String Recommendation

[Gervais Cote]

If most of the time you use it with the electric pickup, TI flats would be my choice.
They really sound natural and organic on such bass and they last forever.
I would qualify them as low to medium tension though, if it’s okay for you.

 

[Phaidrus]

I once used Fender 9050L flats on a fretless acoustic bass to good results.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I currently have 2 bass guitars.
A Fender Precision (solid body electric) and a Breedlove (Solo) electric/acoustic.
(Both pictured below).
I have flat wound strings on my Precision and love the sound and feel of them.
I would like to put flat wound strings on my acoustic bass but can’t seem to get a straight answer from anyone if they make flat wound strings for electric/acoustic bass guitars or can I just use the ones I have on my precision.
I’d appreciate any advice.
View attachment 5391408

You can put any sort of strings on your acoustic bass. Rounds, be they bronze, steel, stainless or coated. Flats or tapes as well. Even Cat gut.

So you have a lot of choices, but to cut to the chase, you can put flats on your bass, but you might be disappointed in the sound. That said, we are talking about a $30 investment to find out if it works. Swap them out and find out for yourself.

On last point, strings come with different amounts of tension. If you change a string type, you should keep an eye on the neck a few weeks for signs of warpage. A truss Rod adjustment may be necessary.

 

[Old gold]

GHS precision flats on my Fender Kingman ABG. A few months to break in properly, and they now sound great, plugged in or not.

 

[aeb414]

Thanks for the recommendation old gold!

 

[wncBass]

Used LaBella LTFs on an Epiphone El Capitan.

Great strings! Great bass too!

 

[Bodeeni]

I have TI Flats on my Acoustic and they work quite well.

 

[Aussie Player]

I put Chromes on mine. Nice mellow, even, sound.

 

[aeb414]

Thanks for all the great input.
FYI: My Breedlove is not fretless.
Y'all have given me lots to think about.

 

[michael_t]

Thanks for all the great input.
FYI: My Breedlove is not fretless.
Y'all have given me lots to think about.

You still haven't answered my questions in posts #2 & #8.

 

[aeb414]

Michael_T -
Sorry about not getting back to you sooner.
Here ya go:

Response to Post #2
When I got my P Bass, I immediately replaced the old skweeky round wound strings.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think I replaced them with Fender 9050L's (.045 - .060 - .80 - .100).
My challenge here is that I can't find a headstock tuner that works with this setup.

Response to Post #8
I almost always play my Breedlove electric/acoustic unplugged (battery's removed).
One of the reasons this guitar interested me was the Sound Hole it has.
When the Sound Hole is open, it doesn't take away from the front projected sound.
I occasionally play with others, but primarily I play for myself.

What has always confused me is that people and manufacturers address acoustic bass guitars, electric bass guitars - solid body, semi-hollow, hollow, blah, blah, blah - But no one addresses the electric/acoustic.
There are different guitar strings for electric, acoustic, metal, nylon blah, blah, blah.
Maybe I'm making too mush of it, but if its confusing me some, it's gotta be doin' it to somebody else.
Thanks for putting up with my banter.
Hope to hear back.

 

[michael_t]

Response to Post #8
I almost always play my Breedlove electric/acoustic unplugged (battery's removed).
One of the reasons this guitar interested me was the Sound Hole it has.
When the Sound Hole is open, it doesn't take away from the front projected sound.
I occasionally play with others, but primarily I play for myself.

The reason why I asked the question whether you were planning to play it mostly unplugged is some strings are better for that while others would work better when the bass is plugged in. For purely acoustic playing, bronze strings do project the best. I second the earlier recommendation for GHS Pressurewound Bronze. All the brightness and volume of traditional acoustic bronze strings but without the annoying squeaks and screeches.

What has always confused me is that people and manufacturers address acoustic bass guitars, electric bass guitars - solid body, semi-hollow, hollow, blah, blah, blah - But no one addresses the electric/acoustic.

Acoustic/electric bass guitars are commonly referred to as "ABG" (Acoustic Bass Guitar). There are plenty of threads on that.

 

[aeb414]

Thanks Mike

 

[HaphAsSard]

Michael_T -
Sorry about not getting back to you sooner.
Here ya go:

Response to Post #2
When I got my P Bass, I immediately replaced the old skweeky round wound strings.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think I replaced them with Fender 9050L's (.045 - .060 - .80 - .100).
My challenge here is that I can't find a headstock tuner that works with this setup.

Response to Post #8
I almost always play my Breedlove electric/acoustic unplugged (battery's removed).
One of the reasons this guitar interested me was the Sound Hole it has.
When the Sound Hole is open, it doesn't take away from the front projected sound.
I occasionally play with others, but primarily I play for myself.

What has always confused me is that people and manufacturers address acoustic bass guitars, electric bass guitars - solid body, semi-hollow, hollow, blah, blah, blah - But no one addresses the electric/acoustic.
There are different guitar strings for electric, acoustic, metal, nylon blah, blah, blah.
Maybe I'm making too mush of it, but if its confusing me some, it's gotta be doin' it to somebody else.
Thanks for putting up with my banter.
Hope to hear back.

Since flats are your preference and playing with others is only occasional, in your shoes I would try to explore if a good compromise of unplugged volume with string smoothness can be achieved. In other words, also consider the Galli and Aquila true flatwound sets that I've mentioned in post #16 above. Even the Fender steel flats you use on your electric might be enough acoustically on those rare occasions (if the room and number of players and attendees is suitably cozy, and taking into account the fact that plugging in may be an option in said situations).

 

[aeb414]

Pretty big price difference between the Galli AJF45105’s ($30) and the Aquila 220U’s ($65). Do you really think the Aquila strings are worth more than double the price of the Galli’s?
Just askin’

 

[HaphAsSard]

Pretty big price difference between the Galli AJF45105’s ($30) and the Aquila 220U’s ($65). Do you really think the Aquila strings are worth more than double the price of the Galli’s?
Just askin’

Not necessarily. I do believe it plausible that they cost double to produce and, personally, I've liked different (roundwound) synthetic-core strings. This said, whether or not they're ultimately worth the cost cannot but be entirely subjective.
I am curious about both, but my hand chemistry hasn't agreed with bronze nor copper strings so far, so neither is very high in my personal to-try list, currently. Still I may take the plunge, at one point, just 'cause.

 

[panzerfaust]

i use daddario XT for my ibanez SR 1400, not too bright and not too dark, i like it

 

[aeb414]

Thanks Panzerfaust for the feedback.
The feel of the flatwound is amazing and I love their warm sound.