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For those that use rounds and flats..
- Thread starter Swerve
- Start date
Flats, easily. I've been using them almost exclusively since the '80s, and haven't had any problems getting a wide variety of tones that I want. They feel "right," and leave me wanting for nothing.
On the other hand, I decidedly dislike the inherent tone and feel of rounds, and only keep them on a dozen or so out of my hundreds of basses. I actually prefer them to flats on my Squier VI (probably because it's the only bass that I usually play with a pick). I also like the LaBella Beatle Bass rounds on my American Performer Mustang Bass; they just seem to fit that bass very well for some reason. I tried them, and liked them, so they stayed in place. However, I may switch that bass to flats when the LaBellas wear out. On the standard basses, it's just for the hell of it, for the sake of having a few examples of something different strung up and ready to go.
I don't have the same set of rounds on any of my basses that do have rounds. However, most of my other basses that have flats have a lot of repetition in the string department. The vast majority of my flatwound-equipped basses have one of these sets on them: LaBella DTB 110s. Rotosound 77s. Rotosound 88s. Fender black nylons. GHS Precision Flats Custom Mediums. Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt flats (various gauges).
On the other hand, I decidedly dislike the inherent tone and feel of rounds, and only keep them on a dozen or so out of my hundreds of basses. I actually prefer them to flats on my Squier VI (probably because it's the only bass that I usually play with a pick). I also like the LaBella Beatle Bass rounds on my American Performer Mustang Bass; they just seem to fit that bass very well for some reason. I tried them, and liked them, so they stayed in place. However, I may switch that bass to flats when the LaBellas wear out. On the standard basses, it's just for the hell of it, for the sake of having a few examples of something different strung up and ready to go.
I don't have the same set of rounds on any of my basses that do have rounds. However, most of my other basses that have flats have a lot of repetition in the string department. The vast majority of my flatwound-equipped basses have one of these sets on them: LaBella DTB 110s. Rotosound 77s. Rotosound 88s. Fender black nylons. GHS Precision Flats Custom Mediums. Ernie Ball Slinky Cobalt flats (various gauges).
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I’ve played flats (GHS Precision) since the eighties. I have a knob on my amp that says treble. It can get me more brights than I need. Most of the music I play was recorded before there were rounds, and Rotosound rounds ate the crap out of my rosewood fretless neck. Thump Thump Thump
If I only had one bass and could only choose one set of strings for it, it would be GHS Pressurewounds/Ken Smith Compressors. Depending on how they're EQ'd, they can be roundwound-ish or flattwound-ish in their tonal character.
- Jul 7, 2010
- 3,383
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- Endorsing Artist for: Duncan Pickups; Line6, Hipshot, GHS Strings, Somnium Guitars
I think it depends on your preference of how they both feel first... then the tone.
I use them on my Carvin J bass. I can get anything from a decent slap and tap tone to a dark flat wound tone by adjusting the pickup and tone controls
P + Cobalt flat
Has both aggressive and round tone tweak on 500K volume / 250k pot / .068uf cap .
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Calebmundy
Supporting Member
- Apr 5, 2007
- 1,134
- 817
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- Endorsing Artist: DNA Amplifiers, Lākland Basses
I play 200-300 cover songs plus 1-2 sessions a week. I have to have more variety of tones than flats can give me, if I HAD to have one set. I’m very glad to have my variety 
I know they're not everyone's cup of tea, but I love D'Addario Half Rounds. That feels like a solid "Other" in this poll.
What’s the best rounds for upright if I want to play metal?
I have TI's on my ACG 6 string which has a filter preamp. When I first got it I only used Highbeams on it and thought they sounded great (they did sound great!). I could use a set for 6 months or so which were so much better than the Rotosounds that I love the tone but last me about a month. I then ran into some financial issues and contemplated flats due to hearing about their longevity. I researched it and decided to try the TI's and I'm glad i did. It took a bit to dial in the filter pre and to get some low end. But I got it where I need it to be and... I've had the same set on it for about 3 or 4 years. Between my filter preamp and my SA PEQ2 I can dial in almost any tone I need except slap. The TI's are not great for slap. The good thing is that for almost everything i play doesn't require much slap.
So I guess I've converted to flats.
So I guess I've converted to flats.
I only have one bass…it’s a PBass and it has Labella Flats on it. I’m on the journey of learning to play bass though, so I’m not gigging or anything at the moment.
I've changed basses in the past, but took off the long scale TI Flats and used them on the next bass i got when I had only one. They've been on at least three basses, including a Precision strung through the body. Now they are on a 60s Apollo violin bass where they will be for the rest of my life, and there's a new set on my new Banshee.
Flats for me. I just don't like the swish swish sound I get when moving around the fretboard with rounds. Totally a personal problem.
Right now flats are getting probably 80% of my playing time, mostly Cobalts. The 20% with rounds is because no matter what people say, you cannot get a round sound out of flats.
