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Praise for La Bella's Tape Wound Strings

J

Just Wrong

Mar 30, 2023
1,449
2,317
#1
Anybody else feels like La Bella's tape wound strings are some of the best strings available right now?

I've had the (expensive) habit of trying new strings every three or so months these past couple of years, and my favourite were hands down La Bella's light tape wounds.

Their tension and tone is even across the strings, they last forever, they are smooth as butter, the tension is perfect, the tone is pure bliss.

Here are some of the strings I've tried for reference:
  • D'Addario NYXL
  • D'Addario Tapewounds
  • D'Addario Chromes (Light and Medium)
  • D'Addario XL
  • TI Jazz Flats
  • TI Jazz Rounds
  • Pyramid Gold Flatwound
  • Pyramid Tapewounds
  • La Bella DTF (Light, Medium and Jamerson)
  • La Bella LTF
  • Fender 9050L
  • Fender 7150L
  • Ernie Ball Slinkys
  • Ernie Ball Slinky Flatwounds
  • DR Lo Rider (Nickel)
  • DR Legend Flatwounds
  • DR Hi Beams
  • DR Sunbeams (105 and 100)
  • GHS Precision Flatwounds
  • Dunlop Flatwounds (Light)
  • Magma Nickel Rounds
  • Magma Flatwounds
 
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#2
That’s awesome! I’ve only gotten about half as many string experiences as you but that’s because I stop when it sounds right on that bass. I do like tapes, but only have a fretless with them right now. I’ll consider La Bella’s for its next set.
 
#3
Just Wrong said:
Anybody else feels like La Bella's tape wound strings are some of the best strings available right now?

... my favourite were hands down La Bella's light tape wounds.

Their tension and tone is even across the strings, they last forever, they are smooth as butter, the tension is perfect, the tone is pure bliss.
Click to expand...

Which specific one are you talking about? White, Gold-White, Copper-White, Black...?
 
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#9
The Gold White Nylon are my strings for my fretless. Nice and bright, sound good for a long time.

I've been using a variety of tapewounds on that bass for many years, and these are my favorites. I tried some TI Jazz Rounds recently, they're a good sound, but not my sound, they moved to a different bass.
 
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#11
Some years ago, I played a set of white tapes, regular gauge, regular long scale, 5-string, for two years of constant rehearsal and gigging. The only reason I changed them was my frets had worn divots through the nylon wrap and as a result the strings were losing stability. Loved the tone. Loved the feel. I keep tapes on one of my basses just because.
 
#13
Carlone said:
I love the black LaBella tape wounds but I had issues when recording. Grounding noise when not touching that strings. Only have that issue when using tape wound strings.
Click to expand...
The best solution is to use EMG active pickups. No bridge ground, therefore no hum or noise. Plus, you get great tone and an inherent >-100dB noise floor. That's how I solved this issue.
 
#16
WG Plum said:
I get zero noise with Original series Barts in my passive FSO jazz fretless. Black tapes and those Barts are a cozy home for me.
Click to expand...

I've had two gigs with a new bass with Original Bartolinis and LaBella black tapewounds. I was mixed on my impressions practicing at home but what I heard through my in-ears on the first gig was a thing of beauty. They're staying, with the only exception of seeing how LaBella White Golds sound (which are on the way)!
 
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#19
Just Wrong said:
Anybody else feels like La Bella's tape wound strings are some of the best strings available right now?

I've had the (expensive) habit of trying new strings every three or so months these past couple of years, and my favourite were hands down La Bella's light tape wounds.

Their tension and tone is even across the strings, they last forever, they are smooth as butter, the tension is perfect, the tone is pure bliss.

Here are some of the strings I've tried for reference:
  • D'Addario NYXL
  • D'Addario Tapewounds
  • D'Addario Chromes (Light and Medium)
  • D'Addario XL
  • TI Jazz Flats
  • TI Jazz Rounds
  • Pyramid Gold Flatwound
  • Pyramid Tapewounds
  • La Bella DTF (Light, Medium and Jamerson)
  • La Bella LTF
  • Fender 9050L
  • Fender 7150L
  • Ernie Ball Slinkys
  • Ernie Ball Slinky Flatwounds
  • DR Lo Rider (Nickel)
  • DR Legend Flatwounds
  • DR Hi Beams
  • DR Sunbeams (105 and 100)
  • GHS Precision Flatwounds
  • Dunlop Flatwounds (Light)
  • Magma Nickel Rounds
  • Magma Flatwounds
Click to expand...


Oh wow thats a lot of different strings to test out :)
I don´t have as much different strings under my belt but I would agree that La Bella tape wound (black for me) are my favourite strings at the moment. Had to stop myself from throwing them on every bass I own.

I dig the mixture of dark sound with still a good amount of sustain and clarity.
At the very moment I have them on a Precision Bass and on my Jack Casady signature which both sound awesome with those.
Really wanted to put them on a fretless too but mine is so cheap and has a big hum that wouldn´t be helped a lot with a set of tape wound strings so I either have to solve the electronics or get a better fretless instrument.

But conclusion, really good strings in my book, and they seem to hold up pretty well so the price isn´t outrageous.
 
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#20
I had a set of the Gold tapes on my 6 string for a while. I took them off to move them to my semihollow which really needed lower tension strings than the Chromes that were on it. The Gold tapes sounded great on both basses.

I put a set of Pressurewounds on the 6 string next. Those sound great but I immediately missed the smoothness of the tapes and the soft feel. So I have a set of White nylons incoming, which I think are a bit brighter than the Golds - which is fine.

I did find that the silk extends far enough to sit on the saddle on a couple strings and had to trim it.

IMG_8346_Original.jpeg
 

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