THE TRUTH ABOUT BASS STRINGS
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- Опубліковано 14 гру 2019
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In this video I talk about which strings you should use on which bass, and how the relationship between bass and strings can help you achieve the tone you're looking for.
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Get exclusive lessons by supporting me on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheBassWizard
Special thank you to Chris Constantian, Andy Milburn and Hossein A. Dehdezi for their support on Patreon!
Could you maybe do a shootout review with tapered strings and non tapered. Pros and cons between the 2. I have looked all over UA-cam and have found NOTHING lol.
The best sounding slap was actually flatfound on the jazz bass imo
In putting daddario XT on my 04 stinger. And it's just right. Great video!
Nickel Roundwounds for the win on both the Jazz and Stingray. They're brighter, punchier, and have a well-defined growl.
Amen. I'm a Nickel fan myself. The growl is what sets it apart.
Exactly why I don't like them. You also have to change flatwounds way less often and they feel much better.
@@rome8180 Depends what genre you play. Steve Harris of Iron Maiden being the only exception I know of who plays flats, roundwounds are a much better choice for a good metal and/or rock tone.
@@StephenBecker I mean, every player before a certain year used flats. So they can definitely work for rock. Two of my favorite bassists, Paul McCartney and John Deacon, used flats. I like the contrast of having a warm vintage sound with rock music, but the stuff I listen to is definitely not "hard" rock for the most part.
@@rome8180 I don't really like this argument. I mean, if you go back far enough, everyone played on acoustic double basses too. Just because something is all that was available doesn't mean it would have been the best choice for what they were doing if another choice was available.
Incidentally, I really don't like McCartney's tone at all. It's just sounds dead and muted to me. I do love Queen, but overall Deacon's tone doesn't do it for me either. One of my favorite bass tones ever is Frank Bello on Anthrax's Caught In A Mosh (he uses nickel wounds). To each their own!
Bottom line, play what you like that gives you the tone and feel you like for the genre you like.
This is my favorite combination list :
Flatwound + P bass + foam mute
Nickel R + J bass
Cobalt R +Stingray
You're not lying about the stingray + cobalt strings. Just wow
Stainless steel rounds + p-bass = rock & punk. Using a pick just makes it better ^^
Man, I loved this video. As a bass player and as someone who watches a ton of youtube video, this is just well done all around. I learned, it was insightful, helpful and just well presented. Thanks Marcelo!
Awesome video. Well said, thanks for making this it helped a ton. God Bless!!🤘😎🎸
Such a great video. Thank you for putting so much effort into making this video. Changing string is tedious. Anyway, this helps a lot!!!!!
Wow I can see you've put a lot of effort in this video it must of taken a lot of time to edit. I just wished I had your talent my bass brother.
You finally answered this for me! This is the best video I've seen on the subject. Yes, you killed it. I can hear the difference well enough just with my headphones.
Thank you! Sharing...
Awesome feedback, thank you!
Flats sound great on a Jazz Bass. So much so that I eventually bought another Jazz bass because I got tired of missing the flatwound sound when I had rounds on it, and vice versa. I never even considered using flatwounds for 30 years, then I tried the Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats, and fell in love with them. They sound almost as a growly as roundwound strings.
I'm with you on the Cobalt's.I used round wounds for 50 years and changed to flatwound's.Its all really a matter of opinion.
I had Roto tapes on my Jazz bass, which sounded great! Quite a distinct sound though, much like Paul McCartney's bass tone, Abbey Road era
I find players use stainless with maple necks for crisp modern tone scooped mids…and nickels with rosewood necks for warm vintage tone boosted mids.
You've convinced me! I'm getting Flats for my Jazz and keeping Rounds on my Stingray!
I absolutely loved your tone btw!
The flats just seem so at home on the Jazz, but my 5 string stingray is going to keep stainless rounds though!
THANK you for making this video, everyone was telling me not to put flats on my Jazz, but this is it!
@Marcelo Feldman-The Bass Wizard....I needed this right now!!! You are the first person ..that I have seen....to have a complete analysis between the bass and the bass strings!!! I have a Music Man and Boomer light gauge round wound because of Louis Johnson. However, the P-Bass sound is what khruangbin and James Jamerson use, so you helped me understand better!!!
Wow! that was enlightening, totally agree. Flatwound on JazzBass and Stainless Roundwounds on Stingray are just awsome bass sounds, to keep in mind for everybody is, how far can we go in ONE direction if we search a specific iconic sound. It´s also worth mentioning that the sterling has a humbucker pickup and for me that´s the reason why the stainless steel roundwounds work so great, beacause the humbuckers character is always to "round off" compared to single coil´s which bring out all the upper harmonics of a string. Thank´s a lot for this vid, again vey enlightening!
Thank you for this comparison! I was about to put flatwounds on a 2004 Stingray 4H. Yeah, sounds sort of doll. You save me money bro! Thanks
I totally agree with you on the Brighter strings on a bright sounding bass. I have a 5-String Peavey Cirrus Bass that I use Stainless Steel Roundwounds. My 4-String Jazz and 4- String P-Bass I Use Labella Flats on those. They sound awesome on both of my 4-Strings but sound really dead on the 5-String Cirrus. Great video and Great playing. keep up the great work!!
You my friend are awesome on bass, that is why i have subscribed to your channel. I have 10 basses , one of which is a 5 string, and they all have flat wound stings. I play in a 50's and 60's band, using my Fender special edition active bass and my Hofner beatle bass as my primary basses. For the sounds of the music we do the flatwounds are that 60's low bass sound. I go with what sounds good for the music we play, nothing against roundwounds, but not for that 60's sound
Excellent work. Based on what was played, my ears preference for both guitars were Picking = Flatwounds, Tapping = Steel Roundwound, Everything else = Nickel Roundwounds
Many years ago, about ‘98 I loved the sound of a Music Man with fresh roundwounds. But now I think it is just too clicky and bright (unless you are slapping) so now I simply love the Music Man soundwith flatwounds. It gets the old John Deacon, Bernard Edwards sound.
Now I’m just old school I love the sound of the flat wound they sound ok on the music man better on the jazz bass
I’m old school too brother! I just love that warm, buttery sound that the flats put out. They’re very comfortable to play too… Especially if you do a lot of sliding like I do. I like wounds too though... depends what you’re playing I guess. 👍😎👍
Totally agree! Great video brother!
If I had to pick one string type, I’d go with the Nickel round wounds. I find the half round wounds to be a good compromise overall. That’s what’s on my Jazz, my active Precision and my Fender Dimension (aka Fender’s Stingray Copy).
The thing that changed my life and bass playing the most was switching from standard 45-105 gauge to 40 60 80 100. Never looked back!
For flats on a Stingray, think Bernard Edwards finger funk more than Louis Johnson slap.
Great Video Marcelo I Got Flats on My Precision Bass & My Music Man Round Wound Stainless and Nickle on My Jazz basses. 👍
Great Video Marcelo, and I agree with you on the perspective of flats on P and rounds on Ray.
The rule breaker imho to this is the Ric 4001/4003. A fairly “bright/aggressive” bass in its frequency and tone focus, that to me sounds uniquely fantastic with both roundwounds and flatwounds .
Heart of the Sunrise (Squire/Yes/Rotosound RW) to Rain (Maca/Beatles/ Flats - Maxima(?))
all strings sound great because you play very well .
I like the Nickel roundwounds but when pick playing I liked the steel wound ,
its hard to say which strings sound best because everything sounded great.
I totally love the looks of your sparkle colored bass and your playing. Also, thanks, I thought that the corrosion resistant pro steel strings I bought might be too bright for me but, at least as far as the ones you are using, they only sound a little tiny bit brighter than your nickel roundwounds.
I don't play slap so I can't comment on that but as far as the rest of styles and basses I like the flatties. Just my preference and what a fantastic analysis on this subject. Well done mate 👍👏👏👏👏
Marcelo thanks for doing this comparison, it's very helpful. I do like the flats for some styles, Meshell Ndegeocello does some great finger style funk with a J Bass with flats. The Stingray sounds wicked with SS roundwounds on it for that classic snap and bite. It's a very divisive subject I know but after a couple of years with flats on my P Bass I found that nickel strings give it more stylistic range (for me), on the J's it's mainly stainless steel rounds and the Stingray sits in the middle with EB Super Slinky rounds, this gives me the best of both worlds. Be well Marcelo and keep on rockin'.
I agree with your analysis. My favourite Stingray player is Tony Levin. I expect he uses round wounds on it (especially with the Funk Fingers). I have flats on my P-bass, tape wounds on my Fender Jazz.
Very helpful, thank you!
Great vid. I experimented with flats but prefare steel rounds. Better sustain and more versatile frequency range.
Question for your good self. If you could only play use 1 bass for all your work studio/live.
What would that bass be and which strings.
Part 2 of Q. Only one amp without any effects which amp ?
Keep on Bassing in the Free World. Your up there for Bass info and useful knowledge. 😆👍💚.
I'm Irish (bed time now)
Hello Marcelo, Well that must have been a pain in the butt, changing all those strings!!! I think I liked the roundwounds (nickel) the best. Alot brighter. The flatwounds were ok. I guess it depends on what you're going for. Excellent video!!!! Thanks for all the time it took to change strings. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
Thanks! Very nice comparison.
Thankx Dood.. Very enlightning..
And what a bad ass Bass line and groove you were serving up..
Dam.. Respect... \m/
I think that the choice of the strings, basses and amps are a relation only between the musician and the instrument, not the strings and the instrument. There are no real rules.. everyone is different and has developed their own playing style, and will feel/sound better in their own setup.
Raw sound is not the only thing to look for in a bass, but it's personal comfort too, if a bit more comfort does affect tha "raw sound" negatively, it might still affect the playing of a certain musician so much more in a positive way, that their overall tone becomes a hundred times better! People won't care what you're using as long as you have a perfectly healthy relationship with your instrument and you groove it!
Personally, I prefer the bright raw sound of Stainless steel strings, but I never put them anymore, I hate their feel in my hands that they affect my playing so negatively that I actually end up sounding less good 90% of the time in any advanced technique..
So the bass sounds good, but my playing is in trouble = I sound less good than on less bright nickel strings!
Really something to keep in mind; there are no rules!!!
Interesting idea about the relationship between tone and playability. Hadn't ever thought about that before.
Yeah I really agree with you. I love the Who as a band, but I cannot play John Entwhisdles lines, or get his sounds. Rounds make my playing sound awful. Which he of course helped invent. My fingers hate them. Flats just agree with my fingers, feel, touch. That allows me to play my way, mistakes n all.. I obtain my own sound easy
I too love the raw sound of steel on certain basses but hated the feel. I settled on the DR Pure Blues - a 'Quantum Nickel' ( nickel steel blend so I've heard) string that is smooth to the touch ( less string noise) and promises steel string characteristics. Put them on my 60s voiced J bass for a Funk/Rock project and they will stay on that bass forever. They handle effect well and feel smooth with no clank/clack. Had EB flats on that bass and they sounded great but I put those on my P for when I need " that" sound. YMMV.
flats sound great on a musicman bass. Just gotta adjust the eq and it sounds ace. Want brightness then give it more treble. Great video i may add! Awesome comparrisons and i was really impressed with the clarity of the steel strings.
thank you for using a pick. Steel round wound for me. I play an Ibanez SR1820 with Nordstrand pick ups. I use D'Addario Steel round wound. round wounds are brighter and using a pick gives extra bite to the sound.
They all sound great!
Great info thanks
I'm a Big Nickel fan for both Bass guitars.All of them are great its just what flavor you like.Great video
Flat wounds are great on my Fender P. I switched them out to Cobalt rounds a few months ago but will put the flats back on the P when I get my next bass (Jazz or JP style) and try the cobalt rounds on the new bass. I just don't care for the nickel round . . . yet. Great video! Thanx. P.S. I'm a finger style player.
Great video, though I have to disagree with Marc about stainless steel on a P-bass. That is a killer sound, and a commonly used combination. This is another reason the P is such a versatile bass despite being a "one-trick pony"; any kind of string can sound great on it, and emphasize its different tonal qualities.
The right strings on the right bass is absolutely a thing. I spent 8 months or more fighting this. I play in a country project at the moment. I tried so hard to get my trusty Stingray to sound good with flats to fit the country sound. I could get a warm pillowy tone I thought was pretty close but the real problem... the Ray wouldn't cut through the mix with flats and that tone. I tried LaBella's, Chromes, GHS, Cobalt Flats... None really cut (Cobalts were best IMO). I was mystified. Not cutting with a Stingray just wasn't a thing I thought possible. So I asked "how to get my Ray to cut with flats" on a Stingray fan page. The overwhelming response... "Get a P bass and put flats on that" lol. After seeing a Sean Hurley video getting the exact tone I was looking for using a P with flats, I accepted defeat and picked up a P. Oh man... It's amazing how good a P bass with a set of LaBella's sounds. Warm, round and full. Part I find fascinating... that tone cuts with a P but not with a Ray. Would love to know the audio science behind that. But yea, that experience proved the right string for the right bass is an absolute must.
You're amazing!
I preferred the sound of the nickel round wound (believe it or not). I may try them on my Rick bass next string change. I liked the way they sound on the Music Man, the flats definitely work on the Fender P bass.
Thanks for video
I like the way the nickels sound on all the basses. They just seem to have that happy medium between deep/warm and bright
One other thing to consider is how they are in a mix. I love nickel rounds and slap on Js and Rays as much as the next guy, but when you have a P with flats it tends to work well when you're keeping it simple and there's many other musicians in the mix.
Thanks for the video, surprised how well nickel sound. Will give them a go next change.
-Cool video) Marcelo, thanks for your job)
Thanks for this video! Now I definitely going to buy steel strings for my jb. Such a bite!
Steel Roundwounds for me. Thanks for he comparision video. Cheers
1:20. You are so right, string tests on UA-cam done on one bass are all fine - FOR THAT BASS! You've got to consider the inherent tones of the bass you are re-stringing. The smoothness of a string weighs heavily for me as well. I like rounds that feel fairly smooth, D'Addario EXL's fit that bill for the most part (to me).
I'm not more into slap so I'll go for the flats,love the darker sound...more power
I really like the Nickel strings on both basses and all styles....
Came for the shootout. Stayed for your pocket! Nice playing man.
Good stuff. Love your videos!
I don't think there is a right answer to the strings/bass combination. A lot of this is personal preference. I'm not a flats player but am thinking about getting a bass set up with flats. Since I'm so used to playing a Stingray I think that's where I'm heading. I'm sure it will sound fine. There are a number of players who played stingray/flat wound to great effect. Bernard Edwards and Cliff Williams come to mind.
I think we get so used to a certain sound that we get stuck in a box sometimes. For sure the Precision/flats sound is iconic, just like the Stingray/rounds sound. That shouldn't limit us though. Just find what works for you. I remember being told to never play fretless with a pick. I thought that was gospel before I heard Tony Levin do it.
Great compare, but I hope to see you compare the DR legend vs Ernieball Cobalt flat 2816 on your SR V special.
I like flats personally. On the music man they get that joe dart vibe on max. On the Jazz they also have a very vintage and warm sound.
You can certainly do a funky groove with a pick. Bob Vega would be proud. Oh, and Ernie Ball Flatwounds are the best flats for the Stingray.
Definitely, and I just discovered this fairly recently, despite having bass for over 10 years, after a new purchase! With the majority of electric basses I've owned, past or present, flats or tapes always sounded better. This includes: a Jazz bass, a fretless Höfner-style violin bass, and a Jolana Kolor bass (a Czechoslovakian semi-hollow bass, resembling a Gibson ES-335).
However, I recently bought a Cort Action Junior, which has a single humbucker, with a much more punchy tone to it. I was all set on buying flats (or possibly tapes, which sounded great on the Jazz bass) to put on this particular bass, as I did for all my others, but naturally I tried out the bass first at home. The stock strings (which seem to be nickel roundwounds) sounded amazing! I've ended up keeping those strings on, saving myself some cash as well (flats aren't cheap these days)
Thank you for a constructive show of strings!
On my wenge necked basses i prefer Stainless Steel as it accentuates the growl from the wood, but on maple necks i prefer nickel as it helps to tone down the top end a little bit.
Nothing better than flats on a jazz to my ears. My P likes nickel rounds but I have flats on at the moment for the band I'm in, fits the style better
I actually kinda liked the sound of the flatwound for a couple of those styles yet, when I add a Stingray, it would be for that pick sound with the steel. Definitely would go flatwound for a P-bass, though.
Nickel round on everything sounds great.
Was very surprised how good the flats sounded on the Jazz bass. I've tried all sorts of strings on my varied basses but at the moment i've gone back to Elixirs nickels. Only -ve is the higher tension but i've gotten used to it now. Elixirs for a longer life was the main reason for going back to them
ขอบคุณครับ 😊
DR Black Beauties on most of my basses. I like Precision Flats from GHS (the sound of chocolate) but I have some basses that make tbose flats sound as bright as roundwounds until you have them on for about 6 months. Flats on my passive basses but my active Spector,my Yamaha,my Jackson...it would seem silly to put flats on those basses. I have a Schecter that makes flats sound like Dean Markeley Blue Steels...I actually immediately took the flats off and put them on an epi les paul special. They sounded great on the epiphone. I dont get hung up on a certain type or brand of strings. I change up but stick to the same gauge to keep set up and intonation at a minimum. Like the DR black beauties and currently have 4 basses with them. They look great with black hardware as well.
I actually thought the FLATS sounded better on your Stingray! Of coarse, I always preferred that darker dead sound. But that’s just ME. But for the SLAP-POP style of play?....Definitely the STEEL WOUNDS. 👍😎👍
I love the sound of the " nylon tape wounds" but could not find them to match the gauge I needed so I got D'Addario flat wounds...just a mellower sound which I prefer. By the way, really like your videos Marcelo..most helpful ! Oh...flat wounds across the board !
Very cool video
In the late 70s and beginning of 80s Louis Johnson used flats on his stingray. You can see and heat it in some of his live videos from 1979 and 1980. Both he and Bernard Edwards would switch to rounds later in the 80s.
Been playin 40+ years and would always go with a brand new set of nickel round wound rotosound for every gig. And my opinion it’s much easier to dial in the low and high end around that mid growl sound of the nickels using your amp which results in a massive sound. As opposed to trying to dial in that mid growl with your amp using stainless steel. Which is very difficult if even possible. And as many have said the feel of the nickels is my preference as well.
I'm starting to think about the combination of pickups EQ, fingerboard material and string type (material) since I've been experimenting with string gauges, brands etc...
Never gave much thoughts about it before.
So what I got out of this is, if you have the right bass, you can get some interesting tonal quality with the flats. And yes you can slap the flats. Thanks for the video.
Pick: stainless steel both basses.
Finger: nickel stingray/ nickel or flats jazz
Slap: nickel both basses
Summary: Flats: highcut
Steels: mid scoop
Nickels: full spectrum
Nickel save if your not sure
I am biased to high gain music so SS rounds are always my go-to. But I main guitar so that bright sound is ingrained.
Style definitely matters in tone for string selection. I have a P bass with always nickel roundwounds on them and you get that rock punk sound which is what I first started in bass playing wise. The flatwounds Ive never tried and intrigue me though. It’s really best to have several basses with these different types for different techniques and styles though. Like I noticed harmonics and tapping stink on flat wounds. There’s not enough clarity and punch to the notes if you do those techniques on flat wounds. They sound great coming through on nickel and steel but not flats, imo. Now if I weren’t doing any of that and just strictly finger style then I’d probably try flats on one bass. Nice video dude even 4 years later lol
Newbie here, lookin to switch out my strings with a pro set up I’ll get. Bought a cheapie, Glarry IB with a jp config. I feel I have a jump start, being a professional drummer (retired) of 40+ years out in L.A., played with many badass bass players.
Q: Might the style of player effect the sound of flat or round?? Bro, you play very smoothly, you make every note seem effortless.
I didn't even know I want flatwound strings until now. For me they sound excellent even on the MusicMan. For some odd reason, I ended up with roundwounds on my bass guitars. That changes today.
Different people, different visions. For me flats on Stingray sound more percussive, interesting and different when playing with fingers. Joe Dart makes that combination incredible sounding. Steel strings and MM are very harsh sounding. Also, precision with nickel or steel and pick is a great combination. I guess everything depends of a...
No flat wounds on either for me.
I'm torn though between the nickel and steel wounds. It's a close call but while I use DR DDTs on my active 5ers (both are Yamaha basses) I may switch to nickels on my passive 4 (Spector).
Super useful video! Thanks! Now, I need to find a j-bass to put flats on. :P
steel roundwound for sure.. nickel round comes in second, but I felt the latter had a little extra buzz/feedback and not quite as much "purity" for the harmonics.. I'm about to take the plunge and give d'addario prosteels a try on my GL Tribute 2k after using the ernie ball hybrid/power slinkys just to experiment
I prefer the steel rounds on the stingray and the flats on the jazz bass.
It's not all about the sound, it's also about the feel on your fingers dudes. That's really important.
The best comparision video! Thanks! BTW, whats the "tapping" song name? 😁
Pretty sure it's Here Comes The Sun
If I had to pick only one, I preferred the nickel roundwounds on those two basses. I love my Thomastik Jazz Flats on my Fender P-Bass '62 reissue. I love my Thomastik Jazz Nickel Roundwounds on my G&L JB Jazz Bass. I think we have to try different strings on each bass to figure out what is the best fit for the bass, our ears and our fingers.
The TI jazz flats are like butter
Your final conclusions regarding the P and Stingray makes sense from a historical perspective, when the P bass came out Flatwound strings were pretty much the norm and it was "thought" with those strings in mind, while the Stingray being 20 years more modern it was from an era when Roundwounds were the standard
This IMO is were the Jazz shines, as it was released between the two it shines with both styles of strings, doesn't matter if it is a 60s style or a 70s style Jazz, it wil sound good no matter what
I have always used DR ss, but I didn’t like them on my new Spector. I have some Daddario nickel on it that came stock, so I decided to keep that
Nickel roundwounds on both basses. They bring out the true characteristics of each bass without being too muted or too bright.
The steels have more overall presence and aren't as twangy as the nickels. If you mute right the steels can sound like the flatwounds and still be able to punch on the slap and tap. Steels in general but have 1 jazz bass strung with flats for throwback tunes.
I play a fretless fender bass. The flatwound string is the only string that works good on that. The roundwounds sound better on a fretted bass, especially the stainless steel. Also depends on the music style you're into. Grunge/Alternate - roundwound. Country/Jazz - flatwound.
Nickel roundwounds on both, for me. Certain situations would ask for a flatwounds on the J bass, sure, but roundwounds are well-balanced and more versatile, and you can get somewhat close to flatwounds just be getting the tone knob down - sure, not the same punch, but a very similar tone in the end. Steel is not for me though, I didn't like it in either bass, it's just too bright.
Nickel on both!
Cool video, but then Bernard Edwards played the stingray with flats and had one of the most recognisable and distinctive sound for the stingray generation... Yeah p bass with flats is a great combination but it's absolutely killer with rounds, more growl to it.
In the end there's no rule, period.
It just depends on one's tastes and style of playing. Slap doesn't work very well with flats, yeah that's one probable rule, even though not absolute. Steel rounds doesn't work for an old school Motown sound yeah... So it only depends on how you want to sound, what technique you use and what genre you play.
Steels sound so punchy and heavy. I dig those!
I'd go with nickel roundwounds. I use them. Flats are nice too
It's nice to hear them compared. One thing I will say is that I've played half rounds and they suck. They sound like you would think, half way between a roundwound and a flatwound,, but because they're half wound they have corners on every wrap and it makes a lot of drag on your fingers. Also: all of these strings sound great, it just depends what you need to sound like.