The whites will definitely be less boomy. They have a lot more clarity than the blacks, which are warmer and woodier. Shame you can't find shortscale coppers cos they're the perfect blend of both, in my opinion.
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TapeWound Club~Anyone?
- Thread starter .BumeStik.
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The whites will definitely be less boomy. They have a lot more clarity than the blacks, which are warmer and woodier. Shame you can't find shortscale coppers cos they're the perfect blend of both, in my opinion.
Thanks a lot for this. So I figure I'll have an easier time adding bottom to the Whites than I will trying to remove boom from the Blacks. Would you agree?
Since you're building it, I'd encourage you to do it so that it can accommodate long-scale strings: there simply is a whole lot more choice and availability of them vs. short-scale products.
A reverse headstock would be an easy way to implement this, but its looks aren't for everyone. Another thing you could do is drill string-thru-body canals and a compartment carved behind the body, similar to (but shallower than) where the vibrato springs are on a strat, at the end (neck-plate-wards) of which the ball-ends of long-scale strings would anchor, so that they [the strings, that is] clear the nut but start tapering before the tuning post at the opposite side.
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I can't really say cos I'm not familiar with your pickups and preamp. I'd assume so though. Something else to bear in mind is gauge. I found LaBella's 'Light' gauge lacks tension and a bit of depth when on a shortscale. With coppers at least. I'd expect that to be even more pronounced with whites (maybe not an issue with blacks though). 'Medium' gauge is just right, in my opinion anyway. You may have to adjust your nut though.
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EMG actives w/BQC preamp.
Thanks for your message. Yeah, I don't want it to be super flop & thin-sounding, but otoh the lighter gauge should have less boom going up the neck, which is also important to me...
I was very kindly given a set of d'addario tapes when I bought some pickups, they have been played on a bass for about 6 months then taken off. I play rotosound tapes so was keen to try these but I'm a bit concerned about the tape unwrapping at the string end... is this what causes strings that sound 'thin'? Or nothing to worry about?
- Oct 22, 2015
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"Just replace them" is my approach to dodgy strings. Likely they'll work okay.
And just swapped out D'Addario tapes for LaBella tapes on my Chowny CHB-1 semi-hollowbody. And made the change for no particular reason than wanting to try the LaBella tapes after reading this thread. The D'Addario have been on the bass for a year. Went with the LaBella 105-50 set, so about the same. They're the black tapes, as none of the white varieties are available in medium scale (to my knowledge).
Too early to tell what I think of the change, but the two certainly are different. At the moment, the LaBella tapes feel stiffer, and to my ear, sound a little tighter up and beyond 12th Fret Land.
And just swapped out D'Addario tapes for LaBella tapes on my Chowny CHB-1 semi-hollowbody. And made the change for no particular reason than wanting to try the LaBella tapes after reading this thread. The D'Addario have been on the bass for a year. Went with the LaBella 105-50 set, so about the same. They're the black tapes, as none of the white varieties are available in medium scale (to my knowledge).
Too early to tell what I think of the change, but the two certainly are different. At the moment, the LaBella tapes feel stiffer, and to my ear, sound a little tighter up and beyond 12th Fret Land.
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D'Addario ETB92 Nylons on the Fender Buttercream Player Jazz.
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- Oct 22, 2015
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Freshly installed D'Addario tapes on my Stingray for science!
With La Bella on one and D'Addario on another, there's a fighting chance to hear and feel what makes one and what makes the other. Too early to tell for sure, and there are also problems with the "experiment". The Chowny and the Music Man are as different as two basses can be. But I'm also pretty familiar with what the Stingray does, and I should be after 40 years
And the Ray has worn only roundwounds since it came home with me. Pretty major change and I expect I'll need to give the truss rod a tug as it settles in.
First impression with the La Bella tapes is they seem to me stiffer than the D'Addarios. At the same time they feel more slippery. Really liking what I hear around the 12th fret. And thinking a bit of foam now and again if I really want the Chowny to thump.
The D'Addario tapes totally change the character of the Ray. Been playing DR Black Beauties and Neons for the last couple years, and the change intrigues me. Haven't yet spent enough time on the Stingray to really explore what it's all about now. Stay tuned
With La Bella on one and D'Addario on another, there's a fighting chance to hear and feel what makes one and what makes the other. Too early to tell for sure, and there are also problems with the "experiment". The Chowny and the Music Man are as different as two basses can be. But I'm also pretty familiar with what the Stingray does, and I should be after 40 years
And the Ray has worn only roundwounds since it came home with me. Pretty major change and I expect I'll need to give the truss rod a tug as it settles in.First impression with the La Bella tapes is they seem to me stiffer than the D'Addarios. At the same time they feel more slippery. Really liking what I hear around the 12th fret. And thinking a bit of foam now and again if I really want the Chowny to thump.
The D'Addario tapes totally change the character of the Ray. Been playing DR Black Beauties and Neons for the last couple years, and the change intrigues me. Haven't yet spent enough time on the Stingray to really explore what it's all about now. Stay tuned
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Thanks for the comparison. I'm also curious as to your thoughts of the tapes VS the black beauties and neons.
I guess I am going to have to ask for a number. I bought an Ibanez ASB 140 last week, and outfitted it with some Labella Whites I had used on a Dean acoustic for a short while. When I get the electronics on the bass all redone, this is going to be a complete monster.
Here is a photo of the completed bass. It sounds wonderful.
Here is a photo of the completed bass. It sounds wonderful.
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- Oct 22, 2015
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And with a few hours on the D'Addario tapes on the Stingray and the La Bella tapes on the Chowny CHB-1:
Both settled in cleanly and hold tune quite well on stock MM tuners and Gotoh GB350 Res-o-Lites. Talking about the tone on two vastly different instruments is difficult because nothing takes the Stingray out of the Stingray. It's still possible to get some of the "gank" out of the Ray with tapes, but slap n' pop isn't my home turf. I'd say given the choice I'd rather have La Bella's on the Stingray and D'Addario on the semi-hollowbody. White tapes on the Ray would be very interesting to me.
Both settled in cleanly and hold tune quite well on stock MM tuners and Gotoh GB350 Res-o-Lites. Talking about the tone on two vastly different instruments is difficult because nothing takes the Stingray out of the Stingray. It's still possible to get some of the "gank" out of the Ray with tapes, but slap n' pop isn't my home turf. I'd say given the choice I'd rather have La Bella's on the Stingray and D'Addario on the semi-hollowbody. White tapes on the Ray would be very interesting to me.
Labella Black Tapes on my newly assembled jazz... these things rock!
- Oct 22, 2015
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With a bit of time on board both the D'Addario tapes and La Bella tapes, the DaDs get a slight personal preference for tone and feel.
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Can you describe the difference? I'm liking the labella blacks but may want to try the dads...
- Oct 22, 2015
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To me, the surface of La Bella tapes feel smoother than the DaD tapes, yet at the same time they feel stiffer than the DaD tapes. Guessing both have about the same tension. As for tone <shrug> that's quite subjective. The La Bella tapes sound marginally brighter to me on the semi-hollowbody bass.
Which La Bella tapes you were referring to, black or white (which of the whites), and which gauge, 50-105 or 60-115?
- Oct 22, 2015
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These are the La Bella black tapes, 50-105. To me, they feel stiffer and sound brighter on my semi-hollowbody than the D'Addario 50-105 tapes (both medium scale winding length). That they are stiffer or brighter is likely debatable. At the moment I've no compelling reason to swap out the new LaBs for new DaDs. There's nothing to dislike about them, but they are different.
So, a new to me Dub King turned up here today.....
Luckily my Chief Inspector Of EVERYTHING was on hand to check it out...
View attachment 3502307
Luckily, it seems to have passed muster except for the strings.....
Got some Black Beauties on the way....
Apologies to those of you who see this in various other threads....
Luckily my Chief Inspector Of EVERYTHING was on hand to check it out...
View attachment 3502307
Luckily, it seems to have passed muster except for the strings.....
Got some Black Beauties on the way....
Apologies to those of you who see this in various other threads....
