String advice for acoustic bass

[gary m]

No changes needed in my case. My ABG is a Dean and the D'Addario tapes fit the nut slots perfectly.

[vince a]

Originally Posted by Duckwater

I absolutely love chromes on my ABG, totally different character than flats on an electric bass. It's not a dark sound though, it's actually a very full range sound with a strong attack. If you want thick and dark, go for tapewounds.

Ditto . . .

[T_Bone_TL]

EBT92 set fits right in with no change to the nut (not that mine's an acoustic.)

They are somewhat smaller under the tape than some other tapewounds, so the taped diameter is pretty much "stock" rather than fat. Tension is in the 32-36 lb range at 34" scale.

My fingers love the things. My ears are happy with them too.

[chiron_griffin]

I've heard D'addario's should fit no problem, but the same doesn't go for Labella's and GHS's.

[MrLenny1]

Tapewounds, LaBella's are nice, pricey.
GHS makes them too and are a good
price at Carvin. Of all places.
Also, they last forever it seems.

[hrodbert696]

Reviving the thread for a question - just picked up an AB10 myself, used, and it has what I assume are the stock rounds on it. I'd like to switch to some Labella tapewounds, but my question was whether the bridge and nut would handle the medium gauge (.115) or should I go with the lighter gauge (.105)? Looks like I can get mediums from Carvin for just under $30 but the light-gauge I'm only seeing from $35+ shipping.

Not too concerned about the difference in tone, I'd just like to make sure I'm getting a set that fit the bass without needing to file out a nut or anything (since I'm about as handy as a galapagos tortoise).

[Abner]

If you're concerned about filing the nut and/or bridge to fit the tapewounds, you could always try the Fender tapewounds. Softer tape winding than the hard plastic of the Rotos or LaBellas.

.110 to .058, still might a bit larger than typical acoustic strings, but I put a set on a Michael Kelly Dragonfly fretless with no problems.

[CJAtheBassman]

I would recommend D'Addario nylon tapewounds. I have them on my acoustic bass and they sound great. They have a tone reminiscent of an upright bass and they last a long time. They sound a lot better than phosphor-bronze acoustic bass strings.

[fretlessguy]

Originally Posted by hrodbert696

Reviving the thread for a question - just picked up an AB10 myself, used, and it has what I assume are the stock rounds on it. I'd like to switch to some Labella tapewounds, but my question was whether the bridge and nut would handle the medium gauge (.115) or should I go with the lighter gauge (.105)? Looks like I can get mediums from Carvin for just under $30 but the light-gauge I'm only seeing from $35+ shipping.

Not too concerned about the difference in tone, I'd just like to make sure I'm getting a set that fit the bass without needing to file out a nut or anything (since I'm about as handy as a galapagos tortoise).

I would go with GHS or D'Addario tapes if I had any concerns with the big gauges LaBellas have. They are both .105 sets instead of .115.They should not require any mods with the nut as long as they fit through the bridge.

[hrodbert696]

OK, well I had gone ahead and ordered the medium-gauge labellas from Carvin before everyone weighed in voting for light D'addarios. I figured Carvin carries them for their ABG line, so surely they would work with another, right? They arrived yesterday, and the verdict: they do seem to work, and there was no problem with the nut or anything. However, the anchor ball or ring or whatever it's called at the end of the string is bigger than the bridge is designed for. The AB10's bridge is brass with a wooden cover; so instead of the rings setting right into the recess of the brass part, they tend to pull up against the wood. I don't think it's a problem really, but it's clearly not the way it's designed to work, so I'll probably spring for the lighter-gauge strings soon after all.