TapeWound Club~Anyone?

[west al]

For cost saving, you can order the E D'Addario tapewound as a single from Jason/FN or other online dealers. But I imagine La Bella whites are gonna be awesome.

I've acquired some La Bella white tapes in quite some times and I've been waiting for the unravel thing to happen with my D'Addario black tapes so I can replace them with the whites. It's just that my D'Addario black tapes are still in good shape despite have been on my bass for more than 3 years.

I had a set of ETB92's on a Geddy Lee Jazz for over four years, when I sold it.

 

[Fat Freddy]

These Whites are a whole different ballgame.......

Full...rich....lovin 'em so far....

 

[GwenOnBass]

The string's the thing. And whites will fit my Stingray.

 

[Linnin]

Not a fan of tapewounds, but they have their place. Here's a Jim Stinnett video that really shows of the best of LaBella black tapes.

 

[trothwell]

Not a fan of tapewounds, but they have their place. Here's a Jim Stinnett video that really shows of the best of LaBella black tapes.

Nice sound!

And, usually I dislike people in bass gear demos talking a lot in the beginning ("just start playing already!"), but this guy is fun to listen to.

 

[Linnin]

Nice sound!

And, usually I dislike people in bass gear demos talking a lot in the beginning ("just start playing already!"), but this guy is fun to listen to.

Jim is a really good bass teacher.

 

[trothwell]

Jim is a really good bass teacher.

Wow, so many videos...

Real Bass Lessons

 

[bassnyc1]

Jim is a really good bass teacher.

He was a teacher of mine at Berklee.

 

[JKessell]

I've tried D'addarios and liked them at first but have found over time they seem to become a bit brittle which produces a very hard sounding mid range.

I'd be interested to know how the D'addarios compare to other brands (specifically Labella and GHS) both in how they age and in tone in general.

Also if anyone knows how they compare tension wise that would be great

 

[Iristone]

I have Roto 88s on my Epi Viola. Has a nice midrange "grump" like what you'd get if you leave a Roto 66 and a Roto 77 alone together. Funny enough I thought La Bella blacks felt and sounded like rubber bands. Different strokes maybe.

 

[Iristone]

Got La Bellas on my SG Bass again. Still need some time to warm up to them. The "grump" tone is there.

 

[Iristone]

Oh, and actually slappable. Not exactly the zing with rounds, but more of a familiar slap tone than the clank-thud of flats.

 

[Iristone]

The La Bella blacks seem to have a bit less top harmonics to me. Maybe I'll try the whites to see if they are better in this regard.

 

[biguglyman]

I have a tapewound question so I thought I'd bring it here to the "experts". I have an older Kramer A/E bass that actually has ripples in the top wood from some previous owner apparently putting heavier gauge strings on. I'd love to try some tapewounds on this bass. What brand/model have the lowest tension?

thanks

 

[GwenOnBass]

I have a tapewound question so I thought I'd bring it here to the "experts". I have an older Kramer A/E bass that actually has ripples in the top wood from some previous owner apparently putting heavier gauge strings on. I'd love to try some tapewounds on this bass. What brand/model have the lowest tension?

thanks

Warwick makes a .40 - .100 set, and that's the lightest gauge set of tapes I'm aware of.

 

[Bill Thorsberg]

I am a Tapewound convert. I have gone from playing Nickels, to rounds, to flats, to STRICTLY Tapes. I LOVE Tapewound strings. I have played D'Addario and La'Bella Tapes. I love them BOTH on specific basses. Anyone else out there in LOVE with Tapewounds??? From Fretted to fretless, country to metal, I have found the sound I dig by going Tapes.... Chime in if you are a Tapewound Fan, too PLEASE!

PS... I searched to see if a Tapewound club already exists. I found nothing....

I wanted to chime in here about my experience with La Bella Tapes. Ihave a 72 Jazz and I used to always play GHS boomers or rotosounds - big fan of the roundwound punch but for some reason I ordered a set of LaBella black tape wound strings (they must have been on sale or something) and I instantly fell in love with the way they sound and feel on my bass. Smooth and easy on the fingers, excellent bright and warm sound - lively and bouncy is how I would describe them, but capable of being played smooth and mellow. I also have a set of Fender tape wound strings that I got on a whim that were on sale and I slapped them on a P-Bass. The Fender strings are ok but not as smooth, or as bouncy as the LaBellas. I'm definitely a convert for life. I can't wait to find a set for my little Squire Bronco bass next.

 

[Hachimitsu]

I'm loving the tone of TIJFs, but love the feel of tapes... are there any sets that close to the best of both?

I've used labella light gauge black tapes, in the end I found the highs a bit flunky and too much mid scoop. I've heard some people say the copper white labella strings have more mids.

 

[west al]

I'm loving the tone of TIJFs, but love the feel of tapes... are there any sets that close to the best of both?

I've used labella light gauge black tapes, in the end I found the highs a bit flunky and too much mid scoop. I've heard some people say the copper white labella strings have more mids.

I always do well with D'Addario ETB92 Nylons. ETB92S Nylons on the Epi EB-0.

 

[Mekana]

I finally got some medium scale LaBella white nylon tapes to fit my string through short scale Brice 5ers. I like these strings! In the photo: white nylons on the aqua bass, black nylons on the fretless, and TI Jazz rounds on the red/bubinga bass.

(Anyone looking for medium scale 5 string sets for their Brice basses, LaBella fit perfectly!)

Both of the basses with nylon tapes are stock from Rondo and haven't been set up yet. They'll go in to the shop this weekend, and then I'll see how they do at the next rehearsal. But so far, just practicing by myself in the living room, they sound good and feel great.

 

[NKBassman]

I'm interested in trying a set of tapes on a homemade "upright" bass that I built from an old kick drum and an electric bass neck. Looking for something with low-ish tension, all thud/thump, and as far from roundwound tone as possible. Thinking the GHS tapes might be the best place to start?

Picture attached is the original designer's, not mine. But mine is similarly constructed, if maybe a little... worse.