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Should I switch to flatwounds?

#21
Klonk said:
I agree with the part about flats being more popular on TB than in the real world, although I think that's also due to the fact that many non-TBers simply don't know they exist.

However, if the second part were right, I guess Steve Harris or Pino Paladino didn't get the memo. To mention a few.
Click to expand...
Then why does Steve Harris replace his strings after each show?
 
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#22
I'd say your current setup -- one bass with rounds, one bass with flats -- is ideal from a versatility standpoint. I would stick with that, and maybe experiment with a few different models of flats on the "flats bass".

As others have said, different models of flats sound very different. But none of them (IME) will be able to give you the brightness and zing that rounds will. Those qualities can be useful for the styles you play.
 
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#23
After spending a bunch of money trying out different strings on different basses. I have finally settled on flats for P, rounds for J. I don't see a lot of other people using the Rotosound 77s, but I really like the feel and the sound. I don't miss having rounds on any of my Ps. I tried flats on my J, but that disappointing experiment lasted about a week.
So for Ps, it is the Rotosound 77s and for Js it is the GHS Boomers.
YMMV
 
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#24
Klonk said:
I agree with the part about flats being more popular on TB than in the real world, although I think that's also due to the fact that many non-TBers simply don't know they exist.

However, if the second part were right, I guess Steve Harris or Pino Paladino didn't get the memo. To mention a few.
Click to expand...

I said they were RARE, I didn't say they didn't exist, here is Webster's definition of rare: " seldom occurring or found."
 
#26
I only use flats, but if I could play rounds I probably would, at least some of the time. I have small hands and, as a result, can only span 3 frets and have to do a lot of shifting. The finger noise is a problem for me.

They do feel great and some are relatively bright. Daddario, Ernie Ball and Roto are the ones I have used that are on the brighter side. Old school thud tone comes from the likes of LaBella, GHS and Pyramid.
 
#27
Robroy said:
Actually, I was about to post what Mdogs posted and was able to just like his post. I wouldn't have worded it exactly the same, but he captured my feelings about it.

Few bass players use flats. Few basses come with flats. I've put flats on two of my six basses because I was looking for a particular sound. One is a five string fretless. The flats are tapewound as well. Part of the reason is that I don't want to cut up my neck. The other is a four string acoustic-electric. They help it to sound very much like an upright.

The other four use standard round wounds. And as someone pointed out, they will sound more and more like flats as time marches on. For must purposes, rounds are best. And for any kind of bright sound, they are pretty much required. But flats bring their strengths to the table too.

But to the main point, outside of TB, there is not much talk about flats.
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I am always reluctant to use word like "best".

And, outside of TB, I don't know that there s much talk about bass at all, so, there is that.

As for being heard with flats, which is what I was responding to, to say that one cannot be heard is simply not even close to being accurate.

I can hear myself perfectly fine with flats, as can my band mates, and the audience. I have never, ever, had anyone, audience, band mate, or sound man, suggest to me that I would be better off with rounds. In fact, when I played my biggest gig ever and part of a live radio broadcast in front of 3,000 people, the house engineer singled my tone out for positive comments - I was one of 5 bass players that day. He was no hack, this was a national touring production on the road for 20 years, the man knew good tone.
 
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#30
I started playing bass in 1962. My first new Fender was a 1963 J-bass (long gone, not a particularly good bass). New Fenders came with LaBella heavy flat wound strings. There was no gauge choice, there were no rounds. There were LaBella heavy flats. RotoSound hit the market in the late 60's with the Swing Bass strings. These were the first round wounds and they were revolutionary. Incredible new tool for incredible new sounds.

These days my Fender 5's have all round wound strings. I play in a rock standards bar band, a Grateful Dead cover style band, an original project, a blues jam host band and some incursions into country. (Obviously I'm retired from day jobs, the kids are out of the house and I'm doing lots of what I've loved doing for the last 5 decades).

When I need a flat wound sound I run the tone control nearly off. Flats are easier to play but do not offer me the entire pallet available with rounds.

My opinion only.
 
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#31
We probably all go through phases (I know I do) with what tones and feels we like at the moment. If I had two identical basses, I'd leave them as-is for variety - one with rounds, the other with flats.
 
#32
Gravedigger Dav said:
After spending a bunch of money trying out different strings on different basses. I have finally settled on flats for P, rounds for J. I don't see a lot of other people using the Rotosound 77s, but I really like the feel and the sound. I don't miss having rounds on any of my Ps. I tried flats on my J, but that disappointing experiment lasted about a week.
So for Ps, it is the Rotosound 77s and for Js it is the GHS Boomers.
YMMV
Click to expand...

That is my set-up too for my Fenders. The J wears rounds and the P gets flats. Just my personal tonal preference.

Nothing wrong with having a P with rounds if that's your thing.
 
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#33
When I worked in the software industry, we mockingly called this "Consensus Engineering", where instead of solving the problem at hand based on your own experiences, efforts, calculations, and decisions, you just asked a bunch of random people and did whatever most of them said. Try switching to flats for 3 months, think of this as an "All Flat Beta", and compare it to your pre-flat life.
 
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#35
JMacBass65 said:
I am always reluctant to use word like "best".
Click to expand...

Me too. I use it very judiciously. It is also usually used as opinion. I like to use this example: Which is best, a V10 Dodge pickup, or a V10 Dodge Viper? Depends on what you are going to use it for. Do your horses need a load of hay?

I'll add this, though: I think we are entering an era where flats are going to become the rage, kinda like bell bottom pants were. And If I really want that "thump" I think a P with flats is an excellent choice.
 
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#37
So, outside of the largest online community of bassist (therefore the best sample), flats are rare? What does that even mean. I prefer flats for almost any style of music. That said, if I do slap, I like an old school tone - well I like an old school tone in general. Tone control on my P-bass is usually pretty low. I don't think rounds help you "cut" at all - if you are relying on the jangly treble tones rounds give you to cut, you're doing something wrong, since that sonic space is occupied by a million other things that aren't bass.
 
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