I want to complain

[stingrayPete1977]

I have never bought an instrument new without getting at least one pack of strings in my favourite flavour thrown in, If they don't have my flavour I would have two sets for my guitar or a new lead instead/aswel. Mats and a full tank everytime

[Soliloquy]

I've found that most basses with flats sound pretty much the same. Whereas with rounds they each sound different, even different basses of the same model.

I guess that answers your question, in my opinion anyway .

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1143304' date='Feb 27 2011, 01:49 PM']I've found that most basses with flats sound pretty much the same...[/quote]
No bass I know of sounds like my G&L L-1000 with flats.

[Rumple]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='1143123' date='Feb 27 2011, 10:54 AM']It used to be the other way around. I bought a new Fender Precision in 1976 and it came with flats as stock.[/quote]

Good point, My first bass was a Precision copy bought new circa 1978 and it came with black flats as standard.

[daz]

Agree totally, you should be offered a choice of several strings when you buy.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='Soliloquy' post='1143304' date='Feb 27 2011, 01:49 PM']I've found that most basses with flats sound pretty much the same. Whereas with rounds they each sound different, even different basses of the same model.[/quote]
Maybe, but in terms of playability I don't think you can much further apart than Rotosound Flats and TI Jazz Flats.

I can recall passing on a second-hand fretless bass I'd tried that had been strong with Rotosound flats because for me it was simply too much of a struggle to play. With TI strings on there my opinion might have been completely different.

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1143079' date='Feb 27 2011, 10:06 AM']Nothing odd about that, I have been telling people this for ages its pre EB FTW [/quote]

Oh nothing odd about a pre-EB sounding stellar, thats for sure(big fan of Stingray tone, btw), just that he was using rounds, a 'Ray and a Trace rig going for(and succeeding at) a tone that I would expect from a flats, Gibby EB-0 and Ampeg rig.

[Lfalex v1.1]

An option of flats or rounds to try in the shop?
I'd venture to suggest we're trying to run before we can walk!
I'll settle for some [i]half-decent[/i] strings on a bass in a shop when trying it out!
They're either dead from weeks of Saturday abuse or rubbish to begin with. Failing that, on second-hand instruments, they've well and truly had enough!

[Cat Burrito]

I personally always favour flats so completely concur with the OP. It's a pain having to add a £30 cost to every bass I acquire but then again as has already been said the 75% of you favouring roundwounds probably help support the fact that roundwounds are cheaper which undoubtedly please the bass companies.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Darkstrike' post='1143409' date='Feb 27 2011, 03:24 PM']Oh nothing odd about a pre-EB sounding stellar, thats for sure(big fan of Stingray tone, btw), just that he was using rounds, a 'Ray and a Trace rig going for(and succeeding at) a tone that I would expect from a flats, Gibby EB-0 and Ampeg rig.[/quote]
It sounds like he may of had the mutes engaged? They have some great dubby sounds with them lightly damping the strings.

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' post='1143799' date='Feb 27 2011, 08:33 PM']It sounds like he may of had the mutes engaged? They have some great dubby sounds with them lightly damping the strings.[/quote]

I can't remember now, but I don't think so, I'm thinking it was just heavily eq-d, I saw the graphic eq on his Trace had a heavy midscoop, and the highs were rolled back too, I'd imagine he had the highs on the bass off as well.

[SignsOfDelirium_bassist]

I'd like it if more shops had flats-strung basses in stock, but I can see why they don't bother. Pretty much every reason has already been listed, so I won't bother going into it

The only thing that really gets me is when they string a semi-hollow bass with rounds! I've never played a semi-hollow in a shop and really liked the tone, apart from one s/h one. Wanna take a guess at why it sounded so much better? Bingo, it had flats on it. I don't think I've ever tried a semi-hollow with flats and not loved it! It's a small wonder that I haven't gotten one already

[Soliloquy]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1143396' date='Feb 27 2011, 03:17 PM']Maybe, but in terms of playability I don't think you can much further apart than Rotosound Flats and TI Jazz Flats.

I can recall passing on a second-hand fretless bass I'd tried that had been strong with Rotosound flats because for me it was simply too much of a struggle to play. With TI strings on there my opinion might have been completely different.[/quote]

I think that's the strings though. I've had my Modulus strung with Status, Labella and various other flats. The only time it actually 'sang' was with TI's.

[Darkstrike]

Hell, I think it'd be a good idea if most shops had even one, or two basses with flats just so people can try them out, lotta guys don't even know what they are.


First time I ever bought any was quite funny.

A shop I was at had two packs of Steve Harris Roto's hanging behind the counter.
I ask to buy them.
"You know these are flatwound strings?!"
"I do, yeah."
"Now, they're different from roundwounds, are you sure you want them?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Seriously, they're not like rounds."
"I know, thats why I want to try them."
"I'm telling you, they're different....."

I've never had a harder time convincing a salesperson to sell me something.....

[redstriper]

Interesting results so far - thanks for your participation, I had no idea how this would go.

I know most people prefer rounds, but I'm interested to know how big or small the flat loving minority is.

I have added a vote for both as requested.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='redstriper' post='1144091' date='Feb 28 2011, 01:38 AM']...I have added a vote for both as requested.[/quote]
Unfortunately some of the guys who have already voted one or t'other but may have gone with "both" had the option been there to start with can't change their vote, so there's no point adding it now as it will nullify the results. As it stands this poll is fine for knowing just the preference over either flats or rounds..... Rounds by the look of it.

A new poll would be the way to go.

[redstriper]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1144095' date='Feb 28 2011, 01:52 AM']Unfortunately some of the guys who have already voted one or t'other but may have gone with "both" had the option been there to start with can't change their vote, so there's no point adding it now as it will nullify the results. As it stands this poll is fine for knowing just the preference over either flats or rounds..... Rounds by the look of it.

A new poll would be the way to go.[/quote]

I've removed the 'both' option as requested - I really wanted to know which string type people favoured if they could only have one.

I knew rounds were more popular, but there seems to be a significant minority of flat lovers who are largely ignored by bass makers, retailers and reviewers.

[Duarte]

C'mon...who voted 'other'? There's always one...

[Darkstrike]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1144095' date='Feb 28 2011, 01:52 AM']Unfortunately some of the guys who have already voted one or t'other but may have gone with "both" had the option been there to start with can't change their vote, so there's no point adding it now as it will nullify the results. As it stands this poll is fine for knowing just the preference over either flats or rounds..... Rounds by the look of it.

A new poll would be the way to go.[/quote]

Yup, a bit late now, you'd be better off starting from scratch if you want accurate results.
I would have gone for both, but hit rounds because they're what I use on the majority of my basses lately.

[redstriper]

[quote name='Darkstrike' post='1144100' date='Feb 28 2011, 02:23 AM']Yup, a bit late now, you'd be better off starting from scratch if you want accurate results.
I would have gone for both, but hit rounds because they're what I use on the majority of my basses lately.[/quote]

I want to know which strings you prefer, not whether you like both or not - which you would choose if you could only use one type.
I know lots of people like both and I know most prefer rounds, what I don't know is how many prefer flats.
And I know that all statistics are flawed, but the results are accurate enough for me to get a better idea of that percentage.

Edited February 28, 2011 by redstriper

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Duarte' post='1144099' date='Feb 28 2011, 02:23 AM']C'mon...who voted 'other'? There's always one...[/quote]

Someone who only plays Ashborys.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='redstriper' post='1144105' date='Feb 28 2011, 02:36 AM']I want to know which strings you prefer, not whether you like both or not - which you would choose if you could only use one type.[/quote]
But I prefer both types. It depends on what kind of music I'm playing and what bass I'm using to play it with.

I mean why limit yourself? The reason why different basses and different strings exist is so we can get different sounds out of them. Wha is appropriate for one song isn't necessarily appropriate for another. Just because at the moment in my band I predominantly use one bass strung with a particular type of string doesn't mean that in 12 months time I won't be using something completely different, and in another 12 months something different again as the music changes and evolves.

[redstriper]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='1144222' date='Feb 28 2011, 10:21 AM']But I prefer both types. It depends on what kind of music I'm playing and what bass I'm using to play it with.

I mean why limit yourself? The reason why different basses and different strings exist is so we can get different sounds out of them. Wha is appropriate for one song isn't necessarily appropriate for another. Just because at the moment in my band I predominantly use one bass strung with a particular type of string doesn't mean that in 12 months time I won't be using something completely different, and in another 12 months something different again as the music changes and evolves.[/quote]
I understand that many people like both types and there is plenty of choice so there is no need to limit yourself in the real world.
For the purposes of this poll I am simply interested to know which you would choose in the hypothetical situation that you could only have one type.
It may help to imagine that there is no choice and you simply have to decide one way or the other, but if you really can't decide that's ok, don't vote.

[daz]

This poll tells us at least a quarter of bass customers come away unsatisfied with the strings on a purchased bass. A pretty big percentage, id have thought. Any shop that offered a choice of round or flats would be potentially putting itself in a good place once word got around that it offered this service.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='Duarte' post='1144099' date='Feb 28 2011, 02:23 AM']C'mon...who voted 'other'? There's always one...[/quote]