Will slapping kill flats quicker?

[makkE]

Hi there,
just wondering:

Since flats can be played for decades (and I intend to do so with mine), I am worrying a bit if slapping could drastically reduce the life of flats to just a couple of years. I mean, it's always quite a snappy impulse going through them, does anyone know how this relates to metal fatique setting in?

Thanks for your wisdom

 

[guroove]

How hard do you slap? If you play hard enough that you have broken strings, it could reduce the effective life marginally, but I wouldn't worry about it. They can withstand it just as well or better than roundwounds.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

How do you kill a flat? They come pre-killed, don't they? Isn't that the point - that they have a thump, not a ring?

 

[PSPookie]

How hard do you slap? If you play hard enough that you have broken strings, it could reduce the effective life marginally, but I wouldn't worry about it. They can withstand it just as well or better than roundwounds.

This makes sense to me since the structural element involved, the string core, is essentially the same as on a roundwound string.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

How hard do you slap? If you play hard enough that you have broken strings, it could reduce the effective life marginally, but I wouldn't worry about it. They can withstand it just as well or better than roundwounds.

Here's where I disagree: I've broken a flat on a bass before - and it was because I was "popping". My theory is that I was trying to get a tone that a flat would just not get - and that I should have been playing rounds, but wasn't... so I was really yanking the devil out of the string. Boink!

If you like flats, great. If you want to do a bunch of slapping/popping, you really should use rounds. Yes, I know - the flatwound mafia will get up in arms about that statement, but I stand by it.

 

[makkE]

By killing it, I mean them losing their ability to intonate properly, not the "dead round" sound.

I don't think I slap as hard as to snap them, rather on the relaxed side. Just wondered if the extra strain could harm them, it would be a shame to have to switch them after say 5 years when they have aged nicely.

@big old harry: I used to agree that slapping needs rounds. But after a while now, I am starting to dig the slapped flat sound. Of course you are right, for that sharp, agressive, sawing, up-front slap tone, you'll need rounds. But slapped flats sound kinda cool to me too A mellower thing all in all.

 

[guroove]

Here's where I disagree: I've broken a flat on a bass before - and it was because I was "popping". My theory is that I was trying to get a tone that a flat would just not get - and that I should have been playing rounds, but wasn't... so I was really yanking the devil out of the string. Boink!

If you like flats, great. If you want to do a bunch of slapping/popping, you really should use rounds. Yes, I know - the flatwound mafia will get up in arms about that statement, but I stand by it.

Yeah, don't yank the devil out of them, and you should be fine. A lot depends on your setup too. I have a 70s jazz with a maple neck and low action, and it doesn't really require a lot of pull to get a decent pop sound. I personally found the sound of slapping on this bass with rounds to be obnoxious.

The last set of rounds I had on my bass were there for 4 years, and the bottoms of the strings got very pitted from contact with the frets. Flats will resist this kind of damage much better than rounds.

 

[djero44]

I've had problems breaking flats by popping too, probably for the same reasons BigOldHarry mentioned; trying to make it do something the string wasn't wanting to do!

I try to be careful with it now, but I still slap and pop em' regularly!