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TapeWound Club~Anyone?
- Thread starter .BumeStik.
- Start date
I recently picked up a G&L Tribute L2000 in a trade a few weeks ago, and the dude had D'Addario (I think, at least by the ball colours) tapes on it. As a newcomer to flatwounds, I was expecting these to sound a lot different than they actually did.
I can't even describe how they sound, they have some edge of brightness, but not enough to "zing," but it's definitely got some kind of metallic resonance to them that i really enjoy. They feel great, not as glassy as my Fender flats, but still really good. I even took off the set of rounds I put on the G&L after bringing it home, just to put the tapes back on. This bass, with these strings, sounds amazing through my Eden EC210.
I think I'm gonna keep 'em!
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I can't even describe how they sound, they have some edge of brightness, but not enough to "zing," but it's definitely got some kind of metallic resonance to them that i really enjoy. They feel great, not as glassy as my Fender flats, but still really good. I even took off the set of rounds I put on the G&L after bringing it home, just to put the tapes back on. This bass, with these strings, sounds amazing through my Eden EC210.
I think I'm gonna keep 'em!
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OK, time for the family photo. The Washburn acoustic has Rotos; the Ibby has La Bella regular gauge; the Rick has D'Addarios, and the custom P/J has Fenders. The only tapewound set I don't have is the GHS, because I'm working on the bass they would go on.
Gotta love the Tapes. I've had black nylon tapes on my Am St P5 for over a couple years. Love the tapes better than the Chromes I used to run on it. I keep thinking I want to try some nickels again on P5 but that prolly wont happen.
I have the white nylons on my Godin Ultra A5 fretless. That came with Chromes when I bought it new in the fall of '13.
Chromes were my fave flats til I tried tapes. I still keep Chromes, D'Ad nickels and DR BB's on my active basses.
I have the white nylons on my Godin Ultra A5 fretless. That came with Chromes when I bought it new in the fall of '13.
Chromes were my fave flats til I tried tapes. I still keep Chromes, D'Ad nickels and DR BB's on my active basses.
I just got a new Fender deluxe active okoume jazz. It apparently has noiseless pickups which are dual coil rather than single coil. Does this mean that I can use tapewounds and not have any hum issues?
You may still have electrostatic noise issues because the nylon tape can interfere with the connectivity of the bridge ground through the strings to your fingers. Without the bridge ground to siphon off noise, it can go through the amp instead, just like when you set a bass down, but don't turn down the volume knob, and it makes noise.
On my custom P/J with tapes, the pickup in the P position has a chromed grounded cover that I anchor my thumb on, and that functions as the ground to eliminate noise.
On my 5-string, I went with EMG actives, as they do not use a bridge ground.
On my custom P/J with tapes, the pickup in the P position has a chromed grounded cover that I anchor my thumb on, and that functions as the ground to eliminate noise.
On my 5-string, I went with EMG actives, as they do not use a bridge ground.
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any noise issues due to grounding with these?
also, are there any differences in putting tape strings on? I am thinking the clipping off of extra length may unravel them some?
With tapewounds you should bend the string end before cutting so it doesn't unravel and then put the bent end in the tuning peg.
I've had no noise issues related to grounding with tapes on it. They were already installed in the bass when I received it. They sound great, feel even better, and look badass against the maple neck.
This is exactly how mine were installed by the previous owner, and how I typically install any type of strings on my basses (except my Dano, due to it's guitar-like tuners)
After years of struggling with my jazz bass v over a low tension thumping strings, i installed a set of labella black nylon tapewounds.
Im so glad i did, the strings are thumpy and easy to play with and very responsive on either pick up.
Im a tapewound convert.
Im so glad i did, the strings are thumpy and easy to play with and very responsive on either pick up.
Im a tapewound convert.
I bought an acoustic bass with tapewound strings. There was something intriguing about it and it felt good, so I plugged it in. This really had a percussive resonance to it that made it sound very upright bass like. If it were fretless, I think I would have nailed the tone.
At some point, I may consider putting them on another bass!
At some point, I may consider putting them on another bass!
Ok, tape guru's ... tried probably some version of almost every flat out there, and currently have 45-100 Chromes, Sads and Fender 9050L's on Fender passive Jazz 4 strings ... never tried a tapewound string, but have a bass sitting as a 'test bed' asking for something slightly different ... what brand/set would be somewhat familiar territory to the flats I am using ... I dont want to have to recut a nut for this first testing though if at all possible ... thanks!!
i have a string through am jazz bass, and when i first got a set of flats i had no idea that the through body would bend/ruin the string if i wanted to put them on another bass.
will the same be true for black nylons? i wanted to try them on my jazz bass with bartolinis (that i cant get to sound right), and i wanted to check before i buy. i was thinking about GHS, but now will have to look into D'Addario and Labella.
will the same be true for black nylons? i wanted to try them on my jazz bass with bartolinis (that i cant get to sound right), and i wanted to check before i buy. i was thinking about GHS, but now will have to look into D'Addario and Labella.
The D'Addarios are flatwounds roundwounds (corrected after comment below by Gorn) wrapped in tape.
By putting any string through a through body youre creating an imprefection at the bend, this isnt just applicable to flatwounds. That bend from a through body setup will likely be in front of the bridge on most standard bridge setups.
Whether that ruins the string in a noticeable way is probably more a matter of personal opinion.
By putting any string through a through body youre creating an imprefection at the bend, this isnt just applicable to flatwounds. That bend from a through body setup will likely be in front of the bridge on most standard bridge setups.
Whether that ruins the string in a noticeable way is probably more a matter of personal opinion.
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I strung my first P bass with D'Addario flats but never really appreciated them as much as people on the forum raved, probably didn't give them a chance as they seem to take a while to break in.
Tried some D'Addario tapes (the only brand of flats and tapes my local store stocks) and they're amazing! Despite saying they're more mellow than flats on the packet they have a certain zing to them, a feel that makes them amazing to play.
Wondered what they'd be like with a pick but am worried ill destroy them.
Tried some D'Addario tapes (the only brand of flats and tapes my local store stocks) and they're amazing! Despite saying they're more mellow than flats on the packet they have a certain zing to them, a feel that makes them amazing to play.
Wondered what they'd be like with a pick but am worried ill destroy them.
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