Roundwounds vs Flats for Fretless

[Stub Mandrel]

Steve Bailey says rounds!

 

 

 

[ghostwheel]

Each to their own?

 

P.S.: in my opinion, it's a shame that speaking of famous fretless players, nobody ever talks about John Giblin. Does somebody know whether he played flats or rounds?

Edited Monday at 18:07 by ghostwheel
grammar

[Stub Mandrel]

8 minutes ago, ghostwheel said:

Each to their own?

 

P.S.: in my opinion, it's a shame that speaking of famous fretless players, nobody ever talks about John Giblin. Does somebody knows whether he played flats or rounds?

 

I found this with google:

 

Quote

Most fretless players were using rounds (Jaco, Tony Franklin, Tony Levin, John Giblin, Gary Willis, Percy Jones etc.)

 

[ghostwheel]

24 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

I found this with google:

That's what I found: https://web.archive.org/web/20060504210453/https://bashkov2.narod.ru/giblin.htm

I'm not quite sure whether it's authentic since there's hardly any other stuff on the Internet to compare with. I wonder if here's someone who knew him personally.

[tauzero]

I use rounds. That's just me though.

[ped]

Rounds only for me

[ghostwheel]

Rounds only on Precision, both on Stingray.

[Stub Mandrel]

I should say, I use rounds.

[itu]

Some players say Nickel RW is the set for the fretless. The response is more even than with the smiley stainless (which I use). 

[tauzero]

16 minutes ago, itu said:

Some players say Nickel RW is the set for the fretless. The response is more even than with the smiley stainless (which I use). 

 

Apparently less abrasive to the fingerboard too.

[wateroftyne]

Flats fer me.

[alittlebitrobot]

There's obviously no right answer, but Bakithi uses rounds, so I use rounds.

[Stub Mandrel]

I use rounds... because I've always used them since about 1987! Roto 66, or occasionally Elites.

[drTStingray]

I have Ernie Ball cobalt flatwounds on both of my fretlesses (4 and 5 string Stingrays) - I can’t afford the luthier costs of the repairs to the fretboard damage inflicted by roundwounds - however they do sound very good - but definitely not that much better than decent flatwounds…… 

[Stub Mandrel]

1 minute ago, drTStingray said:

I have Ernie Ball cobalt flatwounds on both of my fretlesses (4 and 5 string Stingrays) - I can’t afford the luthier costs of the repairs to the fretboard damage inflicted by roundwounds - however they do sound very good - but definitely not that much better than decent flatwounds…… 

 

I've been using rounds on my fretless since 1987. OK I don't play it very often, but it still hasn't got significant wear.

[BigRedX]

Depends on the sound and feel you want. There is no right answer. Only the right answer for you.

[RonC]

Rounds for me.

I used to use DR Hi-Beams but lately I use DR Sunbeams(nickel plated) on my Fretless Wal.

On my Safran semi acoustic fretless I use La Bella Black nylon to come as close as possible to an upright sound.