Flats on a fretted Jazz bass.

[Papabull]

Is this taboo. Asking for friend. Be as opinionated as you want and tell it as you see (hear) it.

[Geek99]

No, that’s totally normal 

[Jeffskowski]

Have some on mine. Sounds different but great. Lovely for a fat dubby vibe.

[paul_5]

Well, the flats/Jazz combo was good enough for John Paul Jones on the classic Led Zep stuff, and in recent yerars Flea has been sporting flats on his Jazz basses, so at least you're in good company.

[StickyDBRmf]

I haven't jumped in on a few posts inter-related but I will now because this perfectly answers your question.

My first bass was a '72 Jazz Bass. I don't know what strings were on it, but at some point due to advertisments in Bass Player Magazine I tried flats, black tapewounds, picks...

A shift in influences led me to Rotosound Roundwounds, the Holy Grail and in the US half the price of my Jazz, so...

Ernie Balls to the rescue, then D'addario, then roundwounds on my fretless P bass also. So you have to shave the neck once in a while.

Roundwounds.

[Steve Browning]

I presume the My Generation solo was played using flats. I know it was a Jazz and likely to be before rounds had been invented. 

 

I have a recollection that the strings were only available on new basses and he used more than one. That could be my memory playing tricks on me. 

[StickyDBRmf]

My Jazz was probably strung with flats, hence me trying black nylon tapewound (they looked cool, but burnt my fingers when I slid on them).

[miles'tone]

13 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

I presume the My Generation solo was played using flats. I know it was a Jazz and likely to be before rounds had been invented. 

 

I have a recollection that the strings were only available on new basses and he used more than one. That could be my memory playing tricks on me. 

I think the Ox recorded that using Rotosound tapewounds. 

[uk_lefty]

1 hour ago, Papabull said:

Is this taboo. Asking for friend. Be as opinionated as you want and tell it as you see (hear) it.

Nope. I like flats on a jazz bass. Currently have La Bella flats on my Japanese jazz and it sounds great.

[ossyrocks]

I have LaBella Low Tension Flats on my jazz basses. They sound great. 

[chris_b]

I put a set of GHS flats on my Cort Jazz. Improved the sound a lot.

[Hellzero]

It totally depends on what you're looking for, flatwound strings can be really great sounding just like roundwound strings on any bass, not only Jazz Basses.

[MrCrane]

Joe Osborn’s entire career was based on playing a Jazz with flats (and a pick).

[Beedster]

10 hours ago, Papabull said:

Is this taboo. Asking for friend. Be as opinionated as you want and tell it as you see (hear) it.

It’s a sublime tone

[Cat Burrito]

I did this for a few years, mainly on the Americana circuit. I then took my Jazz out for a multi-(rock) band all dayer in Sheffield and confused the soundman - he couldn't work put why my bass sounded the way it did! 😸 I think all the other bassists were active 5-string players and I had that setup. 

[Rodders]

12 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

I presume the My Generation solo was played using flats. I know it was a Jazz and likely to be before rounds had been invented. 

 

I have a recollection that the strings were only available on new basses and he used more than one. That could be my memory playing tricks on me. 

 

Tapewounds specifically, according to the quote in the Bass Culture book, used after JE kept breaking the strings on the Danelectros he was using.

[Steve Browning]

9 minutes ago, Rodders said:

 

Tapewounds specifically, according to the quote in the Bass Culture book, used after JE kept breaking the strings on the Danelectros he was using.

I guess I was a quarter right. 😄

[Papabull]

Thanks to everyone that's commented. It's definitely NOT taboo . Going to string my Sandberg DK Marlowe  with a set and feel the warmth.

[fretmeister]

I usually have flats on my Sandberg TT4.

 

Usually EB Group 2.5 flats, but sometimes Ti flats or La Bella depending on what I need.

 

I've just put rounds on it for the first time in about 3 years!

[itu]

Pino Palladino (fretless MM) using roundwounds. 

Louis Johnson (fretted MM) using flatwounds - and slapping. 

 

If there were rules, just break them. 

[Misdee]

I've got a Fender AVRI 74 Jazz Bass with TI  flats on and it's a lot of fun. Great for reggae and also '70's funk stuff.  Also a great combination for using a pick with to get that clicky old-school sound. I actually prefer that bass to a Jazz with roundwounds nowadays.

[Cliff Edge]

My ‘72 Jazz makes nice noises with TI Jazz flats. Before those it had LaBella DTB Flats. 

[snorkie635]

Flats on a Jazz can sound wonderful. Do whatever sounds good to your ears - you might even find your signature sound.

 

Best of luck on your journey.

[Reggaebass]

I’ve got flats on 7 jazzes, wouldn’t have it any other way