Tapewound on acoustics

[MrBEAC]

This has probably been discussed before, but I'm new on here.
I used nylons on one of my el basses for many years, but I have haven't used them on an acoustic. I recently bought a Fender CB-60SCE, which came with the usual roundwounds, and I've been looking at various videos and opinions on nylons. I only play for my own pleasure these days, so volume isn't really an issue.
I'm looking at getting a set of La Bella. The Fender is a medium scale (32"), but I read that someone was recommending buying the long scale for a medium scale bass(?).
Any opinions?

​

 

[HaphAsSard]

This has probably been discussed before, but I'm new on here.
I used nylons on one of my el basses for many years, but I have haven't used them on an acoustic. I recently bought a Fender CB-60SCE, which came with the usual roundwounds, and I've been looking at various videos and opinions on nylons. I only play for my own pleasure these days, so volume isn't really an issue.
I'm looking at getting a set of La Bella. The Fender is a medium scale (32"), but I read that someone was recommending buying the long scale for a medium scale bass(?).
Any opinions?

​

Get a sharpie and mark where the current low E
1) meets the nut, and
2) meets its tuning post.

Take the string off, straighten it, measure
from ball end to 1) - which is the minimum full-gauge winding length for your bass - and
from ball end to 2) i.e. your maximum safe winding length.
Also measure the difference between the E/G and A/D string paths at the headstock (roughly speaking, the distance between the E and A posts).

Here's the La Bella bass string (length) guide .pdf document

https://www.labella.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/La-Bella-Strings-Bass-String-Guide-2-1.pdf

at page 2 (flats and tapes)
you can check if both or either the medium-scale and the long-scale low E falls in between measurements 1) and 2), as it should;
and also if the A (and D) from either or both sets are under measurement 2).
Don't worry about the G: it's flexible enough either way.

If you were implying folks recommend using one variant on a nominally different scale length because of supposed differences in construction and tone...
I *strongly* doubt La Bella makes a given group of sets sharing gauges (e.g. 760N, 760N-M, 760N-S) any differently, except for winding length: even if your bass can accommodate more than one of them in terms of length, they would sound and feel the same.

 

[MrBEAC]

Thanks for that.

 

[mikeoso]

Many of us who use ABGs, (acoustics) prefer the tone and feel of tapes. They're on all of my basses.

i
That great big one on the right is a 32" scale. I use medium length Rotosounds on it. The other two are 34"s and get the long Rotos.

 

[Killing Floor]

The bronze round wound acoustic bass guitar strings are objectively awful. It’s not an opinion, it’s a measurable fact. That are bad strings.
But think about why. They’re made to be louder, tone is really an afterthought.

In comes tapes. Not quite as loud but who cares? If you play an ABG with other players you already know you need to amplify it. So it stands to reason you can skip the bad strings and put on strings you like.

I use LaBella Clear. They call them “white” but that’s dishonest. Anyway I love them on my ABGs. I’ve also used flats and standard rounds. Anything but the bronze swill.

Try some LaBella tapes. You’ll love them on your ABG.

 

[FugaziBomb]

I'm not sure about tapes, but I put some flats on my fretless acoustic and it was way too much tension for that poor girl and the top ended up developing a bulge at the bridge. I've since switched to Labella low tension flats and it's sorted itself out.

 

[MrBEAC]

Many of us who use ABGs, (acoustics) prefer the tone and feel of tapes. They're on all of my basses.
View attachment 7000072i
That great big one on the right is a 32" scale. I use medium length Rotosounds on it. The other two are 34"s and get the long Rotos.

 

[MrBEAC]

That's really useful Mike, thanks.

 

[MrBEAC]

Totally agree re the volume being (relatively) irrelevant... in my case anyway. As I said, I was using tapes back in the 1970's on a Burns London, and the feel and tone persuaded me to continue to use them exclusively on that particular bass. I just haven't tried them on an acoustic yet (but I will).
I also get the point re the tension. I've seen a video somewhere with someone warning about that.
Cheers all.

 

[GretschWretch]

This is somewhat of a derail, but some may find it a useful derail. Selectively I prefer flats or tapes on an ABG, more tapes than flats. I have no love for metal/metal-wound ABG strings. However, recently I have been impressed with bronze-wound Ovation .040 - .100 ABG strings on solid-body basses. They have a rawness, an in-your face, Neil Young grungy tone that steelwound strings to me seem to lack. If you want a very suitable "Loner" or "Cinnamon Girl" type tone, consider the Ovations.

 

[Winslow]

I used tapewounds on my ABGs for years, and they were fine. I only recently switched them to Roto 77 flats, for a bit more brightness, without the "zinginess" of bronzes. If the Roto 77s suddenly vanished from the earth for some reason, I could move back to tapes with no problem.

 

[MrBEAC]

I used tapewounds on my ABGs for years, and they were fine. I only recently switched them to Roto 77 flats, for a bit more brightness, without the "zinginess" of bronzes. If the Roto 77s suddenly vanished from the earth for some reason, I could move back to tapes with no problem.

Excellent - thanks.

 

[RandomKaren]

I have medium scale 324 Jazz Flats on my 32" scale fretless ABG and they fit perfectly. With some La Bella sets it's worth remembering you should only have the silk portion of the string round the post or the string core will break so long scale might not work.

 

[MrBEAC]

Thanks Karen.
Yes... I've strung many el basses, but not an ABG.

 

[Altitude]

I’ve got the LaBella gold tapes on my LTD TL-5. That bass has a primitive bridge and lacks much action adjustment. One great thing about tapewounds is that they bring the high action guys and the low action guys together, because the tension is so low you hardly notice the difference.

Honestly I’m not sure I’ve played that bass plugged in since I put the tapes on it. It’s the bass I keep at my other place and I don’t have an amp up there. No reason to think it wouldn’t sound good.

Unrelated, I also have the LaBella tapes (the white ones) on my Skjold 6 string these days. Took a little getting used to but now I really like the way they feel on an instrument where I might be playing heads and solos. The bendability provides another method of expression.

Took me 53 years to discover tapewounds, now I see why people dig them.