Tapered B experience

[GreeneKing]

The B string on my custom ACG is totally awesome. 34" scale headless with a tapered end at the bridge.

The B on my ACG J5 was a little bit wooly in comparison so I fitted a tapered B to see how it compared.

I'm won over

[JTUK]

Always favour T strings myself and now I get Newtone to make me some from their Diamond series ..so I have all strings with a taper as opposed to the norm of B and E strings.

[BigRedX]

I've found that it depends on the bridge whether or not tapering the thicker strings worked. Like GreeneKing I found that a tapered B made a massive improvement on my two Gus 5-strings and have been using them ever since. However it was no better than the existing untapped string on my Yamaha BJ5B which has a high-mass Fender style bridge with barrel saddles.

My preferred choice of strings - La Bella Hard Rockin' Steels - are becoming increasing difficult to source in the UK so other than Newtone what elese is available with a tapered B (and ideally a tapered E too)?

[Acebassmusic]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1354711614' post='1889396']
..... so other than Newtone what elese is available with a tapered B (and ideally a tapered E too)?
[/quote]

I use Ken Smith string with B & E tapers which I believe you can get from Bass Direct?

[GreeneKing]

It might be a long way away but the choice and site is brilliant imo

http://www.bassstringsonline.com

[BigRedX]

[quote name='GreeneKing' timestamp='1354713029' post='1889429']
It might be a long way away but the choice and site is brilliant imo

[url="http://www.bassstringsonline.com"]http://www.bassstringsonline.com[/url]
[/quote]

They seem to have most of the LaBella range except for Hard Rockin' Steels?

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1354711614' post='1889396']
....so other than Newtone what elese is available with a tapered B (and ideally a tapered E too)?
[/quote]

Love them or hate them, Elixir do a TW "B" string. At least they give you a good degree of choice in the way you can buy a set.
For 4 strings, buy a set of your choice.
For 5 strings buy a 4 String set of your choice, and add another string from the following;
0.032 "C"
0.125
0.125 TW (allegedly less compliant)
0.130
0.130 TW
0.135

Naturally , you buy 2 for sixes, but alas, no strings for Sub/Sub-Contra tunings and 7 strings.

[JTUK]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1354714372' post='1889457']
They seem to have most of the LaBella range except for Hard Rockin' Steels?
[/quote]

Super Steps are all tapered and I like them as well. I used to get mine from Thomann but find Newtone better all round.
Clean strings, UK wound, nice funky little local company and cheaper.
I buy them direct from Malcom at Newtone and that suits me.

K smith are decent.

I believe DR do a semi taper on the E..but you should ask to check..
It is a long time since I bought DR's now tho..

[BigRedX]

Thanks for the recommendations. I've never tried Elixier bass strings but I did try their guitar strings and they felt absolutely disgusting - IIRC they lasted a day before I took them off and chucked them out. Also the bass that I want to put them on is mostly played with a pick which I've heard isn't good for coated strings.

Several years ago I bought a whole load of different DR strings after reading good things about them here. Unfortunately I didn't like any of them. They felt floppy and sounded dull.

Super Steps are bare core over the bridge on all strings?

I think I'll give the Ken Smiths a go and if they don't do the job and the La Bellas are still providing impossible to get, I'll be back in Touch with Newtone. They've made me excellent (although not to these specifications) strings in the past.

Edited December 5, 2012 by BigRedX

[JTUK]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1354722521' post='1889595']
Thanks for the recommendations. I've never tried Elixier bass strings but I did try their guitar strings and they felt absolutely disgusting - IIRC they lasted a day before I took them off and chucked them out. Also the bass that I want to put them on is mostly played with a pick which I've heard isn't good for coated strings.

Several years ago I bought a whole load of different DR strings after reading good things about them here. Unfortunately I didn't like any of them. They felt floppy and sounded dull.

[b]Super Steps are bare core over the bridge on all strings?[/b]

I think I'll give the Ken Smiths a go and if they don't do the job and the La Bellas are still providing impossible to get, I'll be back in Touch with Newtone. They've made me excellent (although not to these specifications) strings in the past.
[/quote]

Super Steps are single core over thr bridge and I got Netwone to do the same... but I guess you could ask them to taper the core instead on the thicker gauges.
As they wound mine to order, I think they were up to doing whatever I asked for.
The 1st order was for 2 sets just to see if I liked the strings..which I did...so now I put in orders of 3 at a time.
As far as I can see... the wind process is the same as I adopt the Diamond series steel and gauges..but they fine-tune the end of the string near the bridge business.

I just rang them up and asked them what they did..and they suggested a few things and we ended up with a mini custom order.
Special to me...but probably a doddle to them.

[Truckstop]

Does anyone notice any difference to having the taper at the bridge end or the nut end? I've used strings with a taper at the but end but not vice versa. Any difference in feel? Any brands recommended for this? Sounds interesting!

Truckstop

[Kongo]

Someone asked who else do tapered strings.
D'Addario do tapered low-B's. I have them on some of my ProSteel sets, unless it's not needed.
Also, Conklin.
I've had .150, .175 and .190 with a taper from them back in the day I used armoured cable for a low-G#. :-P
Pretty much needed then haha.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Kongo

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1354725120' post='1889634']
Does anyone notice any difference to having the taper at the bridge end or the nut end? I've used strings with a taper at the but end but not vice versa. Any difference in feel? Any brands recommended for this? Sounds interesting!

Truckstop
[/quote]

Isn't it the case that most string gauges (surely for F#, B, E, A and probably D) taper to varying degrees somewhere beyond the witness point at the nut?
I'm guessing that it gives the strings the flexibility to enable them to wrap tidily around the machines' posts without compressing/damaging the main outer windings, which could lead to tuning/intonation issues, undue stiffness and poor sustain and tone.
Tapers at the head end shouldn't affect the feel much, as the full width of the string should sit in the nut slots.
If the taper sits in the slot, it'll cause too low an action and rattles.
OTOH, on a few (4 string) basses the E is fully wound to the point that it wraps around the tuning post, and that's not particularly good, either. Also the case on B strings on some fivers, too.

On a general point, there's just TOO much myth attached to strings with regards to the effects of the many variables in string design and manufacture. I do wish the companies would give us a bit more info to allow us to make more informed purchasing choices.

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1354719281' post='1889540']
Love them or hate them, Elixir do a TW "B" string. At least they give you a good degree of choice in the way you can buy a set.
For 4 strings, buy a set of your choice.
For 5 strings buy a 4 String set of your choice, and add another string from the following;
0.032 "C"
0.125
0.125 TW (allegedly less compliant)
0.130
0.130 TW
0.135

Naturally , you buy 2 for sixes, but alas, no strings for Sub/Sub-Contra tunings and 7 strings.
[/quote]

I love Elixirs.. Strange how they don't do a tapered .135 though.

[Kongo]

[quote name='Lfalex v1.1' timestamp='1354728962' post='1889712']

On a general point, there's just TOO much myth attached to strings with regards to the effects of the many variables in string design and manufacture. I do wish the companies would give us a bit more info to allow us to make more informed purchasing choices.
[/quote]

But the whole special way they are wound around a nonagonal core with specialist metals that were tempered in the fires of Mordor seems legit enough and should coax anyone to give em a try. :-P

Edited December 5, 2012 by Kongo

[chrismuzz]

The only bit of string making wizardry that I subscribe to is the hexagonal core thing, simply because it makes a very obvious difference to me. I like the strings to be nice and tight, without having massive gauges which lead to crazy lows.

My .152 low A isn't tapered and i've never been bothered by it, just required a bit of bending at the saddle end

[Kongo]

[quote name='chrismuzz' timestamp='1354730206' post='1889737']
The only bit of string making wizardry that I subscribe to is the hexagonal core thing, simply because it makes a very obvious difference to me. I like the strings to be nice and tight, without having massive gauges which lead to crazy lows.

My .152 low A isn't tapered and i've never been bothered by it, just required a bit of bending at the saddle end
[/quote]

Hex core does indeed make a difference, at least to my fingers anyway.
Any non-tapered string I also bend to break the angle straighter.

Another annoyance is some overwind the ball end of the string, and it's impossible to insert it through the bridge if you're not using Fender style because it doesn't bend! :-/

Edited December 5, 2012 by Kongo

[chrismuzz]

[quote name='Kongo' timestamp='1354730560' post='1889747']
Another annoyance is some overwind the ball end of the string, and it's impossible to insert it through the bridge if you're not using Fender style because it doesn't bend! :-/
[/quote]

*cough* Rotosound *cough*

I find squeezing the life out of it with pliers before threading it through does the trick! Don't know how good that would be for the string in the long tern though!

[Lfalex v1.1]

Yes, the choice of round/hex core does seem to make a difference to the compliance of a string. Rounds are softer. Hex are stiffer.
Or so it seems.
I don't even know half of what makes strings tick... I feel a thread coming on...

[JTUK]

Not fussed about the core as such... but I don't like clumsy winds thru the posts either, so tapering there is good as far as I am concerned.
Bare to the core over the bridge makes the string quite flexible, so you might be able to cope with a thicker gauge by 5 thou or so..
but then that might not suit your style...

I also don't much like the silk/cotton winds..

Tried pro steels and they are ok...

My second and third choice of late had been Smiths @ no 2, and Pro steels at no 3.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Kongo' timestamp='1354729450' post='1889722']
But the whole special way they are wound around a nonagonal core with specialist metals that were tempered in the fires of Mordor seems legit enough and should coax anyone to give em a try. :-P
[/quote]

Class!