A flats vs rounds comparison

[Dave W]

[westen44]

I came really close to getting one of those a few days ago.  But as I mentioned in another post, I decided to get a second Gibson LP Jr. Tribute DC bass instead.  But the price drop at Music 123 is tempting on the Guild.  They have it for $1025 in natural.  Emerald green is still at the regular price.  I still hope to have a Guild some day.  BTW, that's an interesting video.  Right up my alley. 

[4stringer77]

"I can make this bass sound like a 60s Starfire" proceeds to play something originally done on an EB-2 

[gearHed289]

"I can make this bass sound like a 60s Starfire" proceeds to play something originally done on an EB-2 

 

Where are those Guild reissues made? I see them all the time on eBay. Really cool basses.

[westen44]

"I can make this bass sound like a 60s Starfire" proceeds to play something originally done on an EB-2 

Speaking of an EB-2, that was really my first choice in what I wanted to buy.  But the cheapest thing I could find was one for $1600 that had had major repairs. 

[doombass]

"I can make this bass sound like a 60s Starfire" proceeds to play something originally done on an EB-2 

Yes that got my brain spinning a bit, "Hmm, wait a minute, that's Animals, hmmm"  But OTOH the sound is not far off from an EB-2/Rivoli with the Baritone switch engaged.

[westen44]

That could have very well been the same bass on some songs by the Animals and the Jimi Hendrix Experience.  Because on many of the songs Noel Redding was playing Chas Chandler's EB-2 on the "Are You Experienced" album.  It wasn't until mid-February 1967 that the Jazz bass started being used on a few songs such as "Manic Depression" and a couple of others.  In another piece of trivia, I once read that Chas Chandler bought an EB-1 shortly before he died.  It's a shame he didn't have much of a chance to play it. 

[westen44]

All these posts and no one yet has said anything about the flats vs. rounds comparison.  I'm afraid I don't have much to add, though.  I prefer playing rounds, but admit that flats can sound pretty good. 

[Dave W]

All these posts and no one yet has said anything about the flats vs. rounds comparison.  I'm afraid I don't have much to add, though.  I prefer playing rounds, but admit that flats can sound pretty good.

I'll say it: sounds fantastic with flats and a pick. Nothing wrong with the other tones, though.

Where are those Guild reissues made? I see them all the time on eBay. Really cool basses.

They're made in Korea.

[uwe]

If you listen to a lot of 70ies recordings closely, you'll be surprised to hear how much flatwound picking was going on, in heavier music too. Flats can really cut through without sonically stepping on other people's toes.

[doombass]

I think flats accentuate the hollowbody sound.

[ilan]

I've never heard a hollow body bass with rounds that I liked. Hollow bodies need flats to bring out their special character. And not "bright flats", they need dead thumpy flats. At one point a luthier wanted to assess the bridge height on one of my Höfners and strung it with rounds. Oh, the horror.

And I'm certainly not a flatwound purist - all my solid bodies (except one) wear DR rounds.

[Dave W]

I've never heard a hollow body bass with rounds that I liked. Hollow bodies need flats to bring out their special character. And not "bright flats", they need dead thumpy flats. At one point a luthier wanted to assess the bridge height on one of my Höfners and strung it with rounds. Oh, the horror.

And I'm certainly not a flatwound purist - all my solid bodies (except one) wear DR rounds.

Don't forget tapewounds. A lot of 60s hollow or semihollow players used them.

[Pilgrim]

Tapewounds work very well on my Ibanez AGB-200 semi-hollow...aside from that' I'm a flats guy.

[Chris P.]

I love the nylon tapewounds on my Höfner. Pyramids ones, which don't feel sticky. I don't like the sticky Rotos that much.