I’m the former touring bassist for The Miracles, occupied Jamerson’s old chair with them and was a studio player in LA for years. All I ever played was a P bass with flats. I work almost every day because the people who actually hire us prefer it far more than boutique basses with a totally different place in the mix that we may think is cool but not appreciated by other band members, sound engineers and producers. I do own a jazz bass with rounds but I rarely use it on any gig unless I’m playing a funk gig and have to do a lot of slapping (an incredibly overused technique in my opinion by RUclipsrs and not as in demand on an actual gig as you think) There’s a reason the P bass is iconic. You simply can’t go wrong with it in a working situation. Now if you are a soloist or pursuing your own thing, and good luck with that, then the boutique basses have their place. Also in metal music but plenty play P basses with flats like Steve Harris with Iron Maiden. Mine are about 8 years old and sound better than ever. I am constantly complemented by sound engineers on how my sound records. I have a few covers of Jamerson and company on my own little non monitized channel I put up for fun if you want to see how I get the sound that keeps me regularly employed.
Yeah, we as bass players these days take ourselves a little too seriously considering boutique sound and solo stuff. I love to listen, and watch it, but then I have to come back to Earth and play with a band….And you’re right nothing fits in the mix, as well as a P bass. History tells us that that’s true. It tends to serve the music better.
Hi Bill, I love your comment! I'm a huge fan of P bass with flats tone. But I'm curious what you think of Stingray bass. Many pros (players and producers) love that tone. I fell in love with it after hearing Chic and Brothers Johnson.
The new bass player in Chic, Jerry Barnes plays a Marcus style Atelier Z Jazz with rounds. He sounds good in the mix and the band sounds a little more contemporary because of it@@mattfoley6082
True indeed... but I somehow managed to lose the equivalent clips I had with the P Bass with rounds, so was a bit forced into using the Jazz comparison. Hopefully is still sort of gets the point across. Cheers
I play reggae bass and I just replaced my strings with the flat wounds. These strings gave me an element to my bass lines I knew I was missing the whole time. They help my bass that has a pickup closer to the fretboard for that lower flat tone achieve its full potential as I found that round wounds were more painful to slide on and gave more buzz than what I needed for vintage reggae
Pretty sure that early on Shakespeare played a Hofner violin sometimes and sure enough even my cheap copy has that vintage sound, play it over the neck and get a stand up bass feel, loads of fun, then pick up a plectrum and you're McCartney, happy days 😉
@@smuleplayz i think for live puposes it could be aJ bass, thick flatwound strings, picking hand position between neck pu and neck plus maybe 15"speakers and tube amplification. keep on playing Reggae Music!
@@smuleplayz Robbie also played a lot with the thumb which gives a fatter deeper sound, also when I play i like to put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge to get that Aston Barrett and Flabba holt muted sound , good luck my friend ☝️
I bought a Squire P bass with flatwound strings on it. I have never played with flatwound strings before. Needless to say, they are still on there as they sound fantastic.
Addendum: purchased the Fender Flatwounds and am very happy I did. I never liked the sound of sliding on wound strings and these are dead quiet. They’re also not as flabby at pitch for a more controlled feel. Thanks for the point out.
That Fender P sounds immense 👌🏿 I play my Coated Round Wounds with some foam at the bridge, as standard. I never removed it. The tension is creates and the percussive tone is something I like. Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
Started playing bass as a teenager in 1980 and it was the Jam and the Stranglers sound which was definitely a bright sound played with a plectrum and as far as I knew roundwound was all there was and that's what you did and always loved that clang you got with new strings though it never lasted like he says they dull down a bit. Soon got into reggae and more of a Simonon or Jah Wobble thing but would just knock the treble off. Stopped playing for a while but years later got back into it and got one of the early Squier classic vibe P basses and got into Jamerson big style and took the plunge with Rotosound flats and it was a whole new thing, the thud and the feel is amazing plus you can play for hours without needing skin grafts on the finglytipples, totally recommended. I say take the plunge as typical flats start at about £40 ...I could restring my strat 6 times over for that! Plus they will literally last for years, Jamerson recorded all that Motown goodness on one bass and one set of la Bella's, makes you think...
Rick was the man.! The Smiths also had a great 80s bright bass sound. I use Tomastik flatwounds on my guitar for jazz, I was wondering if they also make them for bass, I’m sure they do. Just picked up a P bass not too long ago and one of the main reasons was pure nostalgia listening to The Prisoners and the Buzzcocks recently. It brought back a lot of memories as a bass player in our mod punk band in high school and college during the 80s. I may have to try the flats on my bass because I love them on guitar.
*I would also add the fact that flats don't chew up your frets or fingerboard like rounds do. If you have an oldschool vintage bass with original frets that you don't want to have to refret, or if you play a fretless, especially with a wood softer than ebony, such as rosewood, then flats will keep you from damaging your bass.* 🤔
@@jkanecutlery Flats on a fretless are also good for helping to silence squeaks as your fingertips slide around, and also for getting closer to the timbre of the acoustic standup double-bass, for that real oldschool vintage tone..., or at least closer to it...
Excellent! I've always loved the way flatwounds play, but couldn't live with what I lost when using them -- and would take them back off pretty quickly. You are 100% on, the P bass is made for it /better for it. Thanks!
Thanks for the helpful and insightful review of not only the bass but flatwound strings. I am going to put flatwounds and a piece of foam on my new P-Bass when it arrives. I really like that sound.
My vintage P-bass has had the same set of Thomastik flats on it for 10 years. These ones are lighter gauge, at .043 so actually less stiff than what I'd been use to before. And very versatile soundwise. I don't think I'll ever use anything else, at least not as my main strings on my main bass.
Works on the Jazz Bass too. Normally I'm a round wound guy but I put a set of flats on a 2006 Mexican Jazz Bass and when I play the descending line for Dazed and Cofused by Led Zep, it's like I'm listening to the original recording.
Only just switched to flats after decades on rounds. Played flats on a session and got such a great result I've switched both my basses over - La Bella's on my Steinberger and Rotosounds on my P bass.
Steinberger stick-bass? Hmmm. I had a Hohner B2A in the late 80s and I adored it, but I can''t imagine putting flats on it. That sharp ,"snarpy" sound is the opposite of what I'd have thought flats were all about.
@@pcread Definitely not great for any slap bass stuff with flats on but very controlled for everything else - finger style especially. Still plenty of tone.
I can attest that if you’re a dyed in the wool roundwound player thinking of trying flats but not ready to fully commit yet, try half-rounds. I threw some on my jazz bass recently and they’re much quieter than rounds when moving up and down the neck and they still possess some of those higher frequencies of rounds, but the feel more like flats and have slightly more increased lower and mid frequencies. I’m loving them so far, highly recommended.
I agree but with a little extra info. I have had at least two sets of the halfs and I have learned that they work and feel much better if you run some fine steel wool up and down them before you string them up. They're a lot smoother and easier on the fingers after that. My issue with them is that they don't last very long. 1 or 2 months is about the longest they were useful for me. Conversely, flats will literally last decades. I'm a flat only player but I can work with the halfs in a pinch.
The bottom line is (no pun lol) that flats feel so smooth, but rounds are great for slapping and that upper frequency bite omnipresent on some of the more recent recordings (over the last half century, hence, not so recent). There is something to be said for the sound of slightly muted flats, and nothing else will satisfy when that is the desired tone in a mix.
I have used flats, half rounds and rounds on my p bass! I find that they all have their place in the mix depending on the kind of music you are playing. Since i only got one p bass, i ve decided to stay with rounds since i feel they are the most versatile and fit better to the styles of music i m gigging (rock, soft rock, hard rock). I would eventually buy another p bass and put flats on it permanently for those classic sounds. Great video
Agreed, more useful than people thnk, but as with most things, there's more than one way. I use a half dozen different basses, but only the fretted jazz bass has roundwounds.😉
I'm a disabled Army veteran and new to bass guitar. I played alto and bari sax, and cello, decades ago, and would have bought a bari sax and a cello, but I live where I need to keep the noise down 24/7. So instead of paying $10K for each instrument, I paid 2.1K on a custom shop P bass from Fender's California facility, plus a Vox Amplug headphone amplifier. It's a beauty, with roundwounds, and a spruce body in Mocha burst and a maple fretboard. I decided to add the optional PJ pickup configuration for more versatility, and wow, does it sound great! The jazz pickup gives it a growly kind of sound, and I can stick to strictly using the precision pickups if I want. It's a heavy unit. Decided to add a lightweight bass with flatwounds for a more standup bass sound, bought a Hofner Ignition series violin (Beatles) bass that was less than $500. It was made in China but still sounds great after I got it back from my luthier who set it up properly. It does make sound, but it's still quiet enough. I got a Fender Rumble 40 and a Vox Mini Go 10 modeling amp as well, though I can only use them with my headphones. I play along with my guitarist friend who had a band for years and even recorded an album, but I am still trying to learn. He's been more than patient. So far, I have played bass about 24 hours altogether. It's hard to get a consistently decent sound. I know I need plenty more hours of playing to become semi-good. I miss my bari sax so much. It was burgled back in 1989 when I was on vacation. I can't help but compare my bass playing to my previous sax playing, and it makes me feel inadequate. I have to tell myself to be patient, but I was kind of a perfectionist on sax back in the day. I think it helps that I can read music and understand everything on the page, but I must still start at the beginning with this new instrument. I thought that bass guitar would be similar to cello, but it is quite different. I need to get a personal instructor who can give me immediate feedback. Kickass equipment is not the end all, be all. I have learned that proficiency is what I really need, and if I had that, I could make even a cheap bass sound decent. It will take many many hours of playing to get there, I know. When I told him this, my guitarist buddy said that I am way above a musical rookie, since they don't think about it in such a way. When I hear the professionals play, sometimes it seems impossible for me to get there. I am in no way at the level of a studio bass player. Maybe I should move to a different place, one that allows loud music, and buy a bari sax. At least they don't have frets, and I would be far more proficient. Then I remember the endless hours I spent perfecting my emboucher back in the day. I just need to buckle down and work on my fret skills. (Believe it or not, it seems harder than learning the fretless cello.) Any advice anyone can give would be appreciated.
I was pretty much sold on a precision bass but this was very helpful in breaking down they differences between the two so I can better compare the tones
First time watching your channel and I have to say well done mate!!! Definitely subscribing! I finally broke down and decided I need a P-bass back in my collection of sounds and this time I went with the “tele” P-bass and dang am I glad I did because I knew immediately it was getting flats put on. I’m really into that late 50’s through 60’s pocket player bassist like Carol Kaye, James Jamerson, dude from CCR(his name has slipped my mind) but yeah players with that sound. Then I happened to run across this video today and yes great idea to click on it! Keep up the good work and yes your video and what you said just confirmed what I was thinking!
Ernie Ball Slinky flatwounds 50 - 105 are a great string. It took me quite a few years and lots of dollars before I tried them out and haven't bought another string for my p bass in 8 years. Sound good, feel good, low tension so your truss rod won't be working overtime and you can get a really amazing setup from these strings. A perfect match.
Flatwounds all the way for me. I have Fender Lights for a more zingy sound on my Jazz. I would probably go for the Medium light or Medium for slightly more tension and punch. Greater tension also means a faster/tighter response with the added benefit that you get a lower action which in turn means tidier fretting and timing. Good review.
Great info. I prefer the flatwound sound and feel even on a Jazz bass and I stop being concerned about the threat of fret wear.The only time I put roundwounds on is if I sell the bass because of the cost of the strings.
Great video and thanks for your matter-of-fact delivery with no gimmicks. I can only agree with everything mentioned here. I play bass in a two guitar, bass and drums line up - covers of Humble Pie through to Skynyrd - and since switching to flats the bass is really playing its part much better - noticeably so. I play a Greco “lawsuit” P-Bass retrofitted with a Fender pickup, and strung with Fender flats - excellent tone and exactly as described here regarding playability. Through the 15-inch speaker of my Rumble 200 combo, bar/club gigs are a breeze.
This gentleman has that beautiful deep British English accent wich makes the video even more interesting. Thank you for the great ammount of information you have provided us with. Greetings from Lisboa, Portugal
Excellent review. I too play PBass and a short scale hollow body Lyle from '68 with flats (Daddario). For me the best bass sounds. I keep one JB with rounds for recording songs that need it. Thanks Sir!
Hey there, this is my first visit to your channel. Great job of explaining _and_ demonstrating the differences/advantages of flatwound bass strings! Very well presented in a factual, rational manner, and laid out in a nice, graspable, logical procession. (There, is that enough descriptives in one sentence for ya? One without a subject, no less. 😵) Oh well, good thing I'm not a presenter on RUclips... Anyway, great job, keep up the good work. And thanks for making/sharing this video! Yours - JD, Montreal P.S. Superb bass playing, BTW. One day, I hope to be as good as you. (Note: I am 60, so that'd better happen soon!) Cheers - jd
Simply because James Jamerson used that setup. That was my first thought when I saw the title of this production. I heard a story that when he changed his strings he soaked them in fat and butter for a while before installing the new set. His son told this story. Also James never cleaned his fret board. That deep tone he always got was THE sound of the era. But Flatwounds on a p-bass, for any player, can achieve a really great and deep tone of course. Even direct into the board, great tones can be developed. Jules Guitar, you have some nice chops. Thumbs up and subscribed.....
Ive had the LaBellas on my P Bass for like 5 years now and they sound better and better each time I play them. Switching to flatwounds completely changed the way I play
Can you do a video on how and what to upgrade on a squier P Bass? I am a guitar player mainly so don’t have much experience with bass and what to focus on
GHS Pressurewounds have an oval shaped wrap. They tend to sit in the middle between rounds and flats. Thumps, but with some growl on top. They also sound fantastic on a P bass.
I don’t know why I don’t like roundwound strings on my p bass, but a couple weeks ago I’ve been using flatwounds on my squire and I couldn’t agree more with you, they’re the best sound for a p bass
Bought one of the early made in China Classic Vibe P basses about 2006 and it is perfect, no need to spend 2 grand or whatever for an American made, blindfold you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference, got it on Rotosound flats and just love it , sonic blue with bridge cover so it looks the part aswell.
I don’t have a P-bass yet😢 but I do have a G&L Fallout bass that can pull of a P-bass pretty well but when I added a set of LaBella med. short scale flatwounds holy heck! It definitely sounds like a P-bass especially with some foam down by the bridge. I still am going to buy a proper P bass and put flats on it and put rounds back on the Fallout bass. Thanks for your video; loved it! Peace 🎸🎸🎸
My #1 P bass has Thomastik-Infeld Jazz flats on it. They're never coming off. I have another P with rounds on it, which for certain things is perfect. But if I had to choose only one, it'd be the one with flats. This is for classic rock covers; flats can rock, too.
Yes you're right, flats are the true sound/tone of motown and other bass classics, but one of the other main reasons why they were standard on most basses was they wouldn't damage the frets, great vid dude!!!!!!!
You played one of the segments with a pick, and I think it deserves to be on your list. With round wounds it takes extreme measures - a compressor and 110% of the trebble rolled off - to make a bass sound good with a a pick. On a P with flats, you might give the tone knob a few more degrees of roll-off and you're good.
I switched to fratwound strings several weeks ago and quite happy about cobalt strings. They give almost the same tone as flatwounds but no slide noise, which is important on distorted sound.
My 1962 Vintage re-issue p-bass almost always had flat on it. And with a piece of foam under the bridge really made it sound even better. I had that bass almost 30 yrs and sold it a few yrs ago. What a mistake It did sound great with round wounds but for me, flats were THE sound I was looking for. !!
I have a Fender jazz with flats (guitar and strings now ten years old) and a Yamaha five string with rounds. The Yam never gets a look in - the flats are like playing silk. Just love them.
Great video. I switched from Guitar to Bass years ago, bought a Fender P Bass and removed the factory installed round wounds. They just didn‘t sound right to me. Flatwounds sounded perfect from the start.
dude massive thanks for this, I've been looking for advice on what strings I might try next. tho flats are kinda expensive, I think it's worth giving a shot
At the end of the day you've probably still got the set of rounds you took off and they can go back on, lot easier on bass than 6 string, guitarists have it easy when it comes to strings! Got 3 basses anyway, P bass on flats, violin short scale in homage to the master and Curbow active 24 fret on light rounds for everything else !!!
Cool video. I started to use flats as well. I play rock and use a pick. It gives some great fat bottom end without those irritating snappy high tones. But it's all a matter of taste of course
I had DR stainless flats on my active jazz bass , definitely had a solid range of sounds I could pull from one instrument. I got so bummed having to sell it
Great video, thanks! I love my 9050Ms!!! I went back from LaBellas, wasn't happy with their response. It seems they didn't 'talk as deep' as I would have liked. With my fat ham-hands I also like a wider, thicker neck. I've got that on my G&L K2K, and while I can't exactly get the P thing going, I can get pretty close. On Active setting 2, it brightens things up enough that I'm almost at roundwound tones. That works well because we play a variety of genres. Things I can add: 1. Put a string on one end of the foam pad. Easy to pull it through under the strings and then pull it back out again. Moving just the foam is a bit of a pain. 2. Stainless out of the box has an oxide layer that forms and builds up after time. That layer is exactly what makes stainless, uh, stainless. The layer protects the metal underneath. During that time they get a loose oxide layer on the outside, making new ones very 'grabby' at first. Don't let that scare you, after a short time the loose stuff (nickel) comes off on your fingers. To save time you can lightly brush a 3M scruffy pad on the tops to remove it, but it takes a while for the layer to establish itself, to oxidize the rest of the way from what you knocked off. They'll be even 'grabbier' for the fist time playing, wiping them afterwards with a clean cloth helps make it go away. It's only a one-time deal. There are processes to chemically 'pickle' stainless, but they're fine for industrial and food service use, they're a pain on a bass.
Excellent comparisons Jules as I have played both over 20 years individually and played on over 130 hits. I think as you do. Overtime each of us has an unique sound which comes from the string newness, age, tension as well has your attack. Jamerson both uses a rake technique which mainly as he taught me, because he was transferring from the upright. Actually when you play for a quite a long time, your fingering technique makes it so that you will sound the same on either flat or round, eventhough the flats have a fuller tone and the rounds have a longer sustain. Also engineers in the final mix create their own eq to compliment and drive the mix. At Motown, the drums and bass are eq'd first. BTW I am the original bassist who took Jamerson's place with Smokey and the Miracles so that Jamerson could stay in the studio, and I also became his music director and have played with all of the Motown Artists. Additionally played on 2 bass hits with Jamerson: Stop in the Name of Love, Baby Love, Reach Out, No Where to Run and others. Of course Jamerson, Chuck Rainey and Duck Dunn all played fender p-basses with flatwounds These days I use the DR Marcus Miller rounds, and like you mentioned the rounds will sound different at different ages. I like the piano-like tone and sustain along with the fatness of the flatwounds. Additionally I use different sounds for different songs. Also the recording electric bass sound has evolved over the years. Flat and round each have their own tonal values and aspects to give to the player to create their own unique sound. You can never go wrong with flatwounds. Newton's complete Historical Channel. ruclips.net/p/PLvAeJLnDtr6Hmex_Tq0AxXmt8_ZWPnmCe
Switched recently to flats after years of playing on rounds. I opted for a modern set of "bright" flats, because I wasn't really sure about it. Love the tone, love the feel, love how its frinctionless. But as you mentionned it feels somehow a bit harder to play, even for me, used to play with stiff rounds. As a main pick player, it also feels sometimes kinda strange to loose this characteristic top-end harmonics. For rock playing, I really felt the difference if I don't add some more trebble. In the end I would say that I really really like it but I'm not 100% in love for the rest of life, its just a really different animal for its own applications.
It took me 20 years to realize that flats are the actual secret for that pumping sound I was searching for. They push the whole band forward. And you save alot of money.
It also depends on what amp you use. My hartke HD 75 is a major asset together with my p bass with flats. Together they sound incredible. Nice video dude.
Yea it's important to get that harmonic content. Almost all bass amps will be heavy on the low end but not every one has a sweet mid range where you can really here the frequencies coming out of the strings.
I use LaBella flats on my P bass. They’re about 10 yrs old. Sounds great. A guy at Labella told me if you want to clean them use nail polish remover. I don’t bother. I used to boil my round rounds to get the brightness back, that works too
I play in a 3 piece, and I find that rounds suit the needs of our group a lot better. If we had a rhythm guitar player and some keys or something I would probably seriously consider slapping my flats back on. they really do seem to sit better in groups with a wider variety of instruments.
Flatwounds definitely allow more space for a bigger band, but I agree with Roundwounds in a 3 Piece and here's a perfect P Bass tone to prove it ruclips.net/video/EfMHk9t00DA/видео.html
@@ShadamAran Glad you liked it, I've put this together from uploads, it's The Who's first 3 albums, interesting as this was a time when recording processes changed dramatically and the Isolated Bass on these show it ruclips.net/p/PLEk_FUCwot8xgaOTAHQBY6cdF1c51InHq A big fan of James Jamerson & Donald 'Duck' Dunn so enjoy P Bass with Flats as well, good video, the sound works well with the Hammond Organ (Booker T. & The M.G's)
3:45 Yes the string tension may be stiffer but not much "harder to play". I find both my neck relief and action with flats can be set very low (my preference). This helps offset the increased tension.
I’m the former touring bassist for The Miracles, occupied Jamerson’s old chair with them and was a studio player in LA for years. All I ever played was a P bass with flats. I work almost every day because the people who actually hire us prefer it far more than boutique basses with a totally different place in the mix that we may think is cool but not appreciated by other band members, sound engineers and producers. I do own a jazz bass with rounds but I rarely use it on any gig unless I’m playing a funk gig and have to do a lot of slapping (an incredibly overused technique in my opinion by RUclipsrs and not as in demand on an actual gig as you think) There’s a reason the P bass is iconic. You simply can’t go wrong with it in a working situation. Now if you are a soloist or pursuing your own thing, and good luck with that, then the boutique basses have their place. Also in metal music but plenty play P basses with flats like Steve Harris with Iron Maiden. Mine are about 8 years old and sound better than ever. I am constantly complemented by sound engineers on how my sound records. I have a few covers of Jamerson and company on my own little non monitized channel I put up for fun if you want to see how I get the sound that keeps me regularly employed.
Are you using .45's., or .50's? I'm considering moving to .50's to get closer to Jamerson (and probably Bernard Edwards?) tone.
Yeah, we as bass players these days take ourselves a little too seriously considering boutique sound and solo stuff. I love to listen, and watch it, but then I have to come back to Earth and play with a band….And you’re right nothing fits in the mix, as well as a P bass. History tells us that that’s true. It tends to serve the music better.
Hi Bill,
I love your comment! I'm a huge fan of P bass with flats tone. But I'm curious what you think of Stingray bass. Many pros (players and producers) love that tone. I fell in love with it after hearing Chic and Brothers Johnson.
The new bass player in Chic, Jerry Barnes plays a Marcus style Atelier Z Jazz with rounds. He sounds good in the mix and the band sounds a little more contemporary because of it@@mattfoley6082
No way Steve Harris use flats on his basses? Is this true?
very good video, but comparing the frequency response of rounds on a j bass to flats on a p bass is not entirely fair.
True indeed... but I somehow managed to lose the equivalent clips I had with the P Bass with rounds, so was a bit forced into using the Jazz comparison. Hopefully is still sort of gets the point across. Cheers
Love Labella flats. Especially on my jazz bass. On my Precision flats sounds great in the studio but not as useful on stage.
The title is also like no other taste are right 🫤
The jazz didn't have a chance. Lol.
@@Lapache007. they aren't
I play reggae bass and I just replaced my strings with the flat wounds. These strings gave me an element to my bass lines I knew I was missing the whole time. They help my bass that has a pickup closer to the fretboard for that lower flat tone achieve its full potential as I found that round wounds were more painful to slide on and gave more buzz than what I needed for vintage reggae
Also if anyone has any tips on how to get a closer feel to how Robbie Shakespeare or Aston Barrett please feel free to share!
@@smuleplayz Hi, you could check donstrumental on yt, did some topics about these great bassists
Pretty sure that early on Shakespeare played a Hofner violin sometimes and sure enough even my cheap copy has that vintage sound, play it over the neck and get a stand up bass feel, loads of fun, then pick up a plectrum and you're McCartney, happy days 😉
@@smuleplayz i think for live puposes it could be aJ bass, thick flatwound strings, picking hand position between neck pu and neck plus maybe 15"speakers and tube amplification. keep on playing Reggae Music!
@@smuleplayz Robbie also played a lot with the thumb which gives a fatter deeper sound, also when I play i like to put a piece of foam under the strings at the bridge to get that Aston Barrett and Flabba holt muted sound , good luck my friend ☝️
I bought a Squire P bass with flatwound strings on it. I have never played with flatwound strings before. Needless to say, they are still on there as they sound fantastic.
I was always looking for a softer bass sound naturally and flats did the trick.
That was a very well put together tutorial. Because of your orderly approach, backed by demonstrations, I’ve subscribed. Thanks very much.
Addendum: purchased the Fender Flatwounds and am very happy I did. I never liked the sound of sliding on wound strings and these are dead quiet. They’re also not as flabby at pitch for a more controlled feel. Thanks for the point out.
Great info and delivery. I appreciate your effort in approaching the topic with thought and experience. Thanks!
That Fender P sounds immense 👌🏿
I play my Coated Round Wounds with some foam at the bridge, as standard. I never removed it. The tension is creates and the percussive tone is something I like.
Greetings from Uganda 🇺🇬👊🏿🖤
Started playing bass as a teenager in 1980 and it was the Jam and the Stranglers sound which was definitely a bright sound played with a plectrum and as far as I knew roundwound was all there was and that's what you did and always loved that clang you got with new strings though it never lasted like he says they dull down a bit. Soon got into reggae and more of a Simonon or Jah Wobble thing but would just knock the treble off. Stopped playing for a while but years later got back into it and got one of the early Squier classic vibe P basses and got into Jamerson big style and took the plunge with Rotosound flats and it was a whole new thing, the thud and the feel is amazing plus you can play for hours without needing skin grafts on the finglytipples, totally recommended. I say take the plunge as typical flats start at about £40 ...I could restring my strat 6 times over for that! Plus they will literally last for years, Jamerson recorded all that Motown goodness on one bass and one set of la Bella's, makes you think...
Rick was the man.! The Smiths also had a great 80s bright bass sound. I use Tomastik flatwounds on my guitar for jazz, I was wondering if they also make them for bass, I’m sure they do. Just picked up a P bass not too long ago and one of the main reasons was pure nostalgia listening to The Prisoners and the Buzzcocks recently. It brought back a lot of memories as a bass player in our mod punk band in high school and college during the 80s. I may have to try the flats on my bass because I love them on guitar.
Great job at explaining. Thanks! I do love flats also and the Rotosounds on my Jazz bass are just great.
*I would also add the fact that flats don't chew up your frets or fingerboard like rounds do. If you have an oldschool vintage bass with original frets that you don't want to have to refret, or if you play a fretless, especially with a wood softer than ebony, such as rosewood, then flats will keep you from damaging your bass.* 🤔
Yeah I put flats on my fretless simply to keep the fretboard from getting chewed up.
@@jkanecutlery Flats on a fretless are also good for helping to silence squeaks as your fingertips slide around, and also for getting closer to the timbre of the acoustic standup double-bass, for that real oldschool vintage tone..., or at least closer to it...
Excellent! I've always loved the way flatwounds play, but couldn't live with what I lost when using them -- and would take them back off pretty quickly. You are 100% on, the P bass is made for it /better for it. Thanks!
I really dig that riff you do throughout the video.. and thanks for the discussion, super job!
Thanks for the helpful and insightful review of not only the bass but flatwound strings. I am going to put flatwounds and a piece of foam on my new P-Bass when it arrives. I really like that sound.
My vintage P-bass has had the same set of Thomastik flats on it for 10 years. These ones are lighter gauge, at .043 so actually less stiff than what I'd been use to before. And very versatile soundwise. I don't think I'll ever use anything else, at least not as my main strings on my main bass.
Works on the Jazz Bass too. Normally I'm a round wound guy but I put a set of flats on a 2006 Mexican Jazz Bass and when I play the descending line for Dazed and Cofused by Led Zep, it's like I'm listening to the original recording.
I totally believe it! Record it and post to your channel for us to see :)
The J bass with flats is unmatched
This video is just what I was looking for. Thanks for taking the time to make it 👍
Only just switched to flats after decades on rounds. Played flats on a session and got such a great result I've switched both my basses over - La Bella's on my Steinberger and Rotosounds on my P bass.
Steinberger stick-bass? Hmmm. I had a Hohner B2A in the late 80s and I adored it, but I can''t imagine putting flats on it. That sharp ,"snarpy" sound is the opposite of what I'd have thought flats were all about.
@@pcread Definitely not great for any slap bass stuff with flats on but very controlled for everything else - finger style especially. Still plenty of tone.
Great video! Couple years ago I tried flats for my precision and have never gone back to rounds since.
I can attest that if you’re a dyed in the wool roundwound player thinking of trying flats but not ready to fully commit yet, try half-rounds. I threw some on my jazz bass recently and they’re much quieter than rounds when moving up and down the neck and they still possess some of those higher frequencies of rounds, but the feel more like flats and have slightly more increased lower and mid frequencies. I’m loving them so far, highly recommended.
Sorry cant agree ... halfs are ground and feel completely different. Imo halfs are the worse strings i have ever played.
I agree but with a little extra info. I have had at least two sets of the halfs and I have learned that they work and feel much better if you run some fine steel wool up and down them before you string them up. They're a lot smoother and easier on the fingers after that. My issue with them is that they don't last very long. 1 or 2 months is about the longest they were useful for me. Conversely, flats will literally last decades. I'm a flat only player but I can work with the halfs in a pinch.
Round wound players thinking of flats should try Ernie ball cobalt flats
The bottom line is (no pun lol) that flats feel so smooth, but rounds are great for slapping and that upper frequency bite omnipresent on some of the more recent recordings (over the last half century, hence, not so recent). There is something to be said for the sound of slightly muted flats, and nothing else will satisfy when that is the desired tone in a mix.
Great video! I have a P Bass too and have switched to flats. Also one more benefit is less fret wearing. 👍🏼
I have used flats, half rounds and rounds on my p bass! I find that they all have their place in the mix depending on the kind of music you are playing. Since i only got one p bass, i ve decided to stay with rounds since i feel they are the most versatile and fit better to the styles of music i m gigging (rock, soft rock, hard rock). I would eventually buy another p bass and put flats on it permanently for those classic sounds. Great video
I say whatever works for you..👍
Agreed, more useful than people thnk, but as with most things, there's more than one way. I use a half dozen different basses, but only the fretted jazz bass has roundwounds.😉
LaBella 760FS TB 45-105 are on my 68 telecaster bass, and on my 73 telecaster bass. I love the feel and the tension.
I'm a disabled Army veteran and new to bass guitar. I played alto and bari sax, and cello, decades ago, and would have bought a bari sax and a cello, but I live where I need to keep the noise down 24/7. So instead of paying $10K for each instrument, I paid 2.1K on a custom shop P bass from Fender's California facility, plus a Vox Amplug headphone amplifier. It's a beauty, with roundwounds, and a spruce body in Mocha burst and a maple fretboard. I decided to add the optional PJ pickup configuration for more versatility, and wow, does it sound great! The jazz pickup gives it a growly kind of sound, and I can stick to strictly using the precision pickups if I want. It's a heavy unit. Decided to add a lightweight bass with flatwounds for a more standup bass sound, bought a Hofner Ignition series violin (Beatles) bass that was less than $500. It was made in China but still sounds great after I got it back from my luthier who set it up properly. It does make sound, but it's still quiet enough. I got a Fender Rumble 40 and a Vox Mini Go 10 modeling amp as well, though I can only use them with my headphones. I play along with my guitarist friend who had a band for years and even recorded an album, but I am still trying to learn. He's been more than patient. So far, I have played bass about 24 hours altogether. It's hard to get a consistently decent sound. I know I need plenty more hours of playing to become semi-good.
I miss my bari sax so much. It was burgled back in 1989 when I was on vacation. I can't help but compare my bass playing to my previous sax playing, and it makes me feel inadequate. I have to tell myself to be patient, but I was kind of a perfectionist on sax back in the day. I think it helps that I can read music and understand everything on the page, but I must still start at the beginning with this new instrument. I thought that bass guitar would be similar to cello, but it is quite different. I need to get a personal instructor who can give me immediate feedback. Kickass equipment is not the end all, be all. I have learned that proficiency is what I really need, and if I had that, I could make even a cheap bass sound decent. It will take many many hours of playing to get there, I know. When I told him this, my guitarist buddy said that I am way above a musical rookie, since they don't think about it in such a way.
When I hear the professionals play, sometimes it seems impossible for me to get there. I am in no way at the level of a studio bass player. Maybe I should move to a different place, one that allows loud music, and buy a bari sax. At least they don't have frets, and I would be far more proficient. Then I remember the endless hours I spent perfecting my emboucher back in the day. I just need to buckle down and work on my fret skills. (Believe it or not, it seems harder than learning the fretless cello.)
Any advice anyone can give would be appreciated.
I was pretty much sold on a precision bass but this was very helpful in breaking down they differences between the two so I can better compare the tones
First time watching your channel and I have to say well done mate!!! Definitely subscribing! I finally broke down and decided I need a P-bass back in my collection of sounds and this time I went with the “tele” P-bass and dang am I glad I did because I knew immediately it was getting flats put on. I’m really into that late 50’s through 60’s pocket player bassist like Carol Kaye, James Jamerson, dude from CCR(his name has slipped my mind) but yeah players with that sound. Then I happened to run across this video today and yes great idea to click on it! Keep up the good work and yes your video and what you said just confirmed what I was thinking!
Ernie Ball Slinky flatwounds 50 - 105 are a great string. It took me quite a few years and lots of dollars before I tried them out and haven't bought another string for my p bass in 8 years. Sound good, feel good, low tension so your truss rod won't be working overtime and you can get a really amazing setup from these strings. A perfect match.
Nice one man. thanks for posting, Very helpfull for my bass journey
Thank you, and a very informative video. Ever since I found Labella flatwounds, I haven't looked back. I love them!
Always a great tone and some tasty licks. Kudos my man
Excellent playing and demonstration, especially with the feel of the flatwound strings. But the sound is delicious too.
Great tone. I am buying. Thanks for the video, Jules.
Flatwounds all the way for me. I have Fender Lights for a more zingy sound on my Jazz. I would probably go for the Medium light or Medium for slightly more tension and punch. Greater tension also means a faster/tighter response with the added benefit that you get a lower action which in turn means tidier fretting and timing. Good review.
My truss rod hated Rotosound flats too! Great summary of why a P bass with flatwounds works so well
Great info. I prefer the flatwound sound and feel even on a Jazz bass and I stop being concerned about the threat of fret wear.The only time I put roundwounds on is if I sell the bass because of the cost of the strings.
Great video and thanks for your matter-of-fact delivery with no gimmicks. I can only agree with everything mentioned here. I play bass in a two guitar, bass and drums line up - covers of Humble Pie through to Skynyrd - and since switching to flats the bass is really playing its part much better - noticeably so. I play a Greco “lawsuit” P-Bass retrofitted with a Fender pickup, and strung with Fender flats - excellent tone and exactly as described here regarding playability. Through the 15-inch speaker of my Rumble 200 combo, bar/club gigs are a breeze.
This gentleman has that beautiful deep British English accent wich makes the video even more interesting.
Thank you for the great ammount of information you have provided us with.
Greetings from Lisboa, Portugal
Excellent review. I too play PBass and a short scale hollow body Lyle from '68 with flats (Daddario). For me the best bass sounds.
I keep one JB with rounds for recording songs that need it.
Thanks Sir!
Thank you so much for this video, I really needed it!!
Hey there, this is my first visit to your channel. Great job of explaining _and_ demonstrating the differences/advantages of flatwound bass strings! Very well presented in a factual, rational manner, and laid out in a nice, graspable, logical procession. (There, is that enough descriptives in one sentence for ya? One without a subject, no less. 😵) Oh well, good thing I'm not a presenter on RUclips...
Anyway, great job, keep up the good work. And thanks for making/sharing this video! Yours - JD, Montreal P.S. Superb bass playing, BTW. One day, I hope to be as good as you. (Note: I am 60, so that'd better happen soon!) Cheers - jd
Amazing sounds at 3:06 -in the mix it sounds even more amazing .
Great video!
Thanks for all the info. You sure have a lot of bass knowledge.
Great video. Loved it and it’s made me order a set for my 71 P!
Nice clip, informative and concise. Choice licks to boot
I use Rotosound flats on my P bass and I love them!
Thanks for posting, cool sounds these Fender flats. I'm about to order the 9050M set.
Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Simply because James Jamerson used that setup. That was my first thought when I saw the title of this production. I heard a story that when he changed his strings he soaked them in fat and butter for a while before installing the new set. His son told this story. Also James never cleaned his fret board. That deep tone he always got was THE sound of the era. But Flatwounds on a p-bass, for any player, can achieve a really great and deep tone of course. Even direct into the board, great tones can be developed. Jules Guitar, you have some nice chops. Thumbs up and subscribed.....
Great video Jules , really nice sound 👍
Ive had the LaBellas on my P Bass for like 5 years now and they sound better and better each time I play them. Switching to flatwounds completely changed the way I play
Can you do a video on how and what to upgrade on a squier P Bass? I am a guitar player mainly so don’t have much experience with bass and what to focus on
Very nice playing.
GHS Pressurewounds have an oval shaped wrap. They tend to sit in the middle between rounds and flats. Thumps, but with some growl on top. They also sound fantastic on a P bass.
excellent quality video on all technical & musical points - great playing too!
p-bass, maple neck and fretboard, roundwounds made of steel, a pick, an ampeg svtII cranked, an ampeg 8x10 cab-best rock sound!
I don’t know why I don’t like roundwound strings on my p bass, but a couple weeks ago I’ve been using flatwounds on my squire and I couldn’t agree more with you, they’re the best sound for a p bass
Bought one of the early made in China Classic Vibe P basses about 2006 and it is perfect, no need to spend 2 grand or whatever for an American made, blindfold you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference, got it on Rotosound flats and just love it , sonic blue with bridge cover so it looks the part aswell.
I don’t have a P-bass yet😢 but I do have a G&L Fallout bass that can pull of a P-bass pretty well but when I added a set of LaBella med. short scale flatwounds holy heck!
It definitely sounds like a P-bass especially with some foam down by the bridge. I still am going to buy a proper P bass and put flats on it and put rounds back on the Fallout bass. Thanks for your video; loved it!
Peace 🎸🎸🎸
My #1 P bass has Thomastik-Infeld Jazz flats on it. They're never coming off. I have another P with rounds on it, which for certain things is perfect. But if I had to choose only one, it'd be the one with flats. This is for classic rock covers; flats can rock, too.
I’ve put on a set of flatwound strings on my 5 string fender jazz bass, man I love that thing
Yes you're right, flats are the true sound/tone of motown and other bass classics, but one of the other main reasons why they were standard on most basses was they wouldn't damage the frets, great vid dude!!!!!!!
You played one of the segments with a pick, and I think it deserves to be on your list. With round wounds it takes extreme measures - a compressor and 110% of the trebble rolled off - to make a bass sound good with a a pick. On a P with flats, you might give the tone knob a few more degrees of roll-off and you're good.
Disagree
Strongly disagree. And I'm pretty sure that Paul McCartney would too.
@@WilDBeestMF Paul McCartney uses flat wounds on all his basses.
Sounds great
I switched to fratwound strings several weeks ago and quite happy about cobalt strings. They give almost the same tone as flatwounds but no slide noise, which is important on distorted sound.
Cool tone
Brilliant, top vlog, thank you!
My 1962 Vintage re-issue p-bass almost always had flat on it. And with a piece of foam under the bridge really made it sound even better. I had that bass almost 30 yrs and sold it a few yrs ago. What a mistake It did sound great with round wounds but for me, flats were THE sound I was looking for. !!
I have a Fender jazz with flats (guitar and strings now ten years old) and a Yamaha five string with rounds. The Yam never gets a look in - the flats are like playing silk. Just love them.
Great video. I switched from Guitar to Bass years ago, bought a Fender P Bass and removed the factory installed round wounds. They just didn‘t sound right to me. Flatwounds sounded perfect from the start.
Nicely done.
dude massive thanks for this, I've been looking for advice on what strings I might try next. tho flats are kinda expensive, I think it's worth giving a shot
Try Adaggio Flatwounds ! Only £16.00 from Amazon. Sound great 👍
Some of them are pricey but they last forever. You might not like 'em though.
At the end of the day you've probably still got the set of rounds you took off and they can go back on, lot easier on bass than 6 string, guitarists have it easy when it comes to strings! Got 3 basses anyway, P bass on flats, violin short scale in homage to the master and Curbow active 24 fret on light rounds for everything else !!!
Cool video. I started to use flats as well. I play rock and use a pick. It gives some great fat bottom end without those irritating snappy high tones. But it's all a matter of taste of course
I had DR stainless flats on my active jazz bass , definitely had a solid range of sounds I could pull from one instrument. I got so bummed having to sell it
Agreed, I have flat wounds on my pj bass and I love them!
Excellent. Thank you.
Great video, thanks! I love my 9050Ms!!! I went back from LaBellas, wasn't happy with their response. It seems they didn't 'talk as deep' as I would have liked. With my fat ham-hands I also like a wider, thicker neck. I've got that on my G&L K2K, and while I can't exactly get the P thing going, I can get pretty close. On Active setting 2, it brightens things up enough that I'm almost at roundwound tones. That works well because we play a variety of genres.
Things I can add:
1. Put a string on one end of the foam pad. Easy to pull it through under the strings and then pull it back out again. Moving just the foam is a bit of a pain.
2. Stainless out of the box has an oxide layer that forms and builds up after time. That layer is exactly what makes stainless, uh, stainless. The layer protects the metal underneath. During that time they get a loose oxide layer on the outside, making new ones very 'grabby' at first. Don't let that scare you, after a short time the loose stuff (nickel) comes off on your fingers. To save time you can lightly brush a 3M scruffy pad on the tops to remove it, but it takes a while for the layer to establish itself, to oxidize the rest of the way from what you knocked off. They'll be even 'grabbier' for the fist time playing, wiping them afterwards with a clean cloth helps make it go away. It's only a one-time deal. There are processes to chemically 'pickle' stainless, but they're fine for industrial and food service use, they're a pain on a bass.
Awesome video!
I have a 1987 MIJ Pass. Black tape Labella strings. Every bass player I have let play it loves it more than their own bass.
Excellent comparisons Jules as I have played both over 20 years individually and played on over 130 hits. I think as you do. Overtime each of us has an unique sound which comes from the string newness, age, tension as well has your attack. Jamerson both uses a rake technique which mainly as he taught me, because he was transferring from the upright. Actually when you play for a quite a long time, your fingering technique makes it so that you will sound the same on either flat or round, eventhough the flats have a fuller tone and the rounds have a longer sustain. Also engineers in the final mix create their own eq to compliment and drive the mix. At Motown, the drums and bass are eq'd first. BTW I am the original bassist who took Jamerson's place with Smokey and the Miracles so that Jamerson could stay in the studio, and I also became his music director and have played with all of the Motown Artists. Additionally played on 2 bass hits with Jamerson: Stop in the Name of Love, Baby Love, Reach Out, No Where to Run and others. Of course Jamerson, Chuck Rainey and Duck Dunn all played fender p-basses with flatwounds
These days I use the DR Marcus Miller rounds, and like you mentioned the rounds will sound different at different ages. I like the piano-like tone and sustain along with the fatness of the flatwounds. Additionally I use different sounds for different songs. Also the recording electric bass sound has evolved over the years. Flat and round each have their own tonal values and aspects to give to the player to create their own unique sound. You can never go wrong with flatwounds.
Newton's complete Historical Channel.
ruclips.net/p/PLvAeJLnDtr6Hmex_Tq0AxXmt8_ZWPnmCe
Switched recently to flats after years of playing on rounds. I opted for a modern set of "bright" flats, because I wasn't really sure about it. Love the tone, love the feel, love how its frinctionless. But as you mentionned it feels somehow a bit harder to play, even for me, used to play with stiff rounds. As a main pick player, it also feels sometimes kinda strange to loose this characteristic top-end harmonics. For rock playing, I really felt the difference if I don't add some more trebble. In the end I would say that I really really like it but I'm not 100% in love for the rest of life, its just a really different animal for its own applications.
Cool tips.
I just use palm damping and use my thumb on down strokes to emulate the sponge thingy
Congratulations. Great video.
It took me 20 years to realize that flats are the actual secret for that pumping sound I was searching for. They push the whole band forward. And you save alot of money.
excellent vid, thanx
This is how I keep my P bass. It's been my go to instrument for the last 20 years.
It also depends on what amp you use. My hartke HD 75 is a major asset together with my p bass with flats. Together they sound incredible. Nice video dude.
Yea it's important to get that harmonic content. Almost all bass amps will be heavy on the low end but not every one has a sweet mid range where you can really here the frequencies coming out of the strings.
Great video!
What's your reccomendation of flats for an American Professional II Precision Bass?
great vid thank you
I use LaBella flats on my P bass. They’re about 10 yrs old. Sounds great. A guy at Labella told me if you want to clean them use nail polish remover. I don’t bother. I used to boil my round rounds to get the brightness back, that works too
I have Flats on all my basses. Pyramids on my Hofner, and Thomastiks on all the others. Great video !!!
great, any specifications (brands) for the best flatwounds strings for a P bass? thank you so much and greetings from Peru =D
Exactly how my bass is set up. Flatwounds are my favorite
Great video...thanks
Great video. Subscribed!
Great video, do you happen to know which pickup you have in that bass? Sounds perfect
VERY NICE JULES,
GOD BLESS
I play in a 3 piece, and I find that rounds suit the needs of our group a lot better. If we had a rhythm guitar player and some keys or something I would probably seriously consider slapping my flats back on. they really do seem to sit better in groups with a wider variety of instruments.
Or maybe use a bass that doesn't have the sonic range of a hair folicle. 😂
Flatwounds definitely allow more space for a bigger band, but I agree with Roundwounds in a 3 Piece and here's a perfect P Bass tone to prove it ruclips.net/video/EfMHk9t00DA/видео.html
@@riogrande163 I never said what kind of bass I use, are you just arbitrarily saying words in a half assed attempt to be negative for no reason?
@@Gell1967 yeee like that :)
@@ShadamAran Glad you liked it, I've put this together from uploads, it's The Who's first 3 albums, interesting as this was a time when recording processes changed dramatically and the Isolated Bass on these show it ruclips.net/p/PLEk_FUCwot8xgaOTAHQBY6cdF1c51InHq
A big fan of James Jamerson & Donald 'Duck' Dunn so enjoy P Bass with Flats as well, good video, the sound works well with the Hammond Organ (Booker T. & The M.G's)
3:45 Yes the string tension may be stiffer but not much "harder to play". I find both my neck relief and action with flats can be set very low (my preference). This helps offset the increased tension.
What is that bass line from that you are using to demonstrate with in this video? It sounds really familiar.
what about the DR flatwounds, are they any good?