I use SIT nickel Powerwounds in.45-.100 to get the sound you describe. .40-.95 will also make a great mwah sound. Seems light gauges do better in this department.
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WHATS THE BEST STRINGS FOR FRETLESS BASS??
- Thread starter SFX83
- Start date
Just make sure the silks match the pickguard. 
My standard answer is to start with GHS flats for warm vintage tone and Ernie Ball flats for bright. Depending on what you like take the next step and try others with similar sound.
My standard answer is to start with GHS flats for warm vintage tone and Ernie Ball flats for bright. Depending on what you like take the next step and try others with similar sound.
+1
I've had stainless rounds on my rosewood board fretless V for the last 10 years. It could do with the fingerboard dressing now because it's got some slight flat spots worn into it, but...If I think of it in the same way as one of my fretted bass that gets a lot of playing with stainless rounds, I'd probably have had it refretted by now.
Develop a proper vibrato technique (ie, use cello like vibrato and don't scrape the string side to side) and you should get years out of a board
FWIW - I recently put a set of T-I jazz flats on my fretless Ken Smith w/ Ebony board. The lower strings seem to leave more markings than my round wounds did...
u dunno...
u dunno...
What bass is it and what wood is the fretboard?
When my brother played fretless, he used rotosound swing 66 rounds. On a Carvin with ebony fretboard. Ebony fairs better then rosewood for fretless.
When my brother played fretless, he used rotosound swing 66 rounds. On a Carvin with ebony fretboard. Ebony fairs better then rosewood for fretless.
I've used DR Sunbeam nickel roundwounds on all of my fretlesses for several years. Sound amazing, particularly slapped. As mentioned, technique seems to cause more wear than strings IME. To much fretting hand pressure, bending vs. parallel vibrato are the biggest factors. It's entirely possible to get an amazing fretless sound without squeezing the strings into the board. I've yet to replace a fingerboard and have dressed a total of two only because of slight humps when new.
This is my main fretless. Set up with medium DR Sunbeams, straight neck, low action, raised pickups and a ramp. I can still get the sound of a very hard pluck without haven't to pluck as hard as I sound. Practically no wear and none that affects sound or playability. I've handed it to just about anyone, it's been to several trade shows. No wear is most definitely an option and the techniques that lead to this can also lead to very expressive play.
This is my main fretless. Set up with medium DR Sunbeams, straight neck, low action, raised pickups and a ramp. I can still get the sound of a very hard pluck without haven't to pluck as hard as I sound. Practically no wear and none that affects sound or playability. I've handed it to just about anyone, it's been to several trade shows. No wear is most definitely an option and the techniques that lead to this can also lead to very expressive play.
or should I say BAD technique is the biggest reason for the wear
everyone who picks up a fretless wants that vibrato but they play lead guitar style - bending the strings
watch a violinist or cellist and use their vibrato technique rolling on the meat of your fingertips - sharp then flat then resolve - much better tone too
everyone who picks up a fretless wants that vibrato but they play lead guitar style - bending the strings
watch a violinist or cellist and use their vibrato technique rolling on the meat of your fingertips - sharp then flat then resolve - much better tone too
Bending is all you can do on fretted, so it probably doesn't occur to folks that the "violin" method is even an option. Just one thing to dial into the brain when going from a fretted to a fretless bass.
One "unique to fretless" thing I do (that is probably a bad habit) is to land a note short of the mark to make the note's timing and then "slide into homeplate" for intonation a millisecond or two late.
One "unique to fretless" thing I do (that is probably a bad habit) is to land a note short of the mark to make the note's timing and then "slide into homeplate" for intonation a millisecond or two late.
I like Labella or Rotosound tapewounds on a fretless. I also like GHS Precision flats. If you want a brighter flats tone - try some D'Addario Chromes.
I personally am not a fan of roundwounds on a fretless, for various reasons: tone, feel, wear.
I personally am not a fan of roundwounds on a fretless, for various reasons: tone, feel, wear.
YOU NEED TO GET FLATWOUNDS ANYTHING ELSE WILL DENT AND DESTROY YOUR FRETBOARD. Personally i like D'Addario Chromes because they are probably the brightest flatwounds on the market.
Nope. Only true for people who don't know how to avoid wear or don't care to avoid it. Otherwise completely avoidable with rounds.
What are you basing this on?
I have always thought for my fretless basses i would just use flatwounds but as i figured Roto sound still has the problem with not lasting very long DR. nickel 40-100 round lights is my choice very nice warm sound with just enough punch my Roto's went dead after just 2 months of shows thats always been the story with rotosound pay alot for nothing
