Feels of Strings

[midopa]

Heyo chaps maddog's reply to a thread made me want to start this poll.

Bongos sound great with flats. I'd keep using 'em but I don't like the feel on the fingertips.

That is one smokin' bass! Glad it is home.

I like the sound of flats, particularly the EB flats I had on my SR4 HS, but just couldn't get used to the feel. In fact, the two flats I've tried (EB and an acme-brand) all felt uncomfortable on my fingertips. As odd as it may sound, flats feel sticky/tacky to me, whereas rounds feel smoother and faster. Is this just dumb noob speak? So I put the Super Slinkies back on my SR4 and loved the tone AND the feel. So what do you guys prefer?

Edit: Maddog's got the right words "sticky" and "tacky"!

 

[phatduckk]

ya ill bite

part of the reason i play stainless is the feel. i like the roughness they have. the brand i used to play felt really good to me - but the stainless super slinkys sound better and cost less so i switch

the feel of flats wierd me out and im not a fan of the sound either

 

[maddog]

I'm not sure smooth or rough apply to the sensation I get. Seems more like "sticky" or "tacky". I was told by many flats-lovers it would go away over time but I switched back to rounds anyways. Maybe I'll give them another go one of these days. I love the sound.

 

[midopa]

Doh! You're right. "Rough" was all I could think of. "Sticky" and "tacky" are right!

Anyone know how to change a poll's options?

 

[LowDownDave]

Totally agree about the stickiness issue. I bought some EB flats to try them out, and while I really love the sound (brighter than I expected) and general feel, the songs I play require me to slide around the fretboard at times, and the friction really burns my fingers. I've considered using some tape on my fretting forefinger (punk rock?) but I'm not sure the trade-off for comfort would be worth it. I've still got one of my Rays strung with flats, so will leave them on for a while to see if they "soften" but otherwise I may consider becoming a strict roundwound player. I thought flatwounds would be MORE comfortable, but I guess the increased string surface area really brings on the friction. I'm sure someone will suggest fried chicken grease, so maybe I should consider some kind of string lubricant? Maybe the WonderWipes would help?

 

[Jim_F]

I've never been a fan of flats - they never seem to 'feel' right ...

Just recently changed from using Rotosound Swing Bass 66s to EB Super Slinkies ...
very happy with the EBs, feel great to play and sound good, nice and versatile, as I am currently playing rock and some funk.

 

[russinator]

The flats I've used might have felt sticky when I first put them on, but wipe them down with a cloth a few times and they are fine.

 

[1Echo]

Have to agree that flats just feel plain weird. The sound has its place but you can get a similar effect with rounds and a low-pass filter (or Markbass vintage emulator ).

 

[tiffles]

you can send all your flats to me

i LUUHUUVE them.

ive only had them on my accoustic, but from what i remember of eb flats on the BP bongo.... heaven.

 

[Caca de Kick]

I kinda don't know how to answer this poll either....
Most of my basses have rounds, and those are the ones I play the most. But I do have a few basses with flats.
The last time rounds ever gave me blisters was in the early 90's, but whenever I play a full set with flats, my fingertips hurt and feels like they're starting to blister.
But to me I guess flats feel smooth...just seem to have more direct contact surface with my fingers.

 

[Ken Baker]

I've not played EB flats; didn't know EB made 'em until recently. I have played imported ones from Britain and Austria. The British flats were smoose and mostly slickery, but the tension was high and the life short. The Austrians have a gray powdery substance on them that gives the string a kind of odd feel at first, but it comes off on your hands and you're left with a wonderfully smoose feel.

Ken...

 

[Oldtoe]

"What do you get when you multiply 6 by 7?"

 

[Victobass]

After trying Chromes, Bright Flats and D'Addario rounds I've come back home and settled down with EB Regular Slinky Bass 5 strings for my Stingray 5. They just feel the best under my fingers and have the brightness when I need it.
I never could get used to the feel of flats. I've tried them on several basses and end up changing them after a couple of weeks.
It should have been obvious to me me from the beginning that the best bass builder would make the best strings for their bass!

 

[Ken Baker]

"What do you get when you multiply 6 by 7?"

The answer to Life, The Universe, and Everything...

 

[n!k]

I love flats! If you wipe them down before the gig they won't stick. You will also have to build up your calluses if you are used to rounds. Flats will eat your fingertips.

You cannot get the same tone of Flats with any EQ or Preamp, even some kind of Swiss Army Preamp like on the Bongo. A great set of flats will give your G string that great smooth and rounded out high end that zings too much on the rounds. It also very much reduces your string noise which I have always disliked about rounds. Everything feels more like an upright; the key word here is "smooth."

With that being said, you can crank your mids and use a pick and get a killer rock tone out of them too (Uh, Steve Harris?).

 

[midopa]

Yeah, the EB flats on the SR4 HS sounded great. It was bright (not zingy bright) from what I was used to with flatwounds (other acme brand). Eventually the different feel just got to me. The wording was bad when I started the thread and poll. The strings aren't rough, but, as Maddog said, kinda "sticky" and "tacky." LowDownDave elaborated and said there's a bit of more friction. I think that's the case as well. It kinda feels the same way when dragging your fingers across the glass on a CRT computer monitor (at least on mine).

I think I took off the flats before the Wonder Wipes arrived. You know, I think I'll try them again tonight (but this time with a nice wipe down with the Wonder Wipes)!

 

[n!k]

That "rope burn" feeling goes away after your fingers and the strings get beat up a little too. I've played ancient 1960's flats that were scummy and brown that played like absolute butter. The best part about great flats -- they never truly go dead. The tone gets warmer and fatter the longer you leave them on.

 

[phatduckk]

The tone gets warmer and fatter the longer you leave them on.

id love to find the exact opposite. a set of strings that always sound like a brand new set of stainless.

ya, i know - ist wierd. but thas how i like em

 

[34 Blues]

I use TI Flats on just about all my basses. Have a set of EB Flats on Ray, but I got use to the feel of the low tension strings & just favor them. Flats on a semi-hollow body come closest to the tone of an upright I've found so far.

 

[strummer]

I answered 42 as flats feel sticky

They sond good, but me prefers roundwound slinkies!