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Need educated about tapewound strings

#41
Oh, and I have some LaBella tapewounds on a fretless twin-P Vantage. Can't see myself taking them off anytime soon. It has become my current favourite.

And don't forget the Fender tapewounds if you want a softer feeling string. Good mids, too.

-Alex
 
#45
Been using Rotosound Tru Bass tape wounds for a few decades. Great strings, last forever. And I have them of a few fretless basses.

Lately just tried a set of Special Order LaBellas Purple Haze on a custom built USA Spector NS4. I love them. They are a lite gauge string, certainly a little better top end presence. And lite gauge makes them easy on the fingers, but a little less output. (Not a problem with the NS4 Spector of course)

NS4 1047 c.jpg

LaBella Purple Haze.jpg
 
#46
Eddie LeBlanc said:
Been using Rotosound Tru Bass tape wounds for a few decades. Great strings, last forever. And I have them of a few fretless basses.

Lately just tried a set of Special Order LaBellas Purple Haze on a custom built USA Spector NS4. I love them. They are a lite gauge string, certainly a little better top end presence. And lite gauge makes them easy on the fingers, but a little less output. (Not a problem with the NS4 Spector of course)

View attachment 2888390
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how do those sound and feel tension wise compared to the tru bass 88's?
 
#47
kkaarrll said:
how do those sound and feel tension wise compared to the tru bass 88's?
Click to expand...
Because they were only in a Lite Gauge string (105 - 50), and I had always played the Tru Bass Rotos in a Med Gauge (115 - 65); of course they are a little easier on tension. (I think the LaBella Gold construction under the White Nylon accomplishes that and the feel is great) And the new special ordered Spector bass was intentionally set up for these LaBellas too. They are very easy to play. But it is a definite player, and has some great tone with the LaBellas.

In the future, since the Purple Haze were only in a limited production run, I'll go to LaBellas Deep Talking Gold White Nylon 105 - 50. These are the same strings as the Purple Haze. But I'll miss that Purple Silk thread underlay. But LaBella lists them as a Lite Tension string, compared to their Black Tape wound (similar to the Rotos) Standard Tension.
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#48
jessicabass said:
I am a flatwound user and interested in giving these kind of strings a try out on a bass of mine.
I know nothing about these strings.
Im a pick player if it means anything.
What do they sound like from E-G?
How are the gauges and tension compared to the same in flats?
What do they feel like?
How are they volume wise?
Any suggestions of certain brands and why would be fantastic.
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I just tried LaBella Black Tape wounds on a jazz bass. Had them on for two hours before taking them back off. They sounded great, and on my jazz they sounded pretty darn close to flats, but there just wasn't enough tension for me and they weren't "grippy" enough ( I like to dig in and I like to feel resistance from the strings).
 
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#50
can anyone compare the labella black tape

060, .070, .094, .115 set

to rotosound tru bass 88 for tension/feel?

I think the sound I am looking for for a particular bass will be met by them, but don't want them too floppy
 
#52
two fingers said:
Since we've revived the thread, anyone mind telling me which tapewpund strings have the MOST tension? I would love to try some but they can't be floppy.
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@two fingers I like the trubass 88, and I have monel flats on my other jazz---they are bridge cables

looking to get a t45 and put tapes on it----but don't want too floppy

not sure trubass is the soundI want out of it----I would like a roundwound replacement type sound--but more fundamental, no noise, better feel---but not floppy
 
#53
two fingers said:
Since we've revived the thread, anyone mind telling me which tapewpund strings have the MOST tension? I would love to try some but they can't be floppy.
Click to expand...

This.
I tried some of the Labella black tape - 790N - lights (50-105) and although I did like the sound - they were . . . 'floppy' is a good description - not much tension, and because I like low action - had to adjust my bridge because they were bottoming out on my pups and lower fretboard. Took them off before adjusting my truss rod. Went back to Monel 88's with more tension.
The sound is good - but I may have to try the standard to see if there's more tension. . . or another brand perhaps?
 
#56
The LaBella Gold White Nylons in their heaviest guage (.115 E) have the most "tension" out of the Labella tapes. LaBellas will state they are all the same tension, or ftlbs of force, when tuned to pitch. However, the White gold's are pretty floppy, the Black tapes a little less floppy, the heavy Copper whites are about like a normal light set (it's .115 E is comparable to a normal .100 E), the Gold Whites being the stiffest with the .115 E feeling about like a normal .105 E.

I can run about .5-.75mm less string height with the Gold White Nylons than the same guage White or Copper White Nylons.

I will also say that, with my truss rod-less Zon graphite neck, the Gold White have ever so slightly more forward bow than the other offerings. This would tell me, contrary to LaBellas statements, that the Gold Whites are indeed more tension. This is fine with me as I have liked them the best (best balance between mid growl, low end, and just enough top end to sound like a nickel with the tone rolled off).
 
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