FDC484950 Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Yes indeed - this is the whole point of a tapered string. The smaller diameter sitting on the saddle is intended to produce a tighter, more defined sound with what is otherwise a very thick string. If I’m not mistaken this was borrowed from grand piano design, which has a similar concept. In the context of this thread I’ve highlighted that the Warwick Black Label has a tapered .135 B and it looks identical to the one in the OP’s pics. My experience with them has been very hit and miss - on a jazz 5 deluxe through the bridge the B sounded unfocused and dull compared to the other strings, and it wasn’t twisted, but I’ve had this on other basses so potentially dead strings. With a set of DR Lo-Riders through the body the difference is like night and day. Ditto Ernie Ball Slinkies on a Sterling 5. It’s a bit counter-intuitive but a tapered B doesn’t always sound better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrtcat Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 This is a gps streamer just arrived at bass direct. Same strings as yours it appears. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 8, 2020 Author Share Posted February 8, 2020 Thanks @mrtcat, that is very interesting. I checked the Bass Direct website just now, and the new Corvette 5 $$ that they just got in also has those same strings. Look at where the strings make contact with the machine heads on the bass. They really don't look like Black Labels on that end either (compare with my earlier photo of the LX4 GPS). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 So, the package from the distributor arrived. They sent me a Rockcare fretboard protector and a new pack of Black Label strings. But these new Black Labels look like Black Labels... and have the plain brass (uncolored!) balls at one end, with the twiddly / spiraling bit on the other. I've decided not to put these on, and just go with my usual (Ernie Balls). Had they sent me the Warwick EMP bass strings I might have used those... but they didn't. Anyway, now that it's the weekend I'll re-string the bass, do a full setup with adjustments, and hope it sounds much better. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 Thinking to myself, "Should I put lemon oil on the new fretboard? Nah... that's silly, right? It's a brand new bass so it must be clean. Oh wait, what's that dark residue on the fretboard? OMFG" I've occasionally played basses for a really long time before changing strings and oiling the fretboard, but I've never seen anything like this. I don't know what those strings were, but they were s*%t and had to come off for sure. Garbage, absolute garbage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 A world of difference with the Ernie Balls... the low-B is there and sounds great. While taking off the factory strings, I realized that whoever initially put them on didn't leave enough length for decent windings around the post for the low-B. It was one winding of a really tapered string. I always aim for three tight winds around the posts, as in my photo here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 What's the fretboard made of? I've noticed that there seems to be a trend for dark wood fretboards to be sprayed at the factory with some sort of black 'paint' (for lack of a better word). It's not dirt, and it probably has some protective properties, but I made sure to (gently, with a moist rag) wipe it off the Tiger or Macassar ebony fretboards of at least two of my bass guitars and two of my uprights. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 (edited) When I say protective properties, I mean for transport and storage at the factory, rather than once it reaches the end user. And the 'paint' on my uprights had a horrible fishy smell. 😮 Edited February 14, 2020 by Silvia Bluejay 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 2 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said: What's the fretboard made of? I've noticed that there seems to be a trend for dark wood fretboards to be sprayed at the factory with some sort of black 'paint' (for lack of a better word). It's not dirt, and it probably has some protective properties, but I made sure to (gently, with a moist rag) wipe it off the Tiger or Macassar ebony fretboards of at least two of my bass guitars and two of my uprights. The fretboard on this one is Wenge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 Does it smell of fish? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 1 minute ago, Silvia Bluejay said: Does it smell of fish? 🤣Smells like fish drizzled with lemon now! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 That's way better! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 4 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said: I've noticed that there seems to be a trend for dark wood fretboards to be sprayed at the factory with some sort of black 'paint' Hi silvia, it could be a stain that’s been sprayed in the factory to tint the fretboard slightly darker, we did it in our joinery shop and some stains have a strange smell 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 3 minutes ago, Silvia Bluejay said: That's way better! This looks like some kind of machining residue to me... don't know. Now I need to wash my hands before and after playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 (edited) I think @Reggaebass is right, and yes, after having to wash my hands every 5 minutes while playing one of those basses, I decided to 'wash' the fretboards instead. They look even more luscious without that coating. Edited February 14, 2020 by Silvia Bluejay 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted February 14, 2020 Share Posted February 14, 2020 I had this once , and noticed my fingertips were black after playing for a while, so I used some fine furniture cleaner and a very light coat of lemon oil and it was fine, the reason some water based stains smell odd is the water can go off in time 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvickey Posted February 14, 2020 Author Share Posted February 14, 2020 Right, so I can now confirm that the black gunk on the fretboard is not from the strings. I just took a clean cloth and rubbed it down a couple of the strings that I removed and got basically nothing. Clean. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard R Posted February 15, 2020 Share Posted February 15, 2020 The white microporous sponge cleaning pads are fabulous for removing gunk gently. I do hope this story has a happy ending, because right now it's completely put me off ever buying a new Warwick bass 😞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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