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Need educated about tapewound strings

#21
D Bopp said:
If your pickups have any kind of grounding buzz, you won't be able to stop the buzzing by putting your hands on the strings since you won't be touching metal. I learned that the hard way.
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This^^^

I had to abandon use of my favorite sets (Roto, Labella) for this reason on my Classic 50's. My American Standard had better shielding, but the problem was still there. Supposedly, D'Addario tapes are one of the few brands that don't have this issue, but I can't stand D'Addario, so no coated or tapes for me.

Here's what Roger Sadowky has to say on coated strings, the same applies to tapes:
Link Removed
 
#22
I have tried several different brands. I think You either love Tapes or hate 'em. I personally can't stand tapewounds. They give me an annoying "clicking" sound that does NOT equate to a usable growl. It may be due to my particular picking style but I will stick to TI Flats and Rotosound 77's.
 
#23
petrus61 said:
This^^^

I had to abandon use of my favorite sets (Roto, Labella) for this reason on my Classic 50's. My American Standard had better shielding, but the problem was still there. Supposedly, D'Addario tapes are one of the few brands that don't have this issue, but I can't stand D'Addario, so no coated or tapes for me.

Here's what Roger Sadowky has to say on coated strings, the same applies to tapes:
Link Removed
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Your classic 50's P buzzed with tapewounds? If yours did, I have no reason to think mine won't. That sucks.
 
#25
Gorn said:
Your classic 50's P buzzed with tapewounds? If yours did, I have no reason to think mine won't. That sucks.
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Unfortunately, that is the case. There really should be a disclaimer on these types of strings so people can be aware. My American Std P is the quietest bass I've owned, but I used Black Beauties for a little while and it buzzed like crazy. The same deal with tapes. You can email Justin at BSO and see if he has any alternative sets that don't have this issue, but I don't think there are many out there.

The problem is that the nylon strings disrupt the electrical continuity that your hands would provide. On the Classic 50's, the cavity doesn't have conductive paint so the noise might be more prominent. You can shield it with copper tape to reduce the noise if you really like the tapes, but I don't think it will be a huge improvement since my US had the same issue.
 
#26
petrus61 said:
Unfortunately, that is the case. There really should be a disclaimer on these types of strings so people can be aware. My American Std P is the quietest bass I've owned, but I used Black Beauties for a little while and it buzzed like crazy. The same deal with tapes. You can email Justin at BSO and see if he has any alternative sets that don't have this issue, but I don't think there are many out there.

The problem is that the nylon strings disrupt the electrical continuity that your hands would provide. On the Classic 50's, the cavity doesn't have conductive paint so the noise might be more prominent. You can shield it with copper tape to reduce the noise if you really like the tapes, but I don't think it will be a huge improvement since my US had the same issue.
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I knew coated strings and tapewound strings having grounding issues, but I mistakenly assumed it was just a jazz bass issue.
 
#27
There's only a couple of brands of tape wounds that will fit into a standard cut nut. GHS is one of them.

Keep in mind that with tape wound strings, the player is not grounded to the strings because of the coating on the strings and there can be grounding hum. Example, I have a Fender P with black tape wounds and I can hear some faint hum, it goes away when I touch the chrome knobs or the bridge plate.
 
#29
As far as what is under the tape wrap, has everybody forgotten that Jason has a tech article at bassstringonline.com : Rotos, Fenders, D'Addarios and La Bellas are roundwound, possibly stainless, under the tape; GHS are groundwounds.

Grounding, noise and hum: yes, you lose the bridge to string to body ground unless your pickup cover where you anchor your thumb has a metal cover that is grounded. It is not a shielding issue; it is a fundamental grounding through the body issue that is part of all conventional passive instruments.

I play outdoor gigs, so I went ahead and changed my bass out for EMG active soapbars, since they are not connected to the bridge, anyway. Zero hum; zero noise.
 
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#30
Hmmm.... so would there be hum with Seymour Duncan Ant IIs through an active preamp (Aggy OBP-2)? I don't get much in the way of hum when I'm going into my Demeter, but through my 3Leaf Enabler it's terrible if my hands aren't on the bass.
 
#31
Marial said:
Hmmm.... so would there be hum with Seymour Duncan Ant IIs through an active preamp (Aggy OBP-2)? I don't get much in the way of hum when I'm going into my Demeter, but through my 3Leaf Enabler it's terrible if my hands aren't on the bass.
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Whether or not there would be hum would depend on the design parameters of the preamp and how it is grounded. I would say that if the preamp uses conventional pickups, that means there is probably still a bridge ground, so there is a greater probability of getting hum.
 
#33
iiipopes said:
Grounding, noise and hum: yes, you lose the bridge to string to body ground unless your pickup cover where you anchor your thumb has a metal cover that is grounded. It is not a shielding issue; it is a fundamental grounding through the body issue that is part of all conventional passive instruments.
I play outdoor gigs, so I went ahead and changed my bass out for EMG active soapbars, since they are not connected to the bridge, anyway. Zero hum; zero noise.
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I hadn't thought of that ... maybe another reason my fretless jazz w/ tapes is nice n quiet: noiseless Aguilar p'ups and I use the cover over the neck pu as a thumb rest.
OP said he's playing with a pick though so I don't think that would help.
 
#35
petrus61 said:
Supposedly, D'Addario tapes are one of the few brands that don't have this issue, but I can't stand D'Addario, so no coated or tapes for me.

Here's what Roger Sadowky has to say on coated strings, the same applies to tapes:
Link Removed
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No, not the tapes. What Roger was referring to were the EXP coated strings, that either the EXP coating was conductive, or there is enough capacitance from the coating being so thin that you still get an effective electrical connection between the body and the instrument.
 
#37
It's really not that difficult: plug in your bass, into the amp you are going to use, preferably in the place you're going to use it, and take both your hands off the strings (or any other metal object on your bass), and that's the amount of hum you will get with insulated strings such as tapewounds.

Tapewounds don't add any more hum, you just won't be able to get rid of any by grounding yourself through the strings.

-Alex
 
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#39
...or you could simply provide an alternative electrical path from you to the ground. For example, wear one of these and clip it to your bridge or the metal part of your cord jack, or install a wire on your jack plate, etc. The "OMIGOD THESE STRINGS SHOULD COME WITH A WARNING!!" seems a bit overly hysterical to me. Many guitar players use coated strings, many guitars have no string to ground path.


Antistatic_wrist_strap.jpg
 
#40
twoByFour said:
...or you could simply provide an alternative electrical path from you to the ground. For example, wear one of these and clip it to your bridge or the metal part of your cord jack, or install a wire on your jack plate, etc. The "OMIGOD THESE STRINGS SHOULD COME WITH A WARNING!!" seems a bit overly hysterical to me. Many guitar players use coated strings, many guitars have no string to ground path.


View attachment 499060
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Wearing one of those seems more hysterical.
 
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