Which flats did Noel Redding use?

[N.F.A.]

We may be reforming the old Hendrix trib band again! I think early on that Redding used flats because you can clearly hear it. Articles I have read said he only used Rotosound rounds. But at least on the first couple of albums, it sure sounds like flatss. Just wondering which brand he used, if he used flats. Gotta go find a jazz bass that looks like his too. Any help is appreciated with the string brand.
On a side note... Any opinions on Rotosound flats, not the Steve Harris signatures, but the regular Jazz 77 or whatever they are called.

 

[mongo2]

My SWAG would be the OEM Fender flats.

 

[shrimpflea]

from what I've read he used rotosound rounds from day one.....maybe he had the tone knob way down so they sound flatty

 

[Ric5]

If you play in a Hendrix tribute band people won't really care what strings you use or even what bass you play. They will be focused on the guitar and vocals.

 

[N.F.A.]

If you play in a Hendrix tribute band people won't really care what strings you use or even what bass you play. They will be focused on the guitar and vocals.

That is true. However, the band leader is a stickler for details and it would matter to him, and to me also I guess. We did this before and I used Rotosounds. Redding says he played Rotosounds, but boy some of his stuff sure sounds like it has flats.

 

[N.F.A.]

My SWAG would be the OEM Fender flats.

Yeah, I think you may be correct here.

 

[N.F.A.]

Okay, so here is what I have found out. For the first album Redding didn't even own a bass. He borrowed Chas Chandler's Gibson EB2 from Oct. 66 until Feb. 67. They had recorded the first album by then. So, I guess the real question is which flats did Chandler use? It turns out that Chas wrote most of the bass parts for the first album too. Cool with me. Some of his bass lines with the Animals are the best lines ever, IMO.
So, when you read Redding say he only played Rotosounds, he is referring to the time after Are You Experienced came out.

 

[N.F.A.]

from what I've read he used rotosound rounds from day one.....maybe he had the tone knob way down so they sound flatty

Read the post above brother bassist... Almost definitely flats on the first album.

 

[Stick_Player]

That is true. However, the band leader is a stickler for details and it would matter to him, and to me also I guess.

I heard that Noel didn't wear any underwear.

By the way, if the "bander leader" is such a stickler for details, ask him.

 

[JTE]

Redding and Hendrix went to see The Who together, and Hendrix yelled "That's the sound I want!!" so they tried to replicate Entwistle's set up. A Jazz bass with Rotosound RS-66L stainless rounds.

IF he used flats at all (and I'm leery of anyone listening to a studio recording and being able to emphatically say whether he used flats or rounds- witness Entwistle's report of using a Jazz with LaBella Tapewound strings for the classic studio recording of "My Generation"), I'd suspect they were either Fender 850s, the strings Fender shipped all basses with in those days. Fender makes nothing at all like 850s any more and hasn't since about '83.

John

 

[lunarpollen]

I'm beginning to think that the "tapewounds" referred to by Entwistle on "My Generation" were just LaBella flatwounds. It seems "tapewound" was another way of saying "flatwound" or "ribbonwound" back then (maybe a U.K. thing?)... Townshend referred to the strings on his Rickenbacker 12-string as "tapewounds," and they were most definitely flatwounds (I believe made by Pyramid for Rickenbacker).

 

[One Drop]

I'm beginning to think that the "tapewounds" referred to by Entwistle on "My Generation" were just LaBella flatwounds. It seems "tapewound" was another way of saying "flatwound" or "ribbonwound" back then (maybe a U.K. thing?)... Townshend referred to the strings on his Rickenbacker 12-string as "tapewounds," and they were most definitely flatwounds (I believe made by Pyramid for Rickenbacker).

Interesting, It hadn't occurred to me but it makes sense.


They must have been spanking fresh, though!

 

[shrimpflea]

Read the post above brother bassist... Almost definitely flats on the first album.

I read it brother.....i hope he did play flats...that's all I've played for years, either way he had a great tone.

 

[KoalaBass]

Yes, chas chandler's bass on most of Are You Experienced! But I think that from Axis, his strings were dead rounds! But I'm almost sure that billy cox used flats

 

[DJ Bebop]

And here's another monkey wrench in the mix.
There was some P Bass use in some recordings
Then you had that 8 string Hagstrom thing too!

 

[pbassnut]

You'd be much better served by spending your time seeking out an old Sunn 2000S with a matching 2x15 cabinet loaded w/JBL D140s (although rock lore has it that the Sunn 2x15 Noel Redding had was loaded w/Altec 421As). However, I would hope that nobody is going to hold you to that level of detail.

 

[DJ Bebop]

You'd be much better served by spending your time seeking out an old Sunn 2000S with a matching 2x15 cabinet loaded w/JBL D140s (although rock lore has it that the Sunn 2x15 Noel Redding had was loaded w/Altec 421As). However, I would hope that nobody is going to hold you to that level of detail.

With the tolex tears on the right hand side only

 

[DJ Bebop]

...and a pick or plectrum, depending on what side of the pond you'er from, picking close to the neck with more neck pickup on

 

[KoalaBass]

And here's another monkey wrench in the mix.
There was some P Bass use in some recordings
Then you had that 8 string Hagstrom thing too!

tell me about the P, i'm interested! I've seen of pic of him with a mustang, but never with a P

 

[Rocker949]

Noel Redding Gear!

As has already been pointed out here, almost all of the "Are You Experienced" album has the Gibson EB-2 on it. I always thought the Fender Jazz (and the Hagstrom) were used on the "Axis" Bold as Love" album. I can only assume that the Jazz was used on the five songs on "Electric Ladyland." I wasn't aware of Noel ever playing a Precision, although if he did, that would be interesting. As far as I know, the Fender VI was used in some concerts but not on any recordings. If it was used on any recordings, I've never seen that documented. To me, the strange thing is Noel Redding is almost always associated with a Fender Jazz, yet so many of the well-known Hendrix songs were played on the Gibson. Songs such as "Purple Haze," "Foxey Lady," "The Wind Cries Mary," "Fire," "Hey Joe," "Stone Free," and others. I'm just basing this, of course, on the assumption that all the songs up to mid-February 1967 were played on the EB-2. On some songs, however, it really is pretty obvious, songs such as "The Wind Cries Mary" and "Hey Joe," for example.