How does the tension compare between Rotosound and GHS? These two sets have been at the top of my consideration for a particular project, but I'd be looking for the lowest tension / loosest feel possible for the given application.
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Nylon Tape Wound Ranking/Rating
- Thread starter KenD
- Start date
the labella light gauges are very low tension. They aren't roto or GHS, but if you want the absolute lightest feel, probably labella light gauge.
I'm looking for a combination of the following, in order of priority::
- Thuddiest Thud. Minimal treble content required or desired.
- Low actual tension in lbs
- Light to medium stiffness feel
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[Youtube]
[Youtube]
Rotos are the thuddiest and have crazy lows but oddly depending on technique they are also actually quite bright in some frequencies , check out the below that is quite bright played on Rotos
[Youtube]
[Youtube]
Ps -for some reason i thought the OP was putting the tapes on a Rickenbacker, but going back over some of the posts i missed, looks like we’re talking about a 32” scale bass? 
In which case I would have to confess I have very little experience. I did put a set of Optima RB flatwounds on a 32” scale Fano Rivolta and they seemed fine, but i ended up not keeping the bass….
Apologies if I misunderstood…..
There’s a different thread discussing putting tapes on a Rick bass….i got crossways on these….
In which case I would have to confess I have very little experience. I did put a set of Optima RB flatwounds on a 32” scale Fano Rivolta and they seemed fine, but i ended up not keeping the bass….
Apologies if I misunderstood…..
There’s a different thread discussing putting tapes on a Rick bass….i got crossways on these….
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I put a set of D'Addario tapes on my home-built 32-inch scale 4-string fretless and they sound really good. In fact, the first time I brought it to a rehearsal with my jazz trio, the drummer commented on the tone and said "I think that is the most expressive I've heard you sound." I usually use TIs on this bass and the tapes have been an interesting change. The tone is not quite as rich and mid-forward, but good lows and more highs than the TIs and very smooth to the touch. The tension is a bit tighter, but not so much that it bothers me.
I currently have D'Addario tapes on my Mikro and custom made Pyramid tapes on my fretless 5 string uke bass. Both have brightness to them, probably just enough brightness to slap with. The D'Addario tapes have what I call a 'dry and matte' feel. I've played LaBella tapes as well and they have a 'slick and glossy' feel. The Pyramid tapes are somewhere in the middle. I play fretless exclusively and with tapes its really nice to slide all around the fretboard with no finger noise.
Not a problem. I extrapolated and interpolated freelyPs -for some reason i thought the OP was putting the tapes on a Rickenbacker, but going back over some of the posts i missed, looks like we’re talking about a 32” scale bass?
In which case I would have to confess I have very little experience. I did put a set of Optima RB flatwounds on a 32” scale Fano Rivolta and they seemed fine, but i ended up not keeping the bass….
Apologies if I misunderstood…..
There’s a different thread discussing putting tapes on a Rick bass….i got crossways on these….
Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply, I have some pretty good info as general guides. I think I will start with the La Bella Copper Whites and see where that takes me.
La Bella does raise one issue that I had not encountered elsewhere. Their site says that these strings are not suitable for string thru basses. The bass I intend these for has string thru on the 5th (B) and i have never encountered a problem with any other kind of string (round, pressure or flat). Is there something unique about the La Bella tape wounds that I should be aware of?
I could anchor that string at the bridge but using the string thru makes it possible to use long scales very easily.
La Bella does raise one issue that I had not encountered elsewhere. Their site says that these strings are not suitable for string thru basses. The bass I intend these for has string thru on the 5th (B) and i have never encountered a problem with any other kind of string (round, pressure or flat). Is there something unique about the La Bella tape wounds that I should be aware of?
I could anchor that string at the bridge but using the string thru makes it possible to use long scales very easily.
I have no idea if this is specifically the case (just guessing), but it could be an issue of (a) string length; or (b) the break angle at the bridge for string-through arrangement might have some effect on the tape wrap.
I'd ask them in an email. I know their flats have a nasty habit of breaking if you put a regular flat string through. They have specifically designed ones for string through for this reason. I could be wrong, but I didn't think it mattered on Tapes as they are rounds with tape on them. Again, they would know the scientific reasons for it, so they're probably the best to ask on that. I've usually gotten a response in a day or 2, even during this weird time we call the pandemic.
They both publish their tension numbers now, so easier to say for certain!
Rotosound 88:
G: 51.72lbs
D: 43.84lbs
A: 47.06lbs
E: 34.54lbs
GHS:
G: 40.9lbs
D: 48lbs
A: 44.6lbs
E: 34.3lbs
On the Rotosound set, the G string feels curiously stiffer than the other three, and on the GHS set, the G string feels curiously looser than the other three. I would say the Rotosound set overall tends to feel a little tighter than the GHS set.
For low tension / loose feel, the light Labella sets might be the best answer, but they do sound brighter. The D'Addario set might be worth considering too, for a sort of in-between, in both tone and feel.
MY ERROR! I misread their site. That caution applies only to their flatwounds. Sorry for creating confusion.
I emailed La Bella and got an immediate response saying that string thru is OK for Copper Whites (and presumably their other tape wounds).
Thanks so much!
Am I right in understanding that the GHS set are actually flatwound under the wrap?
The E, A, and D strings are flatwound; the G string is roundwound. Which is probably the reason for the difference in feel.
I concur that the D'Addarios have a nicer feel than most other tapes, with a lightly textured surface. If you like those, you might love the Pyramids, which have an even more interesting texture and a sumptuous feel, albeit pricier. Unfortunately, IME they had too much bottom end, but otherwise a very nice tonal balance, so I keep thinking I should go back and EQ the bottom to give them another try.
The Pyramids are also somewhat stiffer than the D'Adds, comparable to the GHS, Fender, and regular-gauge LaBellas. The D'Adds are pretty loose, but IME a bit stiffer than the light-gauge LaBellas, which to me are downright floppy (especially the gold white).
I like the D'Adds pretty well overall except that to me the G is on the tinny side. Also, I've mostly tried tapes on my fretless, and the D'Adds have a nice woody tone there, but with not quite as much mwah as I wanted. And I'd say that, like most tapes I've tried, they're a bit scooped. On the non-scooped end of the spectrum are the LaBella copper whites, which are mid-forward in an idiosyncratic way that doesn't work for me, and to some degree the GHS set.
I haven't found the perfect tapewound (to me they all have one or more significant drawbacks), but right now I'd say the GHS is the best compromise, followed by the LaBella regular-gauge blacks, and then the Pyramids/D'Adds. YMMV, of course. And I reserve the right to change my mind tomorrow.
