First use of tapewound strings

[Marc PG]

Anyone knows the first bassist to use tapewound strings on the electric bass?

Thanks a lot!

 

[JRT64]

The first one I ever saw was McCartney on the Apple rooftop with the Beatles. There might have been others before him, but I don't recall hearing of any.

 

[JimmyM]

Larry Graham used them on early Sly stuff.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Anyone knows the first bassist to use tapewound strings on the electric bass?

Thanks a lot!

The answer is: players of basses made by Burns of London starting from 1962.

NOS Burns London Vista-Sonic Black Nylon Tapewounds
Each individual string envelope reads: "Exclusively manufactured by James How and Company"; in other words, the same folks behind the marques "Top Strings", "RoTop" and finally "Rotosound".

According to the USA Roto website, regarding their 88 Tru Bass black nylon tapewounds, they are a
"string that was specifically designed by James How for Jim Burns's famous Black Bison in 1962."
The UK site* expands upon that quote:
"Specifically designed and patented in 1962 to emulate the mellow sound of an upright bass using flatwound black nylon ribbon, our Tru Bass strings have been embraced by players of all styles.
Originally conceived by James How to be fitted to the Burns Black Bison bass (...)"

So the Black Bison would be the first model to sport them; as hinted at by the name on the packet from the above link, as well as here
Project Vista Sonic (rut row, JIO's at it again!)
at least another Burns model, the Vista-Sonic Bass, also sported "NYLON TAPEWOUND on steel strings."
I haven't been able to find any mention of it but, IF the 1964 Shadows Bass, the matching model to the guitar designed for Hank Marvin of the eponymous band, also sported tapes, then their bassist at the time, John Rostill, may have been the first high-profile player to use them.
[However, ain't necessarily so: James How &Co also made metal flatwounds for Burns, called "Bass-O-Matic".
Vintage Burns London, Bison Range, Scale 30 Bass Strings, Rare. | eBay
Don't be swayed by the use of the word "tapewound": at least in the UK, metal flats were consistently 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
It is the mention of "nylon" that guarantees the Vista-Sonic set in the first link are tapewounds in the modern sense of the word.]

People from the Burns Owners Club may know more about earlier adopters:
Burns Owners Club


*
[Before the recent website revamping, a picture chronology band at the top of every product page recited
"1966: James How Pioneers the Tru Bass black nylon bass string"
This discrepancy in dates possibly means that by 1966 the Rotosound brand was more established, probably also thanks to the John Entwistle endorsement, and/or the Burns deal had been terminated following their acquisition by Baldwin.
At that point, James How started selling his black nylons under the Rotosound house brand, with the "Tru Bass" product name.
(The "88" part came later, after "66" had been added to the "Swing Bass", Entwistle-endorsed stainless steel roundwounds, and "77" to the "Jazz Bass" monel flatwounds.)

In the same year, Fender (now owned by CBS after Baldwin had unsuccessfully tried to acquire them before they did Burns) started offering bass (product no. 2200) and guitar (2100) "nylon tape wound" strings in their 1966 catalogue. La Bella, GHS and I think Guild also followed suit at some point.]