beat.

 

[okabass]

I feel you should try all possibilities. The music styles you mentioned were played mostly with a passive Precision bass ( or a J Bass). With flats, many times with ash trays with a mute. Those are really worth of trying. Good mute gives notes good rhythmic thump and kind of natural decay. i.e. you don't have to mute with your fingers. Try also a pick.
Thomastiks (JF 344) are good to easy shifting from rounds to flats. Give flats some time to get used to. I tried 4-5 times: putted flats, didn't like, put rounds again etc.
I use now only the heavy La Bella's Jamerson set with a mute on my '51 and '57 type P basses. I feel that flats and a P bass have "the Sound".
ps. You don't have to change the flats nearly as often than the rounds. (=more beer and pizza)

 

[Herrick]

Boxers or briefs?

Boxer briefs definitely.

 

[JimmyM]

Whatever you want is fine by me.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Hello there

I'm going to be purchasing a Presicion type bass in the next few weeks, and I'm currently debating on whether I should put rounds or flats on it; I currently play in a blues/blues rock band, and use a Modern Player Jazz bass with Elixir stainless steel rounds on it, which has an amazing sound for rock/funk/fusion thanks to a combination of the strings and the pickups, but it does seem a bit aggressive sounding for the bluesy stuff I'm doing with the band (Which is one of the reasons I'm going for a P bass haha).

I am curious as to whether its better to put rounds or flats on it however; there are convincing arguments for both, and not all flatwound strings sound the same; the music is kind of 50/50 between standard electric blues sound and more hard edged Zeppelin/Hendrix sounding blues rock; my main concern is the flats being able to cover the heavier stuff as well as the more blues focused music. Its a three piece band btw.

What do y'all think?

- Sam

Sounds to me like you should keep rounds on the Jazz and go ahead and put flats on the P.

 

[xnewyorka]

The poll is missing two additional choices:
Flats for E and A, and Rounds for D and G.
Flats for D and G, and Rounds for E and A.

 

[selowitch]

You could try string the E and A strings with flats and the D and G strings with rounds. Several folks on TB have done it.

 

[Schlyder]

You need a second Pbass so you can put rounds on it.

 

[selowitch]

Nylon tapewounds feel and sound great, by the way.

 

[Mili]

Round Carrots!

 

[interp]

TI Jazz flats

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

"Forks or spoons?". Depends on what's on the table. Same applies to "Flats or rounds?".

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

Even my guitar has flats on it

 

[JMacBass65]

Yes

 

[Whippet]

The Compressors are in fact Ken Smith's version of the GHS Pressurewounds, both made by GHS, and the outer wrap wire is Alloy 52, which is a nickel-iron alloy.

Thanks for the information. Always wondered. Now I can get the cheaper one.