Flats - The Clear Choice!

[uhdinator]

Flats get under the guitar spectrum instead of competing with it. Less overtones an rasp.

 

[Modern Growl]

This fictitious battle between players who use flats and other string types is in your head. There IS NO BATTLE

No battle? This 8 page / 140+ post thread says otherwise:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f16/all-bass-players-use-flats-883503/

I could really care less about the flats vs. rounds choice. I used rounds as they can simulate flats (tone rolled off completely), but flats cannot do what rounds do.

Use whatever you like. I'm making the "clear choice" though

 

[colbyAKAbobby]

Just got some flatwounds! Wow!

 

[colbyAKAbobby]

For four years I have played the bass and for four years I have missed out on flatwounds! I am blown away by the feel and the tone that I get from my precision bass with flat settings on my amp. That said, I'm still keeping some stainless steel roundwounds on my Jazz. Nothing is better for slapping than that.

 

[Mad Tango]

Both rounds and flats sound good. I will defend rounds for a change= Listen to Paul Turner w/ Jamiroquai at Abbey Road studio on "Runaway" read all the positive comments from non-bass players on Youtube (he used dead S.S rounds). More examples of great sounding rounds -- Bruce Thomas w/ Elvis Costello "Pump It Up" & "Everyday I write The book" also Bob Glaub w/Jackson Brown & w/Stevie Nicks Live 1983 Edge Of Seventeen" both flats and rounds sound good in the hands of the right player END OF STORY. There are many more examples of great sounding rounds as well as flats ~ both grove well.

 

[colbyAKAbobby]

Bruce Thomas w/ Elvis Costello "Pump It Up"

Yes! Love that song.

 

[nightwulf]

What about flats on an Ibanez? Has anyone ever done that yet?

Got TI flats on my SR500 EVERYBODY now comments on how good my bass sounds...(it sure as hell ain't my playing, I've only been at it for a year and a half...)

 

[Gravy4001]

Just wanted to add my $.02. Played rounds for 18 years because that's all I knew. That's what came on the bass so that's what I replaced them with every time. Last year I bought a 2011 P bass on Ebay and the guy had strung it with LaBella flats. Didn't like the feel at first, felt kinda like a noodle as opposed to the way I thought a bass was supposed to feel. But I kept them on to test out with my modern rock cover band - just for s**ts and giggles. Boy was I surprised! Bandmates were very impressed with how well they sat in the mix and they were plenty aggressive for the type of music. Used to the feel now and loving the fact that I don't have to change them as often - just keep 'em clean!