There are plenty of videos on YouTube showcasing tapewounds with minimal backing tracks, but is anyone aware of recordings done with tapewounds and/or bass players who use tapewounds regularly?
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Any famous bass players use tapes?
- Thread starter JazzyJacuzzi
- Start date
Paul McCartney, Let it Be, Abbey Road. Check out the Get Back documentary.
Graham Maby, the first two Joe Jackson Albums.
Graham Maby, the first two Joe Jackson Albums.
Chris Brubeck….and ……Me!
One of whom is pretty famous…..I'm just a legend in my own mind…
I do love Labella Copper White Tapewounds on these 2 extremely different sounding basses.
I used the Rickenbacker to record Monogroove's album "Into the Sun".
You can sample it here if you like.
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One of whom is pretty famous…..I'm just a legend in my own mind…
I do love Labella Copper White Tapewounds on these 2 extremely different sounding basses.
I used the Rickenbacker to record Monogroove's album "Into the Sun".
You can sample it here if you like.
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Herbie Flowers
David Bowie/Lou Reed early 1970's
David Bowie/Lou Reed early 1970's
I think Larry Graham used them back in the day. Bobby Vega uses them from time to time.
Depending on your opinion of famous, Bubby Lewis uses them 90% of the time.
Depending on your opinion of famous, Bubby Lewis uses them 90% of the time.
Chris Brubeck….and ……Me!
One of whom is pretty famous…..I'm just a legend in my own mind…
I do love Labella Copper White Tapewounds on these 2 extremely different sounding basses.
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I used the Rickenbacker to record Monogroove's album "Into the Sun".
You can sample it here if you like.
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The website doesn't work all that well on my end, but "What I See in You" is the Rick with tapes? Great music btw!
I didn't know about Lewis. Damn. What a player. Would he be using tapes in this performance?
Thanks!
Yes, I used the Rick Cheyenne with the Copper White tapes on every track.
They are very different in both sound and feel to classic black Tapewounds.
Yes. Those in that particular video are the LaBella White Nylon tapes. There are a couple of performances he did at the Japan Boss/Roland factory that are really good. His Instagram also has a lot of playing.
What's the difference between white, copper white and black? In terms of brightness: white > copper white > black?
Also, why is La Bella's standard set 115 and the light set 105?
Sorry, I've never tried nylon strings before and am interested!
Also, why is La Bella's standard set 115 and the light set 105?
Sorry, I've never tried nylon strings before and am interested!
Thanks!
Yes, I used the Rick Cheyenne with the Copper White tapes on every track.
They are very different in both sound and feel to classic black Tapewounds.
The regular White nylons (stainless steel round under clear nylon) are the brightest, then the Gold White Nylons ( proprietary golden alloy top wrap over steel core under clear nylon), then the Copper White Nylons (Copper wrap over steel core under nylon), then the regular black nylons (steel or nickel round wound under black nylon). There are quite a few recent threads commenting on the qualities of these strings. The .105 is the light set and .115 is the regular. The nylon wrap is .05 thick, so the .115 E is a regular .105 E round wound under the nylon, .105 is a normal .95 E. The black nylon is thicker so their guage is a bit different. The nylon does not contribute to the string tension, so the tension is similar to that of a .105 set. That being said, the gold's still feel like a normal set as they are a little stiffer. The coppers feel like a .100 set, and the regular White Nylons feel like a flexible round core .100 (really flexible and require a tad higher action).
*Edit: I have only played the .115 guage sets for each kind.
*Edit: I have only played the .115 guage sets for each kind.
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As for recordings, Dave Richmond used them on a Bison on that famous (for its bass sound) 'Histoire de Melody Nelson'.
He has a set of signature strings that are produced in small batches and impossible to get. They're really cool looking. He posts about them a lot on his Instagram.
Maybe, maybe not - see here:
Rotosound history: their first stainless steel bass strings?
(As quoted in that ^ post of mine,) John Entwistle once called the La Bella strings he used on the Who's "My Generation" both 'tapewound' and 'flatwound' in the space of three sentences.
The thing is, metal flats were often called 'tapewound' (or alternatively 'ribbonwound') strings back then.
[By way of example, here's a scanned copy of the Jan '62 issue of BMG, the longest running music magazine in the UK (check out the adverts for Cathedral "chromespun" and Monopole "chrome steel tape wound" strings. ROTOP "Goldentape" strings are featured as well):
https://www.classic-banjo.com/index.php?article_id=11&downloadpdf=196201 ]
They still are, occasionally.
[Couple examples: the lone Monel flatwound set for electric guitar that Rotosound make is called "Top Tape"; in the product page of the La Bella made, Gold Tone flatwound set (MBLS) for the GT MicroBass, the strings are described as being "Tape wound metal" but have been confirmed to be normal flats by TB members who bought them.]
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I've only used the light sets, (black,white,copper). Even those required a bit of nut filing to fit.
I typically use rw or flat sets 40/45-100, and the changeover to the light tapewound sets is minimal.
I like all the 3 tape varieties I've tried, but decidedly prefer the copper whites for their hybrid sound that combines a tangy rw top and smooth flatwoundish bottom thump.
Don't know if you're asking me in particular, but I haven't noticed any significant volume drop
using any of the tapewounds.
3 concerns most people voice about tapes are reduced output, filing the nut, and no string ground.
I recently switched over all 3 of my basses to the white nylon Copper tapes , an Ibanez soundgear 6 with Aguilar DCB's, a jazz with custom shop overwound 60's pickups, and a stock Fretless Sire V7 Vintage. None of them have had reduced output, I never filed a single nut on any of them to accommodate the tapes, and none have grounding issues. They feel perfectly smooth to me, I can neither see nor feel the gap between the tape windings like you can with metal flatwounds. Absolutely no string noise. For me anyway. I use the light gauge because I'm a low tension fan. I really enjoy everything about them. I didn't expect such clear highs with as much detail as they have. I like them a lot. I would agree with saying they are a like smoother sounding round.
