Wound bass strings... terrible sound

[JParrilla]

Is there a different picking technique we should use when playing the wound strings vs the pure nylon ones? The angle that my nails hit the wound bass strings causes them to scrape against the small grooves in the string... causing a very scratchy, awful sound.

Do you avoid nails on those strings? Hit them on a different angle?

I guess this also happens to me when I play steel acoustics... but its somehow more tolerable there. But when contrasting with the sound of the nylon treble strings... its a real problem.

[Carey]

Gotta push in at right-angles to the bass strings, or (heh!) not use nails..

[JParrilla]

Originally Posted by Carey

Gotta push in at right-angles to the bass strings, or (heh!) not use nails..

Yea I was thinking that coming in at 45 deg like I do would be a problem. May have to alter my hand position a bit then

[Bax Burgess]

La Bella Studio 413P HT nylon trebles, Medium flat wound bronze basses

The notations below show the variation between two guitars, also I tune low, which would generally, but not in every instance, add a warmer glow.

Horabe 25 (bone saddle) trebles a bit dry, #3 ‘tightens up’ past the 8 fret

Matsuoka, Ryoji MH80 (bone saddle) potent, lots of gravitas, balanced, #3 a bit smoky, fret well over body

[MarkinLA]

Try plucking them with p instead of i, m, or, a ..

[JParrilla]

Originally Posted by MarkinLA

Try plucking them with p instead of i, m, or, a ..

Yes my thumb is fine... makes no bad sound. Only issue is when the other fingers come into play

[ObiWanSymbian]

When using finger other than thumb to play the wound string, I do compensate for the changed angle of attack.
But I also observed that natural nails seem to be a bit thin for the job.
So I’m using the AlaskanPicks which are thicker. And even here I have to compensate for the angle of attack. Moreover, I had to file the picks to make them produce the tone I like.

Yeah... nylon strings are softer. But harder to play

[MarkinLA]

You'll notice that when great flamenco players do those extreme rapid scalar runs their RH knuckles are dead parallel with the strings all the way from top strings on down through the low E string using many times, i m, i m, i m,
or, i a, i a, i a..only, with fingers out straight/rest strokes, usually..
You can do that or employ your thumb in the normal fashion on the bass strings. What's the mystery ? Never thought there was a question over this... M

[JParrilla]

Originally Posted by MarkinLA

You'll notice that when great flamenco players do those extreme rapid scalar runs their RH knuckles are dead parallel with the strings all the way from top strings on down through the low E string using many times, i m, i m, i m,
or, i a, i a, i a..only, with fingers out straight/rest strokes, usually..
You can do that or employ your thumb in the normal fashion on the bass strings. What's the mystery ? Never thought there was a question over this... M

Well the 'mystery' for me was that my fingers attack the treble strings at a bit of an angle (what I was told is correct). But that same angle on the wound strings causes my nails to scratch against the grooves in the strings. So I wasnt sure if the proper technique was to avoid nails on the bass strings, or to change the angle of attack to avoid my nail scraping against the winding of the strings. Of course I know I can use my thumb... but of course there are scenarios where we have to play the 6, 5, or 4 string with a finger besides the thumb