TapeWound Club~Anyone?

[iiipopes]

It sounds like the D'Addario set is similar in feel with a bit less mids, that might be a good match for the SG since it can be mid heavy at times.

Well, it depends. Since mahogany is a very mid-heavy wood with its signature resonance, which can vary with the density of the particular plank, if the D'Addario scoop is not in the same place as the mahogany bump, it could produce a whang or sound thin. I found this out with flats. I love Fender flats and their growl. And on the alder P/J they sound great. But they whanged on my gig bass, which has an agathis body, which is kind of a cross between long grain cedar and mahogany, and is tonally similar. when I played steels, GHS Super Steels had a great presence and sustain on the agathis, but were clanky on the P/J. I'm thinking the La Bellas may actually be a better fit tonally on your SG. Of course, YMMV.

In a guitar context, I have found that D'Addario strings sound better on Fender and Fender-derived guitars and GHS sound better on Gibson and Gibson-derived guitars for the same reason. Other persons mileage will vary.

 

[iiipopes]

One question: how long does the tape last? I want to put them on a fretted bass, and being used to flats, I don't want to spend 40 euros on a set of strings that I'm not going to leave there forever.
Do they last against the frets? I don't use the pick much, but when I do, I'm "soft" with it.

I have never had a fret wear through the tape. I have seen strings that the tape broke at the nut because the nut slots were not widened and contoured properly, and ended up stressing the tape, essentially squeezing it apart. The light gauge tapes like the DA's and the LB lights may not need nut adjustments, but all the regular gauge tapes will.

 

[BigBeatNut]

... it could produce a whang or sound thin ...

Err ... what is a 'whang' please ?

 

[GBassNorth]

Err ... what is a 'whang' please ?

Not sure, but I think two wongs make a wang...

Unless of course it sounds like one of these...

 

[iiipopes]

A whang is a twang that doesn't have the right thang.

 

[Jonithen]

Tapes seem to hold up from pick playing well enough. Being able to tolerate the clicking sound from the attack is something else. A felt pick would work, but the thickness definitely takes some getting used to. For the trouble I just decided to use it as an excuse to work on right hand finger picking technique on this bass.

Prior to the conversion to fretless, I used tapes on my bass without any trouble.

Tapes will probably outlast your interest in them! Apparently they just keep going since there isn't much opportunity for them to degrade from accumulated junk. It took me a couple months of heavy playing just to get mine to start breaking in.

 

[Pier_]

that's nice. I'm the kind of player who prefers to keep flatwounds for years, instead of bright rounds (however, I still have a bass with rounds, for when it's needed), so I was afraid to spend 40 euros on a set of strings that I would need to change due to ripped-off tape.

but reading these answers, I'm starting to think that I have to try them I love their tone, for what I've heard.

 

[iiipopes]

I'm starting to think that I have to try them I love their tone, for what I've heard.

Make sure you get a new setup for the bass: adjusting the nut slots for the larger diameters of strings, tweaking the truss rod for different tensions, possibly adjusting the pickups for the difference in the metal core being slightly farther away from the pickup due to the nylon wrap, and the bridge saddle heights and intonation compensations.

Since you are in Europe, in addition to the USA made tapewounds from La Bella, D'Addario, Fender and GHS, there are the European brands of Rotosound (more thumpy tone), Galli, Pyramid and Picato to choose from. I do not have any experience with the Galli, Pyramid or Picato; maybe another forumite can give input.

 

[Pier_]

Thanks I'm a setup maniac, so there's no problem.
I was looking at the Rotosound, because they are the one I've heard the most, and I like the yellow silk
A friend of mine has the Galli, but I've never liked their strings... Maybe Pyramid can be a good choice, I have to start a new research.

Actually I'd prefer to have the lower tension (being used to Thomastik flats and light gauge rounds like 40-95 or 30-90), and it seems that Rotosounds are the lightest under the tape.

 

[GBassNorth]

Thanks I'm a setup maniac, so there's no problem.
I was looking at the Rotosound, because they are the one I've heard the most, and I like the yellow silk
A friend of mine has the Galli, but I've never liked their strings... Maybe Pyramid can be a good choice, I have to start a new research.

Actually I'd prefer to have the lower tension (being used to Thomastik flats and light gauge rounds like 40-95 or 30-90), and it seems that Rotosounds are the lightest under the tape.

I've never seen tension specs so you may be right about the Rotos being the lowest tension of the tapes but my personal experience with the feel of Rotos vs La Bella black tapes is the Rotos were incredibly stiff and difficult to bend or play fast on vs the La Bella blacks, I didn't like them at all from a playability standpoint. They sounded ok but not as articulate or even across the 5 string set as the La Bella's. I would have assumed the La Bella's were nearly the same tension as TI Jazz Flats. I have yet to find a string of any type that feels higher tension than the Roto tapes I have.

And as previously noted by others, you might want to check to see if whatever brand you buy has a light gauge set or that the tape string diameters are close to what you are currently using. The logic behind this is that you're trying tapes for the first time and might decide they just aren't for you. If you go with standard gauge tapes you'll most likely need to enlarge your nut grooves which means the nut is a throw away if you ever want to go back to regular non tape strings.

 

[Jonithen]

I've never seen tension specs so you may be right about the Rotos being the lowest tension of the tapes but my personal experience with the feel of Rotos vs La Bella black tapes is the Rotos were incredibly stiff and difficult to bend or play fast on vs the La Bella blacks, I didn't like them at all from a playability standpoint. They sounded ok but not as articulate or even across the 5 string set as the La Bella's. I would have assumed the La Bella's were nearly the same tension as TI Jazz Flats. I have yet to find a string of any type that feels higher tension than the Roto tapes I have.

And as previously noted by others, you might want to check to see if whatever brand you buy has a light gauge set or that the tape string diameters are close to what you are currently using. The logic behind this is that you're trying tapes for the first time and might decide they just aren't for you. If you go with standard gauge tapes you'll most likely need to enlarge your nut grooves which means the nut is a throw away if you ever want to go back to regular non tape strings.

Underlining this post. As I stated, the rotos are starting to calm down after a lengthy break in, but you should be prepared for it. If you do use them I think they'll reward you for it, but you have to get there first and it is a bit much to be frustrated for however long it takes. There were many times I considered just taking them off but I stuck with it and I am glad for having done so. Now. I can definitely see someone tossing them within a few weeks out of exasperation.

 

[iiipopes]

Let's not confuse tension with feel. A larger diameter string with a tad more tension on a good bass with the proper relief and even frets may allow for a closer action, and that may "feel" softer under the fingers, where a light string, even if it is low tension, if the setup is not good, may feel hard under the fingers.

As far as tension, of the major manufacturers, the D'Addario tapes are about as light as it gets. Obviously, on a shorter scale, there will be even less tension, like the La Bella "Beatle Bass" set, and Status graphite makes some whispy strings that I am not familiar with.

Too light a tapewound string seems to me to defeat the purpose of having tapewound: having a substantial tone without twang or fret noise.

 

[Pier_]

I'll just post another question about the Rotosound Tru Bass 88

I'l going to put them on a Classic 50's Precision bass, so the vintage bridge with slotted saddles.

I'm adraid that the silk end can go on the saddle, and that I can find intonation issues. I thought so because I red on some threads things like these. I don't want to spend 40€ and encounter this kind of issues.

filing the nut is not a problem, I always do it myself for wierd gauges and everything. this particular bass had the La Bella Jamerson for a couple of months, and after them I didn't have to "recreate" the slots, even for the Thomastik JF344.

 

[project_c]

I have a slightly odd question for the tape wound guys - I've had XL tapes on my Fender Precision for several months, and I love the way these strings feel so much that whatever other strings I try on that bass, they just don't feel as good, and I just keep coming back to the tapes. However - I've been asked to use flatwounds instead of the tapes for a specific project for a few weeks, so I'm trying to find some flats which are really close to the XL Nylons, both in terms of tension and in terms of feel. I've tried TI's (tone is great, feel is too floppy so they came off), and Labella Deep Talkin Flats (tone is ok, feel is noticeably stiffer than the XL Nylons though so they're off as well). So my slightly odd question is - what standard flatwounds do you think are closest in feel and tension to the XL Nylons?

(I have the following on my list to try: Chromes, Fender 9050's, and GHS Precision Flats, but I'm also open to suggestions.)

 

[GBassNorth]

I have a slightly odd question for the tape wound guys - I've had XL tapes on my Fender Precision for several months, and I love the way these strings feel so much that whatever other strings I try on that bass, they just don't feel as good, and I just keep coming back to the tapes. However - I've been asked to use flatwounds instead of the tapes for a specific project for a few weeks, so I'm trying to find some flats which are really close to the XL Nylons, both in terms of tension and in terms of feel. I've tried TI's (tone is great, feel is too floppy so they came off), and Labella Deep Talkin Flats (tone is ok, feel is noticeably stiffer than the XL Nylons though so they're off as well). So my slightly odd question is - what standard flatwounds do you think are closest in feel and tension to the XL Nylons?

(I have the following on my list to try: Chromes, Fender 9050's, and GHS Precision Flats, but I'm also open to suggestions.)

That's a great question I don't have an answer for but I'd bet that Jason at BassStringsOnLine.com could help you with that selection.

 

[woodyng]

In the last couple of years I have tried all the Labella tapewound types on both fretted and fretless basses. I had a set of white SS tapes on a Italia Rimini hollowbody fretted bass that sounded great. When I bought my Carvin AC40 fretless,it came with an old set of the Labella black tapes that really gave that bass a Very URB -ish sound. I replaced then with a set of the SS white tapes,now the MWAH on that bass is crazy. (I actually think i prefer the black tapewounds,at least on this piezo-only equipped bass). Recently i had my Rickenbacker Cii converted to fretless,and didn't think the flatwounds i had on it would work so well with fretless,so once again,i tried a new Labella product,white tapewound with copper core strings. They sound much more subtle,warmer,with a nice subdued mwah,but also,with a crisp note definition,tonally,they seem to fit somewhere in between the extremes of the other 2 Labella tape sets.
For awhile i had a fretted 5-string Carvin Ac50 that had rotosound tapewounds on it when i bought it,i replaced them with a set of the Labella SS white tapes,which to me sounded and played better,with a less stiff feel.
I am most definitley a big fan of all the Labella tapewound variations!

 

[woodyng]

I have a slightly odd question for the tape wound guys - I've had XL tapes on my Fender Precision for several months, and I love the way these strings feel so much that whatever other strings I try on that bass, they just don't feel as good, and I just keep coming back to the tapes. However - I've been asked to use flatwounds instead of the tapes for a specific project for a few weeks, so I'm trying to find some flats which are really close to the XL Nylons, both in terms of tension and in terms of feel. I've tried TI's (tone is great, feel is too floppy so they came off), and Labella Deep Talkin Flats (tone is ok, feel is noticeably stiffer than the XL Nylons though so they're off as well). So my slightly odd question is - what standard flatwounds do you think are closest in feel and tension to the XL Nylons?

(I have the following on my list to try: Chromes, Fender 9050's, and GHS Precision Flats, but I'm also open to suggestions.)

I would add DR flatwounds,Labella's new Fleixible low tension flats,and Optima flatwounds to that list. I beleive you are going to find all of those sets to be more what you're seeking. The Chromes and the Fenders to me are very stiff feeling,higher tension strings. The Ghs set is actually pretty good,and one of the cheaper,but decent, sets on the market.

 

[project_c]

I would add DR flatwounds,Labella's new Fleixible low tension flats,and Optima flatwounds to that list. I beleive you are going to find all of those sets to be more what you're seeking. The Chromes and the Fenders to me are very stiff feeling,higher tension strings. The Ghs set is actually pretty good,and one of the cheaper,but decent, sets on the market.

Thanks for those suggestions - I just had a quick look at D'Addario's tension chart and it's very clear that the Chromes are going to feel a lot stiffer, the tension is a lot higher and they weigh a lot more than the Nylons. (Link for Nylons [This invalid link has been removed], Chromes [This invalid link has been removed]). That pretty much knocks the Chromes and Fenders off my list. I checked out the LaBella Low Tension Flats, their tension is Invalid Link Removed, which is a bit less than the Nylons (146.15lbs). I wonder if that's going to make them feel similar to the TI's, which felt way too floppy for me. The weird thing is that the weight of the TI's is very similar to the Nylons, so I would have put them in the same ballpark in theory, but they are worlds apart in practice.

I'm intrigued by the DR's, and I'm a fan of their rounds. I've never heard of Optima flats, but I'll look into them for sure. If all string makers posted tension and weight charts on their websites like D'Addario it would make things a lot easier..

 

[woodyng]

Thanks for those suggestions - I just had a quick look at D'Addario's tension chart and it's very clear that the Chromes are going to feel a lot stiffer, the tension is a lot higher and they weigh a lot more than the Nylons. (Link for Nylons [This invalid link has been removed], Chromes [This invalid link has been removed]). That pretty much knocks the Chromes and Fenders off my list. I checked out the LaBella Low Tension Flats, their tension is Invalid Link Removed, which is a bit less than the Nylons (146.15lbs). I wonder if that's going to make them feel similar to the TI's, which felt way too floppy for me. The weird thing is that the weight of the TI's is very similar to the Nylons, so I would have put them in the same ballpark in theory, but they are worlds apart in practice.

I'm intrigued by the DR's, and I'm a fan of their rounds. I've never heard of Optima flats, but I'll look into them for sure. If all string makers posted tension and weight charts on their websites like D'Addario it would make things a lot easier..

The optima set is a stainless steel based on a roundcore like the TI's but they are a slightly heavier gauge. I think the same is true of the DR strings set. As for the Labellas,they claim their set,which is also a bit heavier gauged than the TI's are "not floppy like another well known brand"....
Unfortunately i have not experienced any of these yet,as i have a prized set of '60's Maxima flatwounds on the one bass i have flatwounds on. Supposedly the Optima's are pretty similar to these. I really prefer a lighter feel/tension on all my string sets,but feel,like the TI's are just not substantial enough. Good Luck!

 

[iiipopes]

I have a slightly odd question for the tape wound guys - I've had XL tapes on my Fender Precision for several months, and I love the way these strings feel so much that whatever other strings I try on that bass, they just don't feel as good, and I just keep coming back to the tapes. However - I've been asked to use flatwounds instead of the tapes for a specific project for a few weeks, so I'm trying to find some flats which are really close to the XL Nylons, both in terms of tension and in terms of feel. I've tried TI's (tone is great, feel is too floppy so they came off), and Labella Deep Talkin Flats (tone is ok, feel is noticeably stiffer than the XL Nylons though so they're off as well). So my slightly odd question is - what standard flatwounds do you think are closest in feel and tension to the XL Nylons?

(I have the following on my list to try: Chromes, Fender 9050's, and GHS Precision Flats, but I'm also open to suggestions.)

Chromes will feel much stiffer. Fender flats will growl. GHS Precision flats are closest.

But really, just show up. Tell them, if they notice, and they probably won't, that the tapes are the same as flats, and just go with it.