No flat wound strings allowed with fretted basses?

[Iristone]

I use flats on one of my fretted (Gibson SG). Of all the basses I've tried flats with, this one's got the most delicious thump. On my other basses I use coated rounds for their zing and vocal midrange.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

I have a Warwick BO 4 string bass. Plays very sweet and sounds even better. I have round wound strings on it now and the time has come to replace them.
I have found that I like the feel and sound of Flat wound strings on my fretless. So I was thinking of trying them on the Warwick. In reading some past posts here about strings, apparently flats are not good on fretted basses.
At this time I do not have any experience with flats outside of my fretless.
Could use some
Wise words of other Warwick players or flat wound users
would be very helpful.
Thanks.

what idiot told you that?

 

[SloanATX]

First, they shouldn't need it. If I have a set of strings that is literally cutting me as I play, there's either something wrong with the strings or something wrong with my technique. I'd be contacting the company that made the strings to let them know what happened.

Second, I'm not going to intentionally do anything to the strings that can cause uneven and/or premature wear.

And third, I'm not going to run the risk of getting any metallic dust or residue anywhere near my pickups. Or near the rest of my bass, for that matter.

Relax. We are talking about light deburring with extremely fine steel wool for a few strokes. There’s no way you could change the roundness. Do it before installing the strings so there’s no dust. The strings aren’t cutting (duh), they are just a little rough. Sheesh. I’ve done this for years. Somehow, none of the problems you fear Hades for.

 

[Medbo_BassBoy]

Glad you asked, sparked some good discussion. I have a corvette std. fretless that sounds great with dull rotosound swing 66. Have wanted to try flats but keep going back to rounds.

 

[flannel cat]

flats on frets =

 

[Greywoulf]

In the olden days of yore, I discovered that flats on my Music Man basses was the tone I dreamed of.
You maybe would/wouldn't believe the response I got from certain groups right here on TB.
"You have neutered your Stingray."
Well, not really. I sure did tame down the zing. "If I wanted zing", I said, "I'd play the cymbals."
And now I have flats on a Big Al and numerous Bongos.
And even a Warwick (semi) hollow body.
It's mildly amusing that flats have once again become socially acceptable because in the 90s, I felt like a sex criminal.
Put flats on your Warwick. If you don't like them, here's the secret: you can take them off.
Jack

"If I wanted zing", I said, "I'd play the cymbals." -I love it!! And AFAIC it's those zingy round wounds that don't sound good with frets, and when used on fretless they chew up the fretboard... -So what good are they, really?

 

[Vodyanoi]

I have found that I like the feel and sound of Flat wound strings on my fretless. So I was thinking of trying them on the Warwick.

Good thinking! You can't go wrong with flatwounds in any instrument, especially when you already enjoy the sound & feel of them.

 

[BlueTalon]

Relax. We are talking about light deburring with extremely fine steel wool for a few strokes. There’s no way you could change the roundness. Do it before installing the strings so there’s no dust. The strings aren’t cutting (duh), they are just a little rough. Sheesh. I’ve done this for years. Somehow, none of the problems you fear Hades for.

When I was going through training in the Marine Corps, there was this old sergeant that recommended putting bacon grease on our feet to prevent blisters. Did it work? Maybe, but I'm not about to join him in his quirky practice.

You do you. If you say you experience no problems from doing what you do, I'm going to believe you. But I'm going to believe you from a distance.

 

[SloanATX]

When I was going through training in the Marine Corps, there was this old sergeant that recommended putting bacon grease on our feet to prevent blisters. Did it work? Maybe, but I'm not about to join him in his quirky practice.

You do you. If you say you experience no problems from doing what you do, I'm going to believe you. But I'm going to believe you from a distance.

Bass strings are not made of Kryptonite. They obey the laws of physics. Don’t fear de-burring of machined metal. You will not open a wormhole.

 

[WillyW]

Bass strings are not made of Kryptonite. They obey the laws of physics. Don’t fear de-burring of machined metal. You will not open a wormhole.

but I read on the interwebz that it might magnetize your tonewood!

 

[SloanATX]

but I read on the interwebz that it might magnetize your tonewood!

Finally someone said it. Don’t get me started on the “tonewood” thing for an electric bass. I’ve given up explaining that what people call “resonance” on an electric instrument is just energy loss as far as the string is concerned.

but I read on the interwebz that it might magnetize your tonewood!

There’s no point in making any argument based on physics with those who just want to believe their intuition blindly. It’s much harder to understand than believe. Maybe there’s a song there

 

[WillyW]

Finally someone said it. Don’t get me started on the “tonewood” nonsense. I’ve given up explaining that what people call “resonance” on an electric instrument is just energy loss as far as the string is conserved,
oh god, don’t get me started on “tonewood” for an electric bass. There’s no point in making any argument based on physics with those who just want to believe their intuition blindly. It’s much harder to understand than believe. Maybe there’s a song there

But I swear I can tell the difference between a maple and a rosewood fretboard!


but I can't tell if it's Carol Kaye with an Ibanez and a pick, or James Jamerson with one finger and a Pbass......

I'm sorry what was the question?

 

[truand85]

But I swear I can tell the difference between a maple and a rosewood fretboard!


but I can't tell if it's Carol Kaye with an Ibanez and a pick, or James Jamerson with one finger and a Pbass......

I'm sorry what was the question?

Don't be a mysogenist, Maple and Rosewood sound the same.

 

[WillyW]

Don't be a mysogenist, Maple and Rosewood sound the same.

I call shenanigans!

Block inlays sound different from dots too!

 

[truand85]

I call shenanigans!

Block inlays sound different from dots too!

The sticker or non sticker kind?

 

[Greywoulf]

The sticker or non sticker kind?

The brightly illuminous, slightly larger, side dot stickers I put on all my basses changed everything about them! -Spot on intonation now, less neck dive, and much rounder and deeper tones! -Yas, yas!! -Should've done this a long time ago!
(And as a side benefit this also makes the notes a bit easier to see. One caution tho; it only works well with flat wounds..)

 

[BlueTalon]

Bass strings are not made of Kryptonite. They obey the laws of physics. Don’t fear de-burring of machined metal. You will not open a wormhole.

I don't fear de-burred metal. I used to de-burr metal all the time.

If your strings have burrs on them, you should seriously consider changing your brand of strings to a company with a better manufacturing process.

 

[CaribooBass]

What is an OP ?

 

[Moving Pictures]

What is an OP ?

Original Poster

 

[Jeff Scott]

What is an OP ?