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Flats on an acoustic bass


Mike Bungo
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10 minutes ago, Mike Bungo said:

Hi all

I've bought a Warwick Alien and I'm condering fitting flats. The question is what type...

I have Fender 9150's on my electric basses but would these work on this acoustic bass?

Cheers

Mike

 

 

 

 

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I tried flats off my jazz on my acoustic and they sounded really dull acoustically,  but ok when plugged in, so I bought acoustic bass strings and they are great 

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Bear in mind the 4 is 32” (medium) scale.

I’ve got an Alien 4 and am considering flats. As I posted previously, the standard 45 gauge bronze medium scale Warwick strings won’t intonate on it, suggesting it’s maybe previously had the bridge moved. Unfortunately they don’t do medium scale 40s; it has medium scale bronze 40s on currently which intonate fine, but I’ve no idea what they are and can’t find anyone who makes them, and they’re very old.

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Following some love displayed on here I fitted La Bella white nylon tapewound flats to mine and they sound bloomin' luvverly.  Got more bite than the black ones.  Not everyone's cup of tea, granted, as they do feel slightly odd at first.  Not to mention the price.

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I had TI Flats on a Michael Kelly Dragonfly - low tension and sounded great amplified but I never used it at a gig, only noodling at home and an occasional jam.

For about six years I regularly gigged an amplified archtop Takamine B10 on which, after much experimentation, I always used La Bella 760FS flats - high tension but much more double-bassy.

 

 

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Following on from other comments, pretty much the only significant factor here is whether or not you want to play it as an acoustic bass. If so, then best forget flats, whatever the brand and whatever the colour.

If you want an acoustic bass to compete (i.e. be audible) against even a couple of nylon-strung acoustic guitars, then you either need rounds or you need a very big body (e.g. a DB) or you need something designed to do this and not a lot else (e.g. a Guitarron).

Against a couple of steel-strung acoustic guitars, my experience is that you need amplification.

 

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As above, if you intend to play fully acoustic with other instruments (except maybe a Kazoo), forget it. 

Amplified though...

My acoustic wears D'Addario black nylon tapewounds, and I love both the sound and feel. They seem to improve with age too.

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Tried bronze acoustic strings from Ernie Ball. Not for me. Put some black nylon tape wounds on. Much happier. No scratchiness and the volume was usable unamplified. As with most acoustic basses though if you want to play with anything else it’s really going to need to be amplified. 

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