Taped Strings vs Normal Strings

[jacob1983]

Currently I am using LaBella Deep Talking Black Nylon Tape Wrapped Strings. They sound great, and have been extremely slippery for the finger plucking R&B style that I have been learning until now. As I join JamPlay, I am currently going through David Ellefson's lessons, and I will be needing to play with a pick mostly. How hard will a pick be on the nylon tape that is wrapped around my strings? Are there picks that are better or worse for these type of strings? Should I change the strings before playing with a pick, or wait for them to wear out? Thanks for any help that you all can give me.

[jacob1983]

50 views and 0 suggestions. Not a very friendly or helpful "community" at JamPlay.

[davem_or]

50 views and 0 suggestions. Not a very friendly or helpful "community" at JamPlay.

In my defense, I'm still not use to the Bass forums so when I see a new message that looks interesting (i.e. Taped Strings), I look. Once I realize it's about Bass I lose interest and move on.

I imagine that the number of experienced Bass players on Jamplay is small; therefore, no responses.

Hope this helped.

Dave

[CraigMR76]

50 views and 0 suggestions. Not a very friendly or helpful "community" at JamPlay.

I wouldn't be surprised if most of those views are from guitars players or players that don't have any experience with those type of strings.

I'm mainly a guitar player so I had to do some research.

They probably wouldn't be my first choice of strings if you're playing with a pick and playing heavier styles of music, but me being a cheapskate, I'd play them until they were dead rather than splurge on a new set of strings.

I would expect the pick to eventually wear through the nylon tape. Different pick materials will wear the strings differently. For example, a metal pick will probably wear out the tape and strings faster.

Good luck!

[snakefinger]

Currently I am using LaBella Deep Talking Black Nylon Tape Wrapped Strings. They sound great, and have been extremely slippery for the finger plucking R&B style that I have been learning until now. As I join JamPlay, I am currently going through David Ellefson's lessons, and I will be needing to play with a pick mostly. How hard will a pick be on the nylon tape that is wrapped around my strings? Are there picks that are better or worse for these type of strings? Should I change the strings before playing with a pick, or wait for them to wear out? Thanks for any help that you all can give me.

I've never used tapewounds, however the first type of pick that comes to mind is those I've seen that appear to be compressed felt. They have a fair amount of rigidity without the hardness of typical plastic bass picks. Ran across a comment on talkbass.com that mentioned a rubber type that falls somewhere between plastic and felt as far as hardness. I haven't used either since I normally play finger style. Hope that helps some.

[pink midnight]

I found this video on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ9WLBOTXNE

He doesn't seem to have a problem using a pick, or his fingers and the strings sound amazing. Hope this helps in some way.

PM:rockout:

[Dave.v.price]

Hi here is a bass players reply.

For pick playing I would change to flat wound strings.

I believe Paul Macartney plays pick with Roto Sound 88 which are tape wound.

[rarebird0]

That's not a politically savvy remark. Is there a bass forum? Most folks here are trying to learn guitar and your question is a bit esoteric for a budding guitarist. If people had the knowledge they'd dish it. I was a bass player exclusively from 1977 through 1990 and never encountered the "Taped" strings you talk about. I would suspect that they were a precursor to the coated strings that people use now, but perhaps not--maybe it was a sound issue instead of a string life issue. I just think you stumped people more than anyone conspiring to make you feel unwelcome. Welcome Jacob. I'm a native NYCer myself. I lived there for 54 years before spending the last few in Virginia. I can only guess at the answer to your question and I'm not sure your want guesses. Give the pick a try and see if it does anything to the tape. I've used DR "Black Beauties" which are coated strings with a black color and found that using a pick did not cause degradation to any noticeable extent. I used them on my Fender Geddy Lee model and replaced all the chrome parts with Hipshot black barts. I had a specially made pick-guard of turquoise natural paua shell that made it look super. The hipshot upgrades and Black Beauties all added their own functional and cosmetic appeal. I hope you find someone more useful to you than me. Tape is a new one on me. I have used LaBella on my Steinbergers thogh. I had both a bass and a headless guitar and La Bella makes good double ball strings--never broke one. Jim

[davem_or]

That's not a politically savvy remark. Is there a bass forum?

Yes there is. In fact, you're reading an entry in a bass forum right now.

Dave

[rarebird0]

That's equally a "no". If there is one forum for all of Jam Play and it happens to have a bass section, then the answer is no--there is no bass forum. There is a bass section in this one forum and we're on it. Those who use "new posts", like me, instead of looking into just the sections are apt to read the post and not look at the section it came from. And as it turns out I have the bonafides of having been a gigging bass player for more than a decade and having had basses until as recently as 5 years ago when I was made an offer for my modded Geddy Lee that was worth taking. My bass plying days are probably over because of my age. Age sucks.