Roundwounds for a flats player

[JW56789]

'Which strings wouldja . . . . ' is only answered by trying different ones until you find the ones that suit YOU, as it is so very subjective, tone, feel, cost, etc.

I'd only suggest starting in the middle of the road: GHS Boomers or Bassics, D'Addario XL's, the Fender roundwounds. These are bright but don't have quite the bark of stainless, can often be bought the cheapest of most bass sets, and would kind of give you a baseline: After these do I want brighter, more tame, a tigher hex-core feel than roundcores, etc.

The GHS Pressurewounds are good for a lot of guys for 'brighter, but not THAT much' coming from flatwounds.

Best of Luck,

JW

 

[NKBassman]

My recommendation in this case is always GHS Pressurewounds. The overall tone is distinctly round wound, but with a subdued top end, punchy mids, and nice full lows. Great compromise on the roundwound side of the fence.

 

[Ggaa]

DR Fatbeams.

 

[jefff100]

Thanks all. Nickel Low Riders on order

 

[Spupilup]

TI JF’s on my L1K, TI JR’s on my L2K. Yeah, I’m TI fanboi.

 

[BarfanyShart]

I've really enjoyed the Stringjoy strings. Smooth enough, hex nickel make them quite stiff, very pleasant acoustic-guitar-like tone. Custom gauges FTW.

 

[2F/2F]

Try a set of round-core roundwounds. IME, they're the only way to keep the stiffness of flats when switching to rounds.

FWIW, I am also a flats player, and always have been. I keep rounds on very few basses...but when I do, some of the only ones I can stand are round cores. DR Pure Blues, 50–110, are my favorites.

 

[DCCat]

I believe the perfect string for the OP would be GHS Balanced Nickels. Pretty stiff, mellow kind of rounds tone that a flats player would be prone to like, and, um, very balanced. But alas, they don't come in 5-string sets as far as I know. Maybe supplement with a B from another set?

 

[Barry Vestal]

 

[michael_t]

But alas, they don't come in 5-string sets as far as I know.

They actually do.

SETS - BALANCED NICKELS

 

[Tony In Philly]

thanks I love this analogy! While not a wine guy I do like my alcohol in the mellow range like a good Trappist ale or a dark porter. Maredsous Dubbel is a favorite when I can find it.

Thanks! I'm a beer guy myself, so perhaps I should have mentioned a Trappist Ale, which were often known as the "Burgundies of Belgium".