Tapewounds in 2023…which are the brightest?

[lungimsam]

Trying to get a string that has no finger squelch noise, and that feels like a flat but is brighter than flats.

Which is the brightest tapewounds you have used? Do they come in medium scale? Thanks for the info.

Any other interesting tapewounds info is appreciated since I know nothing about them. Thanks.

 

[hearth_man]

I've recently switched to tapewounds and like the feel and sound. D'Addario ETB92 medium gauge on a long scale B-301 solid body bass and D'Addarios on an short scale acoustic fretless B4CE. Also a set of LaBella 760FHBB on a short scale Hofner violin bass. Both sets are very smooth and whisper quite when sliding. As far as being a "bright" sound I would liken them more to a flat wound sound. But certainly not dull, as you might think with this type of construction. I really like them on both the acoustic and solid body basses. They have a lower string tension as well. Which I like as well. You really need to try them to know if you will like them. I tend to be a flat wound guy on my electric guitars both solid body and archtop though.

 

[kbraker]

I’ve tried Tapes once on a bass I got used.
Ernie ball Cobalt Fiats are bright and smooth.

 

[hearth_man]

A correction. I have LaBella 750N strings on the B4CE not D'Addarios.

 

[mellowgerman]

On Starfires I have tried the Labella, D'Addario, and Fender tapes. As far as I recall, the Fender tapes had the brightest tone, whereas the D'Addarios had the most flatwound-ish tone. That said, the Fenders come in long-scale only and if you happen to cut them below the silk ends, the outer tape will immediately try to unravel on you. So those may not be a great choice on a Starfire unless you have a way to extend the tailpiece like my Sunburst '67 with the added bridge rails. The Labellas were probably a touch brighter than the D'Addarios, but they are also lighter tension and have that shiny finish to them that tends to result in some clacky sounds when digging in. For those reasons, I prefer the D'Addarios with a bit more tension (though still nice and pliable/soft) and the satin finish... they also have more of that round low-mid punch, that I like to hear from my strings regardless of what style of string it is.

 

[lungimsam]

Is it true that your hands cannot ground the tapewounds like your hands can on metal strings?

 

[mellowgerman]

Is it true that your hands cannot ground the tapewounds like your hands can on metal strings?

Technically yes, if you insist on being a physical part of grounding the circuit... but I've never really understood why people get hung up on this factor, since the ball ends anchored on the metal bridge are still metal on tapewounds, with a metal core in full contact, running the length of the string, so the bridge ground wire will still ground the strings there.

I am fully aware of ground hum that occurs when my bridge is not properly grounded and it drives me bonkers. If that is the hum you are worried about, that hum simply does not exist as a result of tapewounds being used.

 

[lungimsam]

When I touch my metal strings, 100% of electrical noise vanishes. Hands off strings, I get a little noise, but nothing bad. Bridges are grounded correctly.

I’m gonna try the Daddario medium scale 50-105 tapes since they, at 129lbs. , are about the same tension as the TI JF324 that I like so much.

LaBella doesn’t post tension lbs for theirs. Just says “standard tension”.

Maybe the Daddario will be good. I do like their medium scale rounds the best of all rounds for my Starfire so maybe their tapes will work out good.
Years ago, a tech put them on my Gibson bass and they were way brighter than flats which shocked me.
I hope they work out great. At $37.99 it is a worthwhile experiment.

 

[mellowgerman]

When I touch my metal strings, 100% of electrical noise vanishes. Hands off strings, I get a little noise, but nothing bad. Bridges are grounded correctly.

I’m gonna try the Daddario medium scale 50-105 tapes since they, at 129lbs. , are about the same tension as the TI JF324 that I like so much.

LaBella doesn’t post tension lbs for theirs. Just says “standard tension”.

Maybe the Daddario will be good. I do like their medium scale rounds the best of all rounds for my Starfire so maybe their tapes will work out good.
Years ago, a tech put them on my Gibson bass and they were way brighter than flats which shocked me.
I hope they work out great. At $37.99 it is a worthwhile experiment.

Yes, somebody on the talkbass forum with more technical knowledge of electrical intricacies than I have once told me that technically there will always be a bit of ground hum regardless of how well the standard grounding connections and/or shielding have been executed, with the final step of best-possible hum-elimination being touching the strings (but that is like a final subtle hum, far less offensive than the ungrounded-bridge hum)

Either way, I expect you'll likely dig the tone and feel of these. As far as I understand, they are essentially just D'addario nickel rounds with they nylon tape added, to alter the nature of the vibration, add a bit of that lovely low mid thump and attenuated highs, and provide the satin smooth physical feel

 

[chazmo]

I'm glad you guys brought this up. As a total ignoramus when it comes to bass, this "tapewound" string stuff is very interesting.

 

[lungimsam]

While I’m waiting for the black tapewounds to arrive for the Starfire, I put some LaBella white tapewounds 750T 50-105 on my Ric 4003 bass. They are steel rounds with a clear nylon tape wrap.

Wow!! They sound just as bright as the Rotosound rounds that were on it. Smoother and slicker to the touch than even Flatwounds. And no string finger squelch noise. Tension is light but I like it! If they work out duration-wise I won’t go back to flats or rounds on this bass. This is wierd because I always thought tapewounds were alleged to be the darkest toned strings.
I am pleasantly surprised.
I wish I would have tried tapes years ago now. I hope the Daddario tapes work good on the Starfires.

 

[mellowgerman]

In my experience, tapes are typically brighter and livelier than flats (at least the ones that are rounds underneath the tape). I've never quite gotten along with Rotosound tapes, so maybe those are Rotosound flats underneath?