Bernard strings debate.

[YouMa]

As the Bernard Edward's which strings things carry on and was "it just in his fingers" I recently swapped to half wounds and to my joy his tone or my half arsed version of it definitely seemed to materialise. On an Ibanez soundgear. I think it must be half wounds.Any thoughts?

[Doctor J]

Find something Stingrayish with flats and you'll be there quicker than you can click your heels three times.

[YouMa]

I dont get on with the necks though I would love it. An Ibanez neck on a Stingray would be dream setup I think.

[JJTee]

There’s a clip on YouTube with Nile Rodgers relaying a tale of an interview that Bernard had with a guitar magazine. The interviewer apparently asked about Bernard’s fantastic sound and what kind of strings did he use, to which Bernard replied “I dunno - what kind of strings come on a Stingray?”.  Hadn’t changed the strings since he bought it.

I think the Stingray experts think he was therefore using flatwounds given the year of Bernard’s bass, as that was what they were then shipped with then - 1977?

Edited September 1, 2020 by JJTee

[miles'tone]

I have a feint memory of his strings being GHS Brite Flats because Stingrays were shipped with them on in 1978. Prior to that they were shipped with GHS Precision Flats. 

Can't remember where I read that though!

[pete.young]

Some of the early stuff was recorded on a Precision, apparently. Or maybe a Jazz.

Edited September 1, 2020 by pete.young

[Doctor J]

Yeah, the first Chic album (Dance, Dance, Dance. Strike Up The Band, Everybody Dance) was a P , after that it was the Stingray.

I recall an anecdote from John Taylor where he had borrowed Bernard's Stingray (possibly the first Power Station album?) and came in one day to be horrified to discover one of the studio hands, seeing how old the strings were, cut them off and restrung it. John, naturally, went ballistic.

[drTStingray]

Bernard's Stingray is a 1977 (about 2300 into the production run) and they did indeed ship with GHS flats until sometime in 1978, when they changed to roundwounds. 

On a Stingray it's possible to cop his exact tone for finger style even with roundwounds, and appropriate playing technique. Those short, fat poppy sounding finger style upper octave notes are a key Stingray characteristic sound (and are difficult to achieve on most other types of bass). 

However, the popped notes in the chorus of We Are Family need flatwounds (on a Stingray). A Fender Jazz has too much of that Jazz boing in the sound. Roundwounds on a Stingray give more of the Louis Johnson popped sound. 

 

Edited September 1, 2020 by drTStingray

[ClassicVibes]

His Stingray was strung with GHS Brite Flats out of the factory.

[itu]

16 hours ago, drTStingray said:

Roundwounds on a Stingray give more of the Louis Johnson popped sound.

But I read from notreble that Louis used flats, too?

[fretmeister]

'Nard swapped to rounds.

 

Nile has confirmed it, many times.