D Standard Club (DGCF)

[MrAB4003]

anybody using labella tape wound flats on a 34" ..just wondering what gauge might work in terms of not too floppy ..not too tight?

I used to have the White and Gold White Tapes on my Rics (33.25" scale) and they were way too floppy in D Standard. One day, I was recording a song with one of my Rics that had the Gold Whites on at the time. I played the isolated bass track back and the whole thing was fluctuating out of tune, especially when I bent my strings (which I do often)! So I had to redo the bass line once I changed strings to something more tense.

I can't recommend the La Bella tapes of any variety unless you want to stay in standard tuning. The listed tension is higher than it seems because of the nylon wrapped around the strings. For example, the highest string is a 50 gauge in the light sets, but it's really a 35 gauge string under the nylon. There's not enough tension tuned to F2 (the highest string in D Standard tuning).

I switched to medium gauge (50-105) D'Addario Chromes and they're much better for D Standard tuning. You might like light gauge (45-100) Chromes more if you like a lighter tension.

 

[Wibble666]

I used to have the White and Gold White Tapes on my Rics (33.25" scale) and they were way too floppy in D Standard. One day, I was recording a song with one of my Rics that had the Gold Whites on at the time. I played the isolated bass track back and the whole thing was fluctuating out of tune, especially when I bent my strings (which I do often)! So I had to redo the bass line once I changed strings to something more tense.

I can't recommend the La Bella tapes of any variety unless you want to stay in standard tuning. The listed tension is higher than it seems because of the nylon wrapped around the strings. For example, the highest string is a 50 gauge in the light sets, but it's really a 35 gauge string under the nylon. There's not enough tension tuned to F2 (the highest string in D Standard tuning).

I switched to medium gauge (50-105) D'Addario Chromes and they're much better for D Standard tuning. You might like light gauge (45-100) Chromes more if you like a lighter tension.

thanks for heads up on the standard set, i'm wondering what might happen with the five string set ... super tight presumably? i have got other basses on a d standard but i really want to see if i can do it with labella tape wounds on a particular fretless that i have.

 

[MrAB4003]

thanks for heads up on the standard set, i'm wondering what might happen with the five string set ... super tight presumably?

You're so welcome! I'm honestly not sure about tuning 5 string La Bella tapes up to D1-G1-C2-F2-A#2. I've wanted to experiment with that, but I don't have any 5 string basses. Perhaps resident string tension expert @Prodigus Filius would know?

 

[Wibble666]

You're so welcome! I'm honestly not sure about tuning 5 string La Bella tapes up to D1-G1-C2-F2-A#2. I've wanted to experiment with that, but I don't have any 5 string basses. Perhaps resident string tension expert @Prodigus Filius would know?

yeah ...i will give it a whirl

 

[Prodigus Filius]

You're so welcome! I'm honestly not sure about tuning 5 string La Bella tapes up to D1-G1-C2-F2-A#2. I've wanted to experiment with that, but I don't have any 5 string basses. Perhaps resident string tension expert @Prodigus Filius would know?

I'm flattered by the mention, but I can think of others more in the know than yours truly.
Be that as it may, La Bella don't publish tension data for their tapewounds as far as I know. It’s been suggested by member iiipopes that the rounds underlying the La Bella tapes are similar in tension to D’addario rounds and mentions 60-115 tapes being comparable to the D’addario Rounds ( i assume nickel rounds) 60-100 set. See post #5 https://www.talkbass.com/threads/la-bella-tapewound-tension-question.1235354/
If this is the case than La Bella 5 string set 760N-B for example with gauges 60 70 94 115 135 would have tensions similar to XL nickels 40 60 80 100 120 with tensions extrapolated to DGCFBb tuning
thus

La Bella Black Nylon tapewounds Gauges 60 70 94 115 135

D1/39.04lbf
G1/49.07lbf
C2/56.70lbf
F2/57.84lbf
Bb2/45.82lbf

TT = 248.47lbf

I have personally tuned Roto88’s 75 100 115 135 up from BEAD to DGCF and lived to tell the tale. Nothing snapped in half. Tense for sure though on the two highest strings. I reckon the Roto 88 135 makes a much better D than B at any rate.At least on the bass it was on

 

[Wibble666]

one interesting fact is that the labella gauge on black tapes for their shortscale set is surprisingly identical to their long scale ... admittedly there have been complaints of this set being a bit floppy which would make sense, i was hoping that the labella short scale set would be a bit heavier and give some indication of what d standard should be since shortscale e and long scale d are inextricably linked.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

Tuning the La Bella 135 up from B0 to D1 makes it a little more tense than if the underlying gauge was a 110 (which would make the tension of D1 at 30” scale not far off E1 at longscale with a 110 gauge) instead of a probable 120. But only 5lb more or so.

 

[Wibble666]

Tuning the La Bella 135 up from B0 to D1 makes it a little more tense than if the underlying gauge was a 110 (which would make the tension of D1 at 30" scale not far off E1 at longscale with a 110 gauge) instead of a probable 120. But only 5lb more or so.

are you saying that it might be worth giving the 5 string set a shot?

 

[Prodigus Filius]

are you saying that it might be worth giving the 5 string set a shot?

On a 5 stringer? Or just buying the 5 string set to be able to use the B 135 for D on a 4 stringer?

 

[Wibble666]

On a 5 stringer? Or just buying the 5 string set to be able to use the B 135 for D on a 4 stringer?

second option ...throw away the top string on a five set, just use 4

 

[Prodigus Filius]

You really would have to live with high tension on some of the strings as highlighted in previous post with La Bella tapes. If you tuned the La Bella 60 down to F2 it would be pretty low tension.
One aspect of the Roto88 tapewounda is that you could take the 5 string set, set aside the 115 E string and use the gauges 65 75 100 135 for DGCF and have tensions thus

D1/.135/42.92lbf
G1/.100/37.35lbf
C2/.075/34.79lbf
F2/.065/41.05lbf

By comparison. If the La Bella 60 gauge is indeed comparable in tension to a D'addario nickel round 40 gauge, the tension at F2 would be very low tension at only 25 or so lbf.

 

[el murdoque]

I'm a flatwound player and my 80's metal band decided to go to D standard. I had Chromes on my P bass (.100) which felt a lot like TI flats after tuning them to D. I did play it like that for a long while, but realized that I was struggling with the faster songs, the lack of tension made it harder for me to pluck fast enough, so I decided to up the gauge. The heaviest Chromes I could find were .105 and I was not sure if that step is enough, so I looked around what else is available on the flats market. I found two sets, the Rotosound Steve Harris SH-77 which are .110 and the LaBella Jamersons which are also .110.
The LaBella flats were known to me, I had the regular gauge on two basses before, but while these mellowed out nicely, I feared that they might get too dark and thumpy for 80's metal (where using flats is a stretch anyway), so I decided to go with the unknown and try a set of Rotos.

When I put these on, my truss rod needed a 3/4 turn to accommodate the tension, but I did not have to touch the bridge, the intonation was spot on.
From two weeks of playing I can report that the surface of the strings still feels a bit rougher than I'm used to. The D string was smoother than the rest right out of the box and I suppose that they all will smooth out eventually. The sound is just starting to get there, with some of the harsh metallic clank fading a bit already, but the feel of the strings is so much more lively! Hammer ons and pull offs are a pleasure now, my fingers feel like jumping on a trampoline and the response is super lively and loud. The plucking hand is equally happy, those strings can be played with much less force and there is a lot less contact time when the finger passes, so my licks got faster straight from the bat.

I remember practicing stuff at home, getting frustrated with my speed and then changing basses to one that is in E standard just to see that I'm able to play that same lick in the required speed with little to no effort. That's a thing of the past now. I can't imagine why anyone would put these strings on a bass to play in E standard. My P-Basses truss rod is nearly maxed out to hold them in D, and I suppose I'd need to shim the neck for any more tension, but I'd really not want to.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

It’s remarkable that even tuned down to DGCF, the Roto Jazz flat 50 75 95 110 still have around 200lb of pull.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

second option ...throw away the top string on a five set, just use 4

This is what you are getting yourself into he he . If the La Bella/ D'addario round comparison is ballpark territory

D1/.135/39.04lbf
G1/.115/49.07lbf
C2/.094/56.70lbf
F2/.070/57.84lbf

TT = 202.25lbf

See my post above this one about the Roto Jazz Flats being in the heavyweight division 200+

 

[HaphAsSard]

second option ...throw away the top string on a five set, just use 4

This is what you are getting yourself into he he . If the La Bella/ D'addario round comparison is ballpark territory

D1/.135/39.04lbf
G1/.115/49.07lbf
C2/.094/56.70lbf
F2/.070/57.84lbf

TT = 202.25lbf

See my post above this one about the Roto Jazz Flats being in the heavyweight division 200+

In this case (uptuning to D standard, tossing the G), I would think getting the 5-string black nylon tapewound *light* set (which I personally would avoid unless on an extra-long scale instrument) would make sense. The B (2-b tuned 2 D) is the same as the standard set, and the other strings should be better-balanced with the former.
La Bella 750N-B tapes:

La Bella 750N-B Black Nylon L

String Set For 5-string Electric Bass Tension: Light tension, String gauges: .050, .065, .085, .105, .135, Long scale, Material: Nylon on steel core, Nylon tape wound, Black nylon tape winding with extra smooth surface, Packaged in a modified...

www.thomann.co.uk

 

[Prodigus Filius]

In this case (uptuning to D standard, tossing the G), I would think getting the 5-string black nylon tapewound *light* set (which I personally would avoid unless on an extra-long scale instrument) would make sense. The B (2-b tuned 2 D) is the same as the standard set, and the other strings should be better-balanced with the former.
La Bella 750N-B tapes:

La Bella 750N-B Black Nylon L

String Set For 5-string Electric Bass Tension: Light tension, String gauges: .050, .065, .085, .105, .135, Long scale, Material: Nylon on steel core, Nylon tape wound, Black nylon tape winding with extra smooth surface, Packaged in a modified...

www.thomann.co.uk

Ah yes you right. Def loosen up C and F in particular usng 750N-B set instead of 760N-B.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

I notice iiipopes disection report of White Nylons here https://www.talkbass.com/threads/highest-tension-tapewounds.1462450/ gives the underlying gauges for the 43 60 70 94 115 135 strings as 26 43 56 74 95 118 . So the tensions based on closest gauged comparable D'addario rounds for the 4 thickest strings would now be

D1/.135/39.04lbf
G1/.115/44.83lbf
C2/.094/50.06lbf
F2/.070/49.07lbf

TT = 184lbf

I guess the Black Nylons would be similar. Not bad tensions if you like thicker overall strings for GCF than using the lighter 65 85 105 and considerably less for C and F based on using the tensions for 60 and 80 gauge D'addarios as I originally posted.

 

[MrAB4003]

I'm a flatwound player and my 80's metal band decided to go to D standard. I had Chromes on my P bass (.100) which felt a lot like TI flats after tuning them to D. I did play it like that for a long while, but realized that I was struggling with the faster songs, the lack of tension made it harder for me to pluck fast enough, so I decided to up the gauge. The heaviest Chromes I could find were .105 and I was not sure if that step is enough, so I looked around what else is available on the flats market. I found two sets, the Rotosound Steve Harris SH-77 which are .110 and the LaBella Jamersons which are also .110.
The LaBella flats were known to me, I had the regular gauge on two basses before, but while these mellowed out nicely, I feared that they might get too dark and thumpy for 80's metal (where using flats is a stretch anyway), so I decided to go with the unknown and try a set of Rotos.

When I put these on, my truss rod needed a 3/4 turn to accommodate the tension, but I did not have to touch the bridge, the intonation was spot on.
From two weeks of playing I can report that the surface of the strings still feels a bit rougher than I'm used to. The D string was smoother than the rest right out of the box and I suppose that they all will smooth out eventually. The sound is just starting to get there, with some of the harsh metallic clank fading a bit already, but the feel of the strings is so much more lively! Hammer ons and pull offs are a pleasure now, my fingers feel like jumping on a trampoline and the response is super lively and loud. The plucking hand is equally happy, those strings can be played with much less force and there is a lot less contact time when the finger passes, so my licks got faster straight from the bat.

I remember practicing stuff at home, getting frustrated with my speed and then changing basses to one that is in E standard just to see that I'm able to play that same lick in the required speed with little to no effort. That's a thing of the past now. I can't imagine why anyone would put these strings on a bass to play in E standard. My P-Basses truss rod is nearly maxed out to hold them in D, and I suppose I'd need to shim the neck for any more tension, but I'd really not want to.

Glad you like the Rotosound 77s. While the 77s are the best strings they make, I've had multiple bad experiences with the 66s and 55s and that made me switch to D'Addario after 12 years of loyalty! I've never tried the 88s, but some of us in the D Standard Club seem to love them.

The heavier strings will help you play faster and with less force than with lighter strings. Perhaps that's part of how Steve Harris can play so fast. He's an influence on my playing and note choices, but I just can't play the same strings (or basses) as him. I will never know how he plays strings that tense on his bass night after night in standard tuning.

 

[Wibble666]

i'm watching this thread btw ..don't think i'm not ..appreciated.

 

[el murdoque]

Glad you like the Rotosound 77s. While the 77s are the best strings they make, I've had multiple bad experiences with the 66s and 55s and that made me switch to D'Addario after 12 years of loyalty! I've never tried the 88s, but some of us in the D Standard Club seem to love them.

The heavier strings will help you play faster and with less force than with lighter strings. Perhaps that's part of how Steve Harris can play so fast. He's an influence on my playing and note choices, but I just can't play the same strings (or basses) as him. I will never know how he plays strings that tense on his bass night after night in standard tuning.

I really feel like I'm stressing my P bass with those bridge cables in D tuning and I certainly have zero desire to tune it up a full step. Mr. Harris certainly is a beast!