Favourite Fretless Strings?

[BreadBin]

Just now, Frank Blank said:

As you know it was that bass that turned me from the Rob Allen, something I never thought would happen.

Quite, your Rob Allen was very briefly bass of the day for me until (at your suggestion) I tried it. A sublime instrument. 

[Bunion]

DR sunbeams 45-105 on my TF fender as played by the man himself, but I play DR’s on all my instruments namely Fat-beams 45-105. The sunbeams feel a little less taught and are great for digging in on Pearl jam tracks (Jeff ament played a lot of fretless) 

I couldn’t get on with flats I found the mwah a lot less with them and didn’t like the feel. 
Each to his own

 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Bunion

[itu]

7 hours ago, Skybone said:

Surprised at folk using rounds for fretless, would have thought the de-rigeur choice would have been flats.

Listen to Brothers Johnson and wonder why the StingRay slapping sounds like that. Well, he used to use flats. SS RW isn't the de-rigeur choice for slapping.

My basses are all strung with SS RW (GHS long scale plus or similar D'Addario, 40 - 100 (120)).

[wrinkleygit]

Labella every time for me, 760N are on the Jabba Fretless, I also use their Low Tension SS Flats on everything else, these are now on the Jabba Telebass, as I find rounds or anything else uncomfortable these days.

  In the past I’ve tried TI Flats, Dadario ground wounds, Status and a few others , but for me Labella are the clear winner. The SS flats are a little brighter and I find they work well on a fretted bass, giving a lovely slinky feel, as well as great tone.

  BassDirect seems to have the best selection as well as price and excellent service. 

Edited October 1, 2021 by wrinkleygit
Wording

[BigRedX]

18 hours ago, Skybone said:

 

TBH, I have no idea. I suppose it comes from thinking that rounds might damage the fret board (or lack-of-fret board in this case). With flats, there would be nothing to damage the 'board. And always assuming that the typical fretless "mwah" sound was flats. 🤷‍♂️

 

IME unless your fingerboard is made out of something very soft, round-wound strings won't do any more damage to it then they do to the frets on a fretted bass. However, it does help if you use "classical" vibrato technique (back and forth rather than side to side). Besides if you do manage to significantly damage the fingerboard you can always get your luthier to re-shoot it smooth, in the same way that you would have a refret to replace worn frets on a fretted bass.

[stewblack]

9 hours ago, wrinkleygit said:

Labella every time for me, 760N are on the Jabba Fretless, I also use their Low Tension SS Flats on everything else, these are now on the Jabba Telebass, as I find rounds or anything else uncomfortable these days.

  In the past I’ve tried TI Flats, Dadario ground wounds, Status and a few others , but for me Labella are the clear winner. The SS flats are a little brighter and I find they work well on a fretted bass, giving a lovely slinky feel, as well as great tone.

  BassDirect seems to have the best selection as well as price and excellent service. 

As I have played and loved these strings at the bass bash I think I will be getting a set of 760N.

[lownote]

On 30/09/2021 at 07:46, franzbassist said:

However, I recently tried a set of the new Galli Synthesis flats, whch have a synthetic core, and they are just incredible.  My new favourite fretless string without a doubt.

 

@franzbassist I just bought some at your recommendation and the tone is nice so thanks for that.  But the one massive downside is mine won't stay in tune. They're going out by whole tones in less than an hour – and I keep winding and winding - I  can’t believe they don’t go twang… I’ve changed dozens of string sets in my life. My MO includes making sure there’s at least two turns round the winding post, I gently stretch the string after fitting by pulling in the middle, and press down in front of the bridge. And I do know that new strings take a while to stabilise.  But I’ve had these on for hours now and they’re still going way out of tune in just a few minutes. My old Dunlops barely needed adjusting once a month…

 

Edit: Just heard back from Mark at Bass Direct who flogged them to me.  He thinks they're slipping on the tuning post.  With two to three turns and the end stuck down the 'ole in the middle of the post I can't see how that's happening.  Never happened to me before.

Edited October 2, 2021 by lownote

[franzbassist]

31 minutes ago, lownote said:

@franzbassist I just bought some at your recommendation and the tone is nice so thanks for that.  But the one massive downside is mine won't stay in tune. They're going out by whole tones in less than an hour – and I keep winding and winding - I  can’t believe they don’t go twang… I’ve changed dozens of string set in my life. My MO includes making sure there’s at least two turns round the winding post, I gently stretch the string after fitting by pulling in the middle, and press down in front of the bridge. And I do know that new strings take a while to stabilise.  But I’ve had these on for hours now and they’re still going way out of tune in just a few minutes. My old Dunlops barely needed adjusting once a month…

 

Edit: Just heard back from Mark at Bass Direct who flogged them to me.  He thinks they're slipping on the tuning post.  With two to three turns and the end stuck down the 'ole in the middle of the post I can't see how that's happening.  Never happened to me before.

 

Don't worry!  They have a synthetic core which stretches so they do take a while to settle, but once they do they are rock solid.  Mine took about a day to settle, just keep tuning them up to pitch and they'll be fine. 

[lownote]

On 02/10/2021 at 13:58, franzbassist said:

 

Don't worry!  They have a synthetic core which stretches so they do take a while to settle, but once they do they are rock solid.  Mine took about a day to settle, just keep tuning them up to pitch and they'll be fine. 

Well, this is the end of the second day and I'm still cranking those ol' heads.  The rate of detune has slowed but they still go out by half a half tone every 1/2 hour.  Not blaming you as tastes and experiences vary and I decided to buy them but I call these a total waste of £40.

[franzbassist]

39 minutes ago, lownote said:

Well, this is the end of the second day and I'm still cranking those ol' heads.  The rate of detune has slowed but they still go out by half a half tone every 1/2 hour.  Not blaming you as tastes and experiences vary and I decided to buy them but I call these a total waste of £40.

 

Sorry to hear that, but all I can say is they will stabilise.  

Edited October 3, 2021 by franzbassist

[Boodang]

On 02/10/2021 at 13:58, franzbassist said:

 

Don't worry!  They have a synthetic core which stretches so they do take a while to settle, but once they do they are rock solid.  Mine took about a day to settle, just keep tuning them up to pitch and they'll be fine. 

Yep  that's synthetic cores for you. I've got Obligato's on my upright and it's the same, takes a day or two to settle in.

[stewblack]

Very happy with the Labellas on my fretless. Seem to have the appropriate amount of schmwam woorp I like.

[Boodang]

On 30/09/2021 at 07:46, franzbassist said:

I have always loved La Bella nylons on my fretless basses, the tension is lovley and they can sustain for days with the right set up.  Black ones are good if you like a darker tone, whereas the white ones have a brighter top end.

 

However, I recently tried a set of the new Galli Synthesis flats, whch have a synthetic core, and they are just incredible.  My new favourite fretless string without a doubt.

 

If I was still using rounds on a fretless I always had good experiences with DR Sunbeams and Elixirs.

 

Just got the Galli Synthesis chrome flats on my fretless jazz.... shaping up to be my new favourite. A very flexible string in much the same way as the Obligato's are on my upright.

[lownote]

6 hours ago, Boodang said:

Just got the Galli Synthesis chrome flats on my fretless jazz.... shaping up to be my new favourite. A very flexible string in much the same way as the Obligato's are on my upright.

Just out of interest, keep a log of how many days you keep cranking the strings up to tune and let us know when they finally settle.

[Boodang]

20 hours ago, lownote said:

Just out of interest, keep a log of how many days you keep cranking the strings up to tune and let us know when they finally settle.

So, two days in; day one, constant half tone tuning: day two, half tone tune up after being left over night, then it's been progressively smaller tune ups throughout the day until it's relatively stable but still not 100%.

Reckon maybe another day of playing to fully settle in but I'll keep posting.

Have been on a Teams online course for the last 2 days which has mostly been death by power point, so have been sitting playing my Jazz with the Galli strings thru most of it.

[Boodang]

Oh, and out of interest, first time I've seen this on a string packet. 

[Lo-E]

13 hours ago, Boodang said:

Oh, and out of interest, first time I've seen this on a string packet. 

I need to find the strings with a packet that says:

Please note; Given the near indestructibility of these strings, any half drunk, ham-fisted baboon could install them without incident. Just put them on your bass. Everything’s going to be okay. 

[Soledad]

On 30/09/2021 at 07:46, franzbassist said:

However, I recently tried a set of the new Galli Synthesis flats, whch have a synthetic core, and they are just incredible. 

Currently using the 'white' LaBellas, and have done some time - like 'em for what sound I want. But interested in the Galli - Bass Direct? I may give them a go.

As for the rounds/flats / nylon debate, totally depends on the bass, the player and the sound wanted. If I was stringing a Jazz right now I'd probably put EB Cobalt flats on. On my Mayones playing with a more unplugged ensemble, I use the LaBellas. If I really wanted the rounds sound (on the ficticious Jazz) I'd probably need a pro finish on the fingerboard first because they do chew boards up over time. 

Edited October 22, 2021 by Soledad

[franzbassist]

7 minutes ago, Soledad said:

Currently using the 'white' LaBellas, and have done some time - like 'em for what sound I want. But interested in the Galli - where do you get them from?

 

I bought my first set direct from Italy, but Bass Direct now have stock too and at a better price.

Edited October 22, 2021 by franzbassist

[TheGreek]

Fender, Rotosound and Warwick have entered the Tapewound market with their own brands of strings.

 

I've got all three fitted on basses and TBH all are worth considering for a deeper, warmer tone than you get with normal flatwound strings. Prices from £28 but you may need to shop around.

[Lo-E]

20 hours ago, TheGreek said:

Fender, Rotosound and Warwick have entered the Tapewound market with their own brands of strings.

Rotosound has been making tape wound strings for as long as I can remember. I think Fender has offered them for a long time as well. 
 

Tapes are pretty unique as far as strings go, offering minimal sustain and deep thud but also some top-end detail. In conjunction with a pick, Graham Maby used them to great effect on Joe Jackson’s first two albums. I think he used LaBellas but I wouldn’t swear to it. 
 

In my attempts to use them in the past I never really got along with them but now that we’re discussing them it might be time to give them another try. My tastes continue to evolve so they might be just the ticket for me now. 

[GBH]

Big fan of ernie ball cobalt flats on my fretless, nice top end with good midrange thump.