Haven't even thought of putting anything other than stainless rounds: 66 Fender P Bass (rotosound swingbass 66 mediums), Steinberger L2 (same), Jackson Charvel (same), Rick 4001 (same), ESP LTD 6's and Yamahas (DR Lo-Riders medium 6's).
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Has the bass world changed to flatwounds?
- Thread starter itsmecraigl
- Start date
Flats always, on bass AND guitar. Something about the sound of an old Jazzmaster or Mosrite guitar with flats played through a Fender Twin...not much else like it.
I don't think I could go back to rounds. They just don't have the sound I like. I always wondered why I couldn't make my bass sound like the the music I like listening to until I tried flats.
Having grown up on John Entwistle and Chris Squire all my fretted basses have stainless steel roundwounds. Nickel goes dead too fast for my taste. But I do keep flats on my fretless Jazz Bass and change them when they start going dead. But everyone has their own opinions and styles.
I recently switched to flats and love them. Couldn't seem to get the sound I wanted out of my SUB until the Chromes went on - they're not coming off again! have ordered a second set to put on my travel bass.
If I need to do any slapping, I'll find a woman that likes spankings.
I use flats on my P/J that's tuned CGCF and sometimes A#GCF in a heavy metal band. Gives a great thumping sound w/o busying up my guitarist's midcentric sound.
It all depends on the application.
It all depends on the application.
I love flats as I've said, and currently play nothing but, but rounds do indeed rule on a fretless (IMHO). Way more waaaahhhhhh. That all gets lost with flats (again, IMHO).
I know punk is supposed to be played on rounds, but doing a couple gigs with a band I used to play with, I found flats to cut through and be more audible when paired with two guitars bashing out barre chords. More contrast between guitars and bass.
Definitely agree on both accounts! My bass now has its own defined space, and I have "that tone" I've been searching in vain for years to find.
Glen Matlock recorded "Nevermind the Bollocks" with Rotosound Jazz77 flats...
Stating tha punk "should do" something is like killing all the punk attitude!
Stating tha punk "should do" something is like killing all the punk attitude!
I use the James Jamerson La Bella flats on my precision bass in combination with a foam damper. This setup is really great for the jazz and blues stuff.
On my Sadowsky NYC I play Sadowsky rounds. It´s just a totally differnt philosophy of sound. You can`t compare a passive bass with flats with an active one with rounds.
On my Sadowsky NYC I play Sadowsky rounds. It´s just a totally differnt philosophy of sound. You can`t compare a passive bass with flats with an active one with rounds.
Labella tape wound flat on my fretless Godin A4. Elixirs on my Roscoe. Different basses, different jobs, different sounds.
I too have basses strung with both. I play in a classic rock band and flats work great if the songs were recorded using them and switch to rounds for the era of music that used them. I have build our set list to work with the time line to make the transition easier. It works great mostly but noting is perfect and there are times I switch out and a request comes in for something from the 50 or 60's you adjust the best you can on the fly. One of the things I have done was switch to GHS brite flats which I find has less fret noise and are easier to roll off the tremble tone and get close to the 50, 60's thump imo
This is always an interesting topic for me. Several years ago I fell into the flatwound craze, and I indeed did eventually feel like my tone was better (though band always disagreed). I listened to Ben Kennedy and thought, yep that does sound good. But with all my basses I had the hardest time being "happy" with my tone while they wore flats. But I persisted and got to the point where I think it became my normal tone, I got used to it and started to "spread the word". I was playing a show one night and between sets I had a few people come up to give me props on my playing (usually rare for the bass player), and one was a fellow bassist. They were like "man you do a great job, but dude, ya gotta get rid of those flats cause they are so lifeless". I had chromes on my jazz. It was at that time I realized thats flats might not be for me, and that gear choice should somewhat match what genre or style you are playing. I also realized that I could get a pretty close approximation of the flat tone with rounds, but really could not go the opposite direction (I know many here will disagree with that, but that is my perception). So now, I might pull out some flats for a genre that really needs them, or for some recordings (TI's are great there). I also realized that I hate flats on any 5 string I have ever put them on, that B to me needs rounds. As always YMMV yadda yadda. As per the original question, I do believe this is not a widespread fad, definitely some big name cats doing it, but by and large rounds are still king. I am, however, glad that we have such great choices in gear these days and that everyone can find their tone - it was not that long ago that there were much fewer choices. Play what you like and love it!!
I'm actually gravitating away from flats a bit and finding happiness in nickel rounds or half rounds. The GHS Precision flats are my favorite and I'll always love them but for now I'm wanting to change it up.
