New Jazz... Hmmmm....

TW?

 

Taper Wound String. Some prefer. Some Like. Some Dislike.

Not a flaw.

 

From Fender's website:

Fender American Standard Jazz Bass specs:
Strings: Super Bass 8250M NPS, p/n 073-8250-006,
Gauges: .045, .065, .085, .110TW (Taperwound E)

and the strings section:

Superbass 8250 Taperwound
Nothing beats the 8250s and 8255s for intonation and balance. These unique bass strings are wound on a round core with a tapered winding on the E and B strings. The 8250s are designed to fit Fender's® string-through body basses, while the 8255s are designed for any long scale bass that is strung through the bridge. Superior balance and tone- you will hear the difference!

 

Through body stringing will usually use taper wounds. That's what they are made for primarily.

Peace

 

Both the new American P's and J's (at least since '08) come strung with the tapered E string. It's not a .110 though as stated on the Fender website. More like a .105.

 

Taper wounds, DR calls them "long necks". They are supposed to make the thicker strings sound brighter. A lot of people use them for their B string, IMHO they seem to sound "thin". I have tried DR, Ken Smith and Fender and "third-times-the-charm" I will never buy Tapers again. IMO they don't really sound that different or maybe it's all in my head.

 

Is t just me or does that E string look HUGE?

 

I tried the taper wound strings when Rotosound first brought them out (80's?) and back then you either had the whole set taper wound, or none, unless you bought them singly.

The original idea was that the reduced contact area with the saddle would allow the string to vibrate more freely, increasing ring and sustain, et cetera (like the piano strings they were copied from). Never really noticed much difference between them and the standard, non-taper wound Swing Bass set.

Just FYI and comments.