Fender Jazz Bass with Flatwounds - Fingerstyle improv test

[FilipElfvin]

I'll have some of whatever you're smoking.. !

[Polyfusia]

Natural bass player. I just got my first bass yesterday. Perhaps I'll be capable of this some day.

[matgfunk]

great playing really enjoyed the vid!

[Rhiannon0423]

that is one cool groove.great tone too.i use Steve Harris custom flatwounds and swear by them.

[Veltemuis]

Awesome groove dude! Love how you economize your moves. When I play, my left pinky keeps going everywhere until I need it again, but with you it just stays where it should be... damn my screwy sinews! Also love the sound of your strings, but it's mostly the groove that makes it happen :)

[bijouxmusic]

@Veltemuis Thank you!

[MrBass894]

i use the steve harris signature flatwounds on all my basses, im never using any other strings they're amazing

[MaxPayneIzRudog]

@MrBass894 Are they hard to play on, in comparison with the ''standard'' strings? For what styles is it good for?

[bijouxmusic]

@MaxPayneIzRudog actually they are surprisingly easy to play. I use them mostly for recordings. Old school R&B, country, some pop music, some rock, and any sort of retro style with that 60's and 70's sound. I have 5 basses, but if I only had one or two I probably would not have them strung with flats. Although I would still have a set for recording purposes.

[MaxPayneIzRudog]

@bijouxmusic Is it good for faster music and can it be put on a Ibanez bass (the soundgear series)

[MrBass894]

@MaxPayneIzRudog they're really easy to play on mate, but they're very thick so ive had to adjust my action so i dont get fret buzz apart from that though best strings i ever bought, easy to play, sooth and have an awesome tone id definately recoomend to buy them

[prohumanbeing]

Going from flat wounds to round wounds and back is like speaking with two accents. It's still you but the flavor and spice changes. Thank you for this supremely greasy improv. It's slinky as can be and the joy and love of your beautiful soul gushes out like a fire hose with the valve broken. In gratitude....

[OpiumKoolaid]

Less finger noise for sure. You've got me thinking about putting them on my FJB now. Nice mellow sound, and wonderful playing, too.

[GITTZA]

extreamely fast right hand fingers at 0:16 (listen closely)

[atheistasylum]

Beautiful and nasty.

[bass5snake]

Inspiring dude! Makes me wanna get another electric bass. I only have now. I used to own a few.

[amandawooning]

love it:)

[vikingchris22]

Wow! where do you get the money for all those nice instruments?

[Techdrome]

What a groove!

[Nymphetamine2791]

I have flat wounds on one of my basses, but I don't use that one for slap, have you tried slap with flat wounds on the jazz bass? Do you like it?

[MCGMT]

Good stuff dude!

[herrdruhl]

shit, this is great tone!

[sackvegas]

great groove

[groovei]

lovely

[rhinoal]

Whoa! Amazing :o)

[rockersun]

love the flatwound tone..very good

[RriverJJ]

very cool men ...

[LEDZEPPELIN4469]

nicely done!!!

[utubeboob9]

Very nice with lots of funk and feeling. Smooth!!

[NelsonGast]

what is the brand, gauge etc of the strings? I'm diggin the sound :)

[MrBribass]

fantastic my friend totaly enjoyable to listen to, fantastic sound even better bass part, your a wonderfull player.

[batinalgas]

awesome playing, man!

[trofantos]

Cool finger style ! Almost like jaco's !!!

[dlguitarmaster7]

if i wasnt looking, i would swear this was jaco pastorius playing

[bijouxmusic]

@dlguitarmaster7 That is very kind of of you to say.

Thank you.,

[didgeHague]

@bijouxmusic I second that :)

[dexfx69]

@bijouxmusic Not Jaco. You got your own funky style.

[meedily]

@dlguitarmaster7 I agree. VERY smooth playing, sir. I love that gritty tone. It's like the bass is singing.

[manutdbass19]

What exercises do you recommend for perfecting this sort of very fluid playing ability? What i mean is like what you have in this video, the sort of smooth sliding feel of the left hand and the ease of the right hand, despite what you're playing not being all that easy

[bijouxmusic]

@manutdbass19 Thank you for your very nice comment.

I used the Simadl fingering system for my left hand, and I've been working on economy of motion for many years. My action is not really low but I try to transfer my arm weight onto the strings rather than trying to squeeze them. It takes a lot of focus but the results are worth the work. I am trying to make playing the bass effortless. Hope this helps. Thank you.

[herrdruhl]

@bijouxmusic Hi, did you mean the Simandl fingering system for upright bass? Also, which brand of flats are you using here? I'm partial to D'Addario chromes myself, for my P bass.

[crestadude]

I like this.

[TheJagzy]

Rounds kill it.Flats i returned the other day after seeing some reviews on YT.I didnt know they sound so dark so they went back for an exchange to rounds.

[12Guitarz]

Awesome playing! Very fluid groove. Thanks for the inspiration - it's back to the woodshed for me!

[bijouxmusic]

@12Guitarz Thank you very much!

[metalhaze1982]

So are you still on the flats? how would your view be on flats vs roundwound?

[bijouxmusic]

@metalhaze1982

I like the flats a lot. right now I am not playing that bass a lot though... I use it mostly for recording sessions when it fits the vibe.

For my own playing style if I had to pick one it would be the rounds. but I like having the option of a second bass with flats.

[TRJBASS]

Is your name Ace , and did you work at Action Guitars in Arlington VA ?

[bijouxmusic]

@TRJBASS

nope I ma not Ace.

thanks for your comment.

[TheBassfresh]

@TRJBASS i dig thomastic infeld JF344 myself, very supple, wider tone options, cuts thru the mix better w/o the overtones of rounds, just seems to fit a vintage type jazz bass.

[TRJBASS]

@TheBassfresh ,I've never tried those ,most reviews I see on them are very positive ,I've heard some people say they take some getting use to because of the low tension , Think I will try a set sometime in the future, Thank You.

[EvilRedGoose]

Awesome Playing dude!Is that an American?

[bijouxmusic]

@EvilRedGoose nope. MIM I switched necks with my deluxe and the 70's both MIM. they are absolutely great though. I haven't played any MIA that I thought were any better.

[nbm53]

Let me know how you like the new flatwounds. I have a MIM J-Bass that I have a Leo Quan BadAss II Bass Bridge I want to install on it and have been thinking of also adding a set of D'Addario flatwounds with the new bridge. Thanks in advance for your response.

[bijouxmusic]

@nbm53

the flats a very cool. But i think it's a very personal decision and also a bit of a commitment to go flats if you just have one axe.

If I only had one bass I would have roundwounds. I think they are more versatile.