What black strings are these? Help! Thx!

[bassbrock]

Hey guys, I stumbled upon this used MIM P-Bass in Guitar Center and I absolutely LOVED the strings on this thing!

The bass guy there said they looked like DR Black Beauties so I bought a set online (they didn't have any there at Guitar Center in stock) but the Black Beauties are nothing like these strings. These strings appear to be flatwounds? And they seem to be in between tapewounds and coated strings. Not exactly one or the other.

Sorry for the poor pics, it is the best I could do with my iPhone at the time. Thanks for all the help!




I have some additional pics in this directory here: http://www.macpulse.com/ebaypics/black_strings/

Thanks again in advance for all your help.

[Captain_Arrrg]

I fairly sure that Rotosound makes black flatwounds.

And here you go:

Tru Bass 88
(Black Nylon Flatwound)
Most famously heard on the Beatles album ‘Abbey Road’. Super smooth with ultra low tension transforms any electric bass into a jazzy upright sound. Works great on fretless. Also works well with any kind of jazz, fusion, dub and reggae styles. Heard on ‘Transformer’ by Lou Reed, courtesy of Herbie Flowers.

http://www.rotosound.com/bass.html#
Scroll down to find them, you can play a sound bit if you want to hear them.

[Bass Below]

The Rotosound Tru Bass 88's have a gold silk wrap.

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbas...8/0/456080.jpg

Other companies that make black nylon flatwounds are Fender and LaBella, but I'm not sure which of those use a black silk wrap.

[bassbrock]

hmm... These almost look and feel like a coated flatwound rather than a tapewound. And they were surprisingly bright.

[Buskman]

LaBella tapewounds have a dark purple silk winding...

I'm thinking it might be these:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...ngs?sku=101284

[jasper383]

Those look a lot like Fender tapewounds. The part that goes around the posts is wider than the string--Fender. No silk either--Fender.

Are they kind of "nubbly"; as in you can feel the windings through the tape? If so, I bet they are Fender tapewounds. The other brands of tapes I have tried are much smoother.

I have no idea why Tapewound strings aren't more popular. The sound, especially with P style basses, is unreal.

[Bass Below]

I'm planning on using tapewounds on my Stingray5, once my Knuckle Quake arrives. At that time my Stingray will go to standard BEADG tuning. If I tried tapewounds the way I tune now, I'd have wet noodles for strings.

[bassbrock]

Originally Posted by jasper383

Are they kind of "nubbly"; as in you can feel the windings through the tape? If so, I bet they are Fender tapewounds. The other brands of tapes I have tried are much smoother.

Kinda sorta. I wish I had better pictures of the strings.

Its almost like they are part of a flatwound string was pre-coated with something before it was wound around the core. They are smooth feeling.

In other words, the best I can describe it is a cross between a tapewound and a coated flatwound.

[PUCKBOY99]

Not meaning to sidetrack here, but anyone familiar with the Fender Tapewounds know how long it usually takes for the "tackiness" to wear off?

I have a pair on an acoustic bass & as they sound nice, they're still fairly tacky.

I was gonna give them a fair shake before swapping them out for the Carvin/LaBella's but it's taking some time.

OH, and FWIW, they look just like my Fenders

[bassbrock]

Originally Posted by PUCKBOY99

OH, and FWIW, they look just like my Fenders

Could I trouble you to take a close up photo of your Fenders?

I'm really jonesing for these strings

[mr sprocket]

Probably Fender, although the Status tapewounds I just put on look that also.

[bassbrock]

Originally Posted by PUCKBOY99

Hey, awesome! I think that might be them!

Which of the two available Fender tapes are they?

[jasper383]

Originally Posted by mr sprocket

Probably Fender, although the Status tapewounds I just put on look that also.

Maybe Fender makes the Status tapes. I'm sure Status outsources their string manufacturing to someone else.

[jasper383]

Originally Posted by bassbrock

Hey, awesome! I think that might be them!

Which of the two available Fender tapes are they?

You want the tapewound Fenders 9120. The other type, the nylon filament strings, have a cloth like feel to them. Also very interesting.

[PUCKBOY99]

Any better?

And yeah, I think they're the 9120s...nice warm overall tone, but the tackiness is driving me nuts; lots of "ghost" notes/tough to mute.

[bassbrock]

Originally Posted by jasper383

You want the tapewound Fenders 9120. The other type, the nylon filament strings, have a cloth like feel to them. Also very interesting.

Doh! So it turns out the Fender tapewounds are only available in a 4-string and not a 5-string. Oh well, looks like my search was in vain.

[jasper383]

Rotosound and La Bellas, I know, come in 5 string sets. Very similar in sound.

[bassbrock]

Double post mistake.

[bassbrock]

Originally Posted by jasper383

Rotosound and La Bellas, I know, come in 5 string sets. Very similar in sound.

Do the LaBella tapewound have a flat winding like the Fenders?

[mozarwasagenius]

Originally Posted by jasper383

Those look a lot like Fender tapewounds. The part that goes around the posts is wider than the string--Fender. No silk either--Fender.

Are they kind of "nubbly"; as in you can feel the windings through the tape? If so, I bet they are Fender tapewounds. The other brands of tapes I have tried are much smoother.

I have no idea why Tapewound strings aren't more popular. The sound, especially with P style basses, is unreal.

+1 I have Fender tapewounds that look exactly like that. They look like heavy gauge but play like lights.