I've been on a string journey with my defretted SBMM short scale Stingray. My string of choice has been the Stringjoy roundwound but the fingerboard on the SBMM looked as if the roundwounds were going to do a number on it pretty quickly. So I started down the flatwound rabbithole. Remember that a lot of flats are not available in short scale and that gauges are generally limited as well. I think Cobalts would have been high on my lst but are not available.
My first choice was a set of D'Addario Chromes. There is an authority in the lower register that I really like and they seemed to sit well in the mix. For me, the tension was too high and the strings were too stiff. I wanted to like that string.
Next I went to Labella Low Tensions. Again, there was a richness in the lowest register that was very cool. Different than the Chromes but very cool. They are so smooth. Slides and side to side vibrato is soooooo easy. On these the tension felt a little floppy, especially on the higher strings. They upper registers were not as cool as the lower registers.
A friend passed on a set of Dunlop flats... turned out the set is for medium scale. Someone had given him the strings and it looked as if twice they belonged to someone who was hoping they would work only to find out they were the wrong length. When I looked at the E string it was obvious that the tape would wind around the tuning machine post so I didn't even try installing them. Bummer. I'd read good things about this string.
A few people recommended Labella Black Tapewounds. Labella says the whites are brighter so I decided to try them first.
I put the Labella white tapes on yesterday. My first impression is that they are keepers.
I've read from some folk that they are a bit tacky at first. I don't feel that. They are a larger gauge. My understanding is that they use a regular gauge - roughly 45-105 - and then wrap it with the tape so they are pretty fat - 60-115. That takes some getting used to. Tension is what would be expected for the underneath gauge string. They are very smooth feeling. In long scale, Labella does make a thinner gauge but they are not available for short scales.
Sound: For this string the interior string is a stainless steel roundwound. Normally I hear those strings as harsh or at least overly bright. The tape tones that down and you end up with a string that sounds pretty much like roundwounds that have been on the bass for a few months. Pretty much exactly what I was hoping for.
Labella makes 4 formulas of tape wounds - black (darkest sounding, nickel roundwound interior string?), copper (I understand the interior is phosphor bronze roundwound), gold (?), and white (the brightest, stainless steel). Only the black and white are available for short scales. Other companies use various different string formulas underneath their tape so these observations likely don't apply to all tapewounds. FWIW, the white tape is not actually white. It is clear.
My other strings will be going up for sale in a few days so if you're interested, watch the classifieds.
My first choice was a set of D'Addario Chromes. There is an authority in the lower register that I really like and they seemed to sit well in the mix. For me, the tension was too high and the strings were too stiff. I wanted to like that string.
Next I went to Labella Low Tensions. Again, there was a richness in the lowest register that was very cool. Different than the Chromes but very cool. They are so smooth. Slides and side to side vibrato is soooooo easy. On these the tension felt a little floppy, especially on the higher strings. They upper registers were not as cool as the lower registers.
A friend passed on a set of Dunlop flats... turned out the set is for medium scale. Someone had given him the strings and it looked as if twice they belonged to someone who was hoping they would work only to find out they were the wrong length. When I looked at the E string it was obvious that the tape would wind around the tuning machine post so I didn't even try installing them. Bummer. I'd read good things about this string.
A few people recommended Labella Black Tapewounds. Labella says the whites are brighter so I decided to try them first.
I put the Labella white tapes on yesterday. My first impression is that they are keepers.
I've read from some folk that they are a bit tacky at first. I don't feel that. They are a larger gauge. My understanding is that they use a regular gauge - roughly 45-105 - and then wrap it with the tape so they are pretty fat - 60-115. That takes some getting used to. Tension is what would be expected for the underneath gauge string. They are very smooth feeling. In long scale, Labella does make a thinner gauge but they are not available for short scales.
Sound: For this string the interior string is a stainless steel roundwound. Normally I hear those strings as harsh or at least overly bright. The tape tones that down and you end up with a string that sounds pretty much like roundwounds that have been on the bass for a few months. Pretty much exactly what I was hoping for.
Labella makes 4 formulas of tape wounds - black (darkest sounding, nickel roundwound interior string?), copper (I understand the interior is phosphor bronze roundwound), gold (?), and white (the brightest, stainless steel). Only the black and white are available for short scales. Other companies use various different string formulas underneath their tape so these observations likely don't apply to all tapewounds. FWIW, the white tape is not actually white. It is clear.
My other strings will be going up for sale in a few days so if you're interested, watch the classifieds.
