Nylon Flatwounds = WOW!!

JPrinos · #1 07-31-2009, 08:15 AM

Here in Toronto there is a music store on Bloor St. near Royal York called Kaos Music. In the store is a Yamaha 350 BBF 4 string fretless bass with some black nylon covered strings. I picked up the bass and plugged it in expecting a lack luster sound but was I ever surprised.

Even though the attack I'm used to with round wounds wasn't there it still growled. I was impressed enough to want to try some on my fretless.

What are brands that people like to use that have this growly quality?

Root 5 · #2 07-31-2009, 08:48 AM

It depends on whether you want a flatwound tapewound string or ROUNDWOUND TAPEWOUND STRING. The roundwound will have a brighter tone

GHS tapes as I understand are roundwounds wrapped in nylon tape.

Labella, Rotosound & Fender tapes are flats wrapped in tape.

I love tapewound strings & I really don't know why more bassists don't use them. Maybe they are turned off by black strings on their instruments? They are not suitable for metal or heavy rock but are superb for jazz, blues, motown, and ballads.

**WoodyG3** · #3 07-31-2009, 09:31 AM

I like the LaBellas, and you can get them from Carvin for much less than anywhere else I've seen. They have plenty of zing, IMO, and yet still have that thumpy, woody kind of tone going on as well.

JPrinos · #4 07-31-2009, 09:33 AM

I should go back and see if they were wound rounds or flats!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Root 5

It depends on whether you want a flatwound tapewound string or ROUNDWOUND TAPEWOUND STRING. The roundwound will have a brighter tone

GHS tapes as I understand are roundwounds wrapped in nylon tape.

Labella, Rotosound & Fender tapes are flats wrapped in tape.

I love tapewound strings & I really don't know why more bassists don't use them. Maybe they are turned off by black strings on their instruments? They are not suitable for metal or heavy rock but are superb for jazz, blues, motown, and ballads.

Philbiker · #5 07-31-2009, 09:45 AM

Lots of opinions here.

I personally love the Fender nylon tapewound and LaBella Nylon tapewound strings. The only nylon style strings I've ever tried and not liked are the Fender nylon filament wound.

kewe65 · #6 07-31-2009, 11:18 AM

I recently purchased the strings, packaged as - La Bella, Deep Talkin' Bass Strings, Black Nylon Tape Wound. I'm not sure what "tape wound" really means, but La Bella doesn't make this black nylon string any other way.

I use them with a Martin B-40 and they sound terrific - definitely add a nod or two toward the double-bass sound. found them while looking rob allen guitars, which provide these strings standard.

My only complaints are that the gauge on the E string is little too big for the Martin. It doesn't fit into the bridge and nut grooves very well. And because they are "softer", resembling more the flexibility of double bass strings, you have to take greater care in playing as the E string in particular will rattle on the frets when you are near the center of the string. This confirms to me why these are actually ideal for a fretless...

eyeballkid · #7 08-05-2009, 12:01 PM

BULLOCKS that theyre not suitable for heavy rock!!!.. ive been using em on a stingray thru a tube head in punk and doom bands for YEARS!!! and dudes are always saying what a great tone im getting. dark but articulate, growly and low .. perfect!

UglyBassPlayer4 · #8 08-07-2009, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eyeballkid

BULLOCKS that theyre not suitable for heavy rock!!!.. ive been using em on a stingray thru a tube head in punk and doom bands for YEARS!!! and dudes are always saying what a great tone im getting. dark but articulate, growly and low .. perfect!

The word you're trying to use is BOLLOCKS. As in "your tone is bollocks."

eyeballkid · #9 08-09-2009, 06:54 AM

I actually use the Fender tapewounds... and im REAL happy with em (other than they only last about 1/2 as long as metal strings, but i think thats the case with all tape wounds).. and honestly i only use em cos when i decided to try tapewounds it was the only brand anyone carried around here... and quite honestly i dont think i need to try other ones to get what i want. i originally used them on a fretless that i used in a post punk noise band, but have later (and still) used them on a fretted stingray and DAMN do i dig em!.. low full and growly with a taste attack that rolls off the high end of a stingray. very nice.

queevil · #10 08-09-2009, 11:01 PM

Fender Nylon Tapewounds all the way for me. They sound good and they're fairly cheap. They sound great on my Jazz fretless.

markdavid · #11 08-10-2009, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Root 5

It depends on whether you want a flatwound tapewound string or ROUNDWOUND TAPEWOUND STRING. The roundwound will have a brighter tone

GHS tapes as I understand are roundwounds wrapped in nylon tape.

Labella, Rotosound & Fender tapes are flats wrapped in tape.

I dont know about the others but the Rotosound tapes are roundwound underneath (i actually took one apart once to find out)

obrien · #12 08-10-2009, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Root 5

GHS tapes as I understand are roundwounds wrapped in nylon tape.

Been using these for a while now and I even manage to get some decent southern rock, blues or even stoner/doom/sludge from them. Just try harder.

Mazatleco17 · #13 08-11-2009, 12:04 AM

I really like rotosound 88's on my shortscale.