Jazz musician and upright bass player here. I just bought a Squier Affinity Jazz bass as a cheap emergency backup bass. And I’m looking for flat wounds that will get me as close as possible to the sound of my upright. I understand I can’t really get there from here. Nevertheless, I’m hoping someone will suggest a string (Rotosound, Lebella,…) that might sound sweetest with modern jazz piano trio music. Anyone gigging like this with an electric? Got a good recommendation?
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String recommendation needed
- Thread starter fasternak
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- dr hi-beams rotosound upright
Thomastik Infeld flatwound strings. Rotosound 88 tapewound strings.
I’ve been listening to demo recordings of the 88 via youtube based on your suggestion (Infeld are too expensive for me). Good call. Thank you, Trothwell.
Afterthought: The 88s are 65-115. Too fat to slap on without some modification to the nut and neck. I don’t have much experience with this sort of thing. And the cost of the 88s and the luthier combined are probably too much for me. I’m going to put this on on the back burner for a spell and hope to get some other suggestions.
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I’ve found Ernie Ball Group Flats to be good “all-rounder” flats. A little bit on the darker side of center as far as tone goes but not super thumpy. A little bit on the flexible side when it comes to stiffness.
I like Group IV but as an upright player you might find them a little floppy and might like Group III better.
I think you might like the versatility of these strings. Much like Spirocores, they sit comfortably in a lot of different contexts.
I like Group IV but as an upright player you might find them a little floppy and might like Group III better.
I think you might like the versatility of these strings. Much like Spirocores, they sit comfortably in a lot of different contexts.
Alternatively, you might want to look at the D'Addario tapewounds, which should fit the nut with no problem. They're pretty flexible, which you may or may not like, but they have a decent upright vibe, as electric bass strings go (except, IMO, for the G string, but YMMV).
The strings that can get you closest to an upright sound are the Rotosound TruBass, black nylon tapewounds. There are tapewounds made by different companies, but the TruBass strings are a bit different and have that thump and 'woodiness' to them.
Tru Bass 88 • Rotosound Music Strings
Don't be put off by the apparent large gauge. I was able to fit them on my fretless Precision without trouble. I did file a *tiny bit* the slot on the E string so that it fit well without getting stuck, but it was very minor. At the time I didn't even have nut files so I just used a roundwound string on the grove a few times and that was enough.
I use the D'Addario black nyton tapewounds too, I like them a lot and with a little care with your EQ you can get close too, but the TruBass 88 are much closer.
for smooth mellow sound I'd go with tapewounds. Each manufacturer has a slightly different flavor. Labella has multiple flavors of tapewounds. Flatwounds are not a bad choice either. I've used Labella black tapes, and found them to have that mellow I was looking for, without loosing too much clarity. Just my thoughts. Everyone's ears are a bit different. Lots of info in the tapewound club if you're interested.
JeezyMcNuggles
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Take it from someone who also used Spiro Weich 3885 when I played jazz band double bass: Fender 9050L. Nobody else posting on this thread will have used the same combination and can directly compare the tones of the Spiros with the tone of any particular brand and model of flatwound pork chop strings. Look on the DB side for my Spiro threads from years ago, comparing all the different sets: S42, 3885, solo, fifths, etc.
What everybody forgets is that Spiros, unlike guts, any of the Pirastro offerings, or Bel Cantos, for example, actually have a sustain and mwah or growl tonal characteristic which is why we all play them for jazz pizz. So most of the pork chop flats and tapes are actually too mellow compared to the Spiros, especially the Roto tapes, which strive to be the electric version of gut. And just like Spiros, Fender 9050L's take about a year to actually seat in to get optimum tone.
So the actual strings that are closest to the ethos of Spiros are Fender 9050L flats. And remember: everything goes with a dead Spiro E string.
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If you like a distinct fundamental note with sustain, try light gauge GHS Brite Flats for easy tension.
