TapeWound Club~Anyone?

[GWGuitar]

I have use LaBella in the past for the most part. I just recently decided to try tapes on my Epiphone Accu-bass with the intent of reducing string tension on a bass that’s nearing 30 years old. This time I used D’Addario black tapes. They are working out just great. They sound good, with enough bite to preserve the character of that bass, and I’m loving the lower string tension. (I had Chrome flats on it before). The black strings look cool against the maple fingerboard, too.

 

[jmlee]

I did something to my right elbow and, for big band rehearsal last night, I thought better of taking my upright. Instead I took my Epiphone Jack Casady, recently re-strung with D'Addario tapewounds. I've really got to say that they sounded terrific. There's a characteristic "bite"—and that's not really the right word—that I get from those strings which really added something nice in the texture with all those horns and a 4-piece rhythm section. I have the same tapewounds on a couple of fretless basses to good effect, but this was my first time using them on a fretted bass: and a hollow-bodies one at that. Very, very nice. [On the downside, the JC was a stupid choice since my right elbow had to dangle over the sharp edge of that body and it pretty much hurt all night! ]

 

[west al]

I have use LaBella in the past for the most part. I just recently decided to try tapes on my Epiphone Accu-bass with the intent of reducing string tension on a bass that’s nearing 30 years old. This time I used D’Addario black tapes. They are working out just great. They sound good, with enough bite to preserve the character of that bass, and I’m loving the lower string tension. (I had Chrome flats on it before). The black strings look cool against the maple fingerboard, too.

The D'Addario Nylons are the way to go in most cases.

 

[nixdad]

I bought myself a set of La Bella white nylon 750T’s for Christmas, and finally took the time to install them on a Fender American Standard Jazz Bass I’d picked up through Craigslist a few years ago. I’ve owned about 60 basses since 1977 and have never strung any of my basses with nylon strings until now.

At first blush, I’m quite impressed. I love the smooth touch and slinky feel, and they seem to be capable of a wide variety of tones depending upon how the volume & tone controls are set. I look forward to trying them in a band rehearsal in a few weeks.

 

[west al]

I bought myself a set of La Bella white nylon 750T’s for Christmas, and finally took the time to install them on a Fender American Standard Jazz Bass I’d picked up through Craigslist a few years ago. I’ve owned about 60 basses since 1977 and have never strung any of my basses with nylon strings until now.

At first blush, I’m quite impressed. I love the smooth touch and slinky feel, and they seem to be capable of a wide variety of tones depending upon how the volume & tone controls are set. I look forward to trying them in a band rehearsal in a few weeks.

I've had Nylons on almost every bass I had since 1969. Love those Nylons.

 

[nixdad]

I've had Nylons on almost every bass I had since 1969. Love those Nylons.

yep - they could become my new normal.

 

[west al]

yep - they could become my new normal.

That's the way I am with them as well. The customer service at D'Addario is tops, if you ever need them.

 

[Munky]

I'm considering trying a set of La Bella 750G gold white nylon tape wound on my Fender P, any thoughts or advice. Has anyone tried them.

 

[subdude67]

I'm considering trying a set of La Bella 750G gold white nylon tape wound on my Fender P, any thoughts or advice. Has anyone tried them.

I had them on my bass, they are the brightest sounding tapes l ever tried. I took them off eventually because they didn't give me the tapewound sound I wanted, they were more like roundwounds minus the finger noise.
If you want bright sounding strings that play easy and smooth. you will enjoy them.

 

[winegamd]

The gold whites are a nice balance. They are not as flexible so give a bit more punch to the low mids. They are bright, but not zingy. You can still get some classic sounds out of them. Especially if you roll off the tone. They have more low end than the other two variety of white nylons to my ear. They have a great R&B tone when palm muted.

 

[Munky]

Thanks for the advice, I taken the plunge and bought a set. However, I have changed my mind, I’m going to fit them to my Jack Casady hollow body..
Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[KLINCOLNS]

Thanks for the advice, I taken the plunge and bought a set. However, I have changed my mind, I’m going to fit them to my Jack Casady hollow body..
Thanks again for all the advice.

Great choice! You won't be sorry

 

[Munky]

Klincolns I'm awaiting there arrival..

 

[alex1fly]

Next time you're under flourescent lights with one of your basses that has conventional flats, dime the volume and tone, and take your hands off the bass. It will probably induce a lot of noise from lack of grounding. That's what is happening with the tapes. The nylon is an insulator, so a conventional bass loses its ground, and gains noise, even if it has humbuckers and shielding. I had to go to EMG actives to kill the noise after I switched to tapewounds. On my backup 5-string, I keep a Labella flatwound B string so I have a string ground to go with the EADG tapewounds so I have something to complete the bridge ground to kill noise.

 

[Hastur]

I’m looking for tapewounds with higher tension, so now I have LaBella black tapes 60-115. In future I maybe try Rotos. Are there any other high tension (60+) tapewounds on market?

 

[Maurice L]

Question for you folks: Does anyone feel like the pros of tapes (feel, tone, etc.) outweigh the buzzing? Or: is anyone using them on a poorly-shielded bass, like a passive Fender Jazz?

I've tried tapes before and loved everything about them until I heard the buzzing and took them immediately off. I want to give them another try, but I don't want to modify my CS Jazz...

 

[Aidil]

Question for you folks: Does anyone feel like the pros of tapes (feel, tone, etc.) outweigh the buzzing? Or: is anyone using them on a poorly-shielded bass, like a passive Fender Jazz?

I've tried tapes before and loved everything about them until I heard the buzzing and took them immediately off. I want to give them another try, but I don't want to modify my CS Jazz...

Luckiky, I don't have buzzing issue with tapes. I use them on a bass with piezo pickups.

 

[subdude67]

Question for you folks: Does anyone feel like the pros of tapes (feel, tone, etc.) outweigh the buzzing? Or: is anyone using them on a poorly-shielded bass, like a passive Fender Jazz?

I've tried tapes before and loved everything about them until I heard the buzzing and took them immediately off. I want to give them another try, but I don't want to modify my CS Jazz...

Try an anti static wrist strap. You don't even have to buy one, any thin cable will do.

 

[ole Jason]

Not sure if it would be possible but has anyone ever produced tapered core tapewounds? The reason I ask is that my bass has a floating bridge with a rather severe break angle, I've always read that can cause problems with tapes.

 

[winegamd]

Most of the labella tapes are tapered.