Thoughts on Rounds vs Flats

[RikiB]

I have always played roundwounds.

Rotosound swing 66

D’addario XL

Ernie Ball super slinky

 

I borrowed a bass that had some flats once but wasn’t the sound I wanted.

I just bought a new (to me) bass that came with some flats on (Chromes)

I’m digging the sound, thumpy and well -bassy. Complete contrast to cutting through in a 3 piece with rounds.

Got a gig Saturday and want to try these out,the band plays classic rock and some modern covers but unsure if I should just wing it and see what happens or stick with the rounds that I know.

Really enjoying it playing at home though.

 

Worried about less sustain and less high end changing the bands sound too much but also I think it may be for the better.

 

Do you guys use flats for rock?

Edited March 22, 2023 by RikiB

[chris_b]

I had rounds on all my basses for 30+years. Then I heard flats on the same model as mine and loved the sound. I now have rounds on the Jazz and flats on the P.

 

One caveat, I don't sound like Mark King or Chris Squire, but I've used flats in blues rock bands and the other bands. Doesn't Steve Harris use flats?

 

IMO if you have a good EQ on your amp you can play any bass and use any strings you want.

Edited March 22, 2023 by chris_b

[Waddo Soqable]

Always roundwound.. I have had a go on other people's basses a few times with flats fitted but, nah.. wasn't for me. 

[Owen]

It is one gig. 98% of people will not even notice. And the other 2% will say "flats, funky" and then carry on with whatever they were doing. Do it. 

[chris_b]

The audiences don't matter. Not even the rest of the band.

 

Choose the bass or strings that make you happy. Because a happy player plays better and that makes the band play better.

[Boodang]

I now use flats exclusively on all my basses but even more than rounds, there's a lot difference in the sound and feel between them.

They don't have to be too 'thuddy', my TI flats and Galli Synthesis are quite lively, plus the tension on them is low (the Synthesis are like rubber bands!). I use nylons for a completely different sound and feel, the Bellas are quite dull but the D'adarrio's are actually quite bright. 

And don't forget tension. A friend of mine put on the Steve Harris signature flats and they're like stair rods! 

If you're experimenting with the sound, take 2 basses to the gig and try both to get a direct comparison. 

 

[NancyJohnson]

I'm firmly in roundwound territory here, but about five years ago I put a set of Fender flats on my old Aria-P for a dep thing I was doing.

 

Surprisingly, it didn't really go all that ponky, it pretty much sounded like it was strung with rounds that had been on for a bit.  I didn't particularly like the smoothness of them and took them off after a couple of weeks.

 

From an historical perspective (and perhaps someone can answer this), I'm assuming flats were always about back in the 40s/50s...no idea when rounds came out to the masses.  It begs the question that if rounds were the order of the day 60/70 years ago and flats were the new kids on the block, would traditionalists be waxing lyrical about rounds at the moment?

 

Ooh, and what if CDs had come before vinyl?  😂

[Gasman]

They did, vinyl is now the new wave and is taking over again!

[RikiB]

All interesting views.

Im just worried about being too different than normal with the flat sound.

I’ll take both basses and start of with rounds and then 2nd set change to bass with flats and see.

I just know at home I’m really liking the feel and sound of the flats

[RikiB]

I don’t mind higher tension strings as long as they’re not like the La Bella 760M I tried.

 

 

[BigRedX]

If you are happy with the sound and feel of your current strings, then why change?

 

Back in the 70s if you read interviews with bassists in any of the music mags, most of them would be saying that the first thing they did with a new bass was to remove the factory fitted flat wound strings and replace them with a set of Rotosound round wounds, and they would also be removing the bridge and pickup covers; so I would suspect that the majority of 70s rock was recorded with round wounds.

 

By all means try them, IMO there is a place for both and it depends on the kind of music you play, it's not an either/or choice.

[ezbass]

9 hours ago, RikiB said:

 

 

Do you guys use flats for rock?

Yes, EB Cobalts. Before that, D’Addario XLs we’re my go to choice of strings. I’ve tried LaBella and Fender flats, but find that they don’t have same articulation as the Cobalts, more old school thud.

[lownote]

I only play flats on fretless for blues and RnB. Haven't played rounds for years. But then I have custom EQ setting that makes anything sound like dark nut chocolate (whatever that is). Always played Chromes until I dicovered Picato.

Edited March 23, 2023 by lownote

[sprocketflup]

Pretty much play flats on everything these days, certainly everything that other people hear anyway.

 

As with all strings, the tone/sound/depth varies quite a lot between the different makes & models. A set of Labellas will sound different to Fender flats. You may have to experiment a bit to find what you want.

 

The other bonus of flats IMO is that they don't have that rather quick drop in clarity that I seem to find with rounds when they have been played a bit. In fact, the set I have on my main stage bass is well over 3 years old now, I'd have changed round wound strings lord knows how many times by now 

[Lozz196]

I`ve tried with flats over the years on my Precisions and just never really "got" them, however my new JMJ Mustang has Chromes on it and I`m quite enjoying them. I`m fairly sure I will still swap over to rounds though.

[Saul Panzer]

I love flats, specifically cobalt ones...their sound has a bit more bite to my ear, kind of 85% flats with a 15% rounds edge to them so playing with the tone has more range in terms of making an older flatwound sound (reggae, motown etc.) and a more modern sound (pop, rock, metal etc.).

 

Can't comment on gigging as I don't, but for home playing I'm a fan. They go through a "sticky" phase in my experience, where the strings are quite sticky for fingerstyle playing on the right hand, after that they feel good.

I don't play a huge amount of rock but I've always liked the finger sound of mine for things like Queen, Outfield, Meatloaf and with a pick for the harder stuff like G'n'R up to metal bands.

 

Typically I'd go with the treble all the way down on an amp, up the bass and mid 10% from neutral and the tone all the way down on my bass. Then just roll up the tone on the bass as the songs get heavier.

[RikiB]

7 minutes ago, Saul Panzer said:

I love flats, specifically cobalt ones...their sound has a bit more bite to my ear, kind of 85% flats with a 15% rounds edge to them so playing with the tone has more range in terms of making an older flatwound sound (reggae, motown etc.) and a more modern sound (pop, rock, metal etc.).

 

Can't comment on gigging as I don't, but for home playing I'm a fan. They go through a "sticky" phase in my experience, where the strings are quite sticky for fingerstyle playing on the right hand, after that they feel good.

I don't play a huge amount of rock but I've always liked the finger sound of mine for things like Queen, Outfield, Meatloaf and with a pick for the harder stuff like G'n'R up to metal bands.

 

Typically I'd go with the treble all the way down on an amp, up the bass and mid 10% from neutral and the tone all the way down on my bass. Then just roll up the tone on the bass as the songs get heavier.

Tone all the way off sounds odd to me on my Basses. Like when you talk with your hands over your mouth,muffled sort of

[pbasspecial]

Take 2 basses, one with rounds, the other with flats. Play 1 set with 1 bass and 1 with the other. Trust me no one cares as much as you do. 
just a thought experiment: try telling the guitarist you don’t like sound of his guitar, pedals or amp. I wonder how accommodating they would be. So why do you think you should. Find your own sound, own it and be happy with the choices you make. 

[Chaosanator]

11 hours ago, RikiB said:

Do you guys use flats for rock?

Yes in an Iron Maiden tribute band

[fretmeister]

I use EB Group IV flats on my long scale basses.

 

They are brighter than traditional La Bella thumpy flats, but not as bright as the EB Cobalts. They are somewhere in the middle.

I use them for everything - modern metal to old RnB.

 

There's no finger noise and unlike some flats, they are not grabby on the fingers when sweaty in hot weather.

 

I've got Dunlop flats on my medium scale 5 string - they are more old fashioned in tone with a deep natural fundamental.

 

And finally, I've got La Bella deep talking flats on my 30 inch P bass for a real old thumpy sound - but saying that, with the tone control up and playing with a pick it's got a great rock tone. Lynott / Deacon sort of clear thickness about it.

 

When I play in a rock setting it's always in a 3 piece power trio arrangement and they all work well for me.

[Saul Panzer]

28 minutes ago, RikiB said:

Tone all the way off sounds odd to me on my Basses. Like when you talk with your hands over your mouth,muffled sort of

In general I'd agree yeah, should've qualified it with that's what works on my setup and I'm more often playing reggae, motown, soul type bass so a more muted/muffled bass is my vibe.

The reason I go for cobalts is that they seem to hold clarity better than a lot of the other flats I've tried, even with the tone off the notes are distinct enough...plus I play a P/J so adding a little of that J tightens the sound.

 

Cranking the tone up is where I go for my rock type vibes.

[RikiB]

Might order a set of Cobalts then so I can use with both bands

[Pow_22]

All my basses weear flats.  Every now and again i think i want some more 'growl' or 'zing' and i put rounds on....then miss the thump and 'bigness' of flats 

[Leonard Smalls]

I usually use D'Addario NYXL rounds. They give a good growl! I never use flats because I've never found any that sound right with my slap'n'tickle playing style... A "pop" on flats doesn't quite do it for me, and I'm too mean to experiment on the off chance!

[Waddo Soqable]

Hate to say it but I think "fashion" has a lot to do with it, it seems to be very much "the thing" at the mo to espouse flats..  a 180 reversal of the above mentioned 70s notion of "swap your stock flats for rotosounds asap"

I'm not criticising any one for using flats just coz I don't like 'em, that'd be Incredibly stupid. Whatever works for you, and what you play, is the way to go of course..