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Flatwound vs. Roundwound on the Fender Jazz Bass

There are many bass players who go “all in” when it comes to string type. Some will use nothing but roundwound while others use nothing but flatwound.

Which is the best? You can listen to a video below to hear the differences between flat and around both with pick and fingers to decide that for yourself, but before you do, here are a few universal truths to know.

1. Vintage tone is flatwound

When going for a Carol Kaye, James Jamerson or pretty much any vintage tone from the ’50s, ’60s or even early ’70s, the flatwound is the string to use. That is the string to use for smooth Motown soul and the big thump of many vintage rock hits.

2. “Real” flatwound strings do feel like bridge cables

There is some argument that the only proper flatwound string to use is the 52-110 La Bella “1954” set because that’s what James Jamerson used. You can use that string if you wish, but you do need a strong fret hand to hold those strings down because they are both tight and heavy. If the idea of that immediately turns you off (and we wouldn’t blame you), consider the Low Tension Flexible Flats or Half Rounds instead. Both are much easier on the fingers.

3. Rock tone is roundwound

While true there are flatwound strings that have a bright response to them, a fresh set of roundwounds – even the cheap kind – have that “sounds like a piano wire” tone to them that cuts through a mix easily.

4. Remember your tone knob and your pick

It is very easy to forget you have a tone knob on your bass. Use it and love it. You can get a very nice vintage style tone by purposely selecting the front (as in the neck) pickup, rolling down the tone by half and using a flappy pick of whatever material is most comfortable for you to use.

5. Is it normal to have a bass “set for round” and another “set for flats”?

The tension of a roundwound set is different compared to flatwound, so it is most likely true you will need to perform a truss rod adjustment if switching from round to flat or vice versa. The way flats sit on string saddles is also different compared to round, so it is also most likely true all of your saddles will need to be adjusted if you switch string types.

For bassists who switch between rounds and flats routinely, having two basses with one set up for roundwound and the other for flatwound is the best solution. Why? It decreases setup time significantly and it’s also obviously easier to just pick up the bass with the string type you feel like playing whenever you want with no waiting.

Sound vs. sound

This is what round vs. flat sounds like on a Fender Jazz Bass. Which one do you like best?

37 thoughts on “Flatwound vs. Roundwound on the Fender Jazz Bass”

  1. Just a thought…you state that for rock tone, use rounds. But Cliff Williams(AC/DC) and Robbie from Godsmack use flats. I never could get that thick low end with punch until I changed over to LaBella original. I also did a complete re-set on my USA Fender Jazz. Mine is a 97′ with Suhr pups. With the large poles. I tune in D standard. This bass has balls.

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  2. These two sets sound quite close when new, with the LaBellas a tad less aggressive at the top end. However, they will lose that top end quite soon and become much more closed and thumpier in tone. This fact should be considered when making the choice. The video would have been more realistic in showing the differences if both sets were like 1 month old.

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  3. Fender Precision with Thomastik Jazz flatwounds through a Fender (or Ampeg) amp is THE sound of bass to me!

    Thomastiks are very low tension so comfortable for players – like me – with small hands. Very forgiving and low fret noise. Tried the original 1954 LaBella’s – you have to dig in so deep you don’t think you’ll ever come out the other side!

    Have now fitted Thomastiks to my Ric 4004 – gives it a great ‘old skool’ sound rather than the ‘clicky ricky’ sound with roundwounds.

    Also swapped out my ten year old set of Ernie Ball flatties on my Stingray for Thomastiks – gives it a nice mellow sound while still sounding like a ‘Ray.

    As stated above, use the treble control on any bass and you can dial in a ‘rock’ or even ‘slap’ tone with flats.

    BTW I am NOT a Thomastik endorser – wish i was – a set here in the UK cost over USD 70!

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    • I’m with you Bob, TI Jazz Flats are the best flats and would sound amazing on a Rick. I ship all my fretless basses with TI Jazz Flats unless requested otherwise.
      – Karl

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  4. flats + fingers is the key to warm roundness
    flats + pick is the key to punchy roundness
    rounds + fingers covers the most tonal ground
    rounds + pick is ROCK AND ROLL!

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  5. GHS Brite Flats (ground round wounds) get you some nice tones without sounding too boingy. They also last a long time without tearing up your fingers or frets. I use them on my assorted short-scale basses (Fender Mustang, Mosrite, Warmoth, Epiphone, Ibanez, Eastwood, etc.) with a hard pick.

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  6. Well guys im new to this but i have a new Schecter bass P/J and i have flats in it and its passive. And i also gave a Japanese Thubder Bass 2 with rounds active. Do i have the strings on the right bass?

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  7. Heartily concur withe the TI comments. TI flats on my fretless, d’addario rounds on my j-bass. I like the (very expensive) TIs so much I bought a set of their flatwound mandolin string which are equally great (and expensive)

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  8. The La Bella set used are the light gauge (.043 – .104). The “original” gauge used years ago was 50-110, now sold as Medium (.049 – .109). This increase in diameter is another reason why flats have a tighter tension/feel. The smaller diameter sets sold today give a slight decrease in perceived tension. (The “Standard” gauge sold today is .045 – .105). If the Medium gauge set of La Bella’s had been demo’d you would notice a bit less sustain and a “thumpier” attack and decay.

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  9. Going to try some flats on my 74 4001. Had flats on my P bass but switched back to rounds. I prefer Rotosound for flats and Dean Markley for rounds. Another great player who uses flats is Steve Harris of Iron Maiden.

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  10. Doesn’t Steve Harris use half-rounds/wounds whatever (D’addario Chromes)?

    I’ve tried those strings a few times, had them installed on my Ibanez Artcore for a while. I like the string tension, especially since my band plays in drop B with the occasion song where we drop the B down to A. They sounded good but I admit it’s been a while. Probably due for a new test run.

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      • Flat Rotosound 77s (.050-.105). They sell a signature set (SH77), but a set of RS77LE is the same strings, just without the special packaging & silking, and they cost a bit less. I just picked up a set today for my P-bass. They sound good.

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  11. I love the fender flats on my 74 Jazz. The tone is amazing using the tone knob. It’s there for a reason. Use IT!

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    • Those Fender stainless steel flats are very good! They feel great and sound warm, full and round. They’re not expensive. Highly recommended.

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  12. A number of years ago I was having a difficult time cutting the mix at Disneyland in a rock band with 2 guitar players, keys and a loud drummer. As soon as I switched from rounds to flats the difference was amazing. The keyboardist heard it right away too and I didn’t even tell him I switched. Even the soundman was wondering what I changed. Only thing was the strings. So I’m not buying that rounds cut the mix that well. Flats are just solid in finding a spot fast. I have them on the majority of my basses now. But note that I hardly ever slap. It can be done occasionally but it’s not comfortable to do with flats.

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  13. Steve Harris uses Roto-Sound Flatwounds. Never thought you’d hear “Roto-Sound” and “flatwound” in the same sentence, did you? They call them Jazz Bass 77, and his signature set is a pretty heavy gauge, similar to the LaBella Jamerson set. They’re slightly rough, like they could be ground-wound and they’ve got a more lively tone than traditional flats. I used the Roto-Sound flats in a more reasonable gauge for many years but it became hard to find a consistent set, there always seemed to be one string that was much duller than the others.

    The Thomastiks sound great but the tension is ridiculously light. I usually get “light” strings but I really have to adjust my attack when I play these. My current favorite flats are LaBella, the same “light” set used in this demo.

    I tried the Ken Smith Slick Wound and they were the deadest strings I have ever played. I was shocked since I love their stainless steel round wounds.

    BTW, if you like round wound, you owe it to yourself to try Kalium strings. They sound great, they understand “balanced tension” so they feel great, and they last a long time. They’ve got every gauge you could imagine and the thicker sizes are all taper core. They even have sets for the Fender/Squier VI in a wide variety of gauges, a huge improvement over the stock sets.

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  14. Not only do Rotosound and flat wound belong together, Rotosound even do a plastic wrapped flat wound, the Tru-bass string which gives an even softer sound. I use them on my fretless; not a sound to everybody’s taste but I like them.

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    • The Rotosound Tru Bass black nylon wrapped strings are nice, I’ve got them on my Kramer Ferrington acoustic. I’ve heard that Paul McCartney used them on his Rickenbacker in the later Beatles period.

      Incidentally, another user of Rotosound Jazz 77 strings was Roger Waters in his Pink Floyd days.

      One more tale of strings. I put a set of D’Addario half-rounds on my Hofner Club Bass when they first came out in the ’70s. That same set is still on that bass and it still sounds incredible. I’m afraid to take them off and risk losing that sound! I’ve heard that they used nickel wrapping on the originals, then switched to stainless steel. Now they’re back to using nickel but I haven’t tried them recently.

      I had a similar set on a short scale fretless hollow body and didn’t like the sound at all. I’ve got D’Addario Chromes on it now and it sounds great. It just goes to show that you need to find the right set for a particular bass. What works for one might not work so well on another.

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  15. THE flat wound Jazz bass sound award belongs to Joe Osborn. He defined it beginning in 1961 and never looked back. He used only the neck pickup, LaBella flats (with the blue silk wrap) and a pick. The only other widely recorded bass player, that pre dates Joe, was Ray Pohlman who was playing a 57 P bass with LaBella flats starting in the 50’s. Early on, LaBella flat wound strings came in only one gauge and they were not marked as such. They came packaged in large waxed paper envelopes like upright strings. We now know the set as the original 50-110, that’s what everyone used because they were better than the stock Fender flats that came on the basses from the factory (green silk wrapped).

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  16. Dont stop guys!!! This is this the best conversation i have ever seen on Bass strings!! & i read everything. Im an “advanced beginner” lol & dont know sh*t.
    But alot of what ya’ll are saying makes sense & is starting to sound vaguely familiar to my past limited experience; which is very cool to me, thanks for taking the time, there are a lot of guys like me looking for answers & so few places to get them. & yes i know nothing bets going out and work in the wood shed! I live there!

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  17. I used to use flats until that fateful night on the second song the d broke at the nut while I was sliding up the neck unravelling all the way. cut my middle fingertip to the bone. bled like crazy, had to play a 4 hour gig like that. hurt like hell, still have a scar 50 years later. played rounds ever since. I do use tapewound flats on my fretless p bass but never bare flats again.

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    • The video doesn’t really do the sets of string much justice. The style is very muted so much so that the Rounds in the first clip actually sound pretty much like my RotoSound Flats, a bright flat if ever there was one. The player opts for the gentle touch, letting the amp do the work – so to me they all sound pretty bland. Of course that’s just my opinion, and we all have them – It’s equally important to hear string solo and then in the context of a mix of some sort. The flats on Thin Lizzy tracks cut through as did the flats on many Floyd masterpieces.
      I use steel only rounds and flats. Don’t like Nickel – which is another point altogether. Love the feel but not the sound.

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  18. I am a lover of D’Addario Chromes. As soon as I got it in 2003, I put a set on my new Reverend Rumblefish PJ. Pretty soon, I was fielding offers by other bass players to buy that bass, the sound was so good (yeah, part of that is that this is an incredibly good-sounding bass to start with, but compared to the original strings, the sound is incredibly better with the Chromes). Those strings are still on my bass 14 years later. Now all my 4-strings have the same set. The string has a wonderful balance – definitely not quite the same as the classic LaBella, but I prefer it. And, no, I don’t have any connection to D’Addario. Just wanted to introduce another POV on flats into the mix…

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  19. Wow I have left comments on pickups and necks but I must compliment you all on the knowledge of strings. I was about to call out you guys on Phil Lynott’s sound but took a while to find the June 2012 Bass Player which states he used Rotosound Flatwounds, and I’ve known for years Bass God Steve Harris uses the same. I learned my first bass lines on a shitty acoustic guitar but for the past 45 years it’s been Roto roundwounds on a series of Fender p-Basses and I always use a pick. Gary (above) said pick + roundwounds = rock but the amount of treble and bass and no mids is really more appropriate for prog (Dream Theater) or metal (listen to Roger Glover and Glenn Hughes and Geddy Lee over the past decades) I currently have a Standard Fender Precision and my new love the Fender P/J with a Jazz Neck. Both have Rotosound roundwounds (and BadAss bridges and Duncan Pickups and do they growl particularly when I turn up J pickup on the P/J. For those of you who are just beginning, Roto roundwounds can be a little tough on the fingers but I grown to love the feel and sound you can get out of them. Here’s a tip for relatively new players: Try Rotosound Swing Bass 66 Medium Gauge 40 – 95.

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    • Yes Peter – it might be a generational thing (and nationality), but I have always Roto’d both flat and round.
      Much is said about fret wear with roto rounds, but honestly (for me) it’s been like any other round wound – and it’s been decades for that wear. Have just made a detour with DR High Beams, excellent – but I keep coming back to Roto swing bass ’66 45-105. Was just listening to ‘Boys are back’ Phill’s isolated bass track on youtube. Flat all the way, Baby.
      And what about that bass sound on Meddle?

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  20. I have Ti JF344 on my split coil P bass and LTF4A on my single coil P bass. Both sound great with finger style playing , so, I dint need any roundwound.

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  21. Another shout out for TI Jazz Flats. Sadowsky fretless and 60’s Pre both sound great with them. Sticker price can be a bit of a shock at purchase but once you realize that you may never have to change strings again it seems like a good investment.

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  22. I completely get it about the flatwound sound and vibe – it’s beautiful and classic. But for me, the Jazz bass with light roundwounds played finger style is unbeatable. Once bitten by that bug there’s no going back. Both fretted and fretless just sing – lots of tonal possibilities and beautiful piano-like lows. That said, I also play a Godin fretless semi acoustic bass strung with TI flats and that’s awesome too.

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    • Hi Jack. I’m surprised by what you say as an experienced and fretless player. I play Jazz, mostly theses days Latin jazz and Soul as my home has been Spain for 22 years. My hard skin and finger nails make my flats often confuse the ear. I’m 72 so you better come listen before it’s too late bro!

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  23. I like nickel, Thomastiks nickel round core on a fretless Jazz and one of my fretted Jazzes, DR Sunbeams roundwound nickel round core on the other Jazzes, the Thomastiks are awesome, all of the above being round core, something special about that. I love it on all of them! Still have a soft spot for D’Addario XL nickel rounds on other Jazzes as well. It’s all in your style and fingers!

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  24. Not a fan of round wounds myself. Main reason is how calloused my fingers are after decades of working on cars. It can sound like a zipper at times moving up and down the neck. Tried many flat wounds and nylon strings. Finally settled on Gold Pyramid flat wounds.
    Also found I like fretless

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  25. I’m of an age and a breed that does not enjoy people talking gibberish. I started playing bass in 1958 and it’ll be 60 next October 2017since I first tried it in a Skiffle Band. I started with flats and had to go to Tin Pan Alley for my strings. Fortunately it was my side of London. I’m from W10/W11. I get confused why all the folks who claim to be chasing those “Back When” tones needs pedals, amps, and computer software and argue over string types. You all lost your reason! We had a basic bass guitar. Be it Fender, Gibbo, or one of those big air filled semi acoustics. A 30 Watt Amp/cabinet and flat wound strings and we “build that city on Rock and Roll!”. When they appeared Round wound strings were just cheaper to make so we avoided them as flats meant quality. They did open the world up for Electric guitars. Tone is in the flats and twang is in the round strings. I use light flats on my 1990 Fender P90 P/J or my Maverick Nemesis, and 54 fender P Bass, 45 to 100 and 50 or 60 to 125 or 130 on my heavier basses. 4 String fender Jazz or P Bass. or 5 String Ibanez or 5 string Squire plus others. I don’t use pedals for TONE; Thats what the instrument and flat wounds are for!

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  26. Hallo guys. Enjoying this read. However I’m wondering if any of you guys had to adjust the nut in order to accomodate the strings. I would like to install TI’s JF344 (.043 .056 .070 .100) but the nut of my G&l LB100 is .045 .065 .080 .100. Should I change the nut or are those strings ok on the existing one? Cheers!

    Reply

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