Roland Rock Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 While killing time at a recording studio last night, I picked up a bass that was lying around. It quickly occurred to me that I had not played roundwound strings for about ten years, and the feeling was somewhat akin to chewing tinfoil, or running fingernails down a blackboard It was both the feeling on my fingers, and the noise when sliding the fingers. It's possible that I'll want a more bright, and modern tone at some point, so can you advise a good compromise? Decent groundwounds for example. I once tried RS pressurewound, but they just felt like roundwounds to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Roto and D'Addario flats are both relatively bright for flats and Thomastiks are strong in the mid-range. Maybe try those if you haven't already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 D'addario Chromes for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Yep, D`addario Chromes. Very round sounding, but in flat-form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Status Groundwounds are great too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 Thanks for the replies - i'll bear those in mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apa Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 I agree about the Roto ground wounds. I had to look very closely to make sure they werent rounds in the wrong pack!! I would recommend GHS Bright Flats. They are grounds dispite the name. Not THAT bright but brighter than Chromes. but still have a bit of a tw*** and feel very smooth too. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Status Half-wounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 +1 for Thomastiks, I've a set of their flats on a fretless and they sound good. I don't think they're tapewound as it looks like there are thin dark lines following the winding so possibly ground wounds? I've nothing to look at them close up, but that's what they look like... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1334180647' post='1612334'] +1 for Thomastiks, I've a set of their flats on a fretless and they sound good. I don't think they're tapewound as it looks like there are thin dark lines following the winding so possibly ground wounds? I've nothing to look at them close up, but that's what they look like... [/quote] I think Thomastik Jazz Flats are flatwound. To me they look and feel like tape and the TI website describes them as ' Nickel Flat Wound Roundcore' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Think I'll always prefer flats myself, but I do keep one bass strung with roundwounds - DR Nickel Lo-Riders, which I find in tone & tension to be a good halfway house. Going from a flats perspective, for a more contemporary tone, I like Sadowsky black label flats. Great feel, lot of presence & mids... I've had a set on my Shergold for over a month now, they've just settled in - not thumpy oldschool, more in the vein of TI's but with sensible tension - georgeous strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 [quote name='nick' timestamp='1334220919' post='1612598'] Think I'll always prefer flats myself, but I do keep one bass strung with roundwounds - DR Nickel Lo-Riders, which I find in tone & tension to be a good halfway house. Going from a flats perspective, for a more contemporary tone, I like [b][color=#000000][size=5]Sadowsky black label flats[/size][/color][/b]. Great feel, lot of presence & mids... I've had a set on my Shergold for over a month now, they've just settled in - not thumpy oldschool, more in the vein of TI's but with sensible tension - georgeous strings. [/quote] ^^ Aren't Sadowsky strings re-badged GHS? My favourite long time have been GHS Precision Flats, got them on my 'best P's. Just trying TI Jazz Flats, first time I've had a new set, they're certainly lovely tension & soft/flexible but a bit on the bright side - even, dare I say a bit tinny - I'm sure they'll improve with use & when the neck has settled & been tweaked Cheerz, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I thought Sadowsky strings were La Bellas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 [quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1334221573' post='1612612'] ^^ Aren't Sadowsky strings re-badged GHS? [/quote] No, they're actually made by Labella (which I also like) to Sadowsky's specification, & quite different to the Deep Talkin' flats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) Apologies then - [s]my mistake![/s] Edit: Although not actually a mistake - it was a question not a statement Edited April 12, 2012 by KiOgon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I'm a recent La Bella convert. La Bella Steels have plenty of zing and plenty of mids while still retaining that lovely P bass rumble. Nothing old fashioned about their tone at all! Nice tension too, I'm a robust fingerstyle or plectrum user and they suit me down to the ground rather than Rotos or D'addarios which I find are a little too stiff. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Makes me chuckle to read about a "more modern tone" from round wounds when they've been about since the late 60s! IMO if you find you need that round wound tone then there's really no substitute for the real thing. Man up. Work on your fretting hand calluses and your technique so you don't get unwanted string noises (although to a certain extent they are part of the round wound sound). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roland Rock Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Understood, but there's no harm in asking whether there are strings out there which both feel and sound the way I want them to. It's my understanding that there have been certain innovations to facilitate this, such as groundwounds, or pressurewounds. What about coated strings? Do they feel any smoother? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 I think it all depends on exactly what sort of "round wound" tone you want. You may well find that some of the half-way house string types will suit. Having said that I do think that trying to make strings that aren't round wound sound like those that are is as useful as suggesting that you can get a flat wound tone out of round wounds simply by rolling off the treble. Unfortunately the only way you are going to find out what suits you is to try some for yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1334223079' post='1612653'] Apologies then - [s]my mistake![/s] Edit: Although not actually a mistake - it was a question not a statement [/quote] My mother used to say that some questions are best not asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1334226986' post='1612744'] I think it all depends on exactly what sort of "round wound" tone you want. You may well find that some of the half-way house string types will suit. Having said that I do think that trying to make strings that aren't round wound sound like those that are is as useful as suggesting that you can get a flat wound tone out of round wounds simply by rolling off the treble. Unfortunately the only way you are going to find out what suits you is to try some for yourself. [/quote] Try some for yourself is the only way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 [quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1335620243' post='1633814'] My mother used to say that some questions are best not asked. [/quote] My dear old Mum had lots of sayings too good weren't they Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 28, 2012 Share Posted April 28, 2012 My Great-Nan had a cracking saying. When describing someones nature she would remark "You can`t change the way your Mum put your hat on". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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