I recently purchased a rogue fretless bass to compliment my rickenbacker 4001 and p-bass (fretted). The bass came with roundwound strings and I always thought fretless basses should have flats.I use GHS tapewounds on my rick and rounds on the fender.I know that steve has a fretless rickenbacker.What does he use.Would the tapewounds work on my fretless?Any help appreciated. Thanks Rob.
String Choices for Fretless
- Thread starter bcrichrob
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I recently purchased a rogue fretless bass to compliment my rickenbacker 4001 and p-bass (fretted). The bass came with roundwound strings and I always thought fretless basses should have flats.I use GHS tapewounds on my rick and rounds on the fender.I know that steve has a fretless rickenbacker.What does he use.Would the tapewounds work on my fretless?Any help appreciated. Thanks Rob.
Nothinggod
New Metal Member
- Mar 10, 2004
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I think Mr Hippy even said somewhere on one of these threads that he prefers roundwounds on fretless. I think it's all a matter of choice to be honest. I don't actually own a fretless at this point in time, but I personally prefer roundwounds on fretless. The idea though, is that flatwounds don't 'damage' your fretboard. Though I personally believe it would take a lifetime and more of playing before you actually started to damage the fretboard in any significant way.
HippieOfDoom
The 13th Monkey
I totally concur. I used Roundwounds on my Fender-ish fretless for I don't know how many years and it does finally have grooves from string wear in the neck. I did take many many trips up and down the neck and many string changes later. But! It's a good thing, they're not like lava channels or something. And to tell you the truth, I think the more (or less flat) wear-grooved the fingerboard is - the better the growl. This is of course what Roundwounds are expected to do. If you don't want that sound and find some need for your bass to sound like someone humming through a comb and piece of paper, then I guess you can slap some flatties on there.
Also note that this is based on my Fender-ish bass, my Carvins and ESP basses - with ebony wood fingerboards on the necks. I do not own a Rickenbacker fretless bass.
That is a totally different story. All that 4001 using flats, and 4003 using rounds. But everyone puts rounds on their 4001's...sheesh. Like I said...another story.
SDG
Also note that this is based on my Fender-ish bass, my Carvins and ESP basses - with ebony wood fingerboards on the necks. I do not own a Rickenbacker fretless bass.
That is a totally different story. All that 4001 using flats, and 4003 using rounds. But everyone puts rounds on their 4001's...sheesh. Like I said...another story.
SDG
Nothinggod
New Metal Member
- Mar 10, 2004
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I hadn't really considered the "growl" aspect, but now you mention it, I too concur. My personal dislike of flatwounds is more based on tactility. I use very heavy gague strings and flatwounds feel like a combination of tinfoil and fishing wire to me. You think Mick Karn uses round or flatwounds? My guess would be roundwounds.
MaskedJackal
4003 = <3
HippieOfDoom said:
So wait..you mean to say that the old Sadus stuff like "Certain Death" was your Rick with flatties?
Thanks for the input guys.I guess I'll leave those rounds alone.Thank's steve for the reply.The bass actually sounds really good for the price and looks cool too.I learned bass on the string bass as a kid and so I do very well with the fretless as well as a fretted bass.Any more input is welcomed.Also,I guess I was mistaken about the fretless rick.Oh well! Thanks again,Rob.