This is the best video for this question of all that I've seen for a few reasons. 1. New and old roundwounds, because if someone wants a dull sound, the comparison between old rounds and new flats is important. 2. Same bass and pickups, varied tone controls and playstyles, and the majority of the video is playing. 3. Bonus for using a Jazz, since that's what I've got.
A great video. Nice to see the different strings played on the same instrument and the same track to really show the (sometimes subtle) differences. As a new player I found this really helpful. Thank you.
Used tapes for my first 10 years as they were on the bass (EB3) when I bought it and everyone else seemed to be using them AND we didn't know you had to change them. After more than 50 years of pkaying I still used them on EB3's and Fender Jazz as I found as you, that they work better on a jazz than a Precision bass. Great video, thank you.
As a guitar player, I think, in the mix I prefer those Flats, silk touch, no string noise, big bass sound. I like when the bass is bassy, and when the guitar is mid rangy. Not a great fan of the new round wonds, too much string noise, finger sliding noise, zippy kind of sound. Tapewounds seem to be overkill. Great review and jam though, Thank You
Thank you for your heads up on the Fender Flatwound strings. I have been getting really hooked on this sound. I first tried the LaBellas.....and they were really good with a really good woodsy punchy vibe to them...but hence, the tension that goes with those strings is really strong, making my Precision difficult to play and frankly clobbered the set up on my guitar. I realize that it would make sense to get the guitar set up anew with the labella's, by while they sounded so good, it was challenging to push them around. But the Fenders you recommended (45 - 100) are really good, and has made the bass return to the feel and action I had before. Those strings had to be really pushing the truss rod around. Many thanks, JD
Thank you so much for this awesome video. I love you just going all back-and-forth between all the different strings using different techniques. Because this is the most effective way to make apples-to-apples comparison. Thanks again for your hard work on this
Thanks for this comparison. As known string types differ a lot between brands - so it’s great to hear the fender tapes and flats. My favorites for flats are still Thomastik for a dark sound and Chromes for modern flats. For rounds I prefer DAddario Nickel balanced tension or even better the Galli Nickel RSB. Best tapes by far (and I tried lots of brands) are the DAddario Tapes… so silky and smooth
I used Gali for a while (great string) until I discovered TI rounds. I was already using their flats on a few basses and then tried some rounds on a lark and fell in love with them. TIs are my go to string now for most basses but some basses shine with other strings. I put Bill Sheehan rotos on the EB StingRay and am going to try Tapes on my Jazz next. @willObst did you try Roto Tru Bass 88 tapes? I'm considering them against the D'addarios.
Great video, you've done a nice job of giving the pro's and cons for each type of string. I've always played roundwounds and I'm happy with them but I think I'll try some flats to see how they feel.
Agree with you regarding the old roundwound sound - just like fine wine slowly turning into cognaq. But I must say - the flatwounds had a specific wow-wow going on. Tapewounds were least impressive.
I use Fender tape wound strings on a medium-scale bass and they sound great, but I liked how the new round strings sound in this video. You've got a lot of grove going on! Thanks for taking the time to make this video.
I'm usually deathly allergic to slapping (probably because I can't do it). But, the way you slap sounds great! But, personally I've been using pure nickel flats on most of my basses. But, I also use pure nickel rounds on one and the nylon tapes on another. I don't love one over the other. But, that's why I have different sets on different basses (most of them are Hofner basses, though).
Hello sir! I switched from roundwounds to flatwounds a while ago and they are a blessing for my sensitive fingers! That being said, i kinda miss the sort of "edgy growl" the roundwounds can bring. But overall i'm happy with them. I play a Fender Jazz Deluxe by the way. Anyway, i like the groove that you play for this video a lot! Well done! Greetings from the Netherlands!
Great video and thank you for using the same instrument throughout, it gives your demo much more credibility. I play rounds for the Basses I use in my Cover band because it covers most situations but have flats on a fretless and I love the sound of those too. Thanks to your video I'm going to try flats on my one of my other Basses to see how well received they are by the guys in the band.
Thank you for sharing, Jules! - I take you to have recorded the snippets per set of strings, then cut them to this sequence. ;-) Me, I have recently come to consider the strings as the items that really matter, and the bass (or any string instrument) as the filter ("equalizer") for those strings (as well as the thing to mount them on). So, starting with my basses, I'm in the process of "carefully" selecting combinations if instruments and strings, assigning them to different "niches". (Big words for an amateur without a band...) Whereas I started out standardizing my few instruments on the cheapest strings. As for basses, I love flat-wound strings. So I have had to promise myself to keep round-wounds (but maybe better ones) on that one bass. A year later I bought its 5-string version and a set of matching flat-wounds...
I have two short scale and two long scale. I choose the bass and strings that fit the song. D'Addario Chromes, D'Addario Nickels. One hollowbody 1968 Lyle SS, one 'P' bass, one P/J bass, one Fender Bronco SS. I need a set of tapes. No personal preference. They are all terrific and fun. Thanks, very well done!
Herbie Flowers always uses tapewounds on his old Jazz Bass. Personally I usually run my Jazz Bass with older roundwounds through a DBX 286a which has, apart from a great compressor for bass, a dynamic low frequency eq which boosts at 80hz and cuts 50% as much at 250hz at the same time. By increasing the low end, it subjectively makes the high end less prominent.
Nice sounds out of each strings. I do wish that you'd added groundwounds to the contest as well. But that's it for my gripes. Great videos otherwise! Big picture, I'm a bigger J-Bass fan than a P-Bass fan (though of course I love both), and on a P-Bass, the only kinda strings I really like are either flats or grounds. I don't like rounds or tapes on P. By contrast, I like each of these types (as well as grounds) on the J - but asymmetrically. The rounds I liked best with bridge or blend. With flats and tapes, I preferred the neck - which, compared to a P-Bass pickup, I think of as "vaguely similar sounding to P, but less chunky and more 'waxy' sounding." I think the difference is much easier to hear on the higher strings. With gentle playing in a mix, the low strings can become nigh indistinguishable. Anyway, that's my take! Thanks for uploading!
Great highlights on so many bass guitar features. As a pseudo convert from guitar, I’m learning heaps! Thx. I really find the example bass line you play sooo groovy. Any chance of getting it on Tab?
I've got flat wounds on all my electrics; Telecasters and my bass.....Softer...easier to slide...much more comfortable for me to play. I dig flat or tape wounds.
May sound strange to some, but i'm afraid the high tension of flatwounds would kill my MIM vintera 60's neck. I already had to send it to Fender and they replace the neck which was kind of bended and needed constant adjustment so i don't want to kill another neck. But i bought the jazz bass with the intention of putting flats on it, i don't know if ishould try my luck a second time. Has anyone tried flats on a MIM jazz bass? I Would appreciate any advise. I personally don't like lower tension flats.
Flat wounds for sure. I hate the scratch sound of round wounds. Easier on the fingers, better for the bass. Using flats is like putting a supper charger on your fingers. Sound engineers like flats better too. I use flats on all my basses.
rounds for me always. sound better, more tonal options, and feel better to play. the finger/string noise is easily minimized by even decent technique, and can be used as an extra tonal weapon in your arsenal. muted sound can easily be achieved with tone knob and technique. or foam / hair tie if insisted. i just see no benefit to flats or tapes personally.
Different note envelope, and flats sound more percussive, fuller, and focused as they age. I feel like the overtones and fundamental are more united. The bottom end becomes much beefier. Rounds cannot do this. The difference is much more then simply having muted high end and overtones. Can't speak for tapes, very limited experience there.
@@cavanray6742 the difference is quite minimal. it's much more difficult to get a modern bright sound / slap tones with flats than it is to get a vintage tone with rounds. luckily you can own one bass with flats and one with rounds. but if it's a choice between the two, rounds every time.
My guess is that any person who claims to be knowledgeable about this, in a Pepsi challenge, would not be able to tell the difference. In a double blind test your score would be no better than random.
to me feel matters more. i hate the feel of flatwounds. rounds just feel right to me.. and tapewounds feel better than textured. so tapes >rounds >flats on feel alone.
Hi Jules, i am picking up the bass after 30 plus years, back then i just pretended to play. Can you teach on line? I like your stuff, but i am truly a beginner.
Ok just my opinion I have been playing bass for over 30 years. First off all you should take the form off the bass to give it a true sound to begin with, 2nd I have used flat and round wound and I definitely prefer the round wounds for this simple reason. You can get more sounds out of the round wounds, if you want to get rid of some of the highs just roll off the highs. Much more versatile and better precise sounds. As far the scratching sound, after years of experience and technique you should be able to overcome that. Just my opinion. Good playing.
woah! your running flat wounds through the body?! I've heard some mixed thoughts on that one. A lot of people will say they break while others say it can work. Do you find strings break easier going through body? I have a bass I would love to run flat wounds through the body on.
I’ve had no issue on my Fenders, but I can see how it puts some strain on the strings where the break angle is. In future I intend to topload to be consistent on all my basses, because I’d like to move this set of aged in flats onto a Jazz with a vintage style bridge, but now they have a slight kink.
I run flats through the body of my 7 string fretless bass without any problems - no breakage, great sound. Thomastik or La Bella. I have a 1964 four string Burns Bison Bass and would never use anything but rounds. The Wild Dog EQ doesn't work with flats and just sounds muddy. Also have a 4 string cheapo Glarry with Adagio (not Addario) flats cost £16, and it sounds great - like smoke in a 1960s Jazz club at 2am - although I have swapped out the pickups, but left it passive. Incidentally, the Glarry is a very good buy, but you have to do a little work setting it up.
if you are having problems with damage on the fretboard its probably because you have the raw wood unprotected, you should probably do some coats with ca glue or epoxy resin so its way harder and the string cant samage it, that way you can use roundwound strings because they sound awesome on fretless
La Bella or Thomastik. La Bella is slightly warmer but not much difference. Both are bloody expensive, but I have one set of Thomastik that I bought in 2003 still going strong!
string noise can be minimized with good technique. some string noise (and fret buzz) can even be beneficial in certain contexts. flat wounds just feel awful to play for me personally.
Stop pursuing the 'fresh out of the package' sound of round wounds, and set about discovering an equipment setting that 'mimics', if however may not quite replicate, that tone when you 'need' it, which I suggest is far less frequently than you are accustomed to because your ears have grown addicted to it for the additional pseudo significance it affords by attracting greater attention to your contribution. Your bank account will appreciate you for it. It was once the case that the 'sound' of new strings was loathed as a necessary evil come of needing to change strings for reasons of mechanical failure. Boiling was enough to...'refresh' your sound if you could be bothered. If a 'good' producer wants more...clatter, he'll secure it by requiring the drummer to do 'their' job, transient attack, thereby leaving you free to do 'your' job: providing a harmonic foundation for everyone. Never sacrifice the tonal center of the note for...the shimmer of harmonics that will be eq'd out of the mix anyway.
