colored strings ... with color that lasts

[Major_Rager_4MF]

I tried DR black beauties. sound fine, but the black didn't last very long. any advice? thanks

 

[tb-player]

Tapewounds

 

[J Posega]

All color coated strings are basically the same. As the previous poster said, tapewounds are the only black strings that are going to stay black because it's a wrap of nylon tape, not a coating of black... something.

 

[BrentSimons]

I had good luck with Aurora Strings? Lots of colors to choose from.
Aurora Premium Medium Bass Strings 45-105, 45 | 65 | 85 | 105

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I guess a string brand uses the same type of paint for every color so they'll all fade at about the same rate, but some colors might show it more or less. Different string brands may be using different types of paint, so IMHO the OP's question should be: "which brand of strings has the longest lasting colors?".

 

[Major_Rager_4MF]

Tapewounds

lol yes, tapes last forever. i meant roundwounds, they have the lasting issue

 

[Killing Floor]

The coatings wear off.

 

[johndb]

Call me an old fart (just turned 58), but I believe that colored strings look bad on most basses, making them look like department store toys or Guitar Hero controllers. Black might be the exception, and 24K Maxima Gold look extremely fancy and last a long time. Just my opinion, which means nothing if you actually love them.

 

[HaphAsSard]

lol yes, tapes last forever. i meant roundwounds, they have the lasting issue

All tapewounds (except the GHS) are roundwounds underneath, and some compare favourably to broken in rounds tonewise. If you're interested, look into La Bella White Nylon tapes, or Fender black nylon tapes.

 

[ctmullins]

The original DR Black Beauties would flake off after a while. Had some, observed it myself.

They apparently re-formulated their coating approach, and now the coating is more robust. I have a fairly new set installed currently, with a moderate amount of play time, and they are still intact.