Roundwound versus Flats

[dougieb]

Hi All,

I have been playing bass longer that I wish to think about and I have always used roundwounds. I usually use Ernie Ball 50/105 gauge. I am not au fait with flats and wonder what the pros and cons are of using them.

I play classic rock and blues and weapon of choice in a Fender Jazz Bass, I am a finger player.

Any thoughts, view etc appreciated.

Dougie

[TheSiberian]

Nothing against the flats but I will never like or use them.
Your Jazz Bass/roundwound combo for rock & blues wins.
Best

[Lozz196]

I`ve tried very hard to like flats, nothing wrong with them, can sound good, but to me rounds sound great, so confirmed rounds user.

[PlungerModerno]

Pros: They sound and feel different.
Cons: They sound and feel different.

Flats have a distinctive pick sound, less finger noise when played and sound very `woody' on a fretless - to my ears anyway.
Can't cover the same brilliant sounds fresh rounds can do!

[risingson]

Flats are great for bedding a bass part in a mix nicely, live or in the studio. You get a lot less finger noise when playing and they have a 'fundamental' sound to the note with less of the high end content you'd typically associate with roundwound strings. They're typically thought of as a step in the right direction to getting a vintage bass sound but I've found they have plenty of uses in modern music too that haven't been totally exploited yet.

Downside to them is that they don't sound a thing like roundwounds. I would argue that you might convincingly make roundwound strings sound like flatwounds but this isn't true the other way round for a few different reasons. Slapping doesn't sound good on flats in my opinion, although it's been done a lot by guys like Chuck Rainey and others back in the 70's and 80's. They can also be a bastard to EQ in a boomy room, same goes for the sound guys that might not necessarily know what they're doing as well. It's possible to loose note definition in the wrong environment.

That being said, I'm almost exclusively using flat wound strings now as I'm no longer interested in having a modern sound. I keep my Jazz bass strung with roundwound strings as I like the versatility it offers me when I dep with other bands but for my original recording work and live work, I only use flatwound strings now.

[BigRedX]

There's no "versus" about it.

Two entirely different strings that sound and feel different. Depending on how versatile you need to be sometimes you need flats, sometimes you need round wounds, sometimes you need tape wounds.

It's a bit like the fingers versus pick argument. The versatile player uses whichever is the most appropriate for what they are trying to achieve.

[EssentialTension]

There's no substitute for actually trying the flatwounds yourself.

Besides which just as roundwounds vary a lot by manufacturer, construction etc. so do flatwounds.

For example, Thomastik Jazz Flats neither feel like nor sound like D'Addario Chromes.

[Coilte]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1409766934' post='2543144']
There's no "versus" about it.[/quote]

+1.

Some like them, others hate them.

I think both types of string have their appeal, depending on the type of music. The OP mentions classic
rock and blues. IMO flats are great for this type of music.

Personally, I like both flats and rounds.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Coilte

[deepbass5]

Try ground wounds first best of both worlds I used them for years

[BetaFunk]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1409766934' post='2543144']
There's no "versus" about it.

Two entirely different strings that sound and feel different.
[/quote]
+1

[stingraybassman]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1409766934' post='2543144']
There's no "versus" about it.

Two entirely different strings that sound and feel different. Depending on how versatile you need to be sometimes you need flats, sometimes you need round wounds, sometimes you need tape wounds.

It's a bit like the fingers versus pick argument. The versatile player uses whichever is the most appropriate for what they are trying to achieve.
[/quote]

Nailed it.....

Love and use both. Flats on a Precision make me feel funny inside.

[HowieBass]

If you do try flats (everyone should at least once) you'll likely notice a higher tension for the same gauge as the roundwounds you're used to. If you do go down the flats route and like them enough to keep using them you should get far more life out of them compared to rounds; because they're naturally less bright and don't change as markedly in tone from new to old. Have you thought about gettting say a nice Squier P bass and putting flats on that?

[FinnDave]

I spent the last year or more playing in a blues rock band and used either my jazz with round wounds or my Precision with flats, until I had a eureka moment and restrung the p with rounds, now I have the perfect sound for the style our singer describes as 'psychedelic Nu R&B'.

[Stompbox]

[quote name='dougieb' timestamp='1409763688' post='2543096']
Hi All,

I have been playing bass longer that I wish to think about and I have always used roundwounds. I usually use Ernie Ball 50/105 gauge. I am not au fait with flats and wonder what the pros and cons are of using them.

I play classic rock and blues and weapon of choice in a Fender Jazz Bass, I am a finger player.

Any thoughts, view etc appreciated.

Dougie
[/quote]

Hey Dougie - what you put in your original post is a description of my bass "career" - jazz bass, many years, roundwound strings, and (I don't know if this applies to you) a pick rather than finger player..

I recently (12months or so ago) discovered flats.

They are tremendous.


Easy on the fingers, and if you get some nylon tapewounds, (not cheap though) they can also have a nice bright tone, not just the more mellow tones normally found with flat wound strings.

I'm now a finger rather than pick player too...................

I'm a convert.


Cheers,


Stompbox.

[Diablo]

I can't get on with flats at all - they feel "sticky" on my fingers compared to roundwounds and I just don't like that feel. I also prefer the bright tones from rounds, nickel especially, so rounds all the way for me. As said earlier though, just buy a set and try for yourself. It is all a preference thing both in feel and sound.

Cheers,
Rich

[dougieb]

Thanks for all the information and opinions from you all. I think I will get a set and give them a shot and see if I like them or not. Never even played a borrowed bass with them on so a wee leap in the dark for me.

I appreciate all your inputs and for taking the time to respond.

Cheers dudes,

Dougie

[wateroftyne]

re: 'sticky' flats - you have to play through that. The fun starts when they go smooth.

FWIW, you can help the process along by rubbing them with an old cotton t-shirt.

[Marillionred]

Perhaps I've got the best of both worlds:

Rotosound Trubass tape wounds on my Letts fretless - nice growly fretless sound with no finger noise, also on My Lakland 5501 for that vintage thump, but EMP round wounds on my Warwick Streamer $$ for a punchy sound that cuts through the live mix.

[gary mac]

I love flats when playing at home, particularly if playing along to Northern Soul, Motown etc.

When it comes to gigging though, it has to be rounds for me.

Maybe I need to get myself into a Norther Soul band

[ubit]

I hate flats. They sound good to me for about two hours after putting them on, then just sound dull and not what I want at all.I like rounds because you can dial down your tone or use foam and get the flat sound if you want.

Edited September 4, 2014 by ubit

[Skinnyman]

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1409819982' post='2543573']
I hate flats. They sound good to me for about two hours after putting them on, then just sound dull and not what I want at all.I like rounds because you can dial down your tone or use foam and get the flat sound if you want.
[/quote]
Each to his own. I love em. I've just discovered Rotosound flats which are a bit brighter than some, Picato have a nice, silky feel to them. I also have a set of half rounds waiting to be put onto a jazz bass.

If I want bright, I play closer to the bridge and use the EQ. But I like the sound of old school, rich, creamy bass - and flats do that perfectly for me.

But hey, if you prefer rounds then go for it - there's a reason why most people prefer them!

[BetaFunk]

If anyone is not sure about flatwounds then just listen to the bass on anything recorded before the mid 1960s as there's a good possibility that's what you're listening to.

[davehux]

Fender 9050M flats are quite bright (for flats) I have them on my P and Rotosound RS66's on my Jazz - thump and zing

Horses for courses

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1409826906' post='2543640']
If anyone is not sure about flatwounds then just listen to the bass on anything recorded before the mid 1960s as there's a good possibility that's what you're listening to.
[/quote]
Yes, in fact Fender basses were factory fitted with flats until the late 1970s.

[lojo]

I love flats but find there is always a song or 2 in the set where bright rounds are key, last gig I foam muted my p bass with rounds for everything but those songs , it worked ok, taking the brightness and sustain down.

I've got one bass with half wounds on, still not convinced but need to gig it a few more times

Don't think I'll ever settle either way while I'm playing very varied covers at least