Changing back to rounds

[MacDaddy]

when I want my bass sound to be a dull thud, I'll use flats. But until then...  

[Skybone]

20 hours ago, Roger2611 said:

I still love Elites if I can find them

Bass Centre: http://www.basscentre.com/bass-centre-elites-strings.html

 

[stewblack]

I bought  Bruce Thomas sig from @Kevsy71 and it came loaded with Stadium Elites. 

I love the subtle, warm nuanced sound of flatwound strings (dull? thud? absolutely not) but as @chris_b says its the sound you achieve that matters not how you achieve it.

The sound and feel of the Elites is fabulous. 

[dmccombe7]

My Warwick Thumb originally came with 35-95 Elites. Can't remember what they were like to be honest.

Dave

[jacko]

I've been playing DR Black Beauties for at least 12 years. I find they keep their feel and tone very well for ages. I change them every 6 months but only because that's how often I lemon oil my fingerboards. I reckon they'd last a year otherwise (unless you have particularly corrosive sweat).

[chris_b]

19 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

when I want my bass sound to be a dull thud, I'll use flats. But until then...  

Stick a lump of foam under the strings for extra thumpness. The more foam you use the duller and thumpier, and more vintage, your sound gets. Works with either rounds or flats.

IMO when recording you can't use too much foam, but I usually remove it for gigs.

[jacko]

19 hours ago, MacDaddy said:

when I want my bass sound to be a dull thud, I'll use flats. But until then...  

I've got flats on my fretless alembic. Definitely not dull or thumpy. 

[Pow_22]

Flats on everything for me but when I do need a bit more zing I break out my reserve set of Elites Groundwounds.  More zing but none of the cheesegrater twangy metallic horribleness I associate with rounds

[Kevsy71]

2 hours ago, stewblack said:

I bought  Bruce Thomas sig from @Kevsy71 and it came loaded with Stadium Elites. 

The sound and feel of the Elites is fabulous. 

In fact I missed the sound and feel so much I bought another Bruce Thomas! Which, to be fair, also sounds excellent with flats.

[White Cloud]

Rounds all the way for me; flats just aren't my vibe at all. 

Rotosound Swing or D'Addario steels work well. Elixir and LaBella were also good. 

[grenadillabama]

I have used D'Addario nickel roundwounds but I want to go back to steel roundwounds. I do fear for the frets but the Stingray has big frets. 

[la bam]

One thing is for sure...... these roundwounds are ripping my fingers to bits! On the plus side it's like I've speeded up 500% - much quicker and livelier, and able to do so much more.

[stewblack]

2 hours ago, Kevsy71 said:

In fact I missed the sound and feel so much I bought another Bruce Thomas! Which, to be fair, also sounds excellent with flats.

There's three I would never sell. Two for sentimental reasons as much as for their inherent quality. The BT sig joined this elite group simply because it is an extraordinarily good instrument.

[Stub Mandrel]

My Kay KT-2 six string camo with dead flatwounds fitted in 1979.

Only ever used roundwounds since... (tip for flatwound users, have you considered using the tone controls 🙂 a much cheaper way of sucking all the character out of your sound)

[stewblack]

11 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

My Kay KT-2 six string camo with dead flatwounds fitted in 1979.

Only ever used roundwounds since... (tip for flatwound users, have you considered using the tone controls 🙂 a much cheaper way of sucking all the character out of your sound)

You function with a definition of character different from my own.

[Stub Mandrel]

8 minutes ago, stewblack said:

You function with a definition of character different from my own.

🤣

[stewblack]

Just now, Stub Mandrel said:

🤣

How's that for polite internet disagreement?!

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, stewblack said:

How's that for polite internet disagreement?!

Anyone who takes my opinions too seriously needs to spend some time scanning the 'Den of Iniquity' thread...

[stewblack]

34 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Anyone who takes my opinions too seriously needs to spend some time scanning the 'Den of Iniquity' thread...

I try to stay away from off topic for most of the time.

[dmccombe7]

46 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Anyone who takes my opinions too seriously needs to spend some time scanning the 'Den of Iniquity' thread...

where's that ? i'm easily led and very susceptible to missing sarcasm and humour of similar natures  

[Bassfinger]

I mainly play with a pick anyway, which gives me all the benefits of flats with little of the dull, thuddy downside.

[FinnDave]

5 minutes ago, Bassfinger said:

I mainly play with a pick anyway, which gives me all the benefits of flats with little of the dull, thuddy downside.

I agree, when I was able to play finger style (from sometime in 1973/4 until December 2015) I always used rounds. But since then I have had to change to pick only due to a hand injury and prefer flats. Light weight LaBella flats on an active Jazz Bass played with a pick sound wonderful!

[Bassfinger]

Aye, just fitted Olympia 100's to my JB today and the sound with a pick is enough to make the Lord Lemmy descend to Earth and anoint me with his holy Jack Daniels as a sign of approval.

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Bassfinger said:

I mainly play with a pick anyway, which gives me all the benefits of flats with little of the dull, thuddy downside.

Flats AND a pick!

That needs a double:

[Mastodon2]

There aren't many rounds you can go wrong with, it's all preference. I like La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass on four strings, not such a fan on fives as the low tension that feels so good on the EADG makes for a weak B. I think I'll just be stringing everything with Elixirs from now on, after buying a Ken Smith fitted with them.

The only rounds I really dislike are Rotosounds. I tried some of Billy Sheehan's signature set on my attitude and the heavy E and light G really make sense for that bass, but the strings felylt rough and scratchy and sounded half-dead out of the packet and lasted barely a few weeks of playing before they went off. I got a few packets cheap in a deal, once they're done I won't buy any more.

I think you'll really enjoy a return to rounds. The lively, sparkling and dynamic sound is a joy to behold. The dull thud of flats will always have a place in Motown cover bands, however.