• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Is there such a thing as warm, clear round Wound?

Quite a few of the nickel rounds would give the warm sound if you roll off the tone knob to taste. They also sound warmer once broken in. I personally like ken smith compression rounds, roto nickels and Fodera nickels. If you're looking for old school mellow sound try using a foam mute as well.

I realize you specifically mentioned you want rounds, but there are also some nice flatwounds that have a certain round wound character. Check out chromes and cobalts. The chromes will have more high end than the cobalts.

Hope this helps.
 
Would the white Bronze tape wounds be a option for those that have tried them?

The LaBella Copper White Nylons are my current goto for warmth with interesting mids and not too much brightness. They're the warmest of LaBella's white nylon series, with the golds and the standards being the next up in order of brightness. I've used the copper-whites on a Fender PBass and an active Squier VM Jag Special to good effect.

FWIW these are the first nylon wrapped strings I can actually say I like. And I've tried everything that's out there I could get my hands on over the years. So I'd just about given up on nylons until these came along.

They're also a little different from most tapewound strings in that the wrap feels more like a piece of clear tubing rather than a wrapped ribbon. They're very smooth without being sticky. They have a unique dry feel to them most players seem to like. But not everyone does so take that into consideration. I personally think their feel is superior to that of the more usual black nylon tapewound feel. YMMV.
 
Last edited:
I didn't say this very succinctly before, but I've said in other posts that T-I Jazz Flats are hands down the best strings I've ever used. They have clarity and detail without a hint of brightness. Their low end is solid and tight. Yes - they cost a lot, but they last for years, making them a better value than other strings that cost less but die quickly.
 
Another one for DR Sunbeams. I did just put a new set of Ken Smith Compressors on my Ovation Magnum and they sound phenomenal. They do have this zingy-ness to them that kind of sits on top of the rest of the tone, if that makes sense. I dont like it too much so I'm waiting for that to die down. Other than that they sound straight up creamy