Thoughts on Rounds vs Flats

[dclaassen]

I've got Elixer nanowebs on both my fretted basses...love them on the 5'er, but the jury is still out on using them with my Jazz. Flats on the fretless, but I find I play different techniques with flats/fretless anyway. It just fits for me, and I love the sound and feel of the coated strings on the 5 string.

[chris_b]

6 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

. . . . 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?

 

I believe the first commercially available roundwounds were made by Rotosound circa 1966, for John Entwistle. He wanted a more guitar like sound and along with the development of Marshall amps and 412 stacks, was in a perpetual battle for sound and volume with Pete Townsend. 

[chris_b]

I had Burns Black Nylon flats on my old Framus in the 60's. They had a great feel and sound. Looked cool too.

[BigRedX]

39 minutes ago, chris_b said:

I believe the first commercially available roundwounds were made by Rotosound circa 1966, for John Entwistle. He wanted a more guitar like sound and along with the development of Marshall amps and 412 stacks, was in a perpetual battle for sound and volume with Pete Townsend. 

 

Didn't the Danelectro bass he tried to use for the solo on "My Generation" come fitted with round wound strings? Which is why Entwistle wanted to used it on the solo and why he eventually got Rotosound to produce round wounds commercially.

[TheGreek]

I came to Flats via Tapewounds.

 

There much easier on the fingertips and I prefer the tone. AS somebody said, nobody's going to notice - only bass players listen to the bass.

[chris_b]

3 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

Didn't the Danelectro bass he tried to use for the solo on "My Generation" come fitted with round wound strings? Which is why Entwistle wanted to used it on the solo and why he eventually got Rotosound to produce round wounds commercially.

 

I haven't researched it, but Danlelectro had the 6 string baritone guitar from the 50's,  so he might have picked up on the idea from them.

[Boodang]

2 hours ago, TheGreek said:

I came to Flats via Tapewounds.

 

There much easier on the fingertips and I prefer the tone. AS somebody said, nobody's going to notice - only bass players listen to the bass.

I think the audience does notice, not in a way a musician would, but they know when something sounds good, or doesn't, or sounds muddy, or sounds like their favourite recording, or not. They don't know the technical terms or the details, but I wouldn't underestimate an audience's ability to be discerning. 

[ezbass]

4 minutes ago, Boodang said:

I think the audience does notice, not in a way a musician would, but they know when something sounds good, or doesn't, or sounds muddy, or sounds like their favourite recording, or not. They don't know the technical terms or the details, but I wouldn't underestimate an audience's ability to be discerning. 

I think you’re on to something about the ‘untrained’ ear of the audience here, but there’s also an additional way they might notice. If you’re comfortable with the strings that you’re using, you should be more relaxed and, by association, play better. I know that I feel more at home with my EB Cobalts and I hope that this shows when I perform.

[Lozz196]

I reckon you’re spot on @ezbass, I can play my JMJ with Chromes nicely enough but I know I’ll feel more at home with my fave Elixir steel rounds, and am confident that my playing will sound better as a result.

[chris_b]

56 minutes ago, Boodang said:

I think the audience does notice, not in a way a musician would, but they know when something sounds good, or doesn't, or sounds muddy, or sounds like their favourite recording, or not. They don't know the technical terms or the details, but I wouldn't underestimate an audience's ability to be discerning. 

 

Some individuals in the audience will know stuff about the bass (I regularly get people come up and ask about 5 string basses), and I think most of them will know something has changed if we stop playing in the middle of a song, but wouldn't bet they'll have any idea what just happened!

[Beer of the Bass]

5 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

Didn't the Danelectro bass he tried to use for the solo on "My Generation" come fitted with round wound strings? Which is why Entwistle wanted to used it on the solo and why he eventually got Rotosound to produce round wounds commercially.

 

Roundwounds are the older string technology - Thomastik introduced flat windings in violin family strings earlier in the 20th century, and Labella claim to have introduced them in guitar strings in the 40s. At the time the Fender bass hit the market flatwound guitar strings were usually presented as the deluxe option. So presumably Fender specified flatwound construction for their new electric bass and that set the standard. The roundwound bass strings that existed prior to Rotosound were likely specified for low cost above all else and not great quality, which makes sense for Danelectro.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Beer of the Bass

[bassbiscuits]

I’ve got both rounds and flats on different basses. I find flats sound a bit rubbish on their own but sit beautifully in a mix at a gig, which to me is the acid test anyway.  
 

Mine are La Bella Deep Talking Bass 43-104 I think the gauge is, so not too heavy. And La Bella Mustangs for my mustang. 
 

Saying that, my Yamaha with D’Addario NYXL nickel roundwounds is a more versatile sound, and though it came wearing chromes, the roundwounds just suit its character better.

 

But I’ve taken flats or rounds to gigs with the same bands and

no one has noticed a difference worth mentioning for the vast majority of stuff.   

[Linus27]

I played rounds for about 30 years but moved to flats about 5 years ago and I love them. I only play fretless and I have settled on two types. LaBella Black Nylon which is my preferred type and used on my fretless Jazz and are absolutely fantastic strings. On my fretless Precision's I use LaBella Low Tension Flats which also sound fabulous. I might string one of my Precision's with a set of LaBella Black Nylon Flats but no rush and I'm super happy with both sets.

 

[NAS Bass]

Flats don't have to be dull, too thuddy or like 'bridge cables'. On many occasions I've known bassists to try them briefly and just go "naaahhh", without any EQ changes, pedal adjustments and unbelievably without a change to their bass set up! They really aren't just like playing rounds but with a bit of different sound. There's a lot of fundamental bass and low mids there, it's what makes them punch through. Add some high mid and top end and they can get quite gritty too - have a listen to Phil Lynott or some early Police or AC/DC stuff. For reference I currently use Fender 9050ML tuned to Eb on a Precision and 9050L in standard on a Jazz, both played pick and fingers. 

Edited March 23, 2023 by NAS Bass
Typo

[msb]

Most of my basses have flats. They sit nicely in the mix.

Try ‘em.

[Count Bassy]

15 hours ago, Gasman said:

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

Actually the vinyls are now being superceded by acetates at 78rpm. They just have so much more atmosphere about them, especially once they've been played a few times.

[Count Bassy]

Rounds or flats, it will still sound like a bass guitar.

[Dad3353]

21 minutes ago, Count Bassy said:

Rounds or flats, it will still sound like a bass guitar.

 

Have you heard Lenny recently..? 

 

...

 

 

[iconic]

I've been down the flats rabbit hole a few times.....just turn the treble down, close that tone control...for some though there is a tactile difference. 😉

[wateroftyne]

Just go with the flats. Remember tho - they’re all about the mids. Don’t scoop them out.

[la bam]

I played for years in a queen tribute with flats. Really good rock sound. Adds a lot of punch.

[fretmeister]

46 minutes ago, la bam said:

I played for years in a queen tribute with flats. Really good rock sound. Adds a lot of punch.

 

I bet that was a fun gig! I love Deacon's live sound. It's always plenty loud but fits perfectly, no doubt helped by BM's vox amps not having a lot of low end but being really harmonically rich.

 

I do wish there were more accurate bass transcriptions of Queen songs though!

[RikiB]

So I had a band practice last nice and started with the flats. I had to adjust the amp and boosted some mids and treble.

I was feeling it but after 3 songs they all said now play your other bass. 
They all agreed that rounds work better in our band as the growl and zing from the rounds filled up more space as we are a 1 guitar band for 80% of each gig.

I tried to sneak the flatwound bass in again near the end for (Wayward son) and they all said again “play the other bass)

 

ao guess for now I’ll stay with roundwounds.

Ill try them with the Wedding band next week though but for the rock band it’s roundwounds

[fretmeister]

Are the basses the same model?

[RikiB]

25 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

Are the basses the same model?

Both p-basses.

one American one Mexican