45-100 tapewound set?

PennyroyalWe

PennyroyalWe

Sep 2, 2018
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Oregon
#1
Hi all,

I’m lean in g towards trying some nylon tape wound strings in one of my p basses. I’ve been using 45-100 sets almost exclusively for a few years now, and would like to stick with that gauge so I don’t need to mess with nut slot widths at all. Trouble is, all the tape wound sets seem to be pretty hefty. Maybe the nylon tape ribbons are just too thick to get a set that thin?

I know they are generally pretty low tension, but does anyone even make a set that light? Is it even possible? Google/amazon/etc isn’t turning up anything lighter than 105.

If not, I might just need to get a short scale set for one of my shorties that’s already set up for heavier gauges.
 
#2
PennyroyalWe said:
Hi all,

I’m lean in g towards trying some nylon tape wound strings in one of my p basses. I’ve been using 45-100 sets almost exclusively for a few years now, and would like to stick with that gauge so I don’t need to mess with nut slot widths at all. Trouble is, all the tape wound sets seem to be pretty hefty. Maybe the nylon tape ribbons are just too thick to get a set that thin?

I know they are generally pretty low tension, but does anyone even make a set that light? Is it even possible? Google/amazon/etc isn’t turning up anything lighter than 105.

If not, I might just need to get a short scale set for one of my shorties that’s already set up for heavier gauges.
Click to expand...
As you probably suspect, the nylon tape adds negligible mass (and tension) but significant, um, gauge. The reason why one can't find a tapewound set with a .095" low E is that the metal roundwound underneath would necessarily be *a lot* thinner than the final .095". Even sets of "standard" gauge (which, for tapes, means '' low E anywhere between 110 and 115 '' - as made by Rotosound, La Bella, Galli, Magma, Pyramid, Fender) tend to be of only moderate tension, precisely because the metal string within has only so much thickness.


The above having been said, if in your case final diameter is really at a premium,

- apart from the La Bella 760NHBB (a Beatlebass-specific - ergo too short for a long-scale bass - 50-100 set)

- the only tapes that come with a 100 low E are the Warwick Tapewound Bronze,* set 34210 ML LOS 4, 40-100.
Be aware that I've seen less than flattering reviews of this particular set.

- They also come in 45-105 (set 34200 M LOS 4).

- Mexican manufacturer Eclipse makes 45-105 sets too (BXC-4).

- Anything else by any other manufacturer is at least 50 to 105
(GHS 3060, which is flatwound under the tape, hence a little tighter;
D'Addario ETB92;
Magma BE405NB;
La Bella 750N;
the White Nylon sets, also by La Bella: 750T, 750C and 750G).



* [Only the outermost metal layer under the nylon is bronze: core is steel, and intermediate wraps probably are as well, so these can work on electric basses.]
 
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#3
HaphAsSard said:
As you probably suspect, the nylon tape adds negligible mass (and tension) but significant, um, gauge. The reason why one can't find a tapewound set with a .095" low E is that the metal roundwound underneath would necessarily be *a lot* thinner than the final .095". Even sets of "standard" gauge (which, for tapes, means '' low E anywhere between 110 and 115 '' - as made by Rotosound, La Bella, Galli, Magma, Pyramid, Fender) tend to be of only moderate tension, precisely because the metal string within has only so much thickness.


The above having been said, if in your case final diameter is really at a premium,

- apart from the La Bella 760NHBB (a Beatlebass-specific - ergo too short for a long-scale bass - 50-100 set)

- the only tapes that come with a 100 low E are the Warwick Tapewound Bronze,* set 34210 ML LOS 4, 40-100.
Be aware that I've seen less than flattering reviews of this particular set.

- They also come in 45-105 (set 34200 M LOS 4).

- Mexican manufacturer Eclipse makes 45-105 sets too (BXC-4).

- Anything else by any other manufacturer is at least 50 to 105
(GHS 3060, which is flatwound under the tape, hence a little tighter;
D'Addario ETB92;
Magma BE405NB;
La Bella 750N;
the White Nylon sets, also by La Bella: 750T, 750C and 750G).



* [Only the outermost metal layer under the nylon is bronze: core is steel, and intermediate wraps probably are as well, so these can work on electric basses.]
Click to expand...
Thank you, this is both thorough and helpful! As I’m definitely not filing the nut on my fretless bass, guess the tapes are getting put on that one.
 
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#6
Mark King does EADG with 30 50 70 90 with the Roto Funkmasters.
I've mucked about with the 065 075 100 Roto88 tapes tuned to EAD. The underlying gauges are prob 50 60 85 I guess. Was a blast. Low tension for sure.

These would be the tensions with the 050 from the 6 string set as G ( underlying gauge 035 I spose). So the 'real' gauges 35 50 60 85 are not far off the Funkmasters
Rotosound Trubass 88

E1/.100/26.41lbf
A1/.075/24.60lbf
D2/.065/29.02lbf
G2/.050/22.98lbf

TT = 103.01lbf

The Funkmasters by comparison. Just 4lbf overall difference

Rotosound Funkmaster 66

E1/.090/27.02lbf
A1/.070/30.41lbf
D2/.050/29.85lbf
G2/.030/20.11lbf

TT = 107.39lbf
 
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