P Bass & Flatwounds || What's All The Fuss About? (No.232)
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- Опубликовано: 24 июл 2024
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In this video, I'm going to discuss the classic p-bass and flatwound strings combination. I'll show you how to get the best vintage bass tone, and compare the two types of strings (flatwounds and roundwounds) to help you decide which is right for you. I'll also outline some of the best bass flatwound string brands.
Whether you're a beginner bass player or an experienced player, this video is a great way to learn about p-bass and flatwound strings and see the difference they make in your bass tone. I'll also discuss the importance of this combination nowadays. So dive in and let me help you get the best bass tone possible!
Timestamp:
0:00 P Bass & Flatwounds || What's All The Fuss About?
1:15 The P-Bass
3:02 Bass String Options
3:37 Lakland P-Bass & Roundwound Sample
4:14 Custom P-Bass & Flatwounds Sample
5:41 String Playability
6:19 Who Used The P-Bass/Flats Combo?
6:50 Flatwound String Brands
7:28 My Verdict
#bassstrings #pbass #bassgear
Four of my six Basses, have Flatwound strings.❤
I can understand why!
Yes n you make Both P Bass n Jazz Bass sound really awesome. TY Greg.❤
Thanks man!
Fun Fact: Joe Osborne of The Wrecking Crew (session players) never changed his strings unless a sting broke. He played a Fender Jazz Bass with a pick. While on a tour in the 1960s, Fender had just come out with the Jazz Bass and wanted to equip the whole touring band with their new products. I believe that he had been a guitar player so he was used to using a pick. He is on thousands of recordings but when I was in high school I bought Book Ends by Simon and Garfunkel and really was struck by the bass lines. Of course, S&G always had fantastic players on their albums.
Thanks for sharing, always interesting to hear these stories. I've got a Lakland signature Joe Osborne 5-string Jazz bass and it's awesome!
I'm with you on this. My goto bass is a Fender P with flats. It's got a really full, woody tone, and I love it.
My favourite for sure!
TI Flats on my P bass, and love playability and sound. Thanks for the video, great comparison.
Glad you liked the comparison 👍
Great video Greg. I have a PJ configuration and started using flats on it several years ago. My bass is a little more stronger in the mid range than the low end which initially why i switched from rounds. Wanted a bit more low rich tone. They let me get what i wanted. As well i like the reduced sting noise when sliding. To each his eh? And the debate goes on as Sonny and Cher said.
Funny but I went through the exact same thing with my homemade custom tele bass. I just couldn’t get on with the sound and then I suddenly kicked myself for not thinking about trying flats with it. They work so well and smooth out the mids nicely.
I was the touring bassist for the Motown group The Miracles for a few years. Labella DT flats on my vintage Fender P bass was all I used for that gig along with The Bass Mute.
Nice. That sounds like a fun gig!
A P Bass with flats does it for me, especially for Blues, Motown, and R&B. It really sounds great in the mix. Plus, no need to fiddle with the knobs, as there are only two. Your video was dead on.
Cheers. Yeah that combination is so easy to mix with minimal tweaking afterwards.
Really cool review. I think flats are probably going to give me the sound im looking for (im a beginner ) but love that deep dead thud they give. Thanks and subscribed
Thanks for subscribing. If I had to pick one bass only I would go for a P bass with flats. Luckily I don’t have to as I also like roundwounds and Jazz basses but that would definitely be my preference.
P Bass full tone & FlatWound Strings ❤
Good choice!
Thanks for this, Greg. It's great to hear what everyone's playing. I just started playing a Bolin Brothers 4-string designed by Ned Steinberger and put Tomastik flats on it. It's got a really fat, round sound to it. To get a sharper tone, it has piezo pickups on the bridge that I can boost to cut through the mix. Never thought I'd become a tech geek. Guess it was it was inevitable.
Hey Chuck, good to hear from you. Yes, it’s been so great to hear everyone’s bass and string choices. So many options and many of them excellent.
We all turn into a gear geek in the end. I fought it for years and then caved in 😂
@@GregsBassShed Sad but true...😁
@@ChuckLazer 😂
Hi Greg, spot on with the ongoing debate of round wounds v flats. It really comes down to a few personal preferences. Rock, Metal, and Pop etc that high end brightness round wounds have the edge.
Conversely, Blues, Jazz, Soul, RnB, etc Flats have that classic upright bass low end thump. Having said that, I have used flats and rounds on tracks on both genres, depends what tone is needed at the time.
I have flats fitted to all my three basses, J and P and a 5 string. All played through a modelling amp, no pedals (really old school here) and a fan of the late James Jamerson.
I have Adagio fitted to the J and P basses and 45-130s Detroit Elites on the 5 string.
My advice to anyone thinking of trying flats to achieve that classic sound, give it a try. I would advise to turn the tone right off, and get a piece of foam as close the bridge as you can. Don’t be disappointed once the flats are on, at first they sound as bright as round wounds…stuck with it, it takes a while for them to “bed in” more you play quicker they bed. Once that happens you get that deep, rich, fat sound…oh and no string noise!!
Thank you for a super lesson Greg!!
Keep Groovin’
Bryn
I must try those Detroit Flats, been meaning too for ages but as you know, flats rarely need replacing! I do have a 'ding' on the G string of my green tele bass where it fell over once and this is affecting the sound above the 12th fret so perfect excuse!
Good advice about new flats and how you have to bed them in. They can be disappointing at first if you don't know this.
Glad you liked the video.
P-bass w/flats for me too, all day long. TI's are my preferred flats and even tho they are expensive (and they are!) they have amazing tone and feel, and last forever. I use that combo in all rock styles, fingers, pick, and slap, blues, garage-y rock, r&b, funk, reggae, they even work great for harder rock genres. I've almost completely switched over to flats, although I have rounds on one of my P-basses and one of my J-bases, just for variety. I have rounds on my active Sandberg VT4 and my MTD 535, but I also have flats on Jazz basses and they make a great pair too. LaBella DTB flats on my Warwick Thumb 4 for that woody tone. And in the studio, if you bring a P w/flats, the engineer/producer will instantly be your best friend. I think it's not just because the tone fits so well in the mix, but because it's a known quantity. They've heard that combo so many times, they know instantly how it's going to sit from hitting the record button all the way through mastering. At least in the styles I work in. It's good to bring one or two other options but always always bring a P w/flats. I can't tell you how many times I've shown up at the studio, shown the producer what I brought and the first thing out of their mouth is, let's start with the P! They usually end with the P too 😀
Thanks, it’s really great to hear a pig hoot gear and stroke choices. Totally agree about sound engineers. They just love a P-Bass. I think you’re onto something with this being partly to do with a tone they know very well. I also find the P so easy to mix at home. As soon as an active bass is on the mix I have to consider a lot more factors!
P Bass and flats is iconic and timeless. Depending on what sound you want it's always good to have alternatives, for me it's unbeatable. Only my J Bass has rounds on it, my P Bass, my fretless and my active PJ have LaBella flats and I love them!
I agree with you and I have flats on my Jazz bass too!
Totally agree.
Forgot about discussing the fretless in my video. I’ve always felt the need for roundwounds on my fretless basses but I do love the sound of other people playing fretless with flats.
I've got two fender P-Basses one with Rotosound Rounds and one with Labella flats, And a fender Jazz with Rotosound Rounds 🎸🎸🎸 Like you I kinda favor the P-Bass with flats !!! I really enjoyed the SRV and the Tommy Shannon Blues Bass Lines !!!
Thanks David, glad you enjoyed the Blues videos. Must make some more!
It’s really handy to gave the options of rounds and flats. Two P’s are a must!
A fretless Fender P Bass with flats, that's my gear and I love that combo !
👍
Great video, Greg! I've been playing the bass for close to 50 years now in an "On and Off" capacity. Many times in my life, I put the instrument down for extended periods, sometimes years. Unfortunately, that has done much more damage than I care to admit. But the good thing is that every time I pick it back up again, it's with all the verve and vigor that was present when I first started! That being said --- back in the late 70's, maybe early 80's, I'd picked up a set of flat-wound strings for a tryout. I was SO upset with the sound and tone that they provided at that time, that I took them off faster than it took to give them a fair chance. FastForward 45 years, and with some technique improvements, I absolutely LOVE THEM! It would be fair to say that I'm addicted to them and have been for the last 3 to 4 weeks!!
I've always had an issue with my plucking fingers (right hand) sticking to the strings when attempting Jaco-esque 16th notes, or any other pumped-up bass lines - like those from Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power. I thought that the flat-wound strings would provide some relief from this. Unfortunately, it has made the matter worse! I've applied hand-lotion, WD-40 wiped on the strings, etc, etc and STILL, my fingers continue to stick to the strings, almost as if I put glue on them!!! I do not understand why this issue has plagued me since the day I started playing!! I was wondering if you could lend any insight into this matter. Have you ever heard of this before?
Sorry for the long rant, Greg.
Hey Danny, really interesting post.
Firstly, flatwounds do feel slightly ‘sticky’ to me and definitely not as fast. They aren’t the best choice for fast playing. But I love them for most other situations. New flatwounds take a while to really bed in too which can put people off initially.
Secondly, that feeling of fingers getting stuck on the strings when playing fast is quite normal. I have experienced that and I know exactly what you mean. But in my experience this is more due to the way you are plucking the strings than the actual strings themselves. It is almost like the same way that you get a ‘wheel-spin’ in a car when accelerating too quickly. It’s hard to say without seeing more closely but you could he pressing down too much on the strings rather than plucking towards you. This would cause your fingers to feel like they are ‘sticking’ on the strings. But I’m only surmising here.
@@GregsBassShed Thanks, Greg! I'm generally, at these these days, what most would consider to be a "light-fingered" player. I do not use a lot of attack as I used to back in my early years. When I was modeling myself after Geddy Lee, this was never an issue for me since I was powering through the strings with my right hand, much as Geddy does. But as I grew older, I started to really appreciate the finesse and dynamic approach of players like Jaco, Rocco, Jeff Berlin, etc, etc..... Gary Willis has an incredibly light touch, but he does play with all the fingers on his right hand. I guess I'm going to have to adapt accordingly until I can figure out some sort of work-around. And ultimately, I really LOVE the tone and feel of the Flat-wound strings - but I'll always save a special place in my heart for round-wounds and the growl! Thanks so much for your input, kind sir!
Yeah, interesting post. I can relate to the “On and Off” motif. And the “damage done!” I think trying to play like Jaco and Jeff Berlin was almost more of a setback, groove-wise. I did have some pretty good technique though. (I used to use baby powder to slick up the strings for the ol’ ultra-fast stuff.) Now, I’m just happy to play no-frills, basic bass. Put some flatwounds on my P-bass recently and was surprised how sticky they were. But after playing ‘em for a while they feel better. Still prefer rounds but the flats are growing on me. Thanks for sharing your story. Cheers!
Good demo of Flats vs Rounds and why the sound is still relevant today. I've used either Dunlop or DR Legend flats for about 12 years on my Peavey Cirrus basses and find either brand gives me the type of tone I'm looking for, with the DR's being more traditional with round core, and Dunlops being a little brighter with their hex core.
Thanks Gillian. I haven’t tried either of those strings but I’ve heard good things about them. It sound like you’ve got something that works well for you.
Love Dunlop Flats. It is a great string for players that want a string that is less dark than La Bella strings and a lower tension also. They are by no means loose i.e. as TI strings can be.
Flatwounds 4 life! I understand the need for different strings and sounds and tones and so on, but if I had to pick just one sound it's that vintage Motown/blues sound you can only get with flatwounds. Coated flatwounds are next level - ever tried them? 😆
A P with flats would definitely be my choice if I had to pick only one! Coated flatwounds you say? Interesting! Who makes them?
@@GregsBassShed it's been so long since I bought them but I think it was RotoSound
@@Tracer9GTRider8 I’ll research coated strings 👍
@@GregsBassShed I'm looking forward to seeing a video on them!
My 2021 Fender Professional ii P bass with Labella 760fl strings is the bomb.
Killer combination!
I have a Squire P with Rotosound flats and it sounds great
Cavy go wrong with this 👍
Good lesson Greg! I would go with flats!
Cheers Rog, can’t argue with that 👍
Well shiver me timbers and vibrate my strings bassmates.... fascinating stuff.
Personally, i am not in a gigging band and most of what i practice is using one of my Harley Bentons through a 40w 10ind HB combo or a friend's tiny Vox with an 8 ins speaker and often play via the PA at open stages and i a bit mutton so i wouldn't notice much difference.
But as i said interesting and informative as always.
Glad you liked it Peter. For non-UK subscribers, 'mutton' means deaf and it comes from Mutt and Geoff, an American import! Such is Cockney slang 😀
As a U-Bass player I love my Aquila Thunder Reds. They look cool on the black Journeyman but I’d like to get a P Bass with flat wounds after watching this video. Thanks Greg
Bet your bass looks great with these strings. I need to replace the black rubber strings on my Kala U Bass. These might be a good option. Are they metal on the outside?
They seem like rubber Greg. They’re dark red.
@@ruthkearin3721 cheers
The fact that I couldn't hear the flats on my phone. Is probably a good sign for live.
Did you mean 'could' or 'couldn't?
@@GregsBassShed "could not". Meaning that flats has a deep bass tone that a phone speaker can't reproduce properly.
Love Flats, my favorite: Optima RB
They are hard to beat!
Thanks Greg, I love the sound of flats but, as you say, I found it hard to play as quickly with them. Felt like my plucking fingers 'stuck' to the string for a tiny fraction of a second, but just long enough to slow me down. Maybe I'll go back and give them another try now.
That’s exactly how I felt with flatwounds initially. I really couldn’t get on with them. It might have been because the strings were brand new. I came back to them a few years after and have loved them ever since.
Lakland 44-64 Custom PJ with GHS Precision Flats, 45-105. Tone control 80% off, neck PUP engaged, and often I blend in 10-20% of the bridge PUP depending 🤔
That sounds like an excellent combo 👌
I have La Bella Gold flats on my Fender MIM Precision Bass Special Deluxe Series, and they sound great! They are advertised as having lower tension, and that is true. The color really "pops" too! I just started taking in person lessons, and since I ride the bus, my teacher has offered to bring a bass for me to play, to save me lugging my baby around in its hard case. I KNOW that the bass he brings for me to play will have Round Wounds on it. Not that he doesn't like the big, fat, round tone of my flats, but because I'm masking some deficiencies in my left-hand technique by using flats... I will have to mentally prepare to hear myself making a lot of "scrtichy-scratchy" noise during my next lesson...
La Bella Golds! I’ll have to look them up!
Flatwounds certainly helps with reducing string noise! Good luck in your next lesson 😀
I’ve played with only flatwound strings on a p bass or a jazz bass for thirty plus years. I love flatwound strings, but they just don’t work well for playing out. I used to have to play so loud just to be barely heard. My amp was so loud I couldn’t hear the other instruments. These days I like worn round wound strings with a warm sounding amp.
Good point about the flatwounds. I find them perfect for recording and teaching online as the tone works so well but I like the zing of roundwounds mostly when I'm gigging.
Thank's Greg, i also love to play my Höfner 500/1 with Flats. That is a bitsy more funny than playing flats with my 'Squire P by Fender'. But - i do not try flats on my Rickenbacker; 'Time Is Tight' with the Ricky - that's not soo nice to listen to. Cheers.
Hey Alf, I forgot about that other classic - the Hofner and flats! Such a great sound!
P bass and flats are like rice & beans macaroni & cheese peanut butter & jelly if you want to experiment with tones on a p bass have at it but flats is where you start
So true!
Neither flats nor rounds for me, I go for the third option, Half Rounds or Ground Wounds whatever you want to call them. I've got D'Addario ENR71 Half Rounds on both my Mex P bass and Jazz bass. I have swopped back to D'Addario Round Wounds on the Jazz but went back to the Half Rounds again. I also went back to Rotosound Flats on the P Bass, but then swopped back to the Half Rounds again. So it's not just a two horse race, there are other choices. I'm very satisfied with the Half Rounds, at least for the time being, but when I swop, I keep coming back to them. Incidentally, they seem to improve with age.
Hey Graham, yeah I agree that groundwounds are a good option too as are other string types, so not just three! This video was a comparison between rounds and flats so I focused on them.
Yeah, I understand Greg. Just chucking my twopennyworth in. As always, really appreciate your videos, excellent stuff.
Flatwounds also work on fretless basses.
Btw, that line is also similar to "Can't Turn You Loose" by Otis Redding - with guess who on bass?
Ha yeah, of course!
Not mentioning Carol Kaye as one of the most influencial P Bass/flats players is almost a crime! Apart from that, I totally agree! I have D'Addario Chromes on my not-quite-P (Aria Pro II RSB Standard), and even though it's my cheapest bass, I play it a lot. I don't have another P with rounds, my other main bass is a modern 5-string Jazz Bass interpretation with J/MM pickups (Clover Apeiron). Then a fretless (Esh Sovereign with J/J/piezo) and a semi-hollow shorty (Epiphone Rumblekat, also with flats), so I can get almost any classic sound on earth. But I could only pick one, I must be honest, it would still be the Clover 5-string.
Glad you liked the video. I'm a big fan of Carol Kaye, but that was only a snapshot of a few players who use that combo. I'm sure we've all got other favourites too! Sounds like you've got a good line-up of basses 👍
Flats and the P Bass is the tone that I love the most.
I'm with you on that Tim.
@@GregsBassShed It is just my preference for the type of music I enjoy listening to the most. Nothing wrong with a different preference. But for me it has been and will continue to be Flats and P Basses.
Can we split the difference by using half rounds? I use D'Addario XL Half Rounds on my J-bass. They sound a little brighter than flats and much easier on my fingers than rounds.
Good suggestion. I tried halfrounds a long time ago. Must give them another try.
Greg could you explain the theory of using a capo on the bass and the why and when ? I was jamming with a friend that doesn't read music and he was using a capo and ask be to adjust my notes. Can you enlighten us please
Good question Sam. A capo is useful for a guitarist when they change key becuase they can keep the chord shape the same. We don't need to do that as bass players, aside from perhaps for an extreme solo bass piece. We can just move where we play the notes.
For example if a song is in E and you want to change it to G for the singer, the guitarist could put a capo across the third fret and play the chords as usual. The bass player can just move everything up three frets higher. This is called transposing.
Does that make sense?
Thanks @@GregsBassShed
Will flats on a PJ still allow the bridge pup to growl a little? I love the versatility of the bass-but haven’t yet found strings that do both.
Good question. I don't actully have a PJ set-up although I have been thinking about it recently. Maybe someone else who reads this can help. I wouldn't say that the flatwounds growl as much. Have you tried halfwounds?
@@GregsBassShed that’s what I have on now-I get the growl on the bridge, but not an ideal P sound. I think it’s unobtainium.
@@mattgreven7615 that’s interesting. In a way I suppose that’s why I haven’t yet brought a PJ. I must try before I buy!
the roundwounds stand out a little too much for Motown - listen to Jack Bruce's EB3, say on Sitting On Top of the World, very nice and fudgey
Yep I agree, the roundwound sample was really there for comparison.
Time is Tight, Booker T and the MGs
That’s the one Ken!
How would you play ballad with long sustain with this p/flat combo?
The same way as usual! Different basses and strings give you options. Choose what you think works for that particular situation. Most fretless players favour flatwounds strings for example and there is no problem with sustain there.
@@GregsBassShed due to the non existing metal bars hindering the flats? But fretted basses would suffer less sustain, meaning you get to play more instead?
@@ryanz06 just go for the sound you like. The drop in sustain can be just what some players are after but if it doesn’t float your boat then go for something else. I have P-basses with flats and rounds and take out whatever I think is most suitable for the gig.
Thomastik Jazz Infeld (Jazz Flats).
Period.
I’ve never tried the Thomastiks although I did have a set of this brand on my first upright bass! Must try them out on the P!
@@GregsBassShed The TI are made for the P!
@@luigi.zanini got to try them!
@@GregsBassShed ok, tell me about it later
I have flatwounds on all three of my basses. Can't stand the feel of roundwounds and I hate stringnoise.
La Bella DTF's are the epitome of flatwound to me, both in sound and feel. I love the thumping tone and the smooth as silk feel.
I love many basstones, but indeed, P-bass with flats is something special.
Would love to see a thorough comparison of single coil vs split coil Precision. They are very different but most people gloss over the transition in P-bass history very casually.
Other then the obvious possible single coil hum issues, how do they compare tonewise, how do they compare in a mix?...
Very good suggestion for a video. I find my custom green 'tele bass' with single coil pickup very different in tone to the rest of my P-basses. It has more mids and highs than I initially expected.
A second comment which is more like sharing a story from back in the day .... and night🤔
I bough a second hand AXEsone Gibson EB0 in 1965/6. I was playing in 60s covers bands and the D string "broke" in about 1966 so i retuned and played the rather large gig on 3 strings .....no great prob to a rock god 😂
I went to the local shop and he said Gibson flat wound....yer wot....i will need to order them. This was norff if Watford not Denmark Street.
He said try theses Rotosound wire wound so i did and the Gibson flat wound arrived eventually. There was a difference in brightness.... I played the bass through a Vox AC50 and 2 Foundation 18in cabinets.
Soon after i stopped playing to go to college and then Uni and ended up on a 51 year sabbatical.....a Black Sabbatical 😂
I still have the EB0 and use it sometimes and this year 2023 put the Gibson flat wounds on it. They sprung out of the box singing "Tired of waiting"😂
When asked how often do you change your strings, i reply about every 56 years 🎸
Brilliant story! 😂
@@GregsBassShed 110% true and accurately. I'm a legend on my own 13/14 time
P bass+ Flats my No1 and No2 P bass+ old round ones 🙃
Good choices
2024 and I Just bought a p-bass and flats
No time like the present! 😎
Great video, but just two smart ass comments: 1. Lakland is pronounced Lak'e'land and 2. the feel of the notes in the Time Is Tight bassline is more legato. ... no harm meant, bro...😊
Lakland is pronounced just as I say it, here in the UK! Lakeland is a kitchen shop over here! 😂
Yep Duck Dunn plays that first note of the riff a little longer but articulation is a personal thing, play what works for you!
@@GregsBassShed .... Off the Lakland website: 'Q. How do you pronounce Lakland? Lake-land or Lackland?
A. Lakland is pronounced Lake-land with a long first A (note the symbol over the A in our logo).'..... Think the kitchen shop won´t mind ..☺
@@hansiwust3629 thanks, as I said, in the UK we say ‘lak-land’ and it really doesn’t matter!
Ya just can't beat a P with flats on stage or in the studio.
Totally agree!
Give me flats all day long
In dense bands or upright-ish situations, I reach for my Fender P with flats. Otherwise, I reach for my Sadowsky M5 with rounds. To me; P is about occupying the mids like a soft pillow and flats support that purpose well. If I want to occupy a wider sonic spectrum, rounds on a two-pickup bass support that purpose better. P with rounds kinda falls in the middle; that's why I don't have one (at this time).
Sounds great. I still have certain gigs where I feel that I need the clarity and zing of roundwounds on a P bass but I do love my flats most of the time!
They all end up sounding like flatwounds eventually
Not sure about that!
Try Ernie Ball Cobalt
I've heard food things about these strings 👍
Anyone else's brain fill in the organ for them?
😂 Now you say it, I just replayed this and I can hear the organ! 😎
Strings aren't that important in the sound you wanna have. It's depend of your way of playing and the way you arrange your Eq. I have a really modern bass with low tension flats. And still i can play all that i'm asked (and of course what i can do) without fretnoise wich in my opinion is annoying
I agree up to a point. You can of course back off the treble on your bass with roundwounds and get a tone similar to flats but you miss a certain amount of that thud. You also can’t really capture the ‘zing’ of roundwounds no matter how you tweak your EQ with flats. You can get an approximation but not the real deal.
You can also learn to eradicate a lot of string noise with rounds but flats are definitely quieter.
Ultimately it’s about what works for each player and if you’re happy with your set-up then that’s the important thing.
I agree that lots of your sounds is in the fingers though.
@@GregsBassShed Thanks for your answering! I totally agree all that you said! But still i really love modern flats and dislike the round even though we can lower string noises but not eradicate the hard touching of those ones.
@@sacha2988 I do know what you mean. There is so much more noise with rounds.
I think it’s a fuss about nothing. It’s how good a musician you are and the energy of the band that counts in a pub on a Saturday night. No one in the audience is going to walk out because you are playing flats or rounds. But they will know how good you play
Definitely agree that you shouldn't worry too much about this for a rowdy Saturday night crowd down the pub! But there is so much more to bass playing than that. Many other musical situations require more finesse and in those situations, attention to detail will really separate you from the crowd.
@@GregsBassShed I agree with your point but I think there’s too much emphasis on gear. This string that string , this amp the other one , the cabs and all the pedals. I personally feel it’s all gone a bit stupid. All the advertising makes you think you need it to. I not so sure that just time practicing with a band and at home is 97% of the real thing. But I don’t mean to be argumentative. I guess if you are recording then it’s important.
@@joeblogs8204 Hey Joe, don’t pay too much attention to what the gear companies are advertising. They are just trying to sell you stuff! That’s their job.
But saying that, it is important to have a bass, strings and gear that works for you and that’s what this video is intended to help with. It’s all important though and remember that there are lots of situations where bass is exposed, and bass/string choice will make a big difference to tone.
I agree with both you re playing in a pub and Greg re when strings may make a difference but for me the take away is how interesting it all is 🎸
I subbed at first, but when you've said "flatwounds are harder to play due to being smooth" I immediately unsubbed. Tension-wise: get some muscles in there if you find they have too much tension.
Sorry you don’t agree that if you use higher tension strings and thicker gauge strings, they are harder to play! That’s just physics. You misquoted me by the way! There’s a certain ‘stickiness’ that comes with smoother flatwounds that’s what I was referring to.
I don’t think you really understood the video. I use flatwounds all the time, which I love by the way. But I also use roundwounds on other occasions where I prefer them.
As for ‘getting some muscles in there’, it’s not a macho competition and after playing upright bass as well as electric for years, that’s just not an issue for me!
But it’s about what instrument/strings that you use for the job. It’s about subtlety.
4 minutes of talking, dude please
You probably didn’t notice but if you look at the play-bar at the bottom of the video you can jump to the section you are most interested in! Problem instantly solved!