Fretless Bass Strings

[CGT]

Hey Folks,

I scored a vintage Vantage Frankenbass on Kijiji yesterday. It's a fretted leftie MIJ VS600B that's been converted to a fretless rightie and I am wondering about string choice. Right now it is loaded with some kind of coated strings, which are great for jazzy tones but which I find lack punch for rock. So here's are my questions:

1) Are the muted tones a result of going fretless?
2) Would using uncoated strings wear down my fingerboard?

I have to say, though, the coated strings are terrific for applying full blown classical guitar technique: I can use my nails without shredding them to bits and glissando is so effective.

[darwinohm]

CGT, I have been using Flatwound SS strings, most recently D'Addario on all my basses. They are especially easy on the fretless ebony neck on my L2000. The neck doesn't show any wear. I have a Stingray 5 which also has a fair amount of use and it shows no fretware. The flatwounds give plenty of brightness that I need but again it is personal preference. It eliminates finger slide buzz. I have used both wound and roundwonds but still end up with flatwounds.-- Darwin

[Boogie Bill]

I can't claim to being a bassist, but it seems flat wound or tape wound strings are the standard for fretless basses. Saves your fingerboard.

And yes with a fretless bass you won't get the attack that you get with a fretted instrument. Tim Schmidt of The Eagles uses one on a couple of songs and you can really hear that it is fretless--very round smooth tone with little attack. Beautiful tone.

Bill

[CGT]

So what is the difference between flatwounds and tapewounds? The strings that are currently on my bass (I popped the G because I misread the tuner) look like they have a sheath over the metal windings, when I look up at the tuning pegs it looks like there are silk windings OVER the metal that have come loose. Are these flat- or tapewound?

I love the way they sound because it really sounds like a string bass and, because of the smoothness, I can use classical and flamenco technique without ripping my fingernails to shreds (as mentioned above). Being that strings are so expensive, I'm going to call a shop I know that does affordable setups (with the price of strings factore in) and see what they're asking.

I am going to be using this primarily to play jazz, as it's been a longtime ambition of mine.

Thanks for the input guys.

[Boogie Bill]

So what is the difference between flatwounds and tapewounds? The strings that are currently on my bass (I popped the G because I misread the tuner) look like they have a sheath over the metal windings, when I look up at the tuning pegs it looks like there are silk windings OVER the metal that have come loose. Are these flat- or tapewound?

I love the way they sound because it really sounds like a string bass and, because of the smoothness, I can use classical and flamenco technique without ripping my fingernails to shreds (as mentioned above). Being that strings are so expensive, I'm going to call a shop I know that does affordable setups (with the price of strings factore in) and see what they're asking.

I am going to be using this primarily to play jazz, as it's been a longtime ambition of mine.

Thanks for the input guys.

The tape-wound strings I am familiar with have a black, nylon tape over them--like a metal flat-wound--but the tape is even smoother. I'm not sure who makes them anymore--perhaps Fender, and La Bella.

Bill

[sirmyghin]

As long as you don't have a really brutish touch, you can get away with using rounds on a good ebony board. You might have to dress it every 7-10 years or so, but that is nothing.

Tape are the most muted, very dull strings. If you are worried about muted sound, maybe some half rounds? Rather impressed you managed to break a bass string tuning though, you probably had to torque down on that tuner pretty hard.

Some of the muted sound is the fretless itself, it is going to have inherently less sustain and such as your finger makes the end of vibration, and is much less stiff than a fret would be.