What type of strings do you prefer on a fretless?

[Fred Miller]

My earliest experience was with roundwound, nickel wound strings, sounded good so I dint do too much experimentation. I dint have a fretless for a long time, and now I do.

Seems that nickel is in short supply now, 'nickel wound' strings are only plated, and often with a 'nickel alloy' so not even pure nickel. Were they ever not nickel plated?

I tried a set of stainless-wound strings but dint like the feel.

Your suggestions and comments are most welcome...

 

[Bob_Ross]

Depends on which fretless bass...

I currently own two fretless basses, with very different sonic goals for each:
- my Rob Allen MB-2 has a chambered Swamp Ash body with a Fishman piezo pickup (only), 35" scale length, tuned BEADG. I use it for archetypal "fake upright bass" sounds, deep thick acoustic emulation with tons of mwah and a very organic character. That bass gets LaBella 760N nylon tapewound strings, because they contribute to that sonic goal.
- my Warmoth Frankenbass has a solid Alder body with a Bartolini quad-coil soapbar pickup in the more-or-less MM Stingray position, 34" scale length, tuned EADGC. I use it for the complete opposite of the Rob Allen sonically; rather than an acoustic/organic vibe, this bass is all about the Mick Karn/Percy Jones/Jaco Pastorius fretless in yo' face sound. Very punchy, lots of midrange presence but not too much twang way up high (unless I need that, and then it's more than capable). That bass gets Ken Smith Slick Round nickel-iron groundwound strings, because they contribute to that sonic goal.

And back in the day when I had the good fortune to be able to borrow a Pedulla Buzz bass for a lot of my fretless tracks, I would always string those up with stainless steel roundwounds (usually Ken Smith Rockmasters) because again, that bass is all about a different sound and those are the strings that contributed to that sonic goal.

So...what type of sound are you trying to achieve?

 

[trothwell]

I have heard that perhaps pure nickel strings were more prominent in the 1960s-1970s, but most "nickel" bass strings have been "nickel plated" for a long time now. Only a few are actually "pure nickel", and those tend to say so prominently on the package. I would think if you've used nickel roundwound strings any time in the past 40 years, there's a very good chance they were in fact "nickel plated", unless you know for sure otherwise.

Not knowing what kind of fretless bass you have or what kind of sound you want to get out of it, it might be hard to make any useful recommendation.

I've had three different fretless basses over the years. Broadly speaking, I have tended to be pretty happy with tapewound strings on them, although I have also certainly enjoyed a variety of other strings too.

 

[Fred Miller]

Depends on which fretless bass...

So...what type of sound are you trying to achieve?

Not sure yet, one bass I've had strings on but no pickup (other than a piezo disc under the bridge), other bass hasn't even got a neck yet.

Both are 'P' style, one body has a larger cavity and made from regular ash, other has a minimal cavity and is made from swamp ash. Both have a pickup recess to suit an EMG35DC, little north of the Stingray position. I have the EMG pickup for one, intend to make one for the other. Until I have both assembled, I can't decide which pickup will go on which body.

Btw, both necks will be 'P' style, with ebony boards.

Having said that, I can do hellovalot with the sound after it leaves the instrument, I'm more concerned with the feel and 'growl factor'.

 

[CaseyVancouver]

TI flats for my two,
an Alembic Essence ebony board and a ‘88 Fender Jazz Bass Special rosewood board.
The Fender has a very strong growl/mwah.

 

[Fred Miller]

TI flats for my two,
an Alembic Essence ebony board and a ‘88 Fender Jazz Bass Special rosewood board.
The Fender has a very strong growl/mwah.

TI?

 

[CaseyVancouver]

Thomastik Infeld

BUT …this is kind of embarrassing.

I just looked at my basses and my fretless ones do not have TIs.
I do have them on a vintage Fender fretted, and that is what I will put on the fretless basses when the time comes. So three dif flat string sets, and they all sound good (!)

 

[foal30]

I’ve got Chromes on a Fretless Stingray and GHS Precision Flats on a Fretless Jazz ‘89

Not so keen on rounds on a Fretless but horses for courses.

 

[Danny O Danny]

I use GHS Pressurewounds (light gauge) on my fretless basses.

 

[thunesBARROW]

I’m currently using D’Addario rounds (probably steel but I also like their nickel strings). I’ve also used La Bella and D’Addario tapes, as well as Fender flats. All great strings, all very different.

 

[gmarcus]

DR sunbeams or TI jazz flats have worked well for me. Very smooth and flexible so they really speak and mwah on a fretless.

 

[IamGroot]

Thomastik Infeld

BUT …this is kind of embarrassing.

I just looked at my basses and my fretless ones do not have TIs.
I do have them on a vintage Fender fretted, and that is what I will put on the fretless basses when the time comes. So three dif flat string sets, and they all sound good (!)

TIs are awesome on a fretted P or J. I thought TI flatwounds on a fretless would get the upright vibe but they don't

 

[bassbrad]

Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz with D'Addario XL lights
Peavey Foundation FL mid 80's set of Kaman Kamflon Coated Rounds
Franken Jazz with EMGs DR Black Coated Lights.
Ibanez UB804 still has the D'Addario Chromes but thinking of trying A set of RotoSound TruBass88

Hate flats and half rounds

 

[Killing Floor]

LaBella DTF work for me. Also I’m good with Roto77 but LB are my go to on my fretlesses. I primarily use TI flats but for fretless I prefer the higher tension and a little less bright.

No best strings.

 

[Jazzdogg]

TI flats for my two,
an Alembic Essence ebony board and a ‘88 Fender Jazz Bass Special rosewood board.
The Fender has a very strong growl/mwah.

Me, too! Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats on all of my basses, both fretted and fretless.

 

[Element Zero]

TI Jazz Rounds. IF/WHEN I have a fretless again, these are the only strings it’ll ever wear.

 

[KenD]

Give some thought to the wood used for your finger board. I had a fretless with what was said to be "Ceylon" ebony. With only a moderate amount of light playing, with Newtone platinum wind strings, it showed obvious signs of wear; not huge but apparent.

 

[logdrum]

In the past, back in the late 80's I used rotosounds 66 until 2004 I switched to DR Blues. I had also used Ernie Ball Cobalt flats but did not like them. MY new to me fretless I got in early 2021 had TI Jazz Flats and I did not like those at all, removed them right away and had been strung with La Bella White tapes because I dig the thick diameters caused by the tape over the roundwound. But I may string them with DR Blues or GHS RoundCore Boomers.

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I like using a foam mute, but my bass is fretted.
Also try to roll in a little more capacitance, and/or keep the tone pot @ 250k.

Not sure if these are good or bad on a fretless? Just a FWIW mention.

 

[WG Plum]

EB cobalt flats or DR Sunbeams.