Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Number 3916 this is number 6. I am not sure that I understand. Please explain.

7 of 9

Bob I'm glad you like them and use them ... then I don't have to ...

this is a subjective thing ... like which flavor ice cream you like or don't ...

we will never agree on this ... you think they are truly wonderful and I think they are sound sucking and lame ... we will just have to agree to disagree ...

we are both going for a different sounds with our Ric basses ...

While I too like flats, I can't help but notice the tendency for the low E of a number of sets to go thud. Rounds do give a sustain that is desirable in some respects.

For the bass folks, is there any compromise between these two positions or does it tend to be one or the other in practical terms?

I play several songs where I need a flatwound sound ... so I modify my rics so I can palm mute ... then I get a McCartney wings bass type sound ...

as you all know I play in cover bands ... I play old stuff like blues, Van Morrison, Stones, and modern stuff like Alice in Chains, Collective Soul, Puddle of Mud, Creed, Nickleback, 3 doors down and more ... so I need to get a lot of sounds out of one bass ...

I think we can all agree that we like 7 of 9 ...

I have Rics with both and disagree you can get a flatwound sound out of RW's even if palm muted, close but no cigar, they don't have the solid bottom of a flat wound. I think probably most people use one or the other, I almost always use my flat wound basses.
One big misconception I am seeing here with some people is that flats are one dimensional in sound, I also can get a wide ranger of sounds with flats and wouldn't hesitate to play anything in Jeff's list with flats (even though I'm not sure what most of it is, haha!), if you got the technique down you'll get the sound.
I believe the only sound I wouldn't really be able to get is someone like Chris Squire's sound which is very dependant on the Rotosound RS-66 or similar RW's sound.
Peter it was in twice, I liked the other one better which was minus the part about lead bassplayers of which I have been acused in the past of being.
RW's have a more bouncy feel to them which I like, I just don't like the lack of clean bottom, although some of them have pretty good bottom like Blue Steels and Ric Nickles.

for me playing flats would be a punishment ... cruel and unusual ...

haha! try them, they won't kill you, might even change your opinion a little, then again....

I'd rather play accordian in a polka band ...

If I showed up to a gig with my band with just a 4 string bass with flats I would get fired ...

I recently tried TI flats on my '75 FG. The sound is surprisingly good so it got a trial run with the jam buddies a few days later To my surprise, it held up quite nicely. On some tracks it came up short of my tone expectations but I did not switch over to my backup bass (which was the Shadow that evening). I liked best when I played down low and in the middle. Up high it lacked sustain and sounded a bit flat. I know that each type of string has it's own harmonic "signature" and other flats may be more to my liking. The '75 will stay setup that way for a while.

Jeff, I didn't know you played accordian, was that you I used to see on Lawrence Welk when I was a kid?

no that was weird Bob Yankovic ...

haha!

Hey!

What's wrong with the accordian?