Labella Black Nylong Tapewound vs TI Flats

[Mitchthebassplayer]

I've been using GHS tapewounds on my P and J. I can't tell you how much I like them. I can make them sound like anything. They're surprisingly bright, so they can actually sound pretty close to a steel round wound but feel like a flatwound- check out Bobby Vega on bassplayer.tv.

Are you sure he's using GHS tapewounds and not Labellas? Since they jacked the video, I've been looking for info on what type of tapewounds bobby's was using and all I could find was a picture of all his basses where you can jusssstttt make out the purple silk around the tuners which would make them Labellas....GHS tapewounds have the red silk around the ends....

and based on peoples experience on here with the Labellas, it would seem they're pretty mellow flatwound-like strings....so how could bobby be getting that kind of larry graham-like slap tone and his famous punchy pick tone out of that j bass?

 

[kenfxj]

I can't really pick between the two. I've got Thomastiks on one bass and LaBella tapewounds on the other.

Same.

 

[kingmacaw]

yes for T-I jazz flats - i can get the upright sound i love from my fretless & that rock sound from my fretted electric basses. maybe a tapewound would be best if i only cared for the upright sound but i don't think that would be the case for pure rock.

 

[One Drop]

Are you sure he's using GHS tapewounds and not Labellas? Since they jacked the video, I've been looking for info on what type of tapewounds bobby's was using and all I could find was a picture of all his basses where you can jusssstttt make out the purple silk around the tuners which would make them Labellas....GHS tapewounds have the red silk around the ends....

and based on peoples experience on here with the Labellas, it would seem they're pretty mellow flatwound-like strings....so how could bobby be getting that kind of larry graham-like slap tone and his famous punchy pick tone out of that j bass?

Labella tapes have a quick decay due to the tape but are actually quite bright. Listen to Entwistle on 'My Generation' or Graham Maby on Joe Jackson's early LPs to hear how they record picked, lots of top end.

I believe Larry Graham used LaBella tapes for all those iconic slapped lines with Sly and Graham Central Station.

 

[Big Dumb]

TI's,

They aren't expensive if they last just about forever and keep getting better. What's $25 bucks over a year? (yeah I know its $25)

I miss 2009

 

[e-flat]

I love TIs and like the La Bella tapes I’ve found, but I voted “other” and would recommend trying Pyramid Black Tapewounds. After trying most strings under the sun, I feel like Pyramid tapes are the “woodiest” sounding strings available. They maintain the focus in the note fundamental of a round wound string, but all of the annoying twang and harmonic content is gone. Papery / powdery string feel, woody & organic. I love them

 

[zcwilkes]

I have a bass with Ti Jazz Flats and a bass with Labella Tapewounds. The tapewounds were brighter than I expected and the Jazz Flats are as close to a double bass strings as you're going to get. (I have spirocores on my double bass). Both sets fell amazing.

I think both are great strings and either will get you close enough versus rounds.

 

[Killing Floor]

 

[GIBrat51]

Well...
I was going to recommend Roto TruBass88 Tapes (which I use on the 2 basses I try to do that upright bass thing with); but the OP very quickly opted for the La Bella Tapes. And, it is a zombie thread, as well. But, I suppose it does fall into the "How to sound like an upright bass" swamp, so...
Yes, IME the tape wounds would work better than flats - unless you used a serious foam mute at the bridge. But, no; TIJF's are not the flats to use. Far too midrange-y and modern; I love them to death on the Alembic Epic that I play Jazz with, but no; IME with them on that bass? They don't sound much like an upright bass at all...
I have used the La Bella Black Tapes - on a Carvin LB-20. But, it was set up BEAD, and were never really intended to fake an upright tone. And, as I remember? Yeah, it was plenty thumpy - but not "woody", which is a vital part of an upright tone, IMO. But there wasn't much sustain, which would be a good thing in that application...
I've had the best results trying to fake an upright, with two basses; and both of them wear Roto TruBass88 Tape wounds. These strings were intended from the git-go to mimic an upright bass; hence the "Tru(e) Bass" name. I have these on a '90s MIK Rogue VB-100 violin bass, for several reasons not having to do with faking an upright. Nevertheless, if I do my job by using the right technique? It does, indeed, sound quite a bit like an upright. Thumpy; very woody; quick decay; the whole thing. But, I don't try that trick a lot; mostly, being a lefty, I tend to play a lot of Beatles tunes with it... The other bass that wears these strings?
It's a 32" scale, Canadian-made '93 Fury Anthem lined fretless. All these basses (and guitars) are hand made, custom instruments; made by one man - who made everything but the knobs and tuners - by himself; in his basement. Mine, it turns out, was made specifically to wear tape wounds, and to sound as much like an upright bass as an electric bass guitar possibly can. I did try a set of TI Jazz Flats on it initially; the results were... well, I'll just say I never, ever want to hear noises like that again. But, with the medium scale Roto 88s? It does, indeed, sound so much like an upright bass that it's... kind of scary.
However; if someone wanted to do the upright thing with a P-Bass? I'd say;
- Roto TruBass88 Tapes, or
- La Bella 760FL's, and a foam mute at the bridge; and
- Play it like an upright.
It won't sound exactly like an upright, but it'll be "good enough for guv'mint work"...