whats the diff....i noticed alot are using flats over the roundwounds and i just wanna know what difference it gives?
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flatwounds or roundwounds
- Thread starter M-Hawk
- Start date
Here ya go man. They have a really nice Audio page. Check it out.
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Head on over to the strings forum here and do some reading, lot's of info there.
But I will add, the sound difference is there, and it depends on the sound you want. Flats have made some of my jazz basses incredible beasts, totally tamed the jazz bass clang, and out thump my P bass.
Other flats give me a nice zingy sound without too much clang (chromes) and the half rounds on one jazz give me the clang and crisp tone many associate with a jazz bass.
But I will add, the sound difference is there, and it depends on the sound you want. Flats have made some of my jazz basses incredible beasts, totally tamed the jazz bass clang, and out thump my P bass.
Other flats give me a nice zingy sound without too much clang (chromes) and the half rounds on one jazz give me the clang and crisp tone many associate with a jazz bass.
I've been using Sadowsky flats on my bass for years. Rounds always sounded scooped to me, and these flats give me nice fundamentals while still having depth to the tone. If you want a rounds like tone but smooth feel you might give D'Addario Chromes a shot. If you're looking for a thumpy dead kind of tone then it's GHS Precision flats you're looking for.
Strings = Ice Cream
Flats = Vanilla
Nylon Tapewounds = Chocloate
Rounds = Mocha Fudge Ripple Rocky Road Butter Pecan Cherry Garcia....with sprinkles.
I love vanilla or chocolate, but sometimes I want something a bit different so I keep one bass strung with rounds and the rest have flats or nylon tapes.
Flats = Vanilla
Nylon Tapewounds = Chocloate
Rounds = Mocha Fudge Ripple Rocky Road Butter Pecan Cherry Garcia....with sprinkles.
I love vanilla or chocolate, but sometimes I want something a bit different so I keep one bass strung with rounds and the rest have flats or nylon tapes.
I have to disagree...
Rounds =
(Sadowsky) Flats =
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It's all a matter of opinion, though.
scottbass
Bass lines like a big, funky giant
Nah, Flats = Chocolate Fudge
, Rounds = Lemon SherbetHow can ya compare thump-less rounds to everything and the kitchen sink?
You must be one of those round-heads! (I'm proud to be a flat-head.) Although I do prefer nickel rounds on my StingRay.
I guess you didn't read the last last line of my post.
I was using flats when flats couldn't be found in any stores around here and ordering them took forever (this was pre-webstore days).
I once bought the flats off of an old bass hanging in a store. Another time I bought a bass just to get the flats from it and then put an old set of rounds on the bass and sold it (I actually made about $50 bucks on that deal).
Jamie Bishop
Supporting Member
- Oct 26, 2008
- 123
- 105
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Laney Amplication
It's really a matter of taste as you can see but these replies. I go back and forth with my preference. I always have flats on my p bass, rounds on my jazz, and I switch as feel like it on my Pedulla Rapture (both sound great).
Yeah, the slow stuff like Iron Maiden!
Good point... he is really using flats in an odd way, all that clanking isn't a pick but his strings fretting out!!!
Well anyway, ever since I discovered flats, I always had at least one bass with them, definitely some music doesn't sound right without them and I think A LOT of records are cut with basses using flatwounds. A lot more than string sales would have you believe, but of course flatwound strings last for years and years and years... try them OP!
Actually come to think of it, the last full record I did I used flatwounds too! That would be the first Zombie Surf Camp record, which was pretty low-fi and it just sat in the mix better than the zingy rounds.
I go back and forth, but at the moment I've got Chromes (flats) on both my Bongo 5 and my Alembic Epic 5.
They're both good, just different. A lot of the flats tones on the Lakland site could probably pass for rounds.
I play both flatwounds and roundwounds. They both offer a different sound and feel. This topic is subjective to each individuals taste.
Of course tone is the primary factor, but there is another big difference which is string noise, especially on a fretless. I absolutely LOVE the silent slippery feel of my flatwounds and would not go without them.
I also play roundwounds too, if you're doing many genres of music you will probably find a need for both sounds, imo.
Aah to have all the basses I desire...
I also play roundwounds too, if you're doing many genres of music you will probably find a need for both sounds, imo.
Aah to have all the basses I desire...
