Black Bass Strings

[GreggTL]

Are the black bass strings I sometimes see all of the same variety? What are they made out of? How could you describe their sonic character, or what kind of music are they mainly used for?

[saxofunk]

The material for strings is essentially the same from one manufacturer to the next, chrome plated steel or stainless steel.

 

Some are black coated with a heavier material, to keep them sounding like URB strings - Carvin uses them on the acoustic basses, made by LaBella.

 

Ibanez has been known to sell basses with interlaced black and steel windings. These are proabably a blend off wires coated with shiny silver nickel and some coated with black nickel.

 

Some companies, like Elixer and DR offer a coating which is very thin, and is designed to increase string life with out deadening the sound. The coating could be on stainless or nickel plated steel. Among these are the new DR Bootzillas:

 

edit: the Bootsy image came out HUGE, so here's the link .

I just wanted to post that image, it makes me laugh.

[alexclaber]

Actually, if you do a search you'll pull up loads of info on black strings (usually tapewound). The black 'coating' is a flat nylon wrap wound on top of a conventional round wound string. This dampens upper harmonics and reduces sustain. Recently since the rise of coated strings (which have a ptfe or polymer coating to prevent dirt getting into the windings and causing wear) some companies have released coated strings which have a black rather than colourless coating. They sound like new but broken in roundwounds. IIRC those Ibanez strings have a mix of steel and copper outer wraps.

 

Alex

[getz out]

I tried the DR black-coated strings at Jimmy C's shop in NY.

 

I didn't notice any difference and Jimmy was very doubtful about any extended life.

 

Tom Capasso did notice a difference in feel where I didn't.

[jeremy c]

What about those new DR black strings?

 

They look like maybe they are dyed or something and would be cool on a black bass.

 

You know, to get a darker sound.

[Dennyf]

My very first bass (Micro-Frets!) came with black tapewound strings. I thought they looked cool, and were easier on my neophyte fingers.

 

What did I know from tone?

[saxofunk]

"tapewound" That's exactly the word I was looking for! Thanks C Alexander.

I didn't know the Ibanez strings had copper... very interesting. Do they turn your fingers green?

 

From JeremyC:

 

You know, to get a darker sound.

Yeah, sure.

 

And to prevent lawsuits from blinding stagelight reflections, too.

[Mr. Phil]

I tried out Rotosound (i think - the one with the Lion) Tapewounds. I liked them, but just not on my Pbass. They are very lacking in the midrange so they have NO PUNCH. They would be better for a soft type song or MAYBE on an acoustic bass, depending on what type of sound you want out of it.

 

And the black coated DR strings Maury was talking about are pretty much just colored strings. nothing else.