Best flatwound strings for Corvette fretless

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I just bought a used Warwick Corvette Standard 4-string fretless. I know that the bass shipped with roundwound strings. The seller said he put flatwounds on the bass. Does Warwick have a recommended starting point for a flatwound set to start with? Mainly guages and maybe even manufacturers? Since the standard roundwound set is .45 .65 .85 .105, should I start with the same guages for flatwound?

Thank you,

Ed
 

Florin

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Hi Ed,

When talking about strings, it is about personal preference, there is no good or bad strings...

Gauge - it depends on what you want. Lighter strings will have more MWah, and harmonics. Thicker strings will be more piano - like. I prefer the lighter stings, but to be honest I also prefer rounds...

I used Thomastic flats, and i was very happy.
 
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I have D'addario flats on my Peavey, to be honest, they sound crappy, but maybe because its too dull for me for a fretted bass. They would probably do great on a Fretless though.
 
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Hi,
As Florin already said it’s a question of personal taste.
I personally prefer flats for their feeling and because they avoid the “piano sound” of rounds.
Thomastiks flats are great with lot of harmonics and sustain but they have a quite low tension.
I also use Pyramids, IMO it’s the opposite of the Thomastik. Pyramids are already dead in their package, they sound very dull with quick decay and I love that.
I found videos of two guys who play the same song (very well) with the same bass but the first one with Thomastiks and the second one with Pyramids, they illustrate well the differences.
Hope its help.

Ti
[video=youtube;3RnkPFERd5I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RnkPFERd5I&playnext=1&list=PLE4BAE4CEB4859CCC&index=5[/video]
Pyramids
[video=youtube;6VOc8sgW2tw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VOc8sgW2tw&feature=related[/video]
 
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I have a Thumb FL instead of a Corvette FL, and I use both Galli Jazz Flats and D'Addario Chromes: the first ones are more present on the mids, duller on the basses. D'addario's are one of the brightest flatwound you can found, so more growl on the B and E strings, less mids but more highs. And the C string is almost a constant mhwaa, just as bright as a roundwound. Tension is comparable.
I'm gonna have to try Thomastik, even if don't like such low tension, cause they have a wonderful tone.
 
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