Tapewounds on Ric or J bass?

**Coolhandjjl** · #1 11-19-2011, 08:29 AM

I have a set of Roto RS88 Tapewounds that came fresh in box with a used bass I bought. I've read that these can create a hollow woody sound, probably as close to a double bass as possible on an electric bass. True?

Anyway, I have a Ric 4003s with a Toaster and a Re-Issue Horseshoe pup, and a Hamer Cruise with the stock SD SJB-1 Vintage pups. Lots of differences between these basses, maple bass with neck through vs alder with bolt on neck, different pups and pup placement, etc,. etc.

I can certainly try the strings on both, but before I dedicate lots of time stringing and re-stringing, trying to remember which one sounded which way, any bets on which will be the more double bass sounding? I was planing to try some rock-a-billy, Link Wray, etc., type of music.

hdracer · #2 11-19-2011, 08:39 AM

I have the 88's on two of my basses. One set is on my Deluxe Jazz and the other on my Dano.

I like them on both.
I do not think I would try them on a Ric though.
They have a lot less tension then flats.
You can wamp on them because the feel is very stretchy.
They give you a DB "like" tone but dont expect them to turn your Jazz into a Shen.

newbold · #3 11-20-2011, 02:03 PM

Loved em on my J-Bass.

Marton · #4 11-20-2011, 02:11 PM

Tapewounds on a Ric worked for Paul McCartney.

**Coolhandjjl** · #5 11-21-2011, 11:06 AM

I ordered a set of Pyramid Golds from Strings and Beyond. Great price with free shipping. I strung my Ric 4003s with the Pyramid Gold on E and the Roto Tapewound on A. To be honest, it was hard to tell the diff. Both had a nice vintage thunk with woody hollowness. The Rotos have an unusual gauge 115/100/75/65, and I really didn't want to file out the nut slots, so back in the drawer they will go. The Ric fully strung with the Pyramids really sounded sweet! But so did the Fender 9050CLs that were on it previously. The 9050s do speak with authority! If I had another Ric, I'd have one strung with the 9050s and another with the Pyramids. But I don't, so I moved the Pyramids to one of my Hamer Cruise Basses that had Chromes on it, and the Pyramids sound great on that one as well. They have even more thunky attack. I could definitely see having three basses with flats. Fender 9050s, Pyramid Golds, and D'Addario Chromes! Who would have thought flats could be back in vogue?

My main Ric still has DR LoRider steels. There's something about the Ric growl with steel rounds that makes it my go-to bass. Probably because my roots are in Chris Squire, Roger Glover, etc.