Without the flats vs rounds debate TalkBass would probably disappear from the interwebs.
Except for the tort controversy...
Let’s not forget precision vs jazz discussions either.
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Once you go flat, you never go back
- Thread starter GodPlayedBass
- Start date
Let’s not forget precision vs jazz discussions either.
My experience exactly. And I'm FAR from a pro.
Nope. I like the ball cobalts. They are trying to sound like rounds. So, I just stuck with rounds because they sound more like rounds than cobalts. Lolol
I played flats exclusively for 30 years, then I bought an Epiphone Jack Casady bass. That baby just plain sings with rounds. TI Jazz Flats were nice on it but the Blue Steels are definitely the s***.
I was Roundwound for many years than a set Flatwounds on one bass started an obsession. Been Flatwound ever since.
Not true. I’ve always been a round user.i was against flats until I came across the EB cobalts flats. Fell in love.however I just simply prefer round wounds
My preference is nylon tape wound strings. Next is flat wound. Then round wound. Why? nylon tape strings are very kind to your fingers. On a Gibson EB-O they are the best sounding strings. Flatwound are relatively
kind. My experience with Gibson and Fender Roundwound strings are that they are like million little knives cutting up my fingers even back in high school when I had 12 years of finger calluses from playing violin and viola every day. Now tone is the other issue, but I have to admit that bein g able to play without misery trumps all other considerations.That being said, I have kept bronze roundwound strings on my Fender Acoustic Bass because the bass on low on acoustic volume and Fender roundwounds give me both aching raw fingers and the best sound including best volume.
If you haven’t understod flats and what’s great about them and how they function in a musical situation you’re in for a treat later on 
Having said that there are always musical contexts where rounds are nice so you will eventually need both. As someone stated earlier in this thread, if you find the right bass individually for the right string, when you pick that bass up and play you will feel ‘this is the sound I’ve been searching for’ regardless what kind of strings are on it. Everything else is just ignorance and simplifying things, which is ok, but an experience thing
Having said that there are always musical contexts where rounds are nice so you will eventually need both. As someone stated earlier in this thread, if you find the right bass individually for the right string, when you pick that bass up and play you will feel ‘this is the sound I’ve been searching for’ regardless what kind of strings are on it. Everything else is just ignorance and simplifying things, which is ok, but an experience thing
If I'm playing in a blues/rock band I'm going to use flats. If I'm playing in a Prog band, however unlikely these days, I'm going to use rounds. Other styles would follow the examples set here.
Tapes on all my 'regular' basses and haven't looked back. Now I mostly play silicone rubber strings simply because I mostly play uke basses. Rubber strings can be a PITA though.
You’re wrong... but I do have 2 basses with flats on them that’ll I’ll never change unless they break. On my other 2? Rounds forever.
Used TI flats on a Fender Jazz for years (MIJ Geddy Lee, specifically) in an original pop-rock type band in Chicago and they played and sounded perfect. Loved the combination.
Also once tried to string a newly-bought USA Fender Precision with Rotosound 77 flats once, and the string tension was so high it actually damaged the bridge unit trying to bring the E-string to pitch. No joke. Pretty sure I hadn't done anything wrong, either.
Had to invoke Fender's warranty over that... That was fun.
YMMV.
Also once tried to string a newly-bought USA Fender Precision with Rotosound 77 flats once, and the string tension was so high it actually damaged the bridge unit trying to bring the E-string to pitch. No joke. Pretty sure I hadn't done anything wrong, either.
Had to invoke Fender's warranty over that... That was fun.
YMMV.
