I've tried different "permutations", with rounds on both, flats on the single coil, flats on the split SPB1... at the moment the single coil has rounds and the split has the flats. It sort of sounds non chronological (which doesn't make any sense, anyway, really) but I do like the feel and sound of the flats with the split. TBH, I think I like all combinations and it might be more due to the fact that now the flats are there and the ergonomics of the 57 shape vs. the slab body of the 51. What is your say? Do you have a favourite P for flats? Do you think one of the two designs is more suited to "rule" with flats?
Can't go wrong either way. Realize that you'll eventually have to have four P basses. I really like the SCPB with rounds sound; raw and open. Especially with new stainless rounds.
Definitely. Flats on a single coil is 50s (RnB, Rockabilly, etc). Flats on a split coil is 60s and maybe early 70s (the sound I associate with psychedelic rock or Motown). Rounds on a single make me think of Sting, so that's a good thing; the rounds on a split coil sound is a no-brainer. So, yeah gotta go with four P-Basses just to make sure!
I'm slowly learning that flats go on everything. I don't slap at all and I have issues with the quality of my skin, especially on my hands, so flatwounds are just the norm. I don't mind it though, I've experienced the "man that bass sounds great!" moment enough to respect it.
It’s personal choice. I put roundwounds on my Tele for that Ron Wood sound, and flats on my Precision for old school thump. I like the four basses suggestion.
I have flats on my SCPB, both regular Ps, my EB-3L and on my ASAT fretless. My only bass with rounds is my ‘82 Vantage Flying V copy, but I think it will be wearing flats soon enough!
The only advice I hate in this thread is the "four P basses" one. Jokes apart, if I need to further expand, it won't be on the P side.
The "YMMV" should kind of go without saying for a topic like this. I'm not a total round wound hater - I always keep at least one axe strung up with rounds, whether I need it or not. In my case that would be the active 5-string. If I played more straight-ahead rock from the '70s & newer I would probably have rounds on a 4-banger. (Starting with the J-bass.) I do mostly old-school R&B and "oldies" rock, so it's hard to keep the flats from spreading almost everywhere. If I only had a SCPB and a split P, I would have to go by the seat of the pants to decide which gets rounds & which gets flats. Too many variables with those designs IME (wood, pickup) to make a blanket statement as to which ought to get which string type. YMMV
Yes, there's not a wrong answer, as I sort of implied, nor is it like asking where to put flats between a 50s style P or a Soundgear... I mainly wanted to know about some other personal choices when having both single coils and split coils, what they chose... It's not a particularly useful thread per se, it's more to see what's the average consensus or someone's different perspective.
You'll need a Ray with rounds and a hollow body with tapes. Hurry! Then you can put flats on the split and single P, but first you also need a Jazz.
After decades of using flats on all my basses including single coil and split coil Ps I switched to nylon tapewounds.
A quick scan of the room. 3 SCPB with TI jazz flats. 1 SCPB with tapes. 1 SCPB with roundwound. Roundwounds on the Cabronita with TV Jones Thunderblade. Flats on the Cabronita with a Thunderbird pickup. Dead as a Dodo roundwound on the HH Telecaster. Roundwonds on the ChiSonic Modern Player Telecaster.
TI Jazz Flats are perfect for SCPBs. They provide a bit more presence in the upper mids compared to old school flats like GHS or LaBella. SCPBs can get a bit buried in the mix with old school flats IMO. Much better with TIs. As for rounds... nah, I'd rather leave that to the split coil P-basses.
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