What strings to get?

[Sven311]

I just broke the E string on my Squier P-Bass Deluxe (as if Deluxe makes it sound any better :upset:) and I'm wondering what set of strings to get, as I was due for a change anyways...

I'm pretty sure I want some flatwounds, because I've heard they are good for slap, and that is something I have been working on lately... what are some strings you could recommend me, maybe something that doesn't sound as muddy when slapping the E (maybe lighter strings) because I never have a problem slapping the A.

Any suggestions are welcome.

[Jabawanga]

i duno about using flatwounds for slapping..never tried it. i'd say maybe DR's or elixirs..

[neatobassman]

Ernie Ball Super Slinkies or Hybrid Slinkies.

[ShetaN bRaT]

Elixirs. You won't need new strings for months.

[neatobassman]

Elixirs. You won't need new strings for months.

with most strings, you shouldn't lol.

[ShetaN bRaT]

No, but the brightness will fade.

[Thonk]

Most flatwounds aren't bright enough to have a nice slap tone. I use either Ernie Ball or GHS though.

[Machines]

Flatwounds for slap sounds a bit wrong to me, especially if you don't want a muddy sound.

Any of the common makes should do you fine (Ernie Ball / Rotosound / GHS).

[Chris K]

Flats are not conductive to a good, bright slap sound.

[radiance]

I use flats (I play fretless) and when I slap on them it makes a very unique sound, it isn't the same as slapping normally but if I stay off the E string while slapping I think it's a pretty cool noise.

[trumpeter]

i really like the GHS flea signature strings

[shadow316]

I like Elites for slap.

[muthafunkabass]

if you want flatowunds, steve harris signature rotosounds. thye are the best flatwounds available for 4-strings.

[trumpeter]

i've always wanted to try flats.

[muthafunkabass]

i've always wanted to try flats.
i luv 'em, i played them on a rickenbacker once through a high-end ampeg. it was an amazing experience.:D

[trumpeter]

can you explain what flats are like?

[muthafunkabass]

can you explain what flats are like?
they feel alot tighter than rounds. sliding on them dont fell to great. they arent smooth like that.they do feel great on your picking fingers tho. the tone is simply awesome and they never sound dead or clangy. i like the slap tone that they produce because slapping wobnt kill the strings. ur always getting that fresh slap that you get when you first put on rounds.

[trumpeter]

sounds interesting.

[muthafunkabass]

yeha what sounds even more interesting is ground wounds. i never played them but they're supposed to combine the best of rounds and flats.

[trumpeter]

hmm i might have to track some down.

[muthafunkabass]

and i wanna try tapewounds. ghs makes em. upright strings for electric basses.

[Mailman]

Ok, flats don't sound at all good on slap.

Heres an example.

http://basstasters.com/strings/sadflats.htm - Sadowsky Flats

http://basstasters.com/strings/sadowsky.htm - Sadowsky Steel Rounds

Click on "slap" to get a sample of aeroplane. It's not a good slap sound with flats.

[muthafunkabass]

u cant simply rely on that and say they are not for slap. have you ever slapped with flats?

[Low_End_Communications]

u cant simply rely on that and say they are not for slap. have you ever slapped with flats?

You definitely can rely on that.

Go try slapping on flats. Sure, you physically canslap, but it sounds like *** compared to the bright twang of roundwounds.

[vashts80]

they feel alot tighter than rounds. sliding on them dont fell to great. they arent smooth like that.they do feel great on your picking fingers tho. the tone is simply awesome and they never sound dead or clangy. i like the slap tone that they produce because slapping wobnt kill the strings. ur always getting that fresh slap that you get when you first put on rounds.

Wrong.

Flats are a lot smoother than roundwounds, if anything they save your fretting hand. Sliding on them feels better to me than on roundwounds, especially on a fretless. Flats give you a bassier tone than rounds. Slapping on them sounds completely horrible.

If you want a bassier tone and you're not going to slap (and you want to save your fretting fingers and minimize the string noise when going to other notes) then get flats. If you're going to slap, or you want a brighter tone, or you want to slap, get rounds. I'm not too sure about groundwounds or whatever the "middle" ones are called.

[Killer Fridge]

well, if you are in the UK then i wanna suggest some overwaters - just replaced the G string on my warwick with one....and it sounds awesome :D

[Chris K]

I like Elites for slap.

Yep, they are good. not as good as Roto's but...

[Tryxx]

Wrong.

Flats are a lot smoother than roundwounds, if anything they save your fretting hand. Sliding on them feels better to me than on roundwounds, especially on a fretless. Flats give you a bassier tone than rounds. Slapping on them sounds completely horrible.

If you want a bassier tone and you're not going to slap (and you want to save your fretting fingers and minimize the string noise when going to other notes) then get flats. If you're going to slap, or you want a brighter tone, or you want to slap, get rounds. I'm not too sure about groundwounds or whatever the "middle" ones are called.

Seconded.

Also, just as a warning. I stripped out two tuners with some Rotosound flats, I don't know if I should have adjusted the resistense on them or what. Point is, they're not working anymore. I'm not sure if this happened because my tuners were cheap or what, but if that's the case, watch out on the Squire.

Oh, and I didn't like the tone of my Rotosound 77's all too much. They were like wanna-be roundwounds. Wasn't really the sound I wanted on my fretless. I'm going to stick with D'Addario Chromes for the time being.

[Ikkir]

I'd recommend DR Lowriders of Highbeams, both have nice, bright slap tones. Also, for a bright sound it'd probably be best to get steel strings rather than nickel, but they will be rougher on your hands and frets. It's all down to personal preferance at the end of the day.

[vashts80]

Oh, and I didn't like the tone of my Rotosound 77's all too much. They were like wanna-be roundwounds. Wasn't really the sound I wanted on my fretless. I'm going to stick with D'Addario Chromes for the time being.

I personally like the sound I got out of my Roto Harris sigs, but that's me. I have D'Addario 5-string flats on my fretless and I love them. I was thinking about getting rounds next just to see what they're like on a fretless, but I'll probably stick with flats because I'm poor :(

[Sven311]

I guess I was just under the wrong impression when it came to flatwounds... but tomorrow I'm going to the music store and I'll check out some strings. Thanks for all the help.