Thoughts on Rounds vs Flats

[BassAdder60]

I tried Flats on two basses and just didn’t get on with the smooth finish in regards to my plucking hand and the different sound / tone 

 

On a PBass for rock I find Roundwounds in the main just sound better even though Steve Harris plays flats on his PBass !! 
 

I love the fresh chime of new roundwounds and the rougher string feel just suits my rough old hands !!

[SumOne]

Personally, I don't like the sticky feel of flats and I don't think it makes a huge amount of difference in sound once rounds are a few months old and you use EQ and are playing through an Amp/Cab with a band. It is pretty easy to roll the tone down or EQ out highs from rounds (including the scratch noise from dragging along the string), difficult to do the opposite and add highs in dull flat strings though.  The dogma is that for stuff like Motown or Reggae you 'need' rounds, but I've seen professional Reggae players say they use rounds and EQ. 

 

To contradict myself a bit though: I do really like the feel and sound of tapewounds.

[wateroftyne]

Tone of roundwounds with tone rolled off ≠ Tone of flats

 

 

[neepheid]

On 23/03/2023 at 12:24, Waddo Soqable said:

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.. 

 

 

I'm so stubborn that I am only ever unintentionally fashionable...

[chris_b]

My band leaders let me get on with it, but if they expressed a hard preference then, as long as it doesn't involve spending money, I'd go with it.

 

I have basses strung with flats and rounds. I don't mind playing either. 

[lownote]

1 hour ago, SumOne said:

Personally, I don't like the sticky feel of flats

 

Que? Disappears in a matter of days from new and then you get super slippy instead.   IME/HO

[Greg Edwards69]

I've used rounds for the last 30 years and find it's generally a more versatile option. However, I bought a Squier 50s P bass a couple of years ago and I've flip-flopped several times between rounds and flats on it (it's currently sporting flats). The single coil is inherently very bright and flats tame that brightness very well. It's a joy to play with flats and it nail's "that sound" - you know it when you hear it! 

 

On the other hand, it's my backup bass. So whilst my primary bass(es) have rounds, it would possibly sound a little off if I had to switch to this one with flats - especially if I had to slap it. Although TBH, once it's in the mix, I'm not sure the audience (or even my band mates) would notice, much less care. It's usually only us bass players who are the most aware of other bass players tone.

 

EDIT: I nearly forgot. I had a Warwick Corvette fretless that I strung up with Thomastik Infeld flats. Lovely bass, but it didn't see a lot of action - mainly as it didn't fit with the type of music I play (I really don't like bringing and swapping basses for just one song) and it was really heavy. But that was my only experience with flats before getting my Squier, and being fretless I wouldn't have been able to give an objective opinion back then regarding the merits of flats vs rounds.

Edited March 24, 2023 by Greg Edwards69

[Reggaebass]

Some flats can feel sticky when they are new ,but after a week or two of playing it soon goes away, I’ve had some that had what must have been the manufacturing residue oil on them, but a good wipe down sorted that , all mine are silky smooth now 

[RikiB]

I personally prefer the feel of flats especially with picking hand

[SumOne]

1 hour ago, lownote said:

Que? Disappears in a matter of days from new and then you get super slippy instead.   IME/HO

 

I dunno, isn't the finger in contact with a larger surface area with flats - making it more sticky, like how sticky tape sticks more to a flat surface than a lumpy one? But I suppose flats might get lubed up and be more slippery though!

[Gasman]

I’ve only ever used black tape wound Rotosound  Trubass strings on my vintage ‘60 Fenton Weill after trying rounds and flats, super deep chunky sound, but only good on that instrument. 

[smithy]

I love the sound and feel of Flats. I have strung my semi hollow, my P bass and a Jazz bass with TI Jazz Flats. I do like them a lot, even if their low tension doesn´t offer that rebound that I´m missing sometimes when playing very fast.

 

But I have another Jazz bass and a Hofner Shorty strung with rounds, which I prefer for playing somewhat harder stuff. Those are pretty worn in (not to say dead) pure nickels, that sound to my ears like flats with that extra bit of bite.

 

There´s another thing, at least in my experience : I´ve got the impression that playing with flats makes me play lazier in a certain way, because finger noise (unwanted) isn´t an issue. Changing to rounds it takes some time to play properly without unwanted noises.