new to fretless - string recommendations to start?

[40Hz]

I’ll echo the others and say go with what you like. I’m using GHS Pressurewounds currently, although I’m thinking of trying Labella Copper White Nylons next string change because I have them on another bass and they’re quickly becoming one of my all time favorites.

In the past I’ve used flats and rounds of various flavors. And they all worked well. It’s just my tastes have changed from time to time, so that’s when I’ve changed string sets. They’re all basically good. What works with fretted works with fretless.

 

[Cleezmo]

I tried DR Sunbeams on my G&L L-series fretless (I'm admittedly a total DR fanboy, with my other three basses all having various DR sets on them), and liked them, but ended up switching to EB Cobalt Flats as my preferred string on that bass. They have almost as much mwah and bite as the Sunbeams, but are smoother and easier on the fretboard, and can be tamed a bit if you want to roll back the bite and get a little more thump. Their tone, to me, essentially sounds like round wounds without the rattle and clank, and that bass has such strong mids and highs that you can just roll up the treble knob if you want a more round-wound-ish tone. Highly recommended.

I also agree that the 'rounds destroy your fingerboard' thing is a bit overblown. In my experience with (one with rosewood, one with ebony), rounds do leave slight scarring/grooves on the board, but unless you are digging in ridiculously hard, that's all it is - surface scratching that doesn't affect playability.

 

[TKnights]

I have a fretless 4 string on its way to me - standard scale. I have not played fretless before - I'm looking for recommendations for a good starter set of strings to throw on it (the bass is used, I'd like to change out the strings right away). Do I need to go with coated, or are flats ok (it's a maple board)?

thanks in advance for any suggestions for a good middle of the road string to try out!

It really depends on what sound you're looking for . I use flats on mine because of the way they feel . I found that rounds chew up the fingerboard a little , but have a snappier sound . Tapes and nylons have a mellower sound . Try a few different ones until you find what you like .

 

[TimB 619]

The one's I liked when I used to play fretless;
D'addario XL
Fender pure nickel
Fender NPS
Ken Smith Compressors
GHS Boomers

 

[fretlessguy]

I have experimented over the years with many string types an gauges. Here my top five:
Flats: GHS Precision Flats in light gauge (.40-.95)
Compressed Strings: GHS Pressurewounds (.45-.103)
Round Wounds: Fender 7250 (.40-.115) 5 string
Tapewounds: Fender 9250 tapes
Honorable mention: GHS tapewounds. They sit on my 5 string fretless. No longer made. RIP.

 

[Masterpoet]

Try Labella White nylons. Brighter sounding than the d’addario Black nylons but less tension.

wow...thank you I didn't know about the white nylons. It is tough playing black strings in dark rooms so the white will suit me better. And if the tone is there that's a win win.