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Pulling the dadgum trigger, need advice.
- Thread starter Fingerpickingood
- Start date
As I said in the OP, all I know about the current strings is that they are round wound. The bass is a G&L L 1505.
I've always used roundwound strings on any fretless I've owned. Can't get the mwah from flats.
Sorry missed that.
This is what Im getting at. If the bass you fell in love with has rounds you might not be so enamored with the sound of flats. Much more mwahh with rounds. If you research on thsi site you will find many that feel that the wear issue is not as bad as its made out to be. The G&L has an ebony fret board. Beauty.
Use pressure wound or half rounds. You can always put a coat of really hard finish on the fingerboard (like bowling alley laquer), but that's harder to do than just restringing.
I'd go w rounds if you like the sound. It's not too tough to dress the board 2x a year. All of my fretless have been ebony, btw. You may want to epoxy the board if it's a softer wood. Also depends if you want a smooth/trad or modern/Jaco tone
I knew none of this, thanks for the great tips on this thread, it's appreciated 
Rounds all day dude. I always play rounds on my fretless and always have. Jaco always played rounds and you can hear his stuff and how it sounds....I believe Jaco used marine epoxy to coat his fretboard, but that may be an urban myth.... Either way for a metal band you will want that bombastic tone...lot bass...cut mids and lotta treble....rounds is the sound...worry about fretboard wear later...
Here's the simple, honest, truth: play what sounds and feels best to you and don't worry about other people's anecdotal advice. A good quality fretless fingerboard can be sanded down and repaired, but it's gonna take YEARS of consistent playing to reach that point, anyway. Unless you have horrible technique and mash your strings into the board, or if you have a very soft board. Otherwise, pick your favorite strings and put them on the fretless and give it a try, and then adjust from there. If you're seeing actual wear (not just light surface marks), you're playing WAY too hard. Learn to play with a lighter left hand touch.
As for my own anectodal advice, I've been playing fretless basses for years and I spend many hours/week playing them. I've never had to do much of anything to any of my fingerboards, despite using rounds. Granted, I prefer Ebony, but I've had very good luck with Pau Ferro, as well, and I have 2 rosewood boards. Even if I get to the point where my boards develop grooves, it's nothing that can't be fixed very easily by a luthier.
Bottom line is this: play what inspires you and don't worry about what anyone else tells you. If you like flats, go for it, but if you're not getting the sound you want from flats, don't be afraid to use the strings that sound best.
As for my own anectodal advice, I've been playing fretless basses for years and I spend many hours/week playing them. I've never had to do much of anything to any of my fingerboards, despite using rounds. Granted, I prefer Ebony, but I've had very good luck with Pau Ferro, as well, and I have 2 rosewood boards. Even if I get to the point where my boards develop grooves, it's nothing that can't be fixed very easily by a luthier.
Bottom line is this: play what inspires you and don't worry about what anyone else tells you. If you like flats, go for it, but if you're not getting the sound you want from flats, don't be afraid to use the strings that sound best.
No, the boat epoxy is not an urban myth. That's what Jaco had, so that's what he used.
That's what I thought..and I believe I read it in his biography a well...been a while..may have to go read it again just cuz its worth it. Thanks for the corraboration
Diaddario Chromes.
I used rounds briefly on a Fender jazz V fretless conversion. It left very noticeable marks on the uncoated Pau Ferro fret board within a few days. I would recommend flats if your board isn't coated.
I used rounds briefly on a Fender jazz V fretless conversion. It left very noticeable marks on the uncoated Pau Ferro fret board within a few days. I would recommend flats if your board isn't coated.
Pettit marine epoxy (can still get it). Necessity is the mother of invention, brilliant man he was.
I knew I could flush some of you guys out... (2 more edits!)
Edit: Good answers.
There's kind of a trade-off (speaking from personal experience only).
With flats, you'll preserve your neck and get a really nice, warm, almost-upright sound. But that's what you'll get - an exceptionally warm sound that sounds like pretty much any other fretless.
With rounds, you'll chew up your neck but get an amazing growl out of your bass that you won't really get with a fretted neck or an upright. It's a sound that's kind of unique for a fretless bass, and a little more versatile in that you'll still be able to get some of that warmer sound if you tame it.
With flats, you'll preserve your neck and get a really nice, warm, almost-upright sound. But that's what you'll get - an exceptionally warm sound that sounds like pretty much any other fretless.
With rounds, you'll chew up your neck but get an amazing growl out of your bass that you won't really get with a fretted neck or an upright. It's a sound that's kind of unique for a fretless bass, and a little more versatile in that you'll still be able to get some of that warmer sound if you tame it.
I could not get the sound I hear in my head from flats. I don't have a mic in your noggin so I'd say try on a few sets to see what works for you. Fwiw Tony Franklin does and Mick Karn did play DR roundwounds.
i like Ti flats ... tried them and my usually fav GHS Pressurewounds on my last fretless ... they both felt and sounded good ... ! and i wasn't worried about either hurting the fretboard ... Pressurewounds are rounds , but they are wound under pressure so they become more oval shaped than round . I use them on both my 5vers , they have less finger noise and are easy on my frets/fretboard ... if you try them ( GHS ) they only have 1 low B available ... it is a .128 ... or if you use the High C , it is a .028 ...
flats will seems kinda bright and rather sticky until they are broke in ... which takes a while ...
the GHS set is a little bright at first , but levels out quickly ...
here's a link to pics of various string type ... FWIW , i've tried a few Half Rounds , hated every one ...
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flats will seems kinda bright and rather sticky until they are broke in ... which takes a while ...
the GHS set is a little bright at first , but levels out quickly ...
here's a link to pics of various string type ... FWIW , i've tried a few Half Rounds , hated every one ...
Invalid Link Removed
If you want so get a fretless bass really singing; you have to use rounds IMO. When I played fretless; I used rounds on a coated rosewood board, Jaco style. Since I use the guitar to sing now; I've ditched the fretless for good. I wouldn't let the fear of wear stop me from using roundwounds if you find that you prefer their sound over half/flat rounds. You can get the board leveled, and longer down the road ; even replaced if need be.
Ive used roundwounds- D'addario (E)XL170 strings - since day one. My main fretless has a 30 year old Brazilian rosewood board and what I do is stay on top of it in regard to upkeep. Every few years or so. I jig the neck stright and block sand unitl it's like new. Works for me.
The fretless in not exclusive, but it does get lots of playing time.
The fretless in not exclusive, but it does get lots of playing time.
Half rounds are round-wounds which have been ground or otherwise smoothed out so the outer surface feels almost like flats. I used to play them and thought they were just fine. However I eventually graduated to full-on flats and have come to prefer them by a considerable margin. My personal favorites are Sadowsky Black Label flats. To me they are simply perfection. The tone and feel are exactly what I want from my strings and as such I now use them above all else.
