Why do so many players love flats?

[higain617]

No idea. I've only ever liked stainless rounds. They bring the rawk.

 

[john_g]

For years, I always wanted an a mid-heavy aggressive tone and when I first tried flats, it was NOT my tone at all. However, my previous band had two guitarists with really thick tones. So i tried some Chromes and it really did help me get a bit out of their range and gave the band a much stronger punch overall. It still wasnt exactly my tone, and the tension was a little too much for me, but every now and again I throw them on for a while, then go back to rounds.

 

[HardNHeavy]

i like em big and round, not flat.wait what forum is this

 

[Tommy V]

i use flats on my fretless, rounds on everything else.. my fretless board is made of Indonesian Mystery Wood, and I'm not in a hurry to test its hardness with rounds.

I also use flats on my Chibson ES-175 knockoff, but that's a tone thing.

 

[Artman]

It depends upon the particular instrument. I prefer the sound and feel of flats on my fretted P-Bass.
My StingRay sounds best to my ears with roundwounds.
For decades, I used only rounds on my fretless Pedulla Buzz, but I now prefer it with flats. It sounds fuller and richer. I will never string that one with rounds again.
So I voted "Both".

 

[mr_musica]

I have both a standard P and an Active J... at first I thought the flats would give me better tone from the P. I ended up using them for my main project which was a pop rock band with both original songs and covers... I left my J for any other gig which was mainly more modern pop oriented, so the J would give me more tonal versatility for "acoustic" gigs, full band, etc...

Up until recently I had to change strings because I changed the pickup but one of the strings broke near the tuner (cause I cut too much excess string when putting it previously)... I had to go with roundwounds because the shop didn't have flats and they are pretty much hard to find in my country, it would take more than a week to import them... But I'm planning to get the flats to put them again in a couple months...

I like the feel of the flat string, but I think I wouldn't put them on the active J... I like to have both options.

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

Always used flats until I got my Jbass. I have a new found love for round-wounds.

 

[Chicken Wing]

Flats. More fundamental, less overtones, smooth feel, always present in the mix.

JMJ sums it up here

 

[GreyBeard]

I play rounds, they are perfect when they lose that factory bright zing.
As for flats, tried them and didn't like them. I guess everyone grew up on different music and has different sound in their head.
By the way, I dissagree that "so many players" love flats. I know only one guy who uses them as main string choice.

I think there are a lot of members on this forum that love flats but, they may not represent the majority of bass players.

 

[Steve Fox]

Flats. More fundamental, less overtones, smooth feel, always present in the mix.

JMJ sums it up here

Maybe it’s the lo-fi video, but those strings sounds have a damn nice growl!

Also, I think he is 1000% right. Ive played in plenty of bands with multiple guitars, keys, vocals, percussion, occasionally brass. I think in those situations were you to go for a sound with a lot to top end, you’ll either lose it in the mix or step on your upper register instruments.

 

[Father Gino]

I use flats on my Jazz Bass so that I’m absolutely sure that I’ll be buried in the mix.

 

[quilanthegreat]

Rounds for regular scale, flats for short scale in my opinion.

Interesting! When I’ve played my short scale with flats in live settings, I’ve had two separate sound techs comment that the bass was too boomy, muddy and/or sub heavy - no tonal definition. Both preferred the sound of my Jazz bass with rounds, apparently it was significantly easier to mix properly. I really do like my short scale for recording, but will likely put rounds on it when playing live.

 

[retslock]

I prefer flats for the feel and tone. I don’t care for the bright piano-like round wound tone.

 

[Paul New]

There are indeed folks that love flats. They absolutely do exist, but....if you ask string makers (who know how many (or rather few)) sets of flats get sold, they are a smaller bunch than you'd think from what you read on here.

They're a minority, but a vocal one. There are a lot more of us that have tried flats, and....just not our thing. There was one song I did a couple years ago, where I thought to myself "flats would be nice here" - one song for one gig, out of about 1000 gigs.

No doubt, a lot more bass players play rounds, but manufacturers data is possibly skewed because people who play flats don't change strings every month. Or every year. Or, for some of us, ever.

 

[Robert Booker]

Both and I also use Pressurewounds on two of mine. If I had only one choice I'd use Pressurewounds on all of them but I like having a PBass with flats and an active bass with rounds. IMHO the bass picks the strings that sounds best on it.

 

[KohanMike]

Even playing guitar, I hated the zing sound rounds make, I used flats then, and now on my bass ukes.

 

[Paul New]

I don't like the overtones that come with rounds. They take up too much of the wrong space for my taste, but that's because i haven't learned to play them and get what I like. So i play flatwound strings and love them.

But some music is built around that sound, and tailored to it. Who can imagine Marcus or Victor playing flats? But they could probably pull it off. One of the most recorded bass players ever, David Hood of Muscle Shoals, didn't even know if his strings were flat or round wound.

 

[Freekmagnet]

Flats for me. I dig the immediacy of the attack curve and the weird ringy overtones are muted. It makes it easier for me to do my job and get those booties bumpin’ on the dance floor.

 

[QweziRider]

So, do you use flats, rounds, both, something else?

Both. Just depends on the music. Classic rock and country, I fell in love with my daughter's Stringray with flats. Just. Is. Perfect. For harder rock or my fretless, rounds all day long.

 

[SunByrne]

I’m personally not a fan of flats (though I do like Pressurewounds), but who cares? I completely get why it’s the choice for some. We are all lucky to have so many different options for strings—there’s something for everyone out there. Play what works for you.