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Rotosound TruBass gig-based review

J

john-boro

May 8, 2009
124
63
#1
I've recently used TI jazz flats - very nice middy tone and very articulate etc. I bought these having consigned my trubass 88 nylon tapewounds to the spares pile, having found their tone very interesting, but a bit 'messy', lacking sustain and with strange overtones, and just not that enjoyable to play.

Anyway, the other day I put them onto my number 2 bass and tonight I played a jazz/funk/motown gig. As I remembered they lacked sustain and seemed to have a dirtier, less pure sound to them. The sound was dull and thumpy so that it felt as though I was playing every note an octave down, and any digging in resulting in an strange sort of clacking sound. However, at high volumes and in a band setting, the shorter sustain was possibly even an advantage, highlighting the rhythmic aspect of the lines, and the overtones seemed to help fill out the sound.

This is clearly not ideal for all styles. The little slapping I tried was interesting to say the least, for example. However, tunes as diverse as the following:

Winehouse's Rehab, reggae style
Sir Duke
Hancock's Butterfly
Various jazz standards

..really benefited from the sound. The notes were so rumbly and full that I could almost 'feel' the harmony between myself and the keys player more than hear it. Paired up with a sax and the drums providing the trebly percussive element that these strings lack, the overall sound was very nice - chilled, funky, smooth, and when played a bit harder, very vintage-mowtown.

Playing at home I would never enjoy using these strings, but as is so often the case, once you get into a gig situation where you're focusing on the band sound they really come into their own. If you play them sympathetically and in the kind of setting where absolutely accurate tone recreation is not an issue, they can really shine in many kinds of music.


Also, the feel is utterly fantastic.
 
#8
Fuzzbass said:
Has any of you done a comparison between Roto TruBass and LaBella Deep Talkin' Bass nylon tapes?
Click to expand...

I have these exact strings on two basses. The 88s are on a Shuker 60/61 style Jazz with Rio RW neck and the Labellas 760N are on a 79 maple P.

Firstly, both strings feel great, I am liking the feel and musicality of the nylon over steel more these days. Both sets are softer sounding than steel. I am looking for warmth so I figured it makes sense to work on the source ie: the bass itself.

IME the Labellas (which are currently only two weeks old) are livelier and brighter and when compared to the 88s, have more of a roundwound sound. The gauge of the 760N set is quite chunky at 060 - 070 - 097 - 115 but this is exactly what I want. I'm finding that these days I like my basses to have 4 bass strings not 2! When I play the G I still want thick warm tone. I love the sound of TIs but the D and G strings don't feel enough like bass strings for me to be totally satisfied with them.

With low action the La Bellas are able to get funky (with muted zing) and I doubt your bandmates would really notice that you have switched to black nylons unless your normal sound is in sizzly Mark King territory.

The 88s are mostly chunkier at 065 - 075 - 90 - 115. They are certainly deeper sounding strings and a little stiffer but not overly so at all - and the stiffness changes relative to playing position of course. Nothing like the Jamerson 1954 gauge La Bellas for instance which are serious tension.

What I find with the 88s (on the E) is they can creak (to call it fret buzz seems wrong somehow). To get a real pure note you need to raise the action to get rid of the acoustic string on fret noise. I generally like quite low action so I'm sensitive to raising action. Maybe it's a set up issue but I come across this every time I put on a set of 88s on any bass and truss rod adjustment seems to makes little difference. It seems to be a quirk of the strings though it's not a big problem.

The 88s are still able to sound nice and groovy with plenty of definition but what you lose in funky sharp snap you gain in rounded thump. Playing nearer the neck yields a lovely big pillow of air on each note. I would echo other comments about them sounding like there is almost a note an octave below as well. The open 'E' is lovely when this happens. Each note feels rich and strong. I would echo the comments made on tuning though - I think they need to wear in before the tuning properly settles.

I like both sets and found that I currently prefer the 88s on a Jazz (if it's good enough for Herbie Flowers etc...) and the 760Ns on a P.

A warning though. Once you get used to nylons, steel rounds feel like coarse sandpaper.
 
#9
I used to use the Rotosound Trubass 88s and played lots of different styles of music with them. I played them on a 57RI Fender P-bass and played in the studio and live with a bunch of different amps and cabs. Best one to be played through by far was the Mesa Boogie 400+

Music sample, albeit poorly recorded and played is here: myspace.com/andrewricemusic

Look into Bunny as thats an example of it recorded. Plenty musical if you ask me.
 
#11
I put a set of Tru-bass on a Squier PB 50's classic, after having dropped a Seymour Duncan Quarterponder in it first. Good lord - it is BRUTAL!! Like taking off in a plane your ears pop (maybe eyes too hehe:-) and everything SHAKES! I don't know if I can handle the TruBass strings, or maybe switch back to Fender steels, which I like on almost any bass these days.
 

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