Someone explain flatwounds to me please??

[daddycool69]

Any

I like the thump of flatwounds, and I hate the fingernoise you get off of roundwounds.

I like D'Addario Chromes myself.

Any thoughts on how will the may sound on a G&lL bass?

 

[dtripoli]

It's strictly whatever your preference is for the feel, flat or round.
With todays amps and FX pedals you can get pretty much any tone you want out of either.
FWIW, I have flats on all my basses. My first bass was a fretless and came with black Rotosound flats. Switched to D'Addario Medium Chromes ever since. Oh the follies of my youth. I sold that Fender, early 60's Fretless Precision to make rent for $90. Yes, that's one zero. At the time, mid 70's, it was just a used, less desired fretless bass. I only lost $35 on the sale.
I've tried round wounds many times but I have finger callouses for flats and any time I pick up a bass with rounds,
it feels like I'm plucking sandpaper.

This is obviously not it but it was the same body color with a dark rosewood neck

 

[dtripoli]

Any

Any thoughts on how will the may sound on a G&L bass?

Yep, use Chromes on my Gig Bass, '89 G&L ASAT. Tried rounds but they were way too trebly for the G&L.
Throw the Active switch on a G&L and those flats sound hotter than a passive bass with rounds and treble at max.

 

[daddycool69]

dtripoli, thank you very much for the advice, I agree, I have rounds on my G&L (they came with it) and trebles a lot, no matter how I play with the switches, definitely will try out Flats. I also have a Squier Jazz Bass 5 string, I might try them on that one also.

 

[BeRad]

Look into the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats

 

[Nighttrain1127]

I have played the chromes and many other Flats Including GHS, And labella Deep talking flats also Roto 77's and found the tension on all of them to be pretty high . Recently I started using Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats and they have some good Highs and mids with that deep flat string punch and booty. Also I would suggest trying a set of GHS Pressurewound strings. Brite without being zingy And deep and punchy like a flat more or less. And much less string noise than rounds and easier on the frets and fingers.

 

[kn38ms]

Try the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (105)
fat tone with the bright sound of rounds.... no joke!
I've been using them exclusively for the past 3 years
The 77's are great for recording but seem to be a bid muddy live IMO

 

[Mediocrity Man]

I dont want to lose any punch! Im just going to have to take a punt to find out, aren't I?

Throw on a set of DR Sunbeams and let them mellow for a few weeks. You will still have the punch but more musical than some flats.

 

[klokker]

I like flats, but have never been able to make them work well in the rock bands that I've played in, they tend to disappear more in the mix. But I do have a Pbass strung with flats and in the right mix they work great. I play flats at church and they work well but it's a much less aggressive music and more acoustic sound. Not saying you can't make them work, especially with a pick, but rounds at least in my experience are much easier to work with and cut through much easier.

Rounds are more flexible in terms of what they are capable of, so if I were you I'd stick with them.

Good luck with the "hit you with a pillow" thing. You get that from recordings and car stereo, sub woofers etc, but going after that doesn't usually work very well live unless you have the big bucks sound system and someone who knows how to mix it. Wait until you play with someone who wants to crank the subs and you'll understand what I mean.

Flats are great, but from what you write, I'd stick with rounds. Just get a good basic nickel round like a DR Sunbeam and have at it.