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Post subject: getting more definition from your flatwounds
Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 8:59 pm
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not that I want my flats to sound like rounds... but some that have complained about a muddy tone playing my flats live, thought I switched strings when I tweaked the EQ (scouped the mids out, 1 and 3 oclock on the highs) brought out the 4/10 cab and kicked the horn on all the way. GHS Precision flats too. definately not bright rounds, but cutting through easy now without giving up a warm tone (pick and finger style). any other advice from flatwound players?


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Post subject: Re: getting more definition from your flatwounds
Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 1:32 am
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FIRST: It could be that it sounds just fine and the people saying your rig sounds muddy are people not used to a bassist sitting properly in the mix, or perhaps they are jealous bassists who knows your rig sounds pretty good and they are actually trying to mess with your sound or your style or your mind.

SECOND: Some people you just can't make happy. Sometimes I think I have a good sound and then someone complains about this or that. Go figure. These are probably people who turn the bass all the way down on their stereos and car radios. If the board tech complains it is too loud then I'll believe that it is too loud.

THIRD: The Ampeg Portaflex B15N actually had a boosted mids sound when set flat. This once was the most popular recording amp out there primarily because it had a pleasing presence even with the flatwounds of the day while also having a decent but not overpowering bottom that didn't sound muddy at all. These traits made it a first choice bass amp with studio engineers and producers. However the players that were usually forced to record with the Ampeg fliptops rarely liked them very much and for live performances they opted for just about ANY other amp. This should tell bassists a lot. Recording engineers and producers are super-critical listeners and insisted back then on using the house Ampeg fliptops because they liked how it sounded in the mix. The truth could actually be that bassists simply HEAR bass differently than how non-bassists do and thus we tend to overuse the EQ. Sometimes when it sounds just right to us, it sounds too rich to non-bassists. We aren't playing just for the other bassists, but for everyone so it is better to sit in the mix for the masses. You should be heard, but not be overpowering, brash or too boomy.

I use GHS Flats on two basses. Part of the appeal of the GHS Precision Flats in medium and light gauges is that they do sound relatively zingy for flats, especially when new. The Regulars sound a lot beefier to me even when they are fresh and I could see that scooping the mids with those after they have broken-in for 2 or 3 weeks could sound more than a little muddy.

If you can pull the mids up some and cut the bass a bit you might get more punch and presence. Over aggressive compression can also contribute to muddiness, so I might back off on compression a tad too if using it. Actually most modern bass amps deliver pretty balanced tone when the EQ is set flat. I'd suggest using FLAT (zero on graphic EQ and 12 O'clock on rotary knob tone controls) as a starting point and only make minor adjustments from there as required. If you dramatically scoop mids then you are not going to have an abundance of punch and will have to turn the amp up louder to compensate for lack of punch. If you are boosting the bass a lot, say 500 hertz down, you can be driving the amp too hard and your amp will clip which is not good.


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Post subject: Re: getting more definition from your flatwounds
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:42 pm
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thanks Brother Dave. i getting an even better tone now with the EQ close to flat (bass is just under flat and mids & highs just above) no compression being used. I actually bought my GHS Precisions in individual strings to get a set of .100, .080, .060, .045. I like this balance a little better. plus less tension than other flats, just a little bit more than rounds.


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Post subject: Re: getting more definition from your flatwounds
Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:04 pm
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I didn't even know they made an 80 or 100 Precision Flatwound singles. Neither of those is listed as being in a packaged set. That is good info! But, unfortunately I can't buy them individually as nobody around here carries them, so I order sets online or buy them on eBay. I like the huge fat 3050 REGULAR set for rolling thunder and next fave is the fun to play 3025 LIGHT set which I can get some Larry Graham type funk sounds with. Dang they last a long time too. The M3050 MEDIUM set is sort of in between the two and would be good for a Jazz but on a P-Bass I prefer the big fatties or the light flexible ones. That fat .055 G string sounds tough! They really are smooth in the playing surface but as someone pointed out to me, above the nut they can be rougher.


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