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I know this only gets mentioned tangentally, usually off a guitar
string question, but it looks like I'm going to start offering my
bass services in a band or two, and I want to put some new flatwounds
on my P-bass. It's an American Fender from about '74, so I was
hoping for a few recommendations...
1) I believe the bass is "standard" or "medium" scale length - is
that correct?
2) The gauges I've been eyeing have been roughly 60-115, is that
about average for gauge/tension?
3) What brands do you bass-heads recommend? I was thinking of the
Rotosound Black Nylon Flatwounds or Fender Tapewound, I usually
prefer the darker sound of a flatwound over the bounce of a
roundwound.
Any info y'all could give would be great. I should be bassing it up
in at least one surf band, but may also hook up with a band of a
different genre.
Six stringer trying to figure out where they put his top two strings,
~Bill~
I was playing D'addario chrome flats on a Precision Special this last weekend
and I like 'em. 50 - 105 is plenty fat enough for flatwounds.
-Marty
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Bergstrom
To:
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 2:53 PM
Subject: [SurfGuitar101] Bass string question
I know this only gets mentioned tangentally, usually off a guitar
string question, but it looks like I'm going to start offering my
bass services in a band or two, and I want to put some new flatwounds
on my P-bass. It's an American Fender from about '74, so I was
hoping for a few recommendations...
1) I believe the bass is "standard" or "medium" scale length - is
that correct?
2) The gauges I've been eyeing have been roughly 60-115, is that
about average for gauge/tension?
3) What brands do you bass-heads recommend? I was thinking of the
Rotosound Black Nylon Flatwounds or Fender Tapewound, I usually
prefer the darker sound of a flatwound over the bounce of a
roundwound.
Any info y'all could give would be great. I should be bassing it up
in at least one surf band, but may also hook up with a band of a
different genre.
Six stringer trying to figure out where they put his top two strings,
~Bill~
.
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Bill:
1. The Fender Jazz Bass is a "long scale" (34") bass...
as opposed to a "short scale" (28"-30") bass (ie: the
Fender Mustang Bass). I have never heard of a "medium
scale" bass...but, that doesn't mean they aren't out
there...
2. Your string gauge/tension looks about right (60-115)...a
little on the "heavy" side, but should give a nice full
tone.
3. I am a big proponent of Rotosound strings...excellent
quality...their flatwounds are real nice. However, I don't
care for tape wounds or nylon wounds...they sound too dead
for my taste in bass...as well as feeling all wrong under
my fingertips. I don't care for Fender strings, they go
dead way too fast, and rarely stay in-tune for long.
LaBella also makes a nice set of flatwound bass strings,
James Jamerson (Motown) and Carol Kaye (Hollywood/Capitol)
among many, many other early 1960s bassists used LaBella
flatwounds exclusively. I hear tell that Pyramid makes a
fine set of bass flatwounds, but I only have experience
with their flatwound 6-string guitar strings (which are
outstanding)
I'd go with Rotosound Nickel Flatwounds...or Rotosound
Stainless Flatwounds if you can't find Nickel...
try www.juststrings.com
great selection, good prices.
good luck in bass-dom,
-dp
--- Bill Bergstrom <> wrote:
> I know this only gets mentioned tangentally, usually off
> a guitar
> string question, but it looks like I'm going to start
> offering my
> bass services in a band or two, and I want to put some
> new flatwounds
> on my P-bass. It's an American Fender from about '74, so
> I was
> hoping for a few recommendations...
>
> 1) I believe the bass is "standard" or "medium" scale
> length - is
> that correct?
>
> 2) The gauges I've been eyeing have been roughly 60-115,
> is that
> about average for gauge/tension?
>
> 3) What brands do you bass-heads recommend? I was
> thinking of the
> Rotosound Black Nylon Flatwounds or Fender Tapewound, I
> usually
> prefer the darker sound of a flatwound over the bounce of
> a
> roundwound.
>
> Any info y'all could give would be great. I should be
> bassing it up
> in at least one surf band, but may also hook up with a
> band of a
> different genre.
>
> Six stringer trying to figure out where they put his top
> two strings,
> ~Bill~
>
>
>
>
> .
> Visit for
> archived messages, bookmarks, files, polls, etc.
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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--- In , "Bill Bergstrom"
<swingin_cat@h...> wrote:
[...]
> 1) I believe the bass is "standard" or "medium" scale length - is
> that correct?
I think the Fender P & Jazz basses are considered standard scale (34").
> 3) What brands do you bass-heads recommend? I was thinking of the
> Rotosound Black Nylon Flatwounds or Fender Tapewound, I usually
> prefer the darker sound of a flatwound over the bounce of a
> roundwound.
My wife got a set of the Rotosound black nylon flats and put them on
her Jerry Jones bass. Initially she was happy, but later that turned
to ouright hatred. They sounded like crap, made dull thuddy noises,
and would not stay in tune. She went with another set of Rotosound
(non-nylon) flats and is much happier now.
BN
--- DP <> wrote:
> 1. The Fender Jazz Bass is a "long scale" (34")
> bass...
> as opposed to a "short scale" (28"-30") bass (ie:
> the
> Fender Mustang Bass). I have never heard of a
> "medium
> scale" bass...but, that doesn't mean they aren't out
> there...
They are out there. Fender Japan made a Squier and
regular Fender series Precision bass with a 32" scale
length. They pop up on eBay every now and then.
Fender Japan still makes a medium scale Jazz bass
model. If Bill's is a '74 then it's fullscale, 34".
60-115 is heavy to my thinking. I have had a set of
Rotosound RS77 flats that were 50-110 and those were
PLENTY for my little hands. When I had my AV series
Precision I had it strung with Labella Deep Talkin'
Flats, 46-106 (sigh) and that was it as far as the
flatwound sound goes. I should've never sold that
bass. If I were gonna play bass in a surf band I'd
order another set of Labella's. Many people also
recommend D'Addario nickel flats, which might be the
way to go since those seem to more common and people
seem to like them.
Richard
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