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Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:41 pm
by squirebass
Bob & Owen,
Now don't MAKE me open up a can of whoop-a$$ in here! ;~)
Geddy you can pick on a little, since he's been using them other basses lately, but DON"T be running down my rotos and Mr Squire...
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:52 pm
by ojobob2
Gene - Rotos are great- i just personally dont like Squire's sound and playing style, but then i dont play Progressive rock so.....
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 2:17 pm
by paul_yan
I love Squire but play T-I flats on both my '86 and '98.
The 4-10 kHz sustaining "zzzzing" sound from roundwound strings is something I don't need since I have plenty of treble attack in my sound as I play with a pick. (Though I play fingerstyle on my '72 fretless which sports tapewound strings.) 98% of bass players under the age of 40 in my country haven't even heard the term 'flatwound" or its equivalent in Chinese, not to mention having seen them and played them. My pick+flatwound sound is very identifiable since most bassists here pluck roundwounds with fingers.
I don't care for the squeaking sliding noise of roundwounds either.
The choice of string type is really a matter of personal preference and what the music needs, IMHO.
From this recording engineer's point of view, the roundwounds' "zzzzing" sound occupies the same frequencies used by vocals and guitars. It sounds good in certain music styles but can fight with other instruments and voices in other types of music. For example, the music of Yes needs Squire's bass sound while the Beatles need Sir Paul's.
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 2:27 pm
by ojobob2
My style/setup is rotosound swing bass strings on a 4003 played near the treble pickup with a very hard thick pick. On the amp i boost the bass somewhat, add a lot of mid and treble, i also use a high gain setting.
The result is a brash, bright, full sound - yet not "toppy" or squire like at all.
Paul - i know what you mean about the zzzzing occuping the same space as the guitar on recordings. Listening to the demo we recorded yesterday, i think Ti's may have sounded better. But Live is a different matter, i need that Rotosound punch.
Im only just starting to realise how different the setup may need to be when recording!
Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:23 pm
by jps
That's why we need at least two Ricks, one for roundwounds and one for flats.I have flats on all my basses except for Halfrounds on my Zon fretless and I am going to try TI Jazz Rounds on my 4004Cii.