hey guys, its getting kinda quiet in here. maybe you are all closet guitarists like me and have been neglecting the low end? anyways, i was wondering if any of you have tried flat wound strings. i'm always looking for ways to improve my sound, and i'm not sure how they will affect tone. most bassists these days prefer roundwound, and i'm sure theres some good reasons for that. anyways, i'm going for a good cliff burton fuzzy distorted tone, with a bit of digiorgio in there for good measure. would this be retarded?
for the bassists out there
- Thread starter the alumnus
- Start date
the alumnus said:
HI Alumnus!!
As I understand it, we have pretty much the same inspirations, so here is a tip about flatwound strings: Do not touch em if you are playing metal! The sound of flatwound is a bit closed and is probably more welcomed in jazz or in other kinds of music, where you want a nice kind of upright bass sound... That is my experience with flatwound strings, when I have played both frettless and fretted bass guitar with flatwound strings!! Roundwound gives more tone and that is an important thing in metal, if you want to stick out in the mix!! But try em anyway! It is your ears that should decide this delimma!!
Another tip: If you play frettless bass guitar, try out Elexir-roundwound strings!! They sounds killer on frettless!!
Stay Metal!!
Mads Stagis- Denmark
I've tried black nylon strings on my fretless since I've got a nickel allergy - never since moved away from them, it's just great to play them, though a matter of taste if you don't like that double bass feel and sound.
hmmm, thanks for the advice. i might try them out, though it sounds like i will be disappointed with the tone. oh, and i should have mentioned that i play a fretted bass, i'm too much of a wuss for fretless.
There are great strings :hartke nickel hexagonal core with stainless roundwound outer coverage -great metal sound with that proffesional tone ,i use them on fretted & fretless
Higon
No Blest´s Bassist
At the moment my bass is using Fender flatwound strings. Tell you what, I don't think it sounds sooooo good. First of all you must pick like you were Jaco Pastorius, or you'll get little or no sound (what's pretty good to practice). Also, there's the annoying lack of sustain...
I'm planing to move to roundwounds as soon as possible, or give those nylon strings a try.
I'm planing to move to roundwounds as soon as possible, or give those nylon strings a try.
I play flatwounds on my fretless mainly because it have a lackered fretboard so round wounds would to carve into the finish. Rotosounds solo bass string are quite nice. They feel like flats but sound like rounds. Half wound strings are allways an option for those with large amount of cash or those willing to boil.
I would play roundwounds if the fretboard of my fretless dident have a gloss finish and so to protect it i do use flatwounds. They are very good for playing quickly on as they don't move as much as roundwounds and so cutting down on finger noise which is very good if as i do use backs and fronts of your fingers to increase speed.
