Yep I easily believe that too, I just didn’t have any direct experience to back it up 
Machined is always superior to cast for precision and quality as far as I am aware, just more expensive.
Hey @Branden - two more questions:
- do you still need to retune D every time you need to retune E. I have to. I had hoped that the position is somehow fixed. Not a big issue, but I wonder…
- do you have touble tuning both positions perfectly? With my small Blackstar, tuning both perfectly is easy, but my large ESP always detunes E (a little) when I tune D and the other way around. It’s not significant, but also it’s not perfect
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Possibly. If your strings are newer you’ll have to tune both, but I don’t typically have to tune D if I tune E slightly. However, I always check to be sure.
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My Ibanez doesn’t have issues like this, so nope. Be sure everything is tight and installed properly because it should isolate each position. and as always, tune E first and then D. The order matters.
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Hmmmm, God really works in mysterious ways: my little Blackstar has new strings and gives me no trouble, the ESP has older strings and gives me a hard time, tuning both positions perfectly. It’s either E or D - not both.
Again, it’s no biggy, but I like things to be 100%!
And, yes, I always start with tuning E, than the D position and go back and forth until both are tuned.
Installation should be good - everything is firmly installed.
Both Hipshots look & feel the same (except fo small angle difference).
Pictures (ESP on the leftside, Blackstar on the right side):
Closed position (E)
Open position (D)
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Most likely the strings, then. I have flat wounds on mine, which tend to be more tense than other types. I think there a few factors involved in strings holding their tube that may or may not involve the Hipshot 
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Another “hmmmmmmm” from me!
You really think, flatwounds make a difference? That would be really nice as I’d love to have a reason to put flatwounds on my ESP.
I had some Dunlop flatwounds on my Blackstar before I totally destroyed them (that’s another story), and I absolutely loved their sound for the few minutes it worked out. There was some magic in the way they sounded and felt!
Which one do you have?
But … it is unlikely that the reason for this effect is the roundwounds, as I have roundwounds on both basses, and they show different behaviour. There must be a factor on those basses that is different, not the same that causes those issues…
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Oh for sure there are many other factors than strings. I have the D’Addario Chrome XL light gauge flats (hot pink pack). They sound great. But yes, flats are more tense than rounds or half-rounds because of the way they are made. Of course, more tension means more pull on the neck and truss rod. My bass has titanium KTS rods in it, so that’s a factor. Not sure what your ESP has. Scale length, wood types, relative humidity and temps, and probably a dozen other factors go into this. I’d say if the ESP strings are old anyway, maybe try a couple types and see if anything changes? More time and money needed, but that’s being a bass player right?
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ESP and flats… trying to get my head around that 
(ESP’s are usually known for being bright and aggressive, but nothing says you can’t string them with flats - they just don’t usually scream Motown Bass. But worth a try!)
Now I kind of want to see a video of someone all gothed up playing Jamerson classics on an ESP F-series.
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Meh! Really? Please explain, I’m not an expert here…
Why does my ESP Ltd B-4E not like flatwounds???!
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Flatwounds generally have a less bright, duller, thuddier sound than rounds, that work well with classic styles for Motown and so on. It’s also why a lot of people playing those styles put sponges or foam under their strings to muffle them and make them thuddy.
ESP made its name in hard rock, metal and jazz. These styles are generally known for brighter tones that usually (but not always) equate to roundwound strings, which sound relatively bright and zingy compared to flats.
There’s exceptions to the rules for everything of course. There are really no rules, and I was mostly kidding. Not that I would put flats on an ESP, mind you
But to each their own, not trying to discourage you here, it will probably sound fine.
Hmmm … you made me doubt
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Give it a shot! You can always swap back if you hate them. String changes take minutes.
Going from rounds to flats will and back will often require setups though as the string tension may be different, and change both the neck relief and intonation.
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Flatwounds are terribly expensive in Germany … and I spent quite some money on unnecessary bass-related stuff recentlsy
So I really gotta think about this one!
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Literally nothing that can’t be fixed with a good EQ or amp or DI or pedal board or sound guy…or any/all of the above. LOL Strings are, in my noob-ish opinion, only a part of the overall tone, not the sole part. You’ll be fine.
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Yeah, as I am completely digital, BIAS FX, TH-U and AmpliTube will solve all my trouble and me great (again )
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In a lot of ways yeah. In fact I can EQ more or less any bass in to any other bass tone in the mix; they are more fungible than people think. However it is much easier to EQ rounds in to sounding like flats than vice versa (where you may want to add overdrive or an exciter to add back in higher harmonics that are simply missing). But you can do it. The difference isn’t that large to begin with.
Music production is my actual hobby, bass is more or less just a part of it. Happy to talk sound design and morphing all day! Fun stuff.
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Keep talking, @howard!
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Nah seriously, just try it, you might like it. Jack up the treble and mids a little if it is a little too dull for your ears. Many people buy flats because they prefer the feel (I don’t personally, but a lot of flats fans do). @Branden is right, in the mix it matters much less than you would think from the isolated bass tone, and you can definitely tweak it.
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You know, I am totally overwhelmed by all the stuff that BIAS FX, TH-U and Amplitube give me.
I am quite technical otherwise and have a knack for software - but all those nobs and buttons and switches and little boxes on my screen that can be connected in so many different ways confuse the hell out of me. (sorry to mention hell, @Branden :-))
I tend to test many different effects - and go back to clean sound when practicing…
So … anything I can learn is highly appreciated!!!
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Something I should say - we joke around a lot here, and it’s all good-natured, but other places online are not the same so it might come across wrong. Don’t let anyone try and tell you you shouldn’t try stuff like flats on an ESP or whatever - trying lots of strings and combos of gear is the only way to find out what you really like. You borderline owe it to yourself to try stuff like this out, you might find out you prefer flats.
The #1 rule is that there are no rules in music. You do you.
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