Fender Nylon Tapewound Strings

[dhagler]

I have a fretless Fender MIM Jazz and I am feeling a bit adventurous:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-9120-Nylon-Tapewound-Bass-Strings-101218-i1122580.gc

Part of me is thinking, "For $19.99 what do I have to lose?"

Thoughts, opinions, experiences are welcome.

[jeremyr]

"For $19.99 what do I have to lose?"

something told me to say "$20" in response...LOL!

[ddwilkins]

"For $19.99 what do I have to lose?"

something told me to say "$20" in response...LOL!

LOL!!!!!

[dhagler]

 

Economics aside, is there something about the strings themselves that might make me more or less inclined to try them?

[hands5]

"For $19.99 what do I have to lose?"

something told me to say "$20" in response...LOL!

jeremyr Fender sent me like 3 sets of these strings and I put a set on my newly purchase CS Shop 64 Jazz Relic and they're pretty neat considering that's the type of tone I have in my head right now.

[jeremyr]

Economics aside, is there something about the strings themselves that might make me more or less inclined to try them?

If you're not looking for an old school kind of Acoustic bass/slight upright bass kind of vibe, then they wont work for you.  You don't hear Gospel cats playing them because you don't get any of the highs you get with your standard nickle and stainless round wounds.

If you want a real mellow sound then more than likely you'll like them.

[floaded27]

If you're not looking for an old school kind of Acoustic bass/slight upright bass kind of vibe, then they wont work for you.  You don't hear Gospel cats playing them because you don't get any of the highs you get with your standard nickle and stainless round wounds.

If you want a real mellow sound then more than likely you'll like them.

thats what i was looking for. maybe i shouldve gotten those. my repair guy put a set of flatwounds on my fender ( i think they mightve been D'Addarios)and i get a mellower sound, but i still get mid and high punch if i dial it in right.

[jeremyr]

flats have their place, but not in gospel IMHO.

There's not enough versatility with them IMHO.

[floaded27]

opinion respected. but i didnt have a problem getting what i wanted out of the fender. isnt that kinda like saying a piano has no place in gospel because all you get is a piano sound? i think there are many factors. besides which flats u have, theres ur equipment, plus the type of music you play, and what YOU desire to get out of your instrument.

i kinda noticed as i've gotten better, i've been able to know what i was looking for (or is it listening for) out of my instrument and i began making more and more decisions based on that, rather than others preferences which are primarily based on what they are looking for. I like duller strings, which is probably why the flats work for me, but if i listened to some other people i know, i'd be changing my strings like every other week, and not even be satisfied.

[hands5]

flats have their place, but not in gospel IMHO.

There's not enough versatility with them IMHO.

I don't know jeremyr, because I've heard quite a few tunes by the Williams Brothers,Canton Spirituals,Dietrick Haddon and a few others were flats would've been great,but I also respect your opinion as noted,and btw I believe that GHS,Dean Markley,and RotoSound sold and still do sell (I believe) strings that were dubbed as "Bright Flats which gives you that warm kinda dull rounded round wound string sound with out chewing up your frets.

[jeremyr]

I don't know jeremyr, because I've heard quite a few tunes by the Williams Brothers,Canton Spirituals,Dietrick Haddon and a few others were flats would've been great,but I also respect your opinion as noted,and btw I believe that GHS,Dean Markley,and RotoSound sold and still do sell (I believe) strings that were dubbed as "Bright Flats which gives you that warm kinda dull rounded round wound string sound with out chewing up your frets.

When I said "they don't belong" I mean that they shouldn't be on your main bass if you're playing modern/contemporary/christian worship.

Yes there are alot of songs that they would work out for fine, however because of the pure diversity there is between songs at church and on Gigs you will be hard pressed (unless you're playing with a quartet group, and even with them you need some cut every now and then) to get by with flat wounds.

Flats are great (I've had a pair o the thomas inkfield flats), however in regards to versatility there just isn't much there.

I guarantee I can get my rounds to sound like flats before you can get flats to sound like rounds.

You can "get by", but you won't be sounding the part in the settings mentioned above which is what most of us here are in.

[floaded27]

in most setting im in, nobody wont even notice besides me (if it even bothers me) and other bass players. nobody wont even know the difference. Most of the people dont even notice when im playing a different bass.

[jeremyr]

in most setting im in, nobody wont even notice besides me (if it even bothers me)

your sound is just as important as your playing.

[Bullitt]

I guarantee I can get my rounds to sound like flats before you can get flats to sound like rounds.

You can "get by", but you won't be sounding the part in the settings mentioned above which is what most of us here are in.

+1...I want to experiment with a set of flats on my fretted basses but right now I'm only using them on my fretless.  I don't find myself in other styles often enough to justify leaving a set of flats on any other bass full time.

-J

[dhagler]

Thanks, everybody, for your repsonses.

jeremy, i agree with you that flats won't give you the sound you're looking for in contemporary gospel.  But I don't play my fretless in that genre.  I have half-rounds on my Jazz 5 now but I am probably go back to roundwounds when I change her strings.

floaded, I agree with you that 90% of the time we are the only one who can distinguish differences in our tone.  But I am slowly but surely starting to (1) note differences in my tone and how my tone sits in the mix, and (2) be able to change my settings to get a desired tone or to eliminate an undesired one.  And that will only help me the other 10% of the time.

I ordered the nylon strings. Looking forward to trying something new.  My other genre is jazz and I plan to give those strings a workout as I play my way through Ed Friedland's "Building Walking Bass Lines."

[jeremyr]

i think those nylons would be killer in a jazzs etting (especially a trio of bass drums and piano).

if you have a frtless for the flats i would recomend  piezo bridge pickups to get the natural thump from the strings. they offer a good balance of olds chol with the natual nylon tone.

[hands5]

I have a fretless Fender MIM Jazz and I am feeling a bit adventurous:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-9120-Nylon-Tapewound-Bass-Strings-101218-i1122580.gc

Part of me is thinking, "For $19.99 what do I have to lose?"

Thoughts, opinions, experiences are welcome.

You'll be playing a P Bass sooner or later. It proably wouldn't be your main axe ,but then again........

[dhagler]

You'll be playing a P Bass sooner or later. It proably wouldn't be your main axe ,but then again........

Not likely, Hands5. Jazz basses for life! 

[hands5]

Not likely, Hands5. Jazz basses for life! 

I hear ya bro.Mind you I said the same thing when I was playing Jazz basses ( which I still play ) MusiMans, Tobiases,MTD'S,Ken Smiths,Sukop, and a host of other modern basses.

[dhagler]

I hear ya bro.Mind you I said the same thing when I was playing Jazz basses ( which I still play ) MusiMans, Tobiases,MTD'S,Ken Smiths,Sukop, and a host of other modern basses.

Lol. I have my heart set on a Sadowsky, but even then it would a Vintage model.