Flat vs round ?

TKnights

TKnights

Jul 16, 2017
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Bangor , ME
#1
I put Flat wound strings on my fretless and boy do they feel great . I had rounds on it before because I liked the sound better . But they eat away at the fret board and I don't want to have to dress the neck too frequently . It can't be good for finger board in the long run . Any suggestions ?
 
#2
TKnights said:
I put Flat wound strings on my fretless and boy do they feel great . I had rounds on it before because I liked the sound better . But they eat away at the fret board and I don't want to have to dress the neck too frequently . It can't be good for finger board in the long run . Any suggestions ?
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Try D’Addario Half rounds. Their like flats with the round wound tone.

Easier on the fret board.
 
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#4
Jakeman said:
Half-rounds are my solution for my vintage or rosewood-board basses, but for my Warmoth build with ebony board I just let the rounds eat it up. What kind of bass and fretboard are you working with?
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Rosewood fingerboard . I heard that you could epoxy the neck for better protection . But I don't much care for the shine . maybe I'll try the half-rounds . I used to put flats on all my basses many years ago . But , rounds have such a crisper tone . I played mostly with a pick in those days . Now I play all a finger style . I'll never go back .
 
#6
TKnights said:
Any suggestions ?
Click to expand...
here's one: don't fret ( :D ) the fingerboard wear --- no matter your string of preference! and read up on the TB debates re: this issue. or don't read them and continue to fret ( :laugh: ) over a non-issue.

in summary:
"i'm worried about fingerboard wear" = you're probably a worrier.
"i'm not worried about fingerboard wear" = you're probably a player.
 
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#7
+1 for Half Wounds

I use the D'Addario Half Wounds on all my basses, fretted and fretless. I like 'em cause they give a nice vintage sound but also have some growl when you drive into 'em!
 
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#9
I have a set of cobalt flats on my fretless 5 and Sunbeams on my fretless 4. I do prefer the more modern sound of rounds, but when cobalts are new, they are very bright. I will probably play these into the ground and get some pressure wounds for the next string change.
 
#12
I've got GHS pressure wounds on one fretless and they're a nice midpoint between rounds and flats as far as tone goes.

I'm going to probably throw a set of LaBella Copper White Nylons on the other fretless I have come next restringing. I've already got them on a fretted bass and I love the sound and feel. I figure I'll like them equally well on the fretless neck.

For straight flats I'd recommend either GHS Precision Flats of TI Jazz Flats depending on the bass and your playing style.

FWIW I used roundwound nickels on my older fretless bass for many many years and never had them eat the fingerboard. A lot of the wear you get on a fretless neck has more to do with how you play rather than the strings you're using. And mostof the "wear" you'll see is going to be cosmetic. It doesn't effect the playability until it gets really serious. And you'll know when it does. Should you ever put major wear on your fingerboard it's no big deal to have a luthier re-plane and re-radius it. But you'd need to put a huge amount of wear on it before that ever becomes necessary.

So just use whatever strings you like and play the thing and stop worrying about it.
 
#19
D’Addario Chromes, D’Addario Tapewounds, TI Jazz Flats and TI Jazz Rounds have all been great on my fretless. However, nothing beats D’Addario XL170-5’s on my Pentabuzz. The Jazz Rounds are amazing though.
 
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