Rounds vs Flats on a fretless?

[40Hz]

I've used rounds, pressurewounds, and flats on my fretless basses. It all comes down to what you prefer feel-wise - and what sounds good to you on a specific bass. Best bet is to experiment.

FWIW I've used rounds since the early '70s. And I've never once had rounds chew up any of my fretboards. That goes for either a fretted or fretless neck. Just sayin'…

YMMV.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Incredibly, Ibanez... and that isn't exactly a budget model...

Electric Basses SR - SRF700 Bass Workshop | Ibanez guitars

Ick. That's a fail.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Fretless players that use roundwounds.
Jaco
Mark Egan
Gary Willis
Steve Bailey
Michael Manring
Alain Caron
Jimmy Johnson

But they all must be WRONG, since they're not playing P's with flats & a tort pick guard!

 

[monsterthompson]

Has anyone tried the La Bella Gold White Nylon strings on a fretless yet? I've tried the '54 Set, but there's no wood treble- all thump and bass. I wanted to go for the "Game of Death" edition, but they'd be hidden amongst my Pau Ferro fingerboard.

No. The copper whites just arrived. I don't think they are my thing. I popped the E and A strings on, and I could appreciate some of the mid complexity and warmth, but the Chromes just felt better and sounded better with my technique. I'll probably post my strings up for sale soon (I left the D & G uncut). I'm not sure how they would compare to the gold. I've read the golds are a bit more bright and crisp.

 

[skwee]

I love tapewounds on my fretted bass--gets me closer to a fretless sound. So I imagine they'd sound great on a fretless. One thing to watch out for--your calluses will disappear!

 

[pingvuiini]

I like the D'Addario black tapewounds but currently have La Bella gold white tapes on both my basses. As soon as those wear out I'll go back to the D'Addarios for a while. WIth the tapes it's fun to do glissandos all the way up the neck with no noise, and I also like the 'full contact feel' of tapewounds on a blank fretless fingerboard.

 

[woodyng2]

@woodyng2
Rickenbacker... Cheyenne... II... Fretless?! Where? I... I must see this...

Soitenly!
Technically,it's a defretted Cii. The frets were replaced with maple strips. And i swapped all the gold hardware for chrome,and had a VVT coil tap wiring harness installed.
I did have a set of the white copper tapewounds on it that sounded really good,but was looking for something with more of a soft sound,so it has the LTF set now,which i love.
Also,unless you have Alien acid oozing from your hands,it's doubtful you would ever wear the nylon coating off the white tapewounds.

 

[Seiki]

From what I understand round's can damage a fretless neck if the vibrato is done incorrectly. I'm not sure if that is because of the string or the way it was used. Someone please correct me if im wrong!

I've got a few fretlesses, one which has a finished fingerboard, and let me explain briefly - vibrato only really damages a fingerboard if you do it by bending the strings as opposed to rolling/moving the fingers along the strings. That causes the rounds to gouge into the board, instead of staying about in the same place of play. Rounds don't chew up a fingerboard much more than they do on a fretted - the points of contact are pretty much the same.

 

[kkaarrll]

Here's my fretboard after 15 years of roundwounds. Yes, there is wear. No, it doesn't affect playability or sound or noise anything like that.

If you like the sound of rounds, use rounds. If you like the sound of flats, use flats. Don't worry about wear. If you don't want to wear it out... leave it in the case and don't play it!

Fretless Fingerboard

• jasonmatthews
• Oct 24, 2016
• fretless

as someone that has used both now--this is the answer

I started with rounds on mine and have since moved to more of a flats sound

wearing out that fretboard in my avatar with rounds wasn't part of the equation

 

[Gilligan8]

I'd worry more about eating up your fingerboard. Considering the price point, it may be more susceptible to wear.

Right!

My fingerboard had some scratches in it down by the 24th "fret" just from the loose (flatwound) strings during transport!

Get what you pay for in that regard... but $120 for a brand new fretless (shipped)... come on!

 

[jasonmatthews]

Rounds don't chew up a fingerboard much more than they do on a fretted - the points of contact are pretty much the same.

Er... maybe you mean rounds don't chew up a fretless fingerboard more than they would chew up the frets on a fretted? Because that I'll agree with. But obviously the strings should never touch the fingerboard on a fretted instrument.

People always worry about chewing up the fretboard on a fretless... but why does nobody worry about chewing up frets? At some point you'll need a fretjob or even new frets... just like at some point you'll probably need a new finish on a fretless fingerboard (unless it's a rock hard coating). It's just part of maintenance. I say to hell with it... just play!

 

[twinjet]

Right!

My fingerboard had some scratches in it down by the 24th "fret" just from the loose (flatwound) strings during transport!

Get what you pay for in that regard... but $120 for a brand new fretless (shipped)... come on!

Hey, I don't blame ya... Nearly bought one meself a few weeks back!

 

[Djadja]

one more roundwound on a fretless player. I use Kalium strings and love them.

 

[DLemos]

@woodyng2 That is one of the most classic looking Rickenbacker's I've ever seen. I'm not sure of the year on that, but I love the wood sandwich. 100% Old-school hippie looking. I wish I could have seen it with the gold hardware.

 

[DLemos]

...I've read the golds are a bit more bright and crisp.

Bright and crisp is definitely something I need. Most of the strings I've tried are just too much bass and muddy. I can't go too crisp, though- I need some fundamental bass; My amp can only bring out so much... I plan on getting a ribbon microphone, so that might help with some natural bass retention.

 

[DLemos]

@monsterthompson I'm most likely going to order the Gold White set tomorrow. I can let you know how they sound- I gotta get this '54 set out of here.

 

[woodyng2]

@woodyng2 That is one of the most classic looking Rickenbacker's I've ever seen. I'm not sure of the year on that, but I love the wood sandwich. 100% Old-school hippie looking. I wish I could have seen it with the gold hardware.

Thanks,i think the sandwich thing is fantastic,especially on the mapleglo,because it Has the greatest contrast with the maple and walnut colors. When i first saw this model,it put in mind of an Alembic because of the artistic woodwork.It's the only color that i think does NOT go with the gold hardware,but that's just my opinion/esthetic sense. Here to grant your wish is a pic of it when i first got it,with the gold hardware. (AND frets). By the way,it is an '04.

 

[the low one]

No mention of the Ernie Ball cobalt flats yet.

 

[DLemos]

@woodyng2 Hmmm... That would look sweet with black hardware, and an ebony fingerboard!

 

[woodyng2]

@woodyng2 Hmmm... That would look sweet with black hardware, and an ebony fingerboard!

That,too,has been done.
Rickenbacker made a few 4004's in a "tv yellow" finish,with ebony fretboards and black hardware. Pretty awesome,actually. I don't have a photo handy,unfortunately.
Or did you already know that?