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Round wound or flat wound? Help me?
- Thread starter IbbyMonster
- Start date
Have you tried both?
I personally do like flats on my P. Both for the playability and the sound, but I also keep one around strung with rounds. It depends on what I'm playing at the time.
If I only had one bass, I probably would use flats.
I think you will have to try this out for yourself, no one can tell you what works for you.
I personally do like flats on my P. Both for the playability and the sound, but I also keep one around strung with rounds. It depends on what I'm playing at the time.
If I only had one bass, I probably would use flats.
I think you will have to try this out for yourself, no one can tell you what works for you.
I have have la bella flats on my squier mustang bass.
Although I do put the stock roundwounds back on once in a while when i miss that so called modern sound, but then I tend to go back to the flats in a week or so. The main reason I go back to the rounds is when I'm trying to copy the bass tone off a song while covering it. But as for my sound..my tone I'm happier with flats.
I'm thinking of trying out half rounds next...have never tried em before. The best thing if you have 2 basses would be to have one strung with rounds and the other with flats.
Although I do put the stock roundwounds back on once in a while when i miss that so called modern sound, but then I tend to go back to the flats in a week or so. The main reason I go back to the rounds is when I'm trying to copy the bass tone off a song while covering it. But as for my sound..my tone I'm happier with flats.
I'm thinking of trying out half rounds next...have never tried em before. The best thing if you have 2 basses would be to have one strung with rounds and the other with flats.
I agree if you have 2 basses then string them up with one of both. My Pbass has Roto nickels and jazz has XL chromes. Chromes when new have a round wound type tone that will mellow out. They feel great, go with a lighter gauge if you've never played flats. They do have a stiffer feel and tension.
whatever you learned on will be your best option. listen to Victor Wooten and Larry Graham for roundwounds, with James Jamerson and Ralphe Armstrong using flats.
This makes sense, so much so that when I recently got a second bass I thought for sure I would keep it with rounds since I have a P with flats that I love but I'm discovering that I just can't stop digging the flat thump for pretty much all musical styles I play (rock, alt, blues, country, reggae) and I've really been thinking about just having flats on both my basses. I think maybe that just has to do with my own personal preference against brightness. I just can't stop loving the feel and tone of flats damit!
thomastic infeld flats -jazz - a completely amazing string
rotosound swing bass rounds - still the reigning king - I use them on my main bass and just turn down the passive high rolloff on my bass when needed - gets me through anything.
But
If I want the ultimate in smokey cool punchy bass in the studio - or live -I pick up my P bass with the Thomasti flats and Motown , Sinatra and R&B are in the house.
rotosound swing bass rounds - still the reigning king - I use them on my main bass and just turn down the passive high rolloff on my bass when needed - gets me through anything.
But
If I want the ultimate in smokey cool punchy bass in the studio - or live -I pick up my P bass with the Thomasti flats and Motown , Sinatra and R&B are in the house.
Flats: Rotosound flats
Rounds: Ernie ball nickels (these mellow out fast with a nice bottom end and crispy highs)
Ghs p flats for a more traditional flatwound string or their pressurewounds (although i dont have experience with the later)
Rounds: Ernie ball nickels (these mellow out fast with a nice bottom end and crispy highs)
Ghs p flats for a more traditional flatwound string or their pressurewounds (although i dont have experience with the later)
+1.
I had to get a second P bass so I can have one strung with flats and the other rounds
Bassist4Eris
Frat-Pack Sympathizer
These aren't hard and fast rules, just personal preferences, but FWIW:
In a perfect world, I'd want rounds for alternative, and flats for reggae. Jazz depends on the subgenre.
Rounds have a cutting brightness that works well in modern styles, adding an aggressive edge to your sound. Alt rock and fusion jazz work well with them.
Flats are warmer and mellower, perfect for reggae, or traditional jazz (when double bass isn't an option).
So, assuming you only have one bass, you need a good compromise option. I've never used any halfwounds, but many players enjoy them. Aside from that option, you could go with a particularly mellow roundwound, such as DR Sunbeams, or a particularly bright flat, such as D'addario Chromes or Rotosound 66 Jazz Flats.
Yep, this is the only logical solution! One bass with each.
And then get a third P, and string it with nylon tapewounds!
I have several basses, almost all have different strings on them. I do have 2 Precisions, one with Rotosound rounds, the other with Thomastik flats. Both sound fantastic in their own right. I've got another bass with GHS Pressurewounds, which are also great strings.
In terms of flats, I've only tried Chromes and TI's. I prefer TI's because of the lower tension. Chromes are a bit brighter. I haven't tried other brands of flats, but many of them are deeper than the two I've mentioned.
The GHS pressurewounds are just great. Very nice compromise between rounds and flats. I prefer them over ground wounds simply because I find ground wound strings a bit sticky. That said, grounds are closer to flats than pressure wounds.
Most nickel strings will sound less snappy than stainless steel, but still give you a "modern" sound without too much treble. I've used Rotosound, EBMM, DR, Fender, and GHS nickels. Honestly, they all are pretty similar. I tend to go to EBMM's because of price, availability, and plenty of string gauge choices to choose from.
After all that, I'd recommend you try the GHS Pressurewounds. If you find them too bright, you will know you want flats. Otherwise, they can cop pretty much most of the tones of rounds. If they are too bland for you, then you are a rounds player, my friend.
In terms of flats, I've only tried Chromes and TI's. I prefer TI's because of the lower tension. Chromes are a bit brighter. I haven't tried other brands of flats, but many of them are deeper than the two I've mentioned.
The GHS pressurewounds are just great. Very nice compromise between rounds and flats. I prefer them over ground wounds simply because I find ground wound strings a bit sticky. That said, grounds are closer to flats than pressure wounds.
Most nickel strings will sound less snappy than stainless steel, but still give you a "modern" sound without too much treble. I've used Rotosound, EBMM, DR, Fender, and GHS nickels. Honestly, they all are pretty similar. I tend to go to EBMM's because of price, availability, and plenty of string gauge choices to choose from.
After all that, I'd recommend you try the GHS Pressurewounds. If you find them too bright, you will know you want flats. Otherwise, they can cop pretty much most of the tones of rounds. If they are too bland for you, then you are a rounds player, my friend.
To me, , because I feel "at one" with the flatwound feel and sound, them being not so versatile is a blessing. If I try to play something and it sounds like it doesn't fit my strings, it forces me to experiment with technique, or try to improvise or come up with a new bassline, based on the original one and the rest of the song, and try to make it fit.
