Question for the fretless players here

[DasGoat]

That includes you too Steve!!


Do you guys use flatwounds or roundwounds? I've been playing mainly fretless for just over a year now and I've always used roundwounds, but I keep reading that overtime they'll start to wear on my neck. I'm using a Carvin XB76F right now, and back in the day I had a Fretless Fender Jazz that I had tried flatwounds on and I literally hated them.

Thoughts on this?

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

Roundwounds will only cause physical wear to the fingerboard if you play with them for years and years, literally maybe 10 or 15 years into roundwound usage will you only then start to see the physical wear. Otherwise, it's all only visible wear. Flatwounds will still wear your board about the same, but it will take longer for the grooves to become deep.

 

[Satanstoenail]

Roundwounds. They feel much better to me. And you can always have your fingerboard machined if/when it wears.

 

[paradigm_shift]

Round.For degeneration of wood It depends on the wood, how you play,how you do your vibratos. Alot of factors.Steve uses round Rotosounds, If you did a bit of a search on the internet you'd find the answer relatively quickly.He also has said he doesnt mind the grit it adds to the sound with a worn fretboard(too paraphrase really badly) if you want specifics do a search.

 

[_Wes]

I also use rounds - love the sound. Flats just sound too dead to me.

I use the same as Steve - Rotosounds RS 66. Great strings.

 

[HippieOfDoom]

I don't even know why they make flatwounds. They sound like shit on every bass. And you guys are right, roundwounds will only wear into the fingerboard after many years of playing, and still is not necessarily a bad thing for the sound.

You might like heavy gauge, or light gauges, but the medium gauge are the best for me. Heavy enough for punch but still soft enough to give.

SDG

 

[Son of Magni]

Hi everyone, hi Steve. This is my first post here thanks to a note from Steve

Just wanted to voice my preference here for TI Jazz Flats. They don't sound like any flatwounds you've ever tried. More like rounds but less "in your face". Being flats, there is no finger noise when changing positions and are easier on your fingers and the fingerboard.

They are a bit pricy, but everyone should try them once.
- SoM

 

[PerennialQuest1349]

flats

i like the tone all farty, sounds like the bass tone on the Cynic record. thats just me though.

 

[muthafunkabass]

Hi everyone, hi Steve. This is my first post here thanks to a note from Steve

Just wanted to voice my preference here for TI Jazz Flats. They don't sound like any flatwounds you've ever tried. More like rounds but less "in your face". Being flats, there is no finger noise when changing positions and are easier on your fingers and the fingerboard.

They are a bit pricy, but everyone should try them once.
- SoM

Backed up! I love the feel of flats but these sound mucho different!

 

[Allfader]

Actually I use round ones. you got the fretless sound but so much live ^^ but there's no bad idea to have another fretless bass with flats... to record some jazzy stuff

 

[israel]

I like rounds too... Tried those flats from Rotosound, the Steve Harris sig line (yes they're flats) and they just suck - at least for me.

I like heavy gauges, .050 rock!

 

[_Wes]

Any tried using DR's? I've heard great things. . .

 

[muthafunkabass]

^ Yes, I've had/have a lot of their products... any specific type you were wondering about?

 

[_Wes]

Have you tried the coated strings?

I have a set - haven't put them on yet. I do like the ss DR's I have on my fretless right now though. Great sounding strings.

 

[spbass]

On my 35" scale 5 strings, I use D'ddarrio B - 1.35tw E 1.05tw, A .85, D .60 G .40. On my fenders (all 34") 4 strings I use the fender nickel set which is 1.10tw-.45. Heavy guage tapperwound B (& E if you can get em) makes some difference in sustain and clarity imho. I mix up the gauges with a heavy low strings, and light high strings. I do this on fretless only as the lighter high strings add to that mwhaaa sound even more. Personally I only use roundwound on fretless. I have used flats with some liking on fretted, but you have to dig in hard all the time to get a good sound out of them.

 

[_Wes]

Yup - I agree.

I've been using the DR's on my fretted and fretless and love them. They're a bit pricey - but seem to last a while.