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Flatwounders, In What Context Would You NOT Use Flats?

#61
I have and use both. I have EB Group II flats on my P-bass and DR Lo-Riders (lately it's been the nickel version instead of SS). My main band is an R&B project that spans everything from Motown to newer hip-hop and neo-soul and all points in between. Our setlist is usually determined by the audience we expect. If we are playing primarily for an older, more mellow crowd (Motown and early 70s soul/funk), I use the P-bass. I do this because it sounds more appropriate for that style. Even though it isn't my preferred tone for everything, even slapping does sound a bit more authentic on the flats in that environment.

But, most of the time, we play a wide variety of material because our audience has a wide range of ages...anything from 20-60+. For those shows, because we cover such a broad range, I bring the 5er with rounds. Even though it doesn't sound 100% authentic on some of the oldies.

So, basically, I look at my setlist and see what the majority of the material calls for. If it mostly calls for flats, I'll use flats. If it mostly calls for rounds, I'll use rounds. It really isn't a vintage/modern thing either. There is a lot of newer material where flats just sound better, or more authentic anyways. But, when my band launches into "Candy" by Cameo, it definitely sounds if I'm using the bass with rounds.

Oh, and for the record, cutting the tone control on a passive or treble control on an active bass does not give you the same tone as flats IMO/IME. I have both kinds of basses and have used both kinds of strings on each kind. Flats do not automatically equal mud and they still sound great in a killer rig. YMMV.
 
#63
odin70 said:
I would not use flats for: fretless, chordal playing, solo/melodic upper-register playing, overdrive/dist. sounds.
Click to expand...
That about covers it, but I would personally never do any of that anyway...well not often, anyway.

Sometimes in recording, I use rounds to double or do a sort of tick-tack bass thing.

I consider the sound of roundwounds to be an "effect" and use it in that context.

I would probably consider using rounds more if they weren't so destructive of frets. :(
 
#64
I prefer D'Addario Chromes and I think they are good for pretty much everything. There are a small handful of styles I doubt flats could pull off authentically, but the result would still be very fun to listen to. I'm thinking Marcus Miller, and the list pretty much ends there for what I play. A lot of the top-end of bass tone comes from effects and processing as much as the strings and I've found it's easier to get good flats to sound like rounds than to get rounds to sound like good flats (I know that's the opposite of what people like to say but I believe it). Take the Duke Spirit, their bassist uses a lot of grind and crunch, but I would almost bet you he is using flats.

So far I have not convinced myself that rounds can be made to sound as good on fretless as flats can in spite of all of the famous examples to the contrary. I really prefer the full-bodied character of flats versus the squawky sounds rounds make on a fretless board, even though I'd LIKE to like it. I was about to pull the trigger on some CKs for my fretless but decided not to at the last minute. I'm just too happy with D'Addarios (or in my case D'Addarios in Fender clothing).
 

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