NBD! Now, roundwounds or flatwounds?

Fiddlesticks_

Got my self a sweet new (to me) Mustang bass today as I’ve been getting into playing bass a lot more recently and wanted a short-scale to go with my small, guitar-accustomed hands.

It needs a good clean up so I’m gonna strip it down and do that.

Now, I could do with some advice on whether round or flatwound strings will get me closer to the sound I’m after when I put it back together.

I really like the bass sounds on the album ‘Tranquility Bass Hotel + Casino’ by Arctic Monkeys. More specifically, this is the kind of sound I want to get near:
https://youtu.be/1XoWqoKOjz4

Thanks in advance 

toescantalk

Flatwounds sound better to me and I think I'd get closer to that sound with them. But I'm no bass guru!

Strangefan

For me flats on fretless, and round for fretted, but if you can afford it (bass strings are soooo expensive) play around I prefer to slap on rounds, but the feel of flats can't be beat 

Fiddlesticks_

Strangefan said:

For me flats on fretless, and round for fretted, but if you can afford it (bass strings are soooo expensive) play around I prefer to slap on rounds, but the feel of flats can't be beat 

Usually I would just play around until I’m happy, but the fact that a set of flats are ~£50 is making me think twice about doing that

Funkfingers

The single most important thing will be finding strings constructed to suit the 30" scale length.

•

It is unclear whether you have a Mustang Bass with the small, split coils pickup, a Mudbucker or a PJ pair via a three-way selector switch.

Squier briefly made the Mikey Way signature model. It had an EMG35-sized soapbar pickup, making it ripe for modification.

Gilly

Following as I’m also interested in this subject. You can get a set of Olympia flat wounds on Amazon for £15. Anyone know if they’re any good?

Fiddlesticks_

Funkfingers said:

The single most important thing will be finding strings constructed to suit the 30" scale length.

•

It is unclear whether you have a Mustang Bass with the small, split coils pickup, a Mudbucker or a PJ pair via a three-way selector switch.

Squier briefly made the Mikey Way signature model. It had an EMG35-sized soapbar pickup, making it ripe for modification.

Ah ok so it seems that the picture I’ve uploaded isn’t showing… (edit: should be fixed now).

It’s a Squier VM bass with the Duncan Design split coil.

I’ve been looking at short scale specific strings this evening. There is still a lot of choice and I really want to get this right first time, but the main thing I want to decide on is between rounds or flats

wrinkleygit

I use Labella low tension stainless flats on my 30” and 34” scale fretless and fretted basses, easy on the fingers, get them from Bassdirect, usually the cheapest supplier, buy them in the scale length you require.

ICBM

On a Mustang Bass, rounds. Flats usually sound quite dead on one in my opinion.

Plus, if it's your only bass, you can get a least into the same ballpark as the flats sound using roundwounds and the tone control, but you can't do the other way round. And since I see your Mustang has the mute foam, even closer.

That Arctic Monkeys bass sound is heavily limited (effect) by the sound of it too, if that helps.

Schnozz

I tend to go TI Flats on a 30".

I like Rotosound Flats on my 34" and D'Addario Rounds on my 36".

I fall out with Flats occasionally and then all D'Addario Rounds.

Funkfingers

Thomastik-Infeld strings could cost the OP almost as much as the pre-owned Squier bass.  

Zoonyboy

Flats!

Fiddlesticks_

ICBM said:

On a Mustang Bass, rounds. Flats usually sound quite dead on one in my opinion.

Plus, if it's your only bass, you can get a least into the same ballpark as the flats sound using roundwounds and the tone control, but you can't do the other way round. And since I see your Mustang has the mute foam, even closer.

That Arctic Monkeys bass sound is heavily limited (effect) by the sound of it too, if that helps.

Yeah I thought I could hear some compression/limiting on there.

Cheers for the replies everyone. I've ended up getting some rounds for now because 1. What ICBM said makes sense to me and 2. They're a lot cheaper.

UnclePsychosis

I'd go with roundwounds. Cheaper and more versatile. 

That said, I use flats myself but you have to be 100% sure that's the sound you want. 

TheMadMick

I only poodle round on bass but I found round wounds very noisy and rather uncomfortable. Went for flat wounds and never looked back. I like the dull, Reggae sort of sound and these give me that as well. Fender lights were my preference and I have a couple of sets spare if you want to try them. I would let you have a set for, say, £10.00 (I need to gather my pennies for an Avalon and to compensate for the tax man clobbering me). Let me know how you feel?

Fiddlesticks_

Gave it a good clean and polish this evening - so satisfying. Here’s a few photos for those that are into it…

Before and during the fret polishing:

After the fret polishing:


And a little tip for polishing screw heads - chuck them up in a drill, stick a bit of polish on the head and spin them into a cloth, easy as:

Fiddlesticks_

@TheMadMick ;I appreciate the offer mate but I’ve just stuck on the roundwounds I bought yesterday and so far I’m happy enough.

Gilly

TheMadMick said:

I only poodle round on bass but I found round wounds very noisy and rather uncomfortable. Went for flat wounds and never looked back. I like the dull, Reggae sort of sound and these give me that as well. Fender lights were my preference and I have a couple of sets spare if you want to try them. I would let you have a set for, say, £10.00 (I need to gather my pennies for an Avalon and to compensate for the tax man clobbering me). Let me know how you feel?

If you want to sell them I’d take a set. Sent you a pm.

PAL

I have the Fender JMJ Mustang Bass it comes with flat wound strings and I love everything about flat wound string !

rze99

I use bass or recording and I have to say I could not do without both. Having the option is just geat.
The feel and tone are quite different at least in the way I play.
I just play for the track whatever it is and roundwounds with a plectrum for rockier stuff and fingers with flats for anything like soul.
I'd rather have eg 2 squiers one with round one with flats than 1 Fender with one string type. Of course you can take the strings off and replace each time but that's a bit of a pain

Fiddlesticks_

rze99 said:

I use bass or recording and I have to say I could not do without both. Having the option is just geat.
The feel and tone are quite different at least in the way I play.
I just play for the track whatever it is and roundwounds with a plectrum for rockier stuff and fingers with flats for anything like soul.
I'd rather have eg 2 squiers one with round one with flats than 1 Fender with one string type. Of course you can take the strings off and replace each time but that's a bit of a pain

Well I’m never one to turn down an excuse to get a new instrument