The ULTIMATE bass string Shootout... tapes vs rounds vs flats

[@gavinvonmeyer3746]

I love the flatwounds. - Those lower notes hit me in the soul.

[@mimoochodom2684]

MaCartney wasn't an idiot.

[@p_ineappl_e]

They sound great I just can't choose them over rounds or tapes if I only have 1 bass because they have absolutly no "rasp" to them

[@petethescalemodeller6130]

@@mimoochodom2684 Neither is Steve Harris , Flats all the way bro :)

[@bronkmonculus7338]

@@mimoochodom2684 McCartney played tapewounds on abbey road

[@mimoochodom2684]

@@bronkmonculus7338 For a minute I read it as "tapeworms." LOL . Well they all sound good if Macca's banging them.

[@KidxVicious]

I'm sure that trick of kinking the end of the string does work to stop the "dead string" issue, but it's more of a band-aid fix. The real issue is that your string becomes twisted from the process of winding it onto the tuner. So you'll stop the movement of the core vs. the winding, but you'll still have a twisted string, which is not ideal. What I do instead of this trick is: Stick the end of the string down into the tuner, then bend and start winding it onto the post. Once I have a centimeter or so of string on the post (enough to hold it there with my left hand), I slide my right hand all the way down the string to the ball end, making sure it's straight. By the time you get to the ball end you will feel the twist being worked out of the string. Then, once you have the string untwisted, continue winding it onto the tuner like normal. No more twisted strings. I have been doing this for like 15 years and have never had a single "dead string".

[@gabrielhughes7587]

Thanks bro

[@deanweld]

I also stick the end of the string into the tuner and then bend it and pull it around the tuning peg. Never once had an issue with a dead sounding string.

[@neemyn407]

Thanks bro, I'm buying a bass in a few so thia helped me a lot with the bass stringinf process

[@Coastal_Cruzer]

I've been playing for three years and didn't know this. I'm glad I do now. Thank you so much!

[@sergeysokuler5191]

Yeah, I do that procedure every time when I change the strings. My teacher showed me this "trick" about 15 years ago. Thanks for sharing! Very useful info.

[@SHUSHIchannel]

COMPARE ROUNDWOUNDS - TONE CONTROL - WIDE OPEN 11:26 FLATWOUNDS - TONE CONTROL - WIDE OPEN 11:47 TAPEWOUNDS - TONE CONTROL - WIDE OPEN 12:05 ROUNDWOUNDS - TONE CONTROL - OFF 12:26 FLATWOUNDS - TONE CONTROL - OFF 12:46 TAPEWOUNDS - TONE CONTROL - OFF 13:05

[@matthewvick3127]

Thanks!!!!

[@bryantwalley]

Thank you

[@saboteur1001]

Thanks.

[@HPNGOMUSIC]

The flatwounds sound Woody almost. It’s like you’re getting both the sound of an upright bass on an electric

[@BrianPthegreatcommission]

Flats on the PJ Tape on the acoustic Round on the 5 That's how I roll.

[@patrickellis142]

Brian P. That's the way man, I've only used flats and rounds. Never tried tapes.

[@ronnienes]

BOLLOCKS. Never done this, but it makes sense.

[@nathanolsonunfortunately2487]

I do the exact same bit I have a second electric with tapes, I find tapes really nice for slap and tapping, I might have to try cobalts some time

[@juanignaciopozzi7412]

what would a 5 string pj bassist do then

[@BrianPthegreatcommission]

@@juanignaciopozzi7412 flats for the pj

[@kunstmol]

The thing about flats is , they feel soooo nice on the fingers

[@Hexenhammer]

It felt awkward at first. They take some getting used to, but then you have this moment where you are like, "holy shit, these are amazing".

[@christophermitchell1827]

Try the best of both worlds. Try groundwound strings. U start off with roundwounds by the end of the life of the strings life u got a new set of flats.

[@lucifersmile]

I agree, I’ve been playing for years and wish I’d changed over earlier

[@matsgoalkeeping2448]

It depends what tone you want out of them, I go with Flats because I’m looking for more of a vintage tone.

[@T3glider]

Scott doesn’t have that issue with the rounds because he uses the glove!

[@PANICBLADE]

One of the secrets to the brighter tapewound tone is the lower tension. Wider string amplitude compensates for the smoothness of the wraps and when it rattles against the fret, it puts back some of that rasp and growl. The flatwounds, being totally metal, have higher tension than roundwounds, so they vibrate more firmly, leading to a smoother and more consistent tone. A lot of people think tapewounds are darker by default due to the outer wrap muting the string a bit, but that's not necessarily true. If you peel off the tape around the string, you will find a small roundwound string in there, which, since it is metal, the pickups will "pick up" on rather than sensing the vibration of the flat outer ribbon of the flatwounds, rounding some of the treble out.

[@Danielbignuts]

PANICBLADE That was highly informative, thanks!

[@georgefelton5433]

love how you put that!

[@joshstarkey8883]

PANICBLADE Thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I had also been told tapewounds were even "darker" than flats. I suppose hypothetically a tapewound string could also be flatwound or groundwound on the inside. Tapewounds seem pretty niche though so there might not be a lot of variety.

[@laspijker]

Note, lower tension means also new setup for your bass

[@SwirlOfColors]

For reference - here's the total set tension - according to D'Addario: 50-105 tapewound (66.290 kg), which are comparable to 40-95 round wound steel (62.060 kg), where flatwounds have 40-95 flatwounds chrome (73.990 kg), and 50-105 flatwounds chrome (101.610 kg) www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=186&productname=ETB92_Tapewound_Bass__Medium__50_105__Long_Scale www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=139&productname=EPS180_ProSteels_Bass__Extra_Super_Light__35_95__Long_Scale www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=205&productname=ECB82_Chromes_Bass__Medium__50_105__Long_Scale

[@rypt.7574]

9:36 *Strokes back non-existent hair*

[@Bc99-whyz]

0:26 he takes off the hat and is like "well first of all........because I don't ...." *fook* he just cuts the camera off lol (nothing but love tho

[@alexkna8808]

or it was a lil itchy or he thought he may be sweatin

[@mrbobmarley2222]

i was watching iron man earlier today and it really confused me when a bald jeff bridges did exactly that

[@dr.riccardo3575]

Gotta wipe the dust off

[@goooseboi]

13:50 +

[@barryjwz2508]

yoooo i'm a guitarist that recently fell in love with playing bass and i looove your channel man you can learn so much just sitting in your room nowadays

[@randommusicstream9252]

+1

[@EzyoMusic]

What is it with guitar players falling in love with playing bass? They're everywhere and I'm one as well. :O

[@eclogite]

@@EzyoMusic they realize they've been playing a toy bass their whole lives

[@rickdaddario4138]

Got a fretless not to long ago and put the tapes on it. That is a match made in heaven. They sound great and don't eat your fretboard.

[@criticaltheist3992]

That would prob work good. I like the daddario chromes a lot more than the tapes though, more on the high end and a bit of a tighter thump on the low end from the tighter tension(but still pretty loose). With tapes on my pj I felt limited, like I could only ever make smooth jazz on it or something lol with roundwounds it can do anything now, has the snarl growl back.....chromes have more of that growl too

[@keithwhyte4750]

flatwounds on fretless is da life

[@jisakoff]

I've tried tapewounds in the past on fretless and switched many years ago to flatwounds. I'll never go back.

[@zakcritch8706]

@@jisakoff i did the same, tapes sound great but not enough tension in the string for me

[@BassCommunion]

Skip to 4:00 because it's one of those days..

[@jakebuckelew1923]

Thought it was going to play one of these days by Pink Floyd

[@Lioanimals1977]

+Jake Buckelew Waaaaaa me too!! :c

[@ChrisBaccus]

You are doing god's work. Thank you.

[@redbarchettta]

Thanks

[@jasonbafile]

Bass Communion ♥️

[@charlesgreaves3293]

I play flat wounds on a fret-less, and love that upright bass sound, but you are committed to that one sound. I did think the tape wound strings hit a nice straddle between sounds. Just ordered a Sire 4 string, and I think I will give some real thought to tape wounds after listening to this. Great video.

[@DannySapko]

I love the direction you're taking your channel Scott - these last few videos have been fantastic! I find that flatwounds get better with age. Play them in for a month and you might grow to like them!

[@larrycjones6765]

Flats on my P's and '74 Jazz and rounds on the other Hand Basses and my Thumb 5.

[@dangracia7805]

I have to tell you Scott, I only used round wounds on the '82 Jazz I bought in 1985 until I saw this video. I had used flats on my '65 Jazz that I bought in '66 because pretty much all bass strings were flat wound back then. I moved to Fender's Tape Wound strings in early 70's and that's what was on it when it was stolen in '76. In 1985 I found another Jazz with the same neck profile and it had rounds on it. I had only used rounds on it until you came out with this video in 2017. I had moved from Blue Steel rounds to DR Black Beauty's and had worn off a lot of the coating on top. So it was time to replace them. After watching your bass string shoot out, I decided to give LaBella Tapewound flats a try. I got them in white instead of black to match my white Jazz bass. They are the BEST strings! They still have a lot of the brightness of the rounds I'd used but had much better balanced sound from string to string. The D and G strings never sound weak or thin. They are also easier on the fingers and I get very little string or fret noise. I REALLY like my tape-wounds, and it's all your fault. Thanks for doing this!

[@michaelhiltz7846]

I really love flat wound strings, they just have a lovely feel, my fingers don't get worn out as fast on flat wound strings, also I find that you have to change round wound strings more often because dirt builds up in between the ridges on the surface of the string. Also the tone on flat rounds I find has more bass to it than the round wound, with out the bass sounding over done. I have never tried the tape wound I might try them in the future. But for now I love the flat wound strings.

[@MaxFriscomål06]

Well, you don’t have to change round wounds because of dirt on the strings, you can auctualy boil your old round wound strings to get all that dirt of then.

[@yeoldefoxeh254]

@@MaxFriscomål06 which doesn't work 100% and only gives back about 50% of the original tone. Then about 2 weeks and it's gone again.

[@warrenosborne1539]

Boil the strings for about an hour and dry right away,, bings back the clank.

[@estebanjacobs5794]

Products like fast fret by ghs or just running a wipe over your strings after you play, can give you a shit ton of life span for strings

[@michaelhiltz7846]

@@estebanjacobs5794 Yeah, if you do that with round wound strings they can last a long time but if you do those thing with flat wound strings they last even longer. I love the sound of Flat wound string Round wound string are way to bright for my taste.

[@BadvisionStudios]

I like the giddy joy in your discovery of the tapewounds... Great tone!

[@deanchyla6812]

Scott, you may feel most at home on the rounds, but I love, love, love the tone with the tapewound.

[@paulneeds]

THAT. Was very interesting.. I’ve always used rounds - I’m 60 btw. My *impression* has always been that tape wounds were like flats, but without any ‘catchy bits’ where the flat winding butts up against itself - and mainly suitable for jazz and orchestral gigs, where basically the bassman is replacing a plucked upright bass sort of sound. Your video has really made me think again.. there’s much more top there than I expected - very much more. I may even be tempted to give them a try - like you, Scott, I have neuro issues with my hands - following a neck accident though. My hands, particularly the *insides* and fingers/fingertips are extremely hypersensitive and can be excruciatingly painful. Meds help, but I do find rounds feel sort of abrasive - particularly on bass strings, even moreso than on 6/12 strings. It’s been a massive issue, as you can imagine I’m sure. The occupational therapists were incredible when I was in hospital - they ordered all kinds of stuff in for me to see if it would help, including right-fitting ‘support’ gloves that look similar to those you use. But of course, I left hospital and that degree of help and support went with it. But, I found a thing called a Pykmax which helped massively with helping me hold onto picks for both guitar and bass. As for finger style... when I was much younger I used to emulate John Entwistle’s style - he played with both fingers and picks. But following the accident, and not playing a lot of bass until I recently started putting a new one together (a J bass), I could not get back into regular finger picking at all, and I just put it down to the nerve damage in my neck inhibiting and slowing my fingers, as it has for my left hand to a lesser extent. But I suddenly remember led while setting this bass up that I’d never played right hand with 1st and 2nd - it was always 1st and *3rd*! - a remnant of my hand position playing my old custom built Explorer bass! 1st and 3rd fingers are a pretty similar length, whereas the 2nd is longer! With the hand at a right angle to the strings, I just found it easier, and just using finger 2 when moving up or down a string.. Any way - thanks.. may we’ll try tapes to see if they feel less abrasive to both hands, while still giving me a basic tone that can always be frigged on the amp.

[@robertluking6223]

Those tapewounds rock. Really really rock. Has that low growl on the E string the rounds lack, and still clear up high.

[@amoblahblah]

Great tone and a great feel - I love playing them.

[@Sandman-ne1gz]

If I was gonna purchase strings based purely on your facial expressions then tape wounds! 👍🏻😂🎸👌🏻

[@hollowify_tensa_zangetsu]

I bought tape wounds.......and was SHOCKED I loved em. Flat wounds are good for like a jazz/fretless Nickel is the best for any and all types

[@andystaff1]

I loooove tape wounds. Been playing them for years! I really feel like you have more tonal control when you use the tone knob. They can sound like rounds and they can sound like flats. You're absolutely right about the tension, makes for some great vibrato.

[@bigbass421]

As usual, a fun and interesting video! I began playing in 1967. I used LaBella Blue silk flats, in individual pink packages. That was all we had in the home of Ampeg at one time- Woodside Queens, N.Y.., in the local music shop. E.and O. Mari, who owned the LaBella String Company, were in the next neighborhood over, where I was born... Astoria, Queens, N.Y. City. Since then, and discovering Rotodounds in 1969, I've played everything you can imagine. I used nickel rounds for a very long time, then stainless D'Addario.. and now, at 70 years of age, and 23 basses in my collection, more than half are strung with flats. Mostly Fender 9050ML, some Chromes, and some Rotosound light RS77's. None are black nylon tapewounds. I have not tried them since about 1970. I don't recall liking them all that much. Seems like they might be made better, as most strings seem to be nowadays. Rounds are just great, for full, ringing sustain, and a nice singing tone in the upper registers. Flats have that big, unmistakable front end attack, and quicker decay. The fundamentals seem to punch out better in a band setting. Remember- before about 1968 or so, EVERY electric bass you heard on recordings had flat wound strings on it. To me, there really isn't anything that compares to a hollow body bass with flats- played in what I like to call the "British Invasion" part of the neck.. the big bloom of those shortened strings and quick decay, are so powerful... All the strings you tested, sounded great. It really boils down to preference.

[@adamphillips9737]

I use flats on all my basses which are all fretless. But in the comparison you did Scott, the tape wounds sounded like I need to try them on one of my brighter basses. They had a nice hybrid thing going on, way warmer than a round and way brighter than a flat, nice middle ground.

[@tshohankie]

Rounds produce a lot of high harmonics that make it hard for me to hear the basic tone (I'm 63). Also flats invoke that "wrecking crew" sound that Carol Kaye made famous.

[@ctrlaltbass6990]

for some reason different types of paint are coming to mind... as though roundwounds are gloss, flatwounds are matt and tapewounds are silk... somewhere between the two... if that makes sense??

[@Grumdot]

Oliver Tanner it makes a lot of sense to me.

[@headphones0n]

exactly

[@jakeh5175]

Oliver Tanner silk ain't paint but I feel you

[@ctrlaltbass6990]

Jake Hayes aha... very true... i think 'satin' was the word i was after!

[@asblittle]

Jake Hayes Dulux does a silk range... www.dulux.co.uk/en/products/silk

[@reallivebluescat]

13:17 that was SWEET!!

[@classicalteacher]

You're getting the tone like a jazz player with the flat wounds, but you're playing way too funky. Those flat wounds just can't give that funk-bark you crave and expect. I would have liked to hear you play at least three different styles with each of the strings: something like Rock, Jazz and Funk to start with. That way we can really hear what those strings excel at. Also, the Chromes are OK, not the best tone for flat-wounds, but passable for jazz. Those La Bella's were a total surprise! I like how you play with them!

[@lb5081]

Yeah, you're absolutely right. I LOVE the flats. They're really jazzy. But for a funkier sound, you gotta go with the rounds. You're not gonna get the sound you want trying to play funky on the flats.

[@cruz.c]

ikr it bothered me so much that he didnt know flatwounds arent for his fast funk lines and shit

[@johnmunson100]

@@cruz.c It's not that he didn't know that. It's that he wanted to play the same line on all three types for comparison. The real point is what the original poster said -- it would have been cool if he had played a couple or three different styles on each set. But you can still get a feel for the differences even though he played only the one line.

[@joshstarkey8883]

What do you recommend for flats then, if not Chromes?

[@facedowngaming]

Josh Starkey GHS Flats, La Bella Flats, etc. just stay away from D’Addario Chromes if you don’t like it.

[@kriskollmar9728]

Tape wound absolutely brought my fretless jazz bass to life plus saved my neck, literally. Best of both worlds for fretless.

[@JJVonGuckin]

I love flatwounds more than any other strings on earth

[@TheMinnickFamily]

Scott! Thanks for adding in that short video... I really NEEDED that today... I just got home from my sixth spinal surgery in 15 months... I needed to hear that logic of finding the motivation to keep on with what I need to do so that I can get back into normal life. I’m just now learning to play bass, while also learning 6-string guitar. Your videos are surely going to make all this easier and much more fun! Thank you for all you do! -Dave in Texas, USA

[@markfeathers]

I know what you said BUT... you look like you enjoyed playing the tape wounds more.

[@clickrick]

Spoken language vs body language. You're right.

[@jeffgutierrez8796]

Exactly, what you said at the end of the first shot. It comes down to which ones you can get YOUR SOUND OUT OF... I use old flatwounds on a fretless, I'm home on flats.

[@jeffbarnett4755]

Thanks for the demo. I really like the tapewound sound for that acoustic bass type sound. I'm just beginning to play bass, but I really love the sounds you get and your playing style. I appreciate you taking the time to make these videos.JB

[@GuitarUnderground]

In my experience it basically boils down to: * Rounds are bright, they bring out top-end at the expensive of some lower mids and sub frequencies. They have more growl, but also bring out more finger noise and they can be abrasive on the fingers. They work well for aggressive styles of music like funk and metal where the finger noise is a part of the style. * Flats are dark, they bring out sub frequencies and have a strong fundamental, but lack some top end punch. They sound very old school, are dead quiet, have a percussive tone that is great in a mix. However, they aren’t going to get you noticed as much as a soloist. They work well for Classic Rock, Reggae, Pop, and Soul. * Tapes are the in-betweener, they have a strong fundamental with rich lower mids that really sing. Less sub frequencies than flats and less top-end growl than rounds. They’re quiet and easy to play like flats, but require a little more left hand muting. They work well for a variety of styles, but fit nicely with Jazz and soloist work due to their unique character and really shine on a fretless. * Honorable mention - Flat wound Cobalt strings are a great all-arounder that encompass the strengths of all of these sets, but don’t lean as much into one direction. They feel like flats, but sound more like rounds. Less finger noise than rounds, but not as quiet as flats. More top-end growl than flats, not as much sub as flats. More upper mid than tapes and less lower mid. A great general option for a variety of styles from soft rock to metal, but I think they really shine for Funk, Indie rock, and Power pop.

[@cray-zykrillin8868]

I’m choosing tape wound, never used them, always had round wound but I love the tone when he is playing

[@painter1955]

I have roundwound on my Fender jazz, but flatwound on my fretless Warwick. The jazz bass 'needs' that growly roundwound sound for rock, whereas the fretless 'needs' that oily wah-wah sound for blues. I think the choice of strings depends on not only the bass, but also on the style of play intended. I like (love) the fretless sound, so sonic preference must be considered when choosing strings. Since I couldn't decide on just one sound, I set up two basses to cover the widely different types of music I like to play. The various sounds keep me from getting bored with just one thing. Another reason that I put flats on the fretless was to save the fingerboard from getting chewed up by the abrasive rounds that came on it, which I considered a gross oversight by whoever put them on it to start with.

[@Paulosrecordsofficial]

I spent years playing roundwounds thinking they were the ones for me. Tried Thomastik Jazz Flats and hated them at first, but after a few months grew to love them. Now roundwounds feel strange to me and I flat out love flats most of the time. I must try out tapewounds at some point too. Great video Scott. Loving your woirk.

[@johnstewart4885]

I'm a new bassist. Old school. I bought a '66 Gibson EB-3. I put new round wounds on her. Really like the sound. The feel was a little stiff, but I liked the vintage 60's sound. I had to put her in the shop for a neck repair. In the meantime I bought an Epiphone Allen Woody. It came with D'Addario tapewounds (ETB92S, S is for short scale basses). Oh my! I love the deep throated rumble sound. And I love the feel. As a beginning bassist, the smoothness of the strings let's my fingers glide over the fretboard. I picked up speed and confidence immediately. It may be sacrilege to put anything but rounds on a (Jack Bruce) Gibson EB-3. But these tapewounds are just so easy to play. I'm ordering a set for her.

[@Gh0stClown]

I'm a flats fan because I'm mainly an upright player so it's what I'm used to.

[@hanzsantos]

Ghost Clown that's exactly why I prefer flats; I love the sound of double bass strings:D

[@brennanc4321]

Ghost Clown I feel that's the main reason anyone uses them haha. Use those on my jazz bass, with a mute.

[@roninhernandez1397]

Believe it or not, for me, I prefer the tapewounds, just for that reason, but they are expensive as hell.

[@jacobb7379]

Same

[@Taterwheel]

That is a real cool sound, a lot of film scores with an urban feel during the 70s had a jazz tinge, and that sound holds it down great. Jameson and Carol Kaye used P bases with flats and mutes, and between them they played on more records than any other electric bassists from that era. I bought a contemporary P bass just to get this sound. Haven't tried the mute yet.

[@miquelangelbujosaferrer2733]

you actually made me want to buy a pack White Nylon La Bella Tapewound strings and put them on my p bass and man.... whooouuu!!! I LOVE IT!!! the sound, the tension, the playability and the possibility to make fast runs on the bass thanks to the fact that the strings have a different tension is just amazing!!!!!! THanks for the video!

[@xsanez_]

What guage strings did you get? The most common one I see is 115, which is actually medium tension. 105 tapes are considered light

[@GarrisonDigital]

I put tapewounds on my fretless bass. Oo la la!

[@dimhelmet]

I've got DR tapewounds on my fretless, and they are the greatest!

[@DarkVideos1029]

GarrisonDigital i think tapewounds + fretless is the ultimate combo

[@JKryanX]

i play fretless but hate flats so i've been playing rounds (coated board) but ive been curious about tapes, do you get more sustain from the tapes than the flats??

[@dimhelmet]

Jukebox I do, and they're a bit brighter too.

[@GarrisonDigital]

You should try taped. I have a standing gig in a big jazz band and they help me get almost a upright sound. They are fun to play and very smooth. I have p-bass with metal flats and a jazz bass with rounds for my other contemporary gigs. Each tool does something different. BTW my basses are not expensive pro series. That's why I can afford three bases. It's all in the hands.

[@dangracia7805]

Not long after you brought this video out, I bought a set of LaBella White Tape Wound strings. Although I started with flats in 1965, I'd played only round would strings for the last 32-33 years. My DR Black Beauty strings were nice but I'd worn off a lot of the coating and they were kind of mottled looking and no longer "Beauty's". Plus I had bright shiny marks on the back of all the strings where they contacted the frets. I was also amazed with these strings. Come to find out the White ones are the brightest of the tape wounds they offer and the sound is really well balanced across them. D and G strings are neither thin nor tinny sounding so I can play pattern on them low on the neck instead of moving up high on the neck on the previous string to get a fuller sound. I had also forgotten how easy it was to play flats versus round wounds. They still sound great on their third year of use, but when and if they die I will replace them with the same LaBella Deep Talking Bass White Round Wound strings. They are just GREAT strings.

[@j.sparrow3265]

Watch out for tapewounds, because they're insulated by the nylon you don't get any grounding effect from touching the strings. They'll only work in hum cancelling and/or noise free environments.

[@jessd1952]

J. Sparrow That's really good to know for my noisy j bass.

[@pollyshero]

A little late with a response but that's really not a problem. Solder alligator clips to each end of a 3' length of 22AWG wire. Clip one end to an adjustment screw at the bridge, run the other end up under your shirt and clip to your nipple. Problem solved!

[@MarvinForte]

You joke but I had a noisy bass and I had to ground it to myself when recording all the time LOL

[@pollyshero]

Yes - I think I'm funny... I've suffered with noisy instruments as well and had to solve the problem in a pinch with some creative methods (anti-stat strap on my wrist, lead clipped to the bridge). But a humming bass means something is wrong and needs attention. Creative measures can be risky. The only CORRECT way to eliminate the buzz and keep yourself safe is to ensure your guitar's electronics are properly grounded/shielded and your amp is properly grounded. Yes - even with tapewound strings. Keep in mind that "instrument/amp properly grounded" can involve a whole lot more than just the instrument and the amp. Cables, power cords, power sources, ground loops, RF interference... I could write a book. Many folks much smarter than I am already have - Google. Read. Enjoy the rumble without the extra noise :) Peace be with you.

[@flash001USA]

Good observation. I never thought about that.

[@JuanESalas]

I have always played my Yamaha bass with tapes. I simply love the smooth sound and easy/comfortable playing. It also gives you some diversity other sthings do not get. Great video!

[@MissPandasia]

definitely roundwounds, just by listening the flatwounds sounded too muddy for me... but the tapewounds is something I would like to try 🤔

[@soñadorado]

A lot of people here seem to be really enthusiastic about that bassist-in-the-room-next-door sound coming out of the flats... I like the color of the other two m'self.

[@allrequiredfields]

Colin DuPée If you're playing in a room by yourself, sure, but if you're playing with a band, rounds always tend to fight with the frequencies of the other instruments (unless they're a particularly old set of strings) - and turning the tone down always just sounds like hamfistedly bludgeoning a large chunk of the high end. What people tend not to realize is that when an instrument isn't competing for frequencies, it's much easier to hear, and can be turned up without fear of overpowering the other instruments. I think we've almost entirely lost sight of the electric bass's place in a band setting, over the last few decades, and have been seeing it more as a front and center solo instrument, rather than a team player.

[@ACKEBRACKE]

Man this video made my day! Having one of those days and this really lifted my spirits! Put on some coffee, played around some on the bass (definitely getting flat wounds!) and then of to the laptop for schoolwork. Cheers mate!

[@arnaud78]

That tip about bending the end of the string before you snip it off was definitely the string changing tip of the century. 👍🏻 I think that may be exactly how I ruined my E string with the last change (by not bending it first).

[@yojon1212]

OMG Scott! I got a set of tape wounds on my first bass 1970's Fender Music Master Bass 35 years ago and liked them but I was just a kid and only knew what I liked to hear. I only tried them once. Then lately, I have a bass that sounds amazing with flatwounds. I'm definitely going to try the tapewounds again thanks to your video.

[@Bi_scotti_5]

String pros and cons (cons first) - Roundwounds are really noisy which can be really annoying for recording, but they're a pretty versatile string. Love that bite, great for pick playing and perfect for rock and funk. Every bass player should at least start with rounds so they'll get the calluses on their fingertips. Decent with tone all around from 0-100%. Fundamental bass sound, can't go wrong with em. Sound pretty interesting when they get old; I usually try to beat the crap out of them when I get a new set; it's a desperate attempt to wear them down for that warm and dull tone. - Flatwounds don't sound that great with the tone rolled down, in my opinion. They definitely sound completely different from rounds; it's easy to see why there's a debate between the 2. Love that thump at the low end, as well as the smooth tones at the higher end. Great for if you like to slide around, want a vintage sound, or if you're a recording artist that doesn't like that "woosh" sound. Also perfect for any jazz musicians out there, even on a fretless. - Tapewounds are gauged strangely because of the nylon coating so they bend pretty easily. The slippery feel can take sound getting used to. HOWEVER, I think they're the best of both worlds. That bite from the rounds, the thump from the flats, yet not as metallic of a sound. These things are very comfortable to play; great for people who might get sore from playing a lot. They're really underrated, especially on fretless.

[@andyokus5735]

Thanks for mentioning me bend. Now I'm sold.

[@sansocie]

Each bass I have has a different type of string. One bass is great with tape but blows with round and flats. Great to have so many toys! Thanks Scott!

[@funkyhighcat5446]

Flats on a p bass with foam mute are the sweetest thing ever

[@PANICBLADE]

FunkyHighCat It's like someone covered butter in wd40 innit?

[@feedthechunk9836]

Flats for me! I think the sound is smoother overall than rounds.

[@DanBrill]

You get a sweet James Jamerson sound out of that set up. Love that.

[@johnsaul3021]

if you play flats, try LaBella's. They seem to jump out more than others. More "colorful" than other flats. As well, try the tone set up brightly with the flats and play with a plectrum. Interesting.

[@DonovanFite]

FunkyHighCat amen.

[@jburquest]

I remember an interview with Stephen Stills about his bass tone and he said something along the lines of, i haven't changed strings in about 6 years. The interviewer said, wait...what about all dirt and grime and Stephen said, that's the tone! I want my bass to sound like a bass! I've had two pair of Sadowsky flats in close to 20 years! I bought two sets one day. I finally put the second set on my Cirrus neck through a few years ago! Flats don't retain dirt and the two 5 string sets i bought for 55/set are still fabulous! If I don't pick up my bass for a year, they're still in tune!

[@mattromeril5702]

Flats all day long on a P Bass :) I don't think the audio in this vid does any of the strings justice to be honest.

[@excismos8056]

Not enough long notes and "typical" playing styles for the strings.

[@Taterwheel]

@the Movie DJ Funny thing about taste, Chris Squire, both his playing and his sound, was the reason I became serious about playing bass so many years ago, his sound is still incredible to me. I've had a few Rickenbackers, always with round wounds and always played 'em with a pick.. Back in the late 90s I started playing different genres and switched to my old Jazz bass, also with rounds, as that sound was more fitting. Jaco was a big influence at that time, not that I was within a light year of his playing, and that became my main bass. I love the focused low end from Jazz basses with rounds, I just can't get that from P basses, they're rather open and round. I do prefer when the rounds are a little bit dead on the Jazz, it sort of evens out the issues some players describe here. I would say the main reason I don't have issues with string squeaks and too much fret clank with rounds though is developing my technique to clean that out of the sound. Studio environments help a lot to let you know where you are, especially when you playback with your bass track solo'd. Once I realized my playing needed more control and started paying attention to those details, it didn't take long until my solo'd tracks were cleaner than a lot of solos'd bass tracks I heard from major releases. Almost every engineer or producer, whether they say it or not, wants you to/wishes you would play a P bass with flats, so if you're loving a Jazz bass with rounds, you'll need that cleaner technique or will get a lot of flack. That said, I still love to pull out the Rick, grab a pick and dig in on Close to the Edge man. RIP Chris, my sensi!

[@socalhardtailmtb4194]

I’m intrigued. Just ordered a set of tapes. I like the idea of corrosion resistance. Added bonus. 🤞

[@revelationequation4518]

I started playing bass last month... I got round because the sound is recommended for ppl like me. they are very good for teaching my fingers how to be strong. I love them, but you just convinced me to try the tape wound. it sounded amazing. when I get them i will find out if it was the strings or the player that are good

[@benavich8]

I find it amazing that a vast majority of responses are for the tapes or flats. Tried those, I'm sticking with the rounds, but that's just me. Love the punch you get from them.

[@day4band397]

Flats on a P Rounds on J Love these new style videos Scott!

[@mouthmw]

that's exactly my philosophy

[@fernandom.5873]

Can I get the best of both worlds with flats on a J?

[@dogetge7544]

So tape for bass with P and J?

[@golfboy83]

Tapes on a jazz bass sound amazing!

[@raletky]

The reason tapes sound a bit brighter and have lower tension than most flats is because the tape material is wrapped around an inner core with windings like a round wound string. I've been using the Fender 9120 Nylon Tapewound strings on my Jazz fretless for about 15 years now.

[@Cankalay]

What about groundwounds or halfrounds? That is the one i really wanna know about. There are literally no videos about that one.

[@ChurchOfTheHolyMho]

Ditto. I used to use pressurewound on my fretless when I played. Would love to hear others in the A/B comparison as well.

[@planetpleasant]

1/2 rounds always felt weird to me. The texture of the string is too "grimmy" for lack of better descriptor. They can be a pretty cool in between sound for sure though.

[@markcaldwell6696]

I agree with Gary that halfrounds are a nice in between. I currently run rounds on one bass and flats on another, but if I could only have one bass, I'd use halfrounds on it. These strings can be very universal. They can growl a little and can be warm. You might say that they fill a hybrid role. Just like pretty much everything else, you need to try them to see how they fit into your style.

[@A1QAGuy]

I just restrung my P bass with D'Addario XL ENR72 medium gauge half rounds and I love the sound! I previously used rounds exclusively, but think I'll stick with the half rounds. The new strings were much brighter than my old rounds, (which were way overdue to be replaced), but the half rounds overall had a mellower/warmer tone, with almost no finger noise.

[@Cankalay]

Thank you all for the answers, yeah i think im gonna get a pair and try them on

[@stitchmywoundz17]

Thankyou so much!! Esp for the string change bit n the video. I needed both. N both were great extra bits of content. ❤

[@quietfiyah8182]

The tape wound sound is unique & impressive

[@MarkBayfieldvillageidiot]

Great video. Flat wounds for me, got a p bass off eBay and it was shod with em, always played round wounds but was converted instantly.

[@Baelthaazar]

Personally, I liked the tone of the tape wounds on that bass, amp and cabinet with the style you are playing. For me, it depends on the bass and the type of music I tend to use the bass for. I have Rotosound rounds on my Rick and Jazz, round wound boomers on the Precision, but flats on my Tacoma Thunderchief. I had tapes on my home made fretless, but went back to Roto's because I found them too muddy. For me, it's always been a question of how bright a bass is. Flats tend to take the edge off and give a more James Jamison sound on most standard basses, but perfect tone wise on the acoustic Tacoma as they take the brittleness off. Also, there's huge differences between different manufacturers. Not all round wounds sound the same. Same goes for tape and flats. Finding the right string type from the right manufacturer for a specific instrument, can be expensive and time consuming, but it pays off in the end. They all behave differently and have different sounds that require different things to bring out the best that your rig can give you. As always, your mileage may vary.

[@jamessadler3623]

Hi Scott. I truly enjoy your tutorials. They are very informative. The one I am watching now Aug.20th, 2020 you demoed the various string options a bassist has. From my own experience as an Upright Double Bassist. I prefer the Flat wound strings on all my electric bass guitars. for that deep mellow tone.. When purchasing a new bass, I automatically change 3 things. #1 is the bass bridge. I usually use a Shaller Roller bridge #2 the pickups. are replaced with Seymour Dundan Quarter Pounders. and #3 the Strings, I always install Flat Wounds usually Roto Sounds, some Tape Wounds on the shorter scale basses, like the Gibson EB-3 and the Danelectro 58 re-issue longhorn bass. All 3 of these 3 mods provide me with that low mellow sound I get from my Upright Double bass. I own 12 bass guitars and I don;t regret any of the mods I have done to obtain the desired tone and feel I am looking for.

[@skooterbrah]

I prefer the percussive thump of the flat wound strings. The lack of high end harmonics does not bother me in the least. Tape wounds are my second favorite. I just don't like the jangly rasp of round wounds. That being said, I do use all three, depending on the situation.

[@markblackstad8705]

I have always been a round wound guy too but I think the tapes sounded best to me in your video. Great, now this will cost me some $$ to test for myself! If course, as everyone else is commenting, depends on what bass, style of music, how many and what type of other instruments are playing, how tough it is to cut through the.mix in your group etc....

[@lideresunidosmexico_]

It´s all about the music you are playing Scott. Your style is perfect for the Pbass with Roundwounds, but try to play with other Pbass, with 50´s or 60´s pickups, and Flats... some Rock and roll or Rockabillity and you will find the sweet spot for this strings. I have two Pbass, one with a 50´s configuration with flats and one with a Badass bridge, Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound pickups and Roundwounds... 180º apart... By the way, my little violin hofner bass always wears flatwounds... everything depends in the music and the kind of instrument you are using. Greetings from mexico!

[@georgecovetskie6717]

Those tape wounds have that clean yet bold sound of a good upright. Somewhat woody sound and fun to listen to. Something you would hear on a well recorded Jazz record or even Blues. Thanks for doing this video. I appreciate when people play clean. It lets you hear what's going on. I always wondered why some people exabit dirty bass to portray the sound. Start clean.

[@MisterJawaman]

Depends on which bass I'm using. Normally I play roundwounds exclusively but I do have an old Gibson EB-0 and a P-bass with flats. Both sound killer with these strings. I noticed my playing style changes a bit while playing flats. I tend to leave more space between the notes and don't try to play as much, or let certain notes ring out. Tapewounds are nice as well but it takes some getting used to.

[@georgefelton5433]

What type of stuff do you play? Got any vids of you that you could put up? I'd love to hear the Gibson...

[@MisterJawaman]

Different genres, mostly more of a rock-type-of-guy. It depends on the bass as well, like a P with flats will make me want to play more mellow 60s music. Or my other P bass with (fresh) rounds makes me want to shred some John Wetton King Crimson-era licks. I'm not in a band at the moment so I'm pretty free to do whatever. I don't have any recordings, except some covers of my previous band. There on KZbin somewhere, but embarrassing (at least for me...). I do want to record and shoot videos of me playing covers, some of my own licks or maybe showcase one of my basses. The Gibson will be the first on the list if I follow through.

[@allrequiredfields]

Oh man, I bet that EB-O's frequency range is like 50-90 🤣

[@landondale8496]

Super helpful! Played some flatwounds once and really liked the feel, but you just can't get the same grittiness with them as you can with roundwounds. Nice to be able to hear them side-by-side.

[@TheGreatElmer]

I'm not trying to make you a flatwound convert, but they are the type of string that I've found differs radically across brand. D'Addarios are very different from Fender in terms of tension, sound, and overall feel. Fender flats are extraordinarily different from Thomasik Infeld flats. It's like changing from bridge cables to licorice whips. So, if you kind of like the sound of flats, but the only thing inhibiting you is the feel, delve a little deeper. Of course, flats may not be your thing, which is cool too.

[@EMB75]

there are also 'new' EB Cobalt Flats. My (REALLY!) last strings. Punchy, growly, and...bright!

[@eric3532]

I just put a set of the tapes (based on your review and recommendation) on my 1974 Rickenbacker 4001. It almost plays itself. I ordered another set for my P-Bass. Can’t wait to try it!

[@abramvillalba4903]

I use flats on my fretless. I find that they have a sound similar to a stand up bass and they don't chew up the neck like rounds would.

[@maxheadroom1378]

Cool video, thanks! I had my tape wound epiphany 11 years ago, never looked back.

[@ChurchillCigar]

I am so used to flats that I always wince when I try rounds again. Too bright and agressive to the ears and rough to the fingertips. Tapes are great too, can be really snappy and sound good with a pick.

[@JA-ui4jx]

Have you tried/compared different kinds of flats?

[@ChurchillCigar]

- I have tried LaBellas, which are fantastic (and their customer service is really good, had a broken string on a "too new" set, and after sending pictures, they sent me a new string). - I've had the old Fender Flats (previous version, nowadays they are made by D'Addario and have different characteristics), now discontinued, which were good. - GHS flats are great, I just wait or them to start re-making a 37" length (they make a 38" now and the E wraps around the post, which I don't find reassuring in the long run, but some have stated otherwise). - Rotosounds are my least favourite. They're well made, but they're very rough (winding isn't as tight, and it's not polished as much as Labella for example). Very bright at first, then "medium-strong", lacking the "thump" I like. GHS Tapewounds, sadly discontinued, were superb strings also. I need to try Chromes, still.

[@thomaspick4123]

Yeah, rounds tear up my fingers too. Flats comfortable. My favorite, tapes, lower tension too than the flats.

[@alexswanson1247]

ChurchillCigar I'm playing bass in my high schools jazz band next year, and while have a bass with round wounds I'd like to have something with a different sound, would you recommend tapewound or flats? I'm still fairly new to playing and I don't have the most finger dexterity so I'm worried about extra tension on flat wounds tiring out my fingers. Any info would be helpful, thanks

[@allrequiredfields]

Alex Swanson If string tension matters at all to you, know that tapewounds feel like rubber bands, and flats are much stiffer than all the rest. I love high tension, so flats always feel the best to me. Now if you're looking for that dry, thumpy, more woody tone, then flats are the way to go. If you like a bit more high end, then tapes are a good choice. Though when new, some flats can almost be as bright as rounds. If you don't change strings often (I never change do) all flats will lose that bright high end over time.

[@josephkuhlman654]

One of those days!!!! Awesome!!!! Way to keep it real.

[@SkyOnosson]

Discovered tapes about 5-6 years ago, have them on 3 of my 4 basses now, included a fretless. They are definitely my go-to string for all situations. Super comfortable and a big range of tones.

[@alecmullaney7957]

The comfort is my biggest reason for playing tapes. I'm a keyboard jockey for 40hrs a week, and the lower tension and 'softer' texture are a lot easier after a long day of work

[@Creed_fan_69]

I only play with flats. Tried rounds on my fretless a la Juan Alderete for a min but didn’t gel with them. I just love that dead, warm, thuddy tone you get with old flats.

[@TheZekeification]

Um. Am I the only one that’s been doing string changes wrong (without crimping) for almost 20 years? So many “dead strings” that were just me being an idiot...my whole life is a lie

[@ronc4500]

It's in the instructions with DR strings

[@TheZekeification]

@@ronc4500 I don't use DRs. And even if i did, i probably wouldn't read the instructions lol

[@c_loeber]

Never had a dead string in 40 years of playing, never used the "hack"...must have been EXTREMELY lucky (read with sarcasm)

[@paulneeds]

Claus Løber same here. Surely the sharp bend at the tuner ‘crimps’ the windings to the core anyway?!

[@k.h.1587]

That is really just an issue for round core strings, it is not as much of an issue for hex core strings which most are. Round core strings are usually stated as round core in their name, like DM NPS round core or GHS round core boomers, but some are tricky such as DR high beams where the old school packaging didn't mention it but they put a little card inside with those instructions. When the low riders came out they were classified as hex core on the box, which is kind of opposite as most strings are hex core such as slinkys, XL, rotosound, boomers etc. And the biggest sign of a slipped core is usually a chorusy sound to the string, rather than just deadness, as dead strings are an actual occurrence sometimes

[@pensnut08]

The bend for roundwounds... Awesome tip!!

[@cosmic53]

I have come back again to this video, and I have noticed that you seem to feel freer when you play tapewounds, also you make a lot more bass faces, if this hints to something, I am going to try a set.

[@tinahughes2227]

Tape wound strings sound great and look great on that guitar thanks for demo.

[@funkystx]

What about Half Rounds?? The sound is closer to round wounds with the feel of flats; I quite enjoy them.

[@gregkek7660]

I'm a metal player so Dunlop super brights are my go to strings forever and always, gives me that "bouncy" brightness that stands out in the mix

[@misterx8592]

Try the tapeworms next! hahaha

[@kevmalone]

Good video. May not be relevant to people here but - I used to gig 2-3 times at weekends when I was gigging (quite a while back). I used flatwounds because I found it easier on the fingers than roundwounds to pick up after a week or so away. Tapewounds look interesting - I'll give them a shot - thanks Scott!

[@SquareBody_Crewcab]

When you bend the end of the roundwound string is that the only type of strings you do that too? So do I need to do that with tapewound or flatwound strings?

[@handidrummed]

Yes

[@X-35173]

I came here to hear the difference between flats and rounds but I gotta say I LOVE that bass. It's so beautiful!

[@jazzbrew68]

Scott, I absolutely love La Bella black tapewounds. There was a time when I had them on ALL of my basses. Low tension. Smooth to the touch and you can actually get a lot of tones out of them. It's not just dark and thumpy (but it does a great job at that). Good harmonics too.

[@donwilson3880]

Used the tape wound blacks like these on a Fender Precision in the 70s . Loved them

[@GingerDrums]

Flats every time if it was my record mate. Listening on great studio monitors and I mix for a living. The fundamental comes through best on the lower notes and each note has a dark, punchy articulation.

[@real_mrmime9617]

Never heard a real producer that would just generalize and say one string type is just ‘the best’. Every professional producer I know recognizes the strengths and weaknesses of each type and know when to use what instead of just “oh xyz is the best cus ‘i mIx FoR a LiViNg’ ”

[@felipesolari5343]

I put tapewounds on my acoustic bass and, finally, no more noises and horrible tension on the neck. I was ready to sell it. Now I love it.

[@jjcox333]

Flatwounds on a p-bass sing-out. Roundwounds on a p-bass twang-out. I'll take the singing notes every time!

[@jgraz42]

Fuckin A

[@michaelbell75]

Flats sound like farts. Rounds are king.

[@nishot2639]

@@michaelbell75 Depends on the brand of flats you buy most of them are shit a few are clearly superior to most roundwounds

[@toxictophat711]

Gotta agree i bought a 5 string with 4 flat wounds on it love it but tape wound has Enlightened me i might try them next and go with active electrics

[@donnamallozzi-corner3210]

Rounds with a pick, heavy attack and a heap of overdrive. Can't beat it

[@wally5204]

I have been playing rotosounds since 72 but recently put some tapewound on my cheapo 2nd base and I love them. That one often comes out first now

[@xChrisS41x]

0:23 pull the strings tight and you look like Kenny from South Park ;)

[@ethanshort9319]

ye

[@PhilosophicalCat]

Great video! I'd be curious too to hear a comparison of the strings after the initial break-in period. Thanks again for the video Scott!

[@jimhamilton1021]

i have 5 basses 4 have flatwound a Fender J a fender acoustic electric fretless Harmony H22 and an Ibanez SR the other is an EB2 and its getting some getting some soon i like flats

[@livia-qd7ze]

i want a hoodie like that

[@alexanderrivera1573]

I love the flat wounds on my fretless Jbass, but prefer round wound in fretted bass instruments, haven't tried tape wound. my interest is peeked.

[@powaytheband]

I have been using Teflon (tape wound) strings on my bass for 20 years. The first set lasted me almost a decade. We recorded the bass when the strings were new then again before I changed them. Literally there was almost zero difference in tone, after 10 years. I believe it is because they do not corrode or oxidize due to the coating

[@hopefulhyena3400]

Personally, I absolutely hate that horrendous squeaking noise that round wound strings make when you do slides. It's absolutely disgusting. You know that meme in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure where the sound of a fire truck siren causes Mikitaka physical pain because he hates it so much? String squeak is sin. Flat wound strings help mitigate it and honestly when you were playing them in this video it was so good and clean that I immediately let out a deep sigh. So yeah I think my vote goes to tapes.

[@catnoir298]

On PBass flat. JB - round dunlop. You great man, Scott !

[@laurens1520]

8:34 when the guitarists noodle while you're tuning

[@SirJamalong]

Great video_ I could tell you really dig those Tapes, They sound super!