Strings For a Fretless

[Outshined91]

Just ordered a fretless. I love playing fretless bass, but have never owned one until now. That being said, I'm not sure what strings to put on; I play EB Power Slinky Roundwounds on my fretted bass, so I am looking for a 5 string set that sounds like roundwounds but is a flatwound (to avoid fretboard wear).

EDIT: Found slinky flatwounds on the EB website. On paper they seem perfect, how do they actually sound/play?

 

[bholder]

I like Ken Smith Compressors (pressurewounds), but I tried some D'Addario Chromes flats and unexpectedly loved them too. YMMV.

 

[Outshined91]

Oh thanks! Will look into those strings as well. I mean, it comes down to trying them out ultimately but would like to avoid spending $100 on just various strings.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

All strings will eat the fingerboard and you will need a re-plane eventually regardless. If you are concerned about wear, work on your technique and choose the strings you prefer. You will get more wear from a death grip and vertical vibrato than anything else. I use DR Sunbeams almost exclusively on my fretless bass. I have found they are the best string for me, by far, but I do like to try new things. I also prefer coated boards so I have no concerns about the durability of my board. A coated board sounds different than wood though, bear in mind which you prefer when choosing a fretless.

 

[JRA]

(to avoid fretboard wear)

 

[Watchootognbout]

The extent of wear from rounds has been greatly exaggerated.

You will see winding marks after a great while.
Which are easily sanded out with a radius block and some super fine sand paper.

Now.
If you slap,tap,double thumb and push the palm of your hand down the strings over the neck on your fretless(Jaco did this on occasion)the deal is off!

 

[Outshined91]

Lol I can imagine... double thumbing and tapping would be suicide on a fretless!

 

[jmhaslip]

IMHO I also believe the "Rounds on a fretless will wreck the fingerboard" controversy is overblown. If you play round wounds on your fretted bass use the same on your fretless. I have a 30-year old fretless that has little wear at the very end of the fingerboard. Enjoy your new bass.

 

[Yahboy]

I use EB cobalt flat 2814, GHS PW7200, Ti flat and Labella Copper white nylon on my previous fretless P with Ebonol board.

Cobalt 2814 sound growl and crisp , E string are better focus/solid than others set. Comfort and well balance tension as Ti flat and Copper white nylon. Mwah sound a bit metalic than Ti and copper white.

If you licking with blooming vibe, you can't go wrong with the copper white (roll back the tone knob and scoop the amp EQ a bit). Very tasty and smooth , even you pluck hard, she has unique fretboard hitting sound. With zero neck relief and low action, she produce a very nice natural mwah. But she has lack output and buzz on full tone knob.

I found Ti create too much bright tone on Ebonol board, the sweet spot tone I prefer is tone stay on 50% and pluck above the neck join area.

GHS PW7200 just..... uncomfortable playing feel , high tension D and G, E string sound worst than stock 7250M string. Tone wise pretty much like stock string but darker. The mwah sound just like metal vibration effect to my ear.

Hopehelp.

Edit.
Above opinion are base on fretless P + bright sounding Ebonol fingerboard, result may vary than other finger board wood and pickup configuration/placement.

 

[Kael]

I used to epoxy the fingerboards of all my fretless basses out of fear of roundwound wear. After rehabilitating a terrible neck and realizing that I could fix massive wear on a fingerboard in the epoxy process, I decided to leave my next fingerboard bare to try string on wood tonally. Here it is 8 or so years later of fairly regular use and i still have no need to refinish my fingerboard. Don't bend the strings or grind them into the board. Don't use more pressure than needed with your left hand. The wear is way less than reported. It is honestly a non-issue.

 

[tindrum]

I used to epoxy the fingerboards of all my fretless basses out of fear of roundwound wear. After rehabilitating a terrible neck and realizing that I could fix massive wear on a fingerboard in the epoxy process, I decided to leave my next fingerboard bare to try string on wood tonally. Here it is 8 or so years later of fairly regular use and i still have no need to refinish my fingerboard. Don't bend the strings or grind them into the board. Don't use more pressure than needed with your left hand. The wear is way less than reported. It is honestly a non-issue.

Same findings here. I've owned a half dozen different fretless basses over the course of 25 years. I've always used rounds on them, including stainless steel for quite a while. Zero fretboard issues. None.

 

[fretlessguy]

I bought my five string fretless Carvin in 1997. The vast majority of those years I used nickel plated rounds. It had its first board planing job two years ago. Don't let the anti-round stories scare you.

 

[crankypants]

I use half-rounds on my fretless not because I'm afraid of wear but I like the way they sound and feel.
I did originally use them because they were recommended to reduce wear. I no longer believe wear is an issue, but I've grown to like them anyway

 

[ShortyGetLow]

I have had labella, roto, and pyramid flats.

Friggin’ love the pyramids!

Latest bass I tried the EB cobalt flats, friggin love those too!

I’m building a fretless Pbass in the next few weeks and it will be my only bass with roundwounds. I’ll be going with didario xl on that one.

 

[OwenWarr]

Chromes are nice and bright if you want flats with a "round" sound but will still be warmer than nickel round-wounds. Had DR sunbeams on my fretless for a while and liked them a lot, then had chromes and liked them even more currently got a set of d'addario tapewounds on and at the moment I love them! Far more warm/mellow than the chromes though so probably not what you're after

 

[Geri O]

Just ordered a fretless. I love playing fretless bass, but have never owned one until now. That being said, I'm not sure what strings to put on; I play EB Power Slinky Roundwounds on my fretted bass, so I am looking for a 5 string set that sounds like roundwounds but is a flatwound (to avoid fretboard wear).

I use the Power Slinkies (5-string) on my fretted bass and fretless and with negligible string marks on the MIM Jazz fretless I used for 4 years. I'm now into a surprisingly very nice ESP LTD fretless and fortunately, I had a used set of Power Slinkies to put on it. I like new, snappy-sounding strings on my fretted bass, but dull well-worn round wound strings on my fretlesses. I do believe that the string wear is quite a long-term concern and definitely not all that in the short-term.

Regardless of what strings you choose, put your search into strings that you like to play and hear on your fretless bass rather than what might or might not cause string marks and wear on the fingerboard.

 

[Outshined91]

Thanks for all the help! I put some Roto flats on there and they sound fantastic. Might take them off in a bit just to try som Power Slinkies

 

[Givati]

Just an odd question for anyone out there.
How often do you change your strings?