String advice for fretless!

[patch006]

As title suggests, newish to fretless and loving it. I have a six string that I want to try some new strings on, i'm really geting in to the percussive sounds with slap and love the warm mellow jazzy sounds eminating from the warwick thumb.

So here it is, i'm looking for advice on best value make, sound etc... it is a ebony fretboard.


Cheers ya all!

[Jerry_B]

Rotosounds are good, with a warm sound. LaBella 'Deep Talkin' strings are also pretty good, but have more of a zing IMHO.

[xilddx]

[quote name='patch006' post='831436' date='May 8 2010, 01:57 PM']As title suggests, newish to fretless and loving it. I have a six string that I want to try some new strings on, i'm really geting in to the percussive sounds with slap and love the warm mellow jazzy sounds eminating from the warwick thumb.

So here it is, i'm looking for advice on best value make, sound etc... it is a ebony fretboard.


Cheers ya all![/quote]

I use a few different types on my Corvette STD FL with ebony board, depending on mood. For a more upright thump and fast decay I love the [b]LaBella Black Nylon Tapewound[/b], lovely tension on those. If I want some growl and a little bit of zing, I like [b]DR Handmade Black Beauties roundwound[/b], they look so cool too, all black strings do

At the moment I have [b]Warwick EMP roundwounds[/b] on, they are a bit more snarly than the Black Beauties and very growlly, but they feel a bit harsh on the fingers, a bit "sticky".

All my strings are 45 - 105.

Mind you, I use a POD X3 so I can pretty much get any sound from any strings on any bass. So the "core tone" don't mean sh*t to me really, I go for comfort and playability.

[Bilbo]

Rotosound Solo Bass. Been on my Wal for 23 years and no damage to the ebony fretboard. They are groundwounds

[BigRedX]

Unfortunately there is no right answer, only the right answer for you and only you can decide that. It will depend on the tonal characteristics of your bass, how you play and what kind of fretless sound you are after.

Just to illustrate, I use TI Jazz Flats on my Lightwave Sabre A, Overwater Nickels on my Overwater Original, Pedulla Nickels on my Pedulla Buzz and LaBella Hard Rocking Steels on my Sei Flamboyant. All have their own individual sound that suits how I play and what kinds of sounds I want from each different fretless bass.

[fretmeister]

La Bella deep talking are my fave flats. Very nice.

[grahamd]

I can vouch for TI and Labella flats as great singing low tension strings for FL.

Been wondering about DR Sunbeams and Lo Riders recently, anyone got an opinion on these or A/B'd them?

[mep]

I've got some Nickel Rounds on my fretless, sound great.

[Chris2112]

I'm usually a roundwounds man but my Alembic came with flats on it, and it sounds incredible! They sound like roundwounds, but have the tight decay of flats...very strange! I guess thats just the quality of the Alembic speaking, but I'll go back to my usual fretless strings soon, Fodera Diamonds.

[littleal]

I used Ken smith nickle round wounds on my fretless thumb 6 & they sound superb with enough attack for a great slap sound, they sound very full & thick for that funky finger style playing too,

there's a guy sells them on ebay in the us, fast delivery,no customs charge or anything, i can send you his link if you want?

Would love to see a pic of your thumb sixer

[Netballman]

BigRedX is of course correct but having said that, +1 for Rotosounds, and definitely flatwounds for me!

Checkout[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EB3NQ4104I"] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EB3NQ4104I[/url] (with apologies for the feeble playing)

Edited May 9, 2010 by Netballman

[Davo-London]

I'm a big DR Sunbeams fan. In fact I have the same DR strings on my fretted and fretless basses as I love em so much.

For me they have a wonderful flexibility and feel for a start. The tone doesn't fade in the way that stainless steels strings seem to. So they treble-fade much slower and so you don't really notice it. For me, months go past and I suddenly think: Oh Gosh I should be changing strings but the tone is lovely that I'm loathed to.

I have a Jaco Fender Jazz fretless with an epoxy'd rosewood board - for me this creates the Jaco tone that I love. It is really melodic and sweet. On my Cliff Bordwell fretted ball bass the Sunbeams get the most out of the Audere pre I have on board. The bass, mids and treble EQ all respond tunefully to the string/pickup/pre system I have. I have Nordstrand big singles PUs.

Try them out - I would be surprised if you really didn't like them.

Davo

[Narcissism]

I'll give you a few options, and then i'll tell you what i do:
Flatwounds are preferred on a fretless bass as they do less damage to the fretboard. Lots of people also like that "dead" sound you get out of them.
There's also pressurewound strings, which are roundwound, but then "pressed" so that the ridges are flat instead of round. They do about the same amount of damage as roundwounds, but to a slightly lesser extent. Rotosound makes some very nice sounding ones!

Here's what I do:
A lot of people might not agree with this, because it is a sacrafice in sound, but I put pinstriping under my strings. I use rotosound pressurewound strings, and I really don't like the idea of replacing my neck or fingerboard every few years due to gouges in the fretboard. So I put the pinstripes in for live gigs, and take em out for studio time. I use a little bit of orange oil to get rid of any adhesives, and follow it with a fretboard conditioner.

In the end, it does come down to preference in sound, feel and overall taste.

[grahamd]

[quote name='Davo-London' post='832284' date='May 9 2010, 03:44 PM']I'm a big DR Sunbeams fan. In fact I have the same DR strings on my fretted and fretless basses as I love em so much.

For me they have a wonderful flexibility and feel for a start. The tone doesn't fade in the way that stainless steels strings seem to. So they treble-fade much slower and so you don't really notice it. For me, months go past and I suddenly think: Oh Gosh I should be changing strings but the tone is lovely that I'm loathed to.

I have a Jaco Fender Jazz fretless with an epoxy'd rosewood board - for me this creates the Jaco tone that I love. It is really melodic and sweet. On my Cliff Bordwell fretted ball bass the Sunbeams get the most out of the Audere pre I have on board. The bass, mids and treble EQ all respond tunefully to the string/pickup/pre system I have. I have Nordstrand big singles PUs.

Try them out - I would be surprised if you really didn't like them.

Davo[/quote]

thanks for that, reckon I'll give them a whirl!

[patch006]

Thanks for all the replies all, I guess it will take me a while to find my perfect strings.

Silddx, i do like the sound of the black beauties and the la bella's seem very popular amoungst you guys.

Littleal can you send me that link please. I've put some pics up, they aren't very good though so appologies for that.

[WalMan]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='831464' date='May 8 2010, 02:26 PM']Rotosound Solo Bass. Been on my Wal for 23 years and no damage to the ebony fretboard. They are groundwounds[/quote]
That's good to know having put a set of the Hartke rounds I had on the newly acquired L2500 with an ebony board and got a sucking of teeth from someone I mentioned it to

[littleal]

[quote name='patch006' post='832613' date='May 9 2010, 10:01 PM']Thanks for all the replies all, I guess it will take me a while to find my perfect strings.

Silddx, i do like the sound of the black beauties and the la bella's seem very popular amoungst you guys.

Littleal can you send me that link please. I've put some pics up, they aren't very good though so appologies for that.[/quote]

That thunb looks lovely, Here's the link
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KEN-SMITH-BURNERS-BBL-6-BASS-STRINGS-LIGHT-6s-30-120-/110516795108?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item19bb5076e4"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KEN-SMITH-BURNERS-BB...=item19bb5076e4[/url]

These sound absolutly superb on my fretless thumb 6 & seem to stay bright for ever