Question about usage of flat wound strings

[Throttlejunky]

Pardons if this is a useless post coming from me, but it's not just the strings, bass, amp, room, band/mix, etc... but it's also *how you play* the gear… Not saying that's the 'be all, end all' factor, but it's a pretty major factor.

I say this, because I'd recently joined an Iron Maiden tribute band. I'd been playing in Top 40s/pop/rock/hip-hop/rap/soul bands for some time now, and have always used different basses, almost exclusively round wound strings. Joining this Iron Maiden tribute has led me to attempt to emulate everything Steve Harris does, to include using a Precision Bass with flats. Though I've been experimenting with my amp, speakers/cabs, EQ and the bass itself, the BIGGEST impact on the sound, so far, has been *how* I play.

Naturally, I'm employing Steve's technique, and despite being a a flatwound P bass, it sounds really sharp; almost as if I had to tame the highs like a 'roundwound' bass.

The fun never really ends, huh?
;p

Cheers, peeps!

With you all the way on your comments. How you play is equal in importance.

 

[retslock]

I have often found that guitarists, in an attempt to fatten their sound, apply too much low eq. It’s more likely that the guitar eq is the reason the tones are getting mixed. It’s harder for a bass player to go into guitar territory than it is for guitar to go into bass territory in a conventional context. Not so of course if you’re getting into overdrive and bright tones.
Many if the guitar players I admire in live situations avoid 6 note barre chords for instance. They aren’t necessary if the bass is doing the job properly in the blues idiom.

 

[Michael Jewels]

^ This makes a lot of sense to me.

Mike