The Comprehensive List of Black Nylon Tapewound Strings!!!

[subdude67]

I have used the GHS 3060 on my main bass for many years and was gutted when they discontinued them.
I tried a set of La Bella white nylons on another bass and I was sadly a bit undewhelmed. Let me stress right here that I am aware that the whites are consdered the brightest of the La Bella line of tapes and that was the reason for me to try them.
As for the tone, they are certainly very useable and versatile but for my taste they are too much in the middle between a well played roundwound and a tapewound. But tht is just a matter of personal taste and other bassists will find sonic heaven with these strings for sure.
What I found much more challenging was to keep them in tune. When the problem persisted after 2 months on the bass strung originally, I removed the GHS from my main bass and strung it with the 750T's, with the same result. They needed tuning after every song for 2 weeks, they just wouldn't settle in.
Of course my personal experience must not reflect on a general problem with these strings but that's what I experienced.
Other than that I like them well enough that they will go back on the original bass they were indended for, in the hope that the tuning issue disappears.
They feel a bit stiffer than the GHS and they were initially slightly sticky but that wore off soon. They are very well made with lots of attention for detail and look really sexy And I am still very much open to try the gold or copper nylons from La Bella but I am very glad to know that GHS black nylons are back!

 

[markjazzbassist]

short scale options are slim

labella white
labella black
roto 88 trubass
d'addario tapes
pyramid tapes

can the Ghs LONG SCALE be trimmed to fit a short scale bass?

 

[GwenOnBass]

medium scale options and extra long scale options are slim, too.

 

[Global Citizen]

Alright, three basses and three different sets of nylon tapewounds:

1. Ritter Roya w/ LaBella Tiger's Blood LE Tapewounds

View attachment 3462757

2. Warwick Dolphin Pro 1 w/ D'Addario Black Nylon Tapewounds

View attachment 3462760

3. Parker Fly FB4 w/ LaBella Black Nylon Tapewounds

View attachment 3462761

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They are all good and all of them will last a very long time. The LaBella tapewounds are the only set I could find that worked with the piezo system in the Parker.

SEXY ASS BASSES

 

[iiipopes]

Black Tapewound Strings Nominal (package) Gauges

String: C G D A E B
D'Addario X 50 65 85 105 135
Fender X 58 72 92 110 X
Galli 35 55 75 100 115 130
GHS 35 50 70 90 105 130
La Bella Beatle Bass X 50 65 80 100 X
La Bella Light gauge X 50 65 85 105 135T
La Bella Regular gauge 43 60 70(74) 94 115 135T
Pyramid 32 55 75 95 112 135
Rotosound regular scale 50 65 75 100 115 135
Rotosound medium & short scale X 65 75 90 115 X

La Bella: same gauges for white, gold, & copper tapes as well
La Bella White Tapes C G D A E B
Nominal 43 60 70 94 115 135
Actual measurements 43 62 74 95 115 135
String core without nylon 26 43 56 74 95 118

Fender Tapewound G D A E
Nominal 58 72 92 110
Actual measurements 58 74 94 110
String core without nylon 37 50 69 88

 

[MAD DOG]

I usually use D'Addario etb92 tape wound strings on the various different short scale basses I play. I mainly use long scale strings on all of the short scale basses I play except one where I used extra long scale. The only problem you might have is if the string does not fit in the tuner hole, although I have never had this problem. There are various different solutions to this dilemma. Short, medium, long, or extra long scale strings are the same except for the length. I have cut into the actual string and had no problem with it unraveling. Before you cut the string bend the string to the necessary length and then cut it to the length of the hole. Good luck.

 

[FenderP]

Been awhile since I've been in this thread, but I snapped another string last fall - this time a D. Pyramid was great. They sent me a free replacement with no issues. Nothing but good things to say about Pyramid.

 

[WannaBeatle]

yeah, I really like Max at Pyramid, too. I've only had one or two minor issues in the last 25 or so years and their customer service is second to none.

 

[Phaidrus]

FYI, the Pyramid 648/1 set is 55/75/100/115. You can get a high C (32) or a low B (135).

Pyramid will make custom lengths if you e-mail them. I needed slightly longer than their out-of-the-box set. They were great and came pretty quickly.

The 648 is the short scale and is 53/63/79/96.

How do the Pyramid tapewounds sound like? Compared to other makes? How's their tension? Thanks in advance for replying.

 

[FenderP]

How do the Pyramid tapewounds sound like? Compared to other makes? How's their tension? Thanks in advance for replying.

I found the Galli set to be very warm and while thick, did not have a lot of tension. Even if I didn't break a string, they wouldn't have lasted. They didn't have a lot of definition soundwise on the Rob Allen.

I still love the RS88 set which is a bit "thuddier" compared to the Pyramid and less warm, but on my Rob Allen, I think the Pyramids strike the balance between and have both warmth and thud as well as good tension. The RS88 is the stiffest set of the three by far which I do really love. I wish I could get the sound of the Pyramid with the tension of the Rotos.

 

[Phaidrus]

I found the Galli set to be very warm and while thick, did not have a lot of tension. Even if I didn't break a string, they wouldn't have lasted. They didn't have a lot of definition soundwise on the Rob Allen.

I still love the RS88 set which is a bit "thuddier" compared to the Pyramid and less warm, but on my Rob Allen, I think the Pyramids strike the balance between and have both warmth and thud as well as good tension. The RS88 is the stiffest set of the three by far which I do really love. I wish I could get the sound of the Pyramid with the tension of the Rotos.

Interesting! I'm intrigued by both the Pyramid and the Rotos. I like warmth but perhaps thud is more important for my dub reggae project.

 

[FenderP]

Interesting! I'm intrigued by both the Pyramid and the Rotos. I like warmth but perhaps thud is more important for my dub reggae project.

What I want in a nylon tapewound on my fretless basses is definition matched with some thud and warmth. There has to be a balance.

I will say if you don't like stiffer/high tension strings, do NOT go with the RS88s. You won't be happy.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

I got a fretless that has black nylons w/ purple silks on ends. Anybody knows what they are?

 

[Phaidrus]

What I want in a nylon tapewound on my fretless basses is definition matched with some thud and warmth. There has to be a balance.

I will say if you don't like stiffer/high tension strings, do NOT go with the RS88s. You won't be happy.

Hmm... Indeed, I'm not a big fan of high tension. Then perhaps the Pyramid. I wonder how they compare with the Pyramid Gold flatwounds. Similar or totally different?

 

[FenderP]

Hmm... Indeed, I'm not a big fan of high tension. Then perhaps the Pyramid. I wonder how they compare with the Pyramid Gold flatwounds. Similar or totally different?

No idea.

 

[WannaBeatle]

I got a fretless that has black nylons w/ purple silks on ends. Anybody knows what they are?

my first guess is that those would be LaBella

 

[WannaBeatle]

a few nights ago during rehearsal, one of the black nylon tapes began to come unwound (near the saddle, actually). but, I think I got my use out of the set. I think I bought them in 2012...my math might be off, but, that's at least 100 years, right???

but, what's kinda cool is that you see the actual string underneath that sexy nylon!!! I feel so dirty now

 

[Phaidrus]

a few nights ago during rehearsal, one of the black nylon tapes began to come unwound (near the saddle, actually). but, I think I got my use out of the set. I think I bought them in 2012...my math might be off, but, that's at least 100 years, right???

but, what's kinda cool is that you see the actual string underneath that sexy nylon!!! I feel so dirty now View attachment 4302634
View attachment 4302635

Well, at least they're not kinked.

 

[Midwesterner]

Any one had experience with both LaBella Black Tapes & Pyramid Black Tapes? Thanks!

 

[WannaBeatle]

Any one had experience with both LaBella Black Tapes & Pyramid Black Tapes? Thanks!

I very briefly had an experience with LaBellas. but, my E string broke as I put it on. but, I do have a ton of experience with Pyramid and have been using them for several years.