matt-bass-sparkes Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I've been a flatwound string player for about 3 years. Before that I was a roundwound. When I used roundwounds, I loved the tone that settled in after about a week of playing them....but this tone didn't last long and I was always disappointed when the tone dulled, and that I couldn't find a constant sound. So I tried Elixr coated roundwounds....they were great, not too bright, and didn't dull. The only problem was that my sweaty hands, and frantic playing lead to the coating freying and eventually peeling off....which not only looks crap, but dulls the sound considerably. So, I eventually went to using Fender Flatwounds. They feel great under the fingers, and the tone, (although duller than round wounds), lasts as long as the string does! I've only had one breakage with the flat wounds in 3 years). BUT, I randomly found a video online about these Nylon Tapewound strings...so I thought I'd give them a go. They are AMAZING!! £23 for a set. They have a small metal core, which is wrapped in a black, tough nylon coating. To the touch, they feel like the middle-ground between flats and rounds, and they sound EXACTLY like roundwounds do after about a week of playing...in that they sound bright and attacky, but will never lose their tone. I obviously still wipe them down after gigs, as my sweat seems to be like battery acid! But I thought I'd share this incase there were some others who had the same problem. Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Hmmm.. gotta check them out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 I've found a better buy are Status Nylon Tapewounds - come in "sensible" gauges - 40-100 and 45-105 - and only £13.99. http://www.status-graphite.com/status/frames/index_home.html You also have the privilege of knowing that your money goes to a British company, hand building exquisite basses and that Rob and Dawn are serious contenders for nicest couple in the world... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt-bass-sparkes Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Ooh cheers I'll check them out when I buy some more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I loved these when I had them on my Westone Thunder III Fretless, but they don't make them in 5 string sets, or I'd still be using them. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt-bass-sparkes Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 The above Status ones do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 [quote name='TheGreek' timestamp='1396289512' post='2411924'] I've found a better buy are Status Nylon Tapewounds - come in "sensible" gauges - 40-100 and 45-105 - and only £13.99. [url="http://www.status-graphite.com/status/frames/index_home.html"]http://www.status-gr...index_home.html[/url] You also have the privilege of knowing that your money goes to a British company, hand building exquisite basses and that Rob and Dawn are serious contenders for nicest couple in the world... [/quote] What's the tension like on the Status tapewounds? My D'Adarrio 0.050" set are quite soft feeling, so I could imagine that 0.045" or 0.040" gauge would be even more so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 They feel great - they feel like "normal" strings - tension is not unlike round wounds but I prefer light strings as a rule. A friend of mine keeps coming round just because he likes the feel of them over the round wounds he uses. He's made me promise that if I sell the bass to take them off and give them to him. I was so impressed that I bought another two sets for when I'm ready to change strings on one of my other basses but since I play them on rotation for a couple of months at a time it's normally long periods before I need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 [quote name='matt-bass-sparkes' timestamp='1396368749' post='2412776'] The above Status ones do [/quote] I know - I've had them on my fretless for over a year now & they just get better. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greggo Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 So are there a light gauge roundwound string coated in nylon? Are they brighter than flats but duller than rounds? Sounds interesting, may have to investigate as I'm a convert to flats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt-bass-sparkes Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Yeah the Status ones come in a 40-100 gauge. I love these nylons wound strings... I have a P bass with P/J config, and the strings sound so tasty. And I know I've said it before, but they keep a constant sound/tone throughout their playable lives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 If you want bright sounding nylons, try the LaBella 'white' tapewounds. They're not really white, the outer wrap is transparent: http://www.labella.com/category/products/bass/white-nylon-tape/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNdiB2gAUSA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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