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What's To Know About Flatwound Strings For a 6 String Fretless Bass?

#41
I own and play a fretless six. It came with round wound strings, most fortunately, as I prefer that sound and feel on an electric bass. I do own a set of flats, not installed, that may one day end up on my bass, but I am satisfied with the rounds enough to keep them is a bag for a very bored day when I absolutely must string an instrument for no good reason. I would not be surprised if that bag remains unopened for the remainder of my life. My inventory of rounds is regularly used and stocked. I haven't seen any wear on my fingerboard from the rounds. Even though I have my hands on the neck of a thing, I have no desire to crush it in my fist and found that death-grip fretting hands don't lend anything positive to the playing experience (slower fingers, decreased stamina, increased wear and tear on everything involved). Also, why scrape a string against the neck sideways when you have no frets and can bend any note as far as the scale will allow?
 
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#42
Count Bassula said:
I'm an experienced guitarist, but new to bass.

I just picked up a 6 string fretless bass but the seller unfortunately put round wounds on it. The guitar has a 34" scale. The strings are held by the bridge, not through the body.

What gauges are available in flatwounds? I am looking for the lightest gauge available.

Also what are the different metal choices used in different strings?

I thought it would be tuned like a guitar but apparently people tune the low string to B and the high string to A. This is interesting as it gets rid of the shifted B string when tuning a guitar.

One set I was looking at said the strings are not for through body guitars, and the wrapped portion must only be the part that is around the post or the strings will break.

What flatwound strings will be good for this guitar? Lighter is better...
The guitar has a 34" scale. The strings are held by the bridge, not through the body.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Personally, I like rounds on my fretless 6 (Fbass ships with Labella Supersteps). I have TI Flats on my other fretless 6 and they are like butter, but I like the way the rounds cut the mix and "sing".
 
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#44
Thumpin6string said:
Back in prehistoric times, flats were all there was. Then they came up with rounds which woke up the tone of the bass. To me, putting flats on a 6er is like putting bias ply tires on a new Camaro.
Click to expand...
Thank God I don't drive Chevys, then.

Thanks for the information. It's cool that you like rounds on a six string, and cool to advocate for that. But thankfully, Talkbass is a place where open mindedness and respect for others musical tastes is more the rule than the exception.

I can't tell if you realize we are talking about a fretless six string?

At any rate, the correct analogy would seem to be putting racing slicks on ;)
 
#45
Count Bassula said:
I'm in Canada. The
Thomastik-Infeld
Jazz Bass Strings Flatwound Long Scale 33-136

are $165 = 13% tax = $186.45

That's a little more than I was expecting. Are they worth it?
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When I had my 6-string, I bought a standard 5 string Thomastik JF set and ordered a single JF high C off Amazon, which worked out much cheaper. They are more expensive than other strings, but I'd expect to get at least 3 years out of a Thomastik JF set.
 
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#46
Standalone said:
Thank God I don't drive Chevys, then.

Thanks for the information. It's cool that you like rounds on a six string, and cool to advocate for that. But thankfully, Talkbass is a place where open mindedness and respect for others musical tastes is more the rule than the exception.

I can't tell if you realize we are talking about a fretless six string?

At any rate, the correct analogy would seem to be putting racing slicks on ;)
Click to expand...
I run rounds on my fretless 6. Mwah for days.
 
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#48
Lance Bunyon said:
How on earth did you extrapolate an inference towards implying rounds feel flat when installed over an epoxied fingerboard?
Mind blown, carry on.
Click to expand...

You responded to:
"I want flatwounds because I have a 4 string bass with flatwounds, and I like it. I also want to slide a lot, and the round wound strings are like running my fingers along a rasp.
I also like the sound of the fretless slides other techniques which I will have a hard time to do on roundwounds and still keep the skin on my fingers."

With the statement:
"Jaco coated his fingerboard in Marine Epoxy."

One assumed your response was related to the post you quoted, rather than a random non sequitur.
 
#49
"Lightest gauge possible..." you could technically go as light as you want and just live with the strings flopping around like overcooked spaghetti.

I don't like most flatwound low B strings sound nor how unbalanced the tension is on most stock string sets.

I'd hit up Jason at Fretnation and ask him what he'd suggest/what's available. I think options are pretty limited.
 
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#50
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#53
Every bass I own now has Chromes, and I love these strings. With modern amps and the clarity they bring to low notes, and the type of EQ's I have on my Sadowsky basses ... and my all passive Olinto P5 to be fair ... I can get all the treble/mids/thick lows I need. I can get close to the 'classic flats' sound (not as good as the LaBella, but close) but still have some clarity for slapping/harmonics/doing an annoying Jaco impression.

My main Sadowsky PJ5 has a 15-year set of Chromes. Still sound great.

I personally do not like the looser tension of the TI strings, which is too bad because they have a special midrange 'flavor' that is hard to reproduce. I have exactly one 6-string these days and think about trying them again, but the price usually walks me back over the ledge.

But ... outside the box option here ...

I think the Rotosound flats are my favorite, 'perfect out of the package' option for a 6-string flats enthusiast. The C-string on that set speaks more (to me) than the Chrome C-string single I used to pick up to add to my 5-string Chrome sets, for my 6-strings.

I just put a new set of Chrome 5's on a new-to-me used Fodera Emperor Standard 5, and though it seems like a kind of sacrilege for such a 'boutique hi-end' bass, it sounds so fekkin good this way I'm building up courage to post about it in the Fodera Club.

Viva La Flats!
 
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#56
GHS Pressurewounds are great on fretless basses. They have a very smooth feel because of the winding treatment they get, but they sound lively like a roundwound. Which, to my ears, is what a fretless needs.

There is some hesitancy to use roundwounds on fretless basses because of the risk of damage to the board. This damage will happen, and quickly, if you bend strings laterally like people do on guitars. But that technique is not necessary or even useful on a fretless bass, where you can modulate the note more easily and effectively by moving your fingers up and down the strings.
 
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#59
Count Bassula said:
Wow good catch. Thank you.

It looks like I might have to buy the expensive strings.
Click to expand...

It's possible to use those gauges to tune E-A-D-G-B-E (one octave down from guitar), or D-G-C-F-A-D (one octave and one step down), but you'd have to get strings long enough to cover the 34 inch scale. LaBella could potentially custom make a few sets for you. They might even have something already made (single strings) they could package for you. I encourage you to get in touch with them just to see what they can offer you.
 
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