Flat wound Strings

LevLev Frets: 228
About 2 years ago I bought my first bass, I've been playing guitar for twentysomething years but never owned my own bass. Knowing very little about bass I wanted for something versatile and not too expensive so I decided on the Squier VM Jaguar with P & J pickup configuration. (One of these: http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_squier_vintmodjaguar_bass_sp_3.htm )

Anyway the bass arrived and was visually quite stunning and the fit and finish was very good indeed. So I started training my weedy guitar fingers to hold down these big strings. I managed to work out some of my favorite bass lines and started using it on my home recordings but I just never felt comfortable with it. There was lots string rattling going on while I was playing (although not coming through on the amp) and I just found it distracting and difficult to get any flow into my playing.

So last week I decided to try a set of flatwound strings to see if they might help. Well the difference is astounding!! It's like a brand new bass, no more rattles & I've actually managed to lower the action a touch more. It's much more comfortable to play and the icing on the cake is that it sounds fantastic. There's much more consistency to the notes as I move between strings whereas with the steel strings I'd get slight volume changes as I moved between strings (probably down to my bad right hand technique).

I know all of the bass playing community on here probably know all about flatwound strings but I thought I'd post this in case there are any other bass playing novices out there that are struggling to get the sound they want from their bass. I would imagine steel strings do have their place but for the music I play (blues/country/pop) flats simply rock.

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Comments

  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    I'm no bass player - but I like flats on a Jazzmaster - really works well - and a fretless guitar I've put together has them on too now and it sounds a load better than it did with round-wounds (??) Definitely worth a try I reckons, me like.

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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23968
    I mostly use steel rounds, but my P bass has D'Addario Chrome flats on it.

    Wonderful sounding strings - gives that huge thick Jamerson tone.

    And let us not forget that those great Chic bass lines were played on a Stingray with flats on it!
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  • JookyChapJookyChap Frets: 4234
    And let us not forget that those great Chic bass lines were played on a Stingray with flats on it!
    Nuff said, as it were :)

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  • ChéChé Frets: 304
    You mentioned string rattle, granted it's a Squier bass I would recommended a set up to cure that. Most factory set ups I've played (even Fenders) have been pretty shoddy.

    String depends on the genre I'd say. Roundwounds are more versatile but for that deep, round warm thuddy tone flatwounds all the way. Motown and Reggae being prime examples.

    When it comes to slap, rock or metal I'd say round wounds have the sonic advantage to cut through a mix but there really are no rules.

    It also helps that flatwounds play like butter.
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  • robwrightrobwright Frets: 736
    Just bought a Hofner Violin (cheapo ignition series) - would flats give me the classic 60's thump? 



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  • frankusfrankus Frets: 4719
    I'm trying to put off buying flatwounds for my Bass VI -- this ain't helping. ;)
    A sig-nat-eur? What am I meant to use this for ffs?! Is this thing recording?
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  • ESchapESchap Frets: 1428
    I've now got D'Addario Flats on my old Gibson Ripper.  I held off changing for years sticking with Round wounds as I thought I'd lose the Growl that I like so much on that bass.  Wrong! growls just as much with the flats, and is jsut much nicer to play.
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  • davedavedavedave Frets: 114
    They get better with age in my opinion. My precision had the same set on for nearly ten years. Check out the black nylon tape wounds too. @robwright I reckon they would be great on your Hofner.
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  • Phil_aka_PipPhil_aka_Pip Frets: 9794
    my RBX375 wears Picato flatwounds and I love it :)
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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  • xmrchixmrchi Frets: 2810
    I love my flat wounds on my acoustic bass, they give a great feel and a good tone
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23968
    I just put some La Bella white nylon tapewounds on my fretless and it sounds excellent.

    Probably as close to a double bass as I've ever heard from a guitar. Nice and thumpy like a proper DB but still with plenty of mwah.
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  • Phil_aka_PipPhil_aka_Pip Frets: 9794
    Gotta do it man!
    "Working" software has only unobserved bugs. (Parroty Error: Pieces of Nine! Pieces of Nine!)
    Seriously: If you value it, take/fetch it yourself
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