Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I have a question, I'm not really much of a bass player, but I agreed to play bass on a recording for a friend, and this leads to my question.

What's easier on the fingers for fingerstyle playing? Flatwounds or Tapewounds, or something else? I'll be playing a Fender Jazz bass, and I wanted to know what to put on it. I'm going for a pretty fluid sound, but didn't know which strings would be easier on my fingers.

Thanks!

Most flats are pretty smooth, some more than others....Pyramids are very smooth

So flats would be a better choice than tapewounds?

...for fingerstyle? I'd choose flats in a heartbeat...

Awesome, thank you! I really didn't know much about the difference in strings, so I sure am glad you could help!

Uh,,,, what kind of sound are you going for?

Kind of a country/rock mix. I don't know what else to compare it to, other than that. Very vintage, sort of Flying Burrito Brothers type of stuff.

You owe it to yourself as a player to try some roundwounds. They tend to "open up" the tone of a bass in my opinion. But...if your just looking for a vintage, punchy solid tone, flats may be right.

If you try roundwounds, I'd suggest D'Addario XL-170's. Their my personal favorite,...for what its worth.

" I'm going for a pretty fluid sound, but didn't know which strings would be easier on my fingers."


Rounds aren't too easy on the fingers, though....

Flats, with the right settings on your amp, you get both... IMHO, of course

I've got some "half-rounds" on order from juststrings.com , I'm hoping to get the best of both worlds and a little more punch....

Yeah, I've got roundwounds on it right now, and I've walked away bloody from the fingerwork a few times, and I'd like to try something different. I was hoping that the flats would make it just a little more like a standup bass. Anybody have any experience with something like this?

More like a standup, in terms of sound, that is.

Try a fretless bass with flatwounds.

I prefer flats but I've really never had a problem with rounds being tough on my fingers.

IMHO the strings that sound closest to upright bass tone are LaBella tapewounds (760N). But a Jazz Bass, even fretless, is never going to sound anything like an upright.

anybody ever try these strings?

http://www.knuckleheadstrings.com/home.html