La Bella black nylon tape wounds

[MisticoRitualista]

Peace, fellow lords of the low end,

I recently upgraded the pickups & pots on my fretless p bass & decided to replace the strings as well.

The bass was originally strung with D'addario tape wound strings & I greatly enjoyed their feel & sound & actually had a backup set ready & waiting but decided to give the La Bella black tape wound strings a try based on reviews Ive read here & elsewhere.

The La Bellas feel excellent but are extremely bright & have an almost springy sound that Im not very fond of... will they mellow out at some point?

The D'addarios had me in the proximity of an upright bass but the La Bellas have taken me much further from that tone & Im debating pulling them off & replacing them with the other pack of D'addarios I have sitting around.

Am I crazy? Should I give it some time? Will their sound smooth out in a few weeks?

I was really excited to try them but they're not what I was expecting. Granted, Im not very acquainted to the sound of new strings & only replace them if they break. I mainly play a fretted jazz so this is my first time replacing tape wound strings on a fretless.

 

[Aloe]

I admit, I played both tapes only on an ABG with piezo and recall they sounded a bit differently. this was a long time ago, but yeah, I also recall D'Addarios to be more bassy and tight, while La Bellas were more complex in mids.

I don't recall tapes becoming significantly darker with use. starting to intonate badly? yes. unwinding? yes. rust? yeah, I had it as well, after some years. but I don't recall a tonal difference like that happens when broken in flats mellow or old rounds lose their spark. I recall changing old tapes for new and not tweaking my EQ.

if you got a pack of D'Addarios, put them on.

 

[Just Wrong]

IME, tapes don’t change in tone with time like rounds and flats. The La Bellas do sound brighter than the D’Addarios. If you want darker than the D’Addarios, try the Pyramids.

 

[MisticoRitualista]

IME, tapes don’t change in tone with time like rounds and flats. The La Bellas do sound brighter than the D’Addarios. If you want darker than the D’Addarios, try the Pyramids.

Thanks, Ill give the Pyramids a try

 

[Just Wrong]

Thanks, Ill give the Pyramids a try

The Pyramids are my favourite, but keep in mind they come in a heavier gauge — 55-112. I didn’t have to file my bass’s nut, but YMMV. You can custom order a lighter set directly from Pyramid, though.

 

[ajkula66]

Pyramids are definitely darker than D'Addarios...so if that's what you're looking for, give them a try.

Good luck.