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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
1. Vintage tone is flatwound<\/strong><\/p>\n When going for a Carol Kaye, James Jamerson or pretty much any vintage tone from the ’50s, ’60s or even early ’70s, the flatwound<\/a> is the string to use. That is the string to use for smooth Motown soul and the big thump of many vintage rock hits.<\/p>\n 2. “Real” flatwound strings do feel like bridge cables<\/strong><\/p>\n There is some argument that the only proper flatwound string to use is the 52-110 La Bella “1954” set<\/a> 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<\/a> or Half Rounds<\/a> instead. Both are much easier on the fingers.<\/p>\n 3. Rock tone is roundwound<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 4. Remember your tone knob and your pick<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 5. Is it normal to have a bass “set for round” and another “set for flats”?<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n This is what round vs. flat sounds like on a Fender Jazz Bass. Which one do you like best?<\/p>\nSound vs. sound<\/h3>\n