Black Strings Advice please! :)

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

Hi I have looked though a number of threads about strings and can't quite find the info I am looking for.

I am doing up a 4 String Squier Precision Bass and want to fit black strings to it.

I have noticed that there are several types of black string and I'm not sure what I need to be looking for. Some seems to be coated and others are covered with black tape of somekind.

What are the differences in terms of price/sound usage etc

I think I really just need medium/ medium heavy gauge 'bog standard' steel or nickel roundwounds but just that they are coloured black but it doesn't seem to be a easy as that! Can anyone recommend some options?

Thanks!

[Beer of the Bass]

DR Black Beauty strings are pretty much standard roundwounds with a black coating, if that's what you're after. Black nylon tapewounds sound and feel very different, soft and flexible with a sound closer to flatwounds though still with a little brightness about the attack.

[Spike Vincent]

You could simulate black nylon tapewounds by wrapping black electrical tape around some worn out strings......DR Black Beauties are coated with a polymer that's supposed to keep dirt and grease out of the string. I like them, they're very good strings that have the advantage of being black.

[Jonnyboy Rotten]

Thanks guys. Pack of Black Beauties? Ordered!

[Jimryan]

I tried the black beauties and although the sound and look ok, I kept getting friction burns off of the coating. I moved over to Rotosound Nexus strings. Sound amazing, feel just like regular un-coated string and a lot easier on the wallet too. I won't move from them now.

[aLxbass]

i love my black beauties but as soon as i picked up a plectrum to play some hard and fast bass lines the black started coming off

[KiOgon]

I went through a phase of Rotosound Nexus then Fender Black Tapewound, which were both like roundwounds with black plastic sprayed on! Didn't get on with them so went for the full monty - GHS Black Nylon Tapewound, beautiful currently using them on 1 fretted & 1 fretless Jazz.

[EssentialTension]

Get some Rotosound Trubass Black Nylons, or some La Bella Black Nylons, or some Pyramid Black Nylons, or the GHS Black Nylons - no coating coming off any of those.

[yorks5stringer]

I have the Rotosounds on a Godin A5 and for the material we do (Jump Jive and R&R) they are a godsend. They are lower in tension, so softer on the fingers. Only thing is the bottom B is the thickness of a small child's arm....

[davehux]

+1 for Trubass and La Bella

I had to widen the nut slots slightly to get them to fit snugly, as they are pretty thick chaps

[ambient]

The nylon coated Rotosounds are the best.

The colour came off 2 sets of the DR's that I had within about 5 minutes of playing. That's with fingers, very lightly.

[brensabre79]

Just to clarify...

The DRs are a completely different kettle of fish to all the nylon tapewound strings that some people are comparing them to.

The DRs have a coating similar to the way Elixir strings have a coating, it's just that they do them in lots of colours. They are roundwound strings with a very very thin coating on to protect the string without changing the sound (much). They will come off pretty easily whatever colour you get, as will Elixir to some extent.

Nylon tapewound strings on the other hand sound more like flatwound stings and whatever brand you buy the nylon will not come off easily, but you will never get a roundwound string sound from them. no sir.

[Spike Vincent]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1371558359' post='2115443']
The nylon coated Rotosounds are the best.

The colour came off 2 sets of the DR's that I had within about 5 minutes of playing. That's with fingers, very lightly.
[/quote]
Odd.I had little trouble with the colour coming off DR's, and I beat the crap out of my strings.The colour does come off where the plectrum hits the string, but black felt pen soon fixed that.