La Bella White Nylon, but...

D

DaBigBadaBoom

Dec 11, 2022
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#1
What strings sound like the white nylon, but are higher tension.

Just put a set on my fretless P and daaaaayymmmnnnnnn they sound and feel amazing... But if I put it in drop D they are extremely flubby. I have to be extremely careful not to hit them too hard or they rattle like mad.

So... What sounds like them, but has higher tension?

Thanks!
 
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#2
I've used the LaBella White Tape wounds for the last 6 years on my 4-string Jazz. I love the sound I get out of my LaBella White Tape Wound strings!

They didn't strike me as being particularly low tension, but I have found that when doing those galloping dotted 16th notes like on the song Barracuda by Heart, that it is significantly easier to play back in front of my bridge pickup than up in front of my neck pickup. My default plucking position is a little in front of that neck pickup. But I do find that extra-tension on the faster syncopated notes to be easier to play plucking the string back towards the bridge because of the increased tension. You might just try plucking the strings back by the bridge and see how that works for you. Not sure that will work because mine is s 4-string compared to your 5-string, but it should only take you a minute or two to find out.

I also have a 5-string but rarely use it because my Jazz sounds better, but for better tension on a 5-string I think you need to have at least that B string on a 35" scale instead of the more common 34" scale. Mine is only a 34" scale and it has round wounds on it. I use it so rarely now it's not really worth my effort at the moment of putting some new LaBella tape wounds on it.
 
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#3
Oh no mine is a 4!

PSX_20241115_132331.jpg

Totally fine in standard tuning but I really have to be deliberate in how I hit the low E (in drop D) or the string just rattles... Like if you tuned a normal string to C or even B...

And the tension is miles looser than my standard string. I can bend notes on the low e over a full step without trying very hard at all. The other La Bella I got, the gold ones, are also compeltely different tension. Like normal strings!
 
#6
DaBigBadaBoom said:
What strings sound like the white nylon, but are higher tension.

Just put a set on my fretless P and daaaaayymmmnnnnnn they sound and feel amazing... But if I put it in drop D they are extremely flubby. I have to be extremely careful not to hit them too hard or they rattle like mad.

So... What sounds like them, but has higher tension?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
I had La Bella White Nylons on one of my Rics. But I tuned all my basses down to D Standard and those strings were way too floppy.

I put D'Addario Chromes (50-105 / medium gauge) on that same bass. I get a similar sound, but with higher tension. Chromes and the White Nylons are brighter than typical flats or tapes, so they should work well for your fretless.
 
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#7
MrAB4003 said:
I had La Bella White Nylons on one of my Rics. But I tuned all my basses down to D Standard and those strings were way too floppy.

I put D'Addario Chromes (50-105 / medium gauge) on that same bass. I get a similar sound, but with higher tension. Chromes and the White Nylons are brighter than typical flats or tapes, so they should work well for your fretless.
Click to expand...
Thanks!

I'll grab a set and try them out!

Addicted to the white nylon sound now
 
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#8
DaBigBadaBoom said:
Thanks!

I'll grab a set and try them out!

Addicted to the white nylon sound now
Click to expand...
You're so welcome! I had White Nylons on the Ric in my avatar when I made my second album. They're amazing strings, but only for standard tuning. The Chromes will be featured on my upcoming third album, which I plan on releasing in early 2025.

If I ever get a 5 string bass, I would get a 5 string set of White Nylons and tune them to D Standard (with a high A#) because their tension is so low. I would even do that now if La Bella sold 4 string BEAD sets.
 
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#9
MrAB4003 said:
You're so welcome! I had White Nylons on the Ric in my avatar when I made my second album. They're amazing strings, but only for standard tuning. The Chromes will be featured on my upcoming third album, which I plan on releasing in early 2025.

If I ever get a 5 string bass, I would get a 5 string set of White Nylons and tune them to D Standard (with a high A#) because their tension is so low. I would even do that now if La Bella sold 4 string BEAD sets.
Click to expand...
I'm very optimistic now!

I may leave this set on for a while in standard, for recording, but in a January I have a big gig and will try the chromes for the rehearsals, etc.

Congrats on album number 3. I'm just finishing album 1 here. But on the plus side it's being mixed by a Grammy Winning mix engineer... I'd mixed all the singles and EP previously so it's a relief to not be doing that job at the moment 😂

Thanks again!
 
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