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LaBella Tapewounds Surprise

HogieWan

HogieWan

Feb 4, 2008
1,451
4
Lafayette, LA
#1
I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I thought tapewounds were warm and thumpy compared to standard flats. I put some LaBellas on my fretless and they are WAY brighter than the Chromes that came off of it (just a few months old).

I'm considering using the LaBella tapes on my variax bass, but I was curious if the brightness lasts or not.
 
#2
HogieWan said:
I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I thought tapewounds were warm and thumpy compared to standard flats. I put some LaBellas on my fretless and they are WAY brighter than the Chromes that came off of it (just a few months old).

I'm considering using the LaBella tapes on my variax bass, but I was curious if the brightness lasts or not.
Click to expand...
Nylon tapewounds IME sound the same forever. If your variax is a four string, I recommend Fender Nylon Tapewound (not the Nylon Filament tapewound) strings. They're even nicer than the LaBellas. I like both, but prefer the Fenders, which are only manufactured in a four string set.
 
#5
HogieWan said:
I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I thought tapewounds were warm and thumpy compared to standard flats. I put some LaBellas on my fretless and they are WAY brighter than the Chromes that came off of it (just a few months old).

I'm considering using the LaBella tapes on my variax bass, but I was curious if the brightness lasts or not.
Click to expand...
The brightness didn't last for me because I took them off after a week. I thought the same thing you did, and was surprised to find out they're almost as bright as rounds but with a plastic-y sounding top end. Tried to get used to them, but between the ringing and the thickness, I'd just as soon have rounds.
 
#6
JimmyM said:
The brightness didn't last for me because I took them off after a week. I thought the same thing you did, and was surprised to find out they're almost as bright as rounds but with a plastic-y sounding top end. Tried to get used to them, but between the ringing and the thickness, I'd just as soon have rounds.
Click to expand...

I really liked the top end without the zingy sound you get from rounds. I'm not sure I like them on the fretless, so I may just move them over the the variax. The only problem I have is that the low B is only .128 (tapewounds usually running thicker - G is .60)
 
#8
Tapewounds are actually roundwounds with the nylon outer wrap. That's why they sound bright like rounds, but feel like flats.

If you want flats...use flats. IMO Tapewounds are more like Half-Rounds, Groundwounds, Brite Flats and the like.
 
#10
Does anyone have any sound samples of the La Bella or GHS tapewounds? I'd like to hear them before I do anything to my acoustic bass. I ordered a set of each to try, based on recommendations. I'm mostly interested in hearing the La Bellas because the GHS tapes aren't as thick so they'd probably fit in the nut without modification.
 
#11
i put the labella E on my variax and the tone is much more dull than I expected after hearing the string on my fretless, but it makes sense that the tape would affect the tone against a piezo pickup, but not the magnectic field of a mag pickup.

so, theory, i think you would get a much duller acoustic/plugged in sound, but that might be a good thing. Carvin sells these for their acoustic/electric basses (that's where I got them @ $25 for a 5-string set)
 
#14
Greetings from the North,

If you want a few sound samples of LaBella Tapes go to
Link Removed
and click on the Music section. Choose the 'Change Your Ways' album. Give a listen to 'Change Your Ways', 'Bunker' and 'So Many Know'. The whole album was done with LaBella Tapes.

Happy Times,
Rezdog
 
#15
Thanks guys.

I ended up putting them on my acoustic and I really like them. They feel great, look great, and sound very nice. It wasn't what I was expecting, but good nevertheless. I am definitely pleased with the strings.

I listened to Change Your Ways. That is a catchy song. The bass sounds awesome, too. I'm going to give some of the other tracks a listen.
 
#17
What about using tape wounds on a A/E bass and sound loss unplugged? Alot of the time I need to play with acoustic guitars and while I know that I will always be drowned out I still don't want to lose much more volume if we're just sitting around playing without amps. I have heard the Fender Tape Wounds are good to try (and the price is right at 19.99!) as an experiment. I really don't like the phosphor factory strings the bass came with and want to find a good tone but just wonder how much volume is lost. Also do they only come in black? Not a big deal to me at all, just wondering.

I'm still a relatively new bass player and still figuring out the hardware choices and this forum has been great, thanks!
 

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