Looking for information on nylon strings for your bass guitar? Everything you need to know is here!
Nylon bass strings can mean many different things. For our purposes, we.ll be discussing tapewound nylon strings. (Tapewound means the wire string is covered in nylon tape.)
So why use nylon bass strings? Well they carry a very distinct sound. They can make your electric bass sound similar to an upright bass. Think thick, punchy notes with low sustain. They are perfect for many styles that would benefit from this sound, such as swing, rockabilly, Motown, 60's rock, country, and more.
The best example of the kind of sound you can get from nylon bass strings can be found on The Beatle's "Abby Road" album. Paul McCartney used nylon strings throughout the entire album on his Rickenbacker bass. Listen to classic basslines such as those on "Come Together" and "Something" to hear the kind of amazing tone you can get with nylon tapewound strings! You can also hear nylon strings with his classic Hofner bass on "Let It Be". (The brand he used are Rotosound Tru Bass 88's.)
While nylon strings sound great on a fretted electric bass, such as with McCartney's, they are also the perfect choice for a fretless bass. The nylon outer tape will save your fretboard from the wear and tear you would get with roundwounds. Not to mention the jazzy tone you can get when you combine the smooth, classic sound of a fretless bass with nylon strings!
Another great advantage - whether you use a fretted or fretless bass - is that nylon bass strings last much longer than traditional roundwounds because of the nylon tape protecting the strings. This cuts down immensely on wear and tear. Also, the tape covering means the strings are much easier on your fingers! If your playing style includes a lot of sliding around, you'll love them.
Another cool thing about them (though completely superficial) is that most sets are black! This looks pretty unique on most basses, and gives it a really awesome look.
So can you just try out nylon strings on any bass? For the most part - yes! However, there are a couple things to keep in mind. One is that the tension on nylon strings is a lot looser. Depending on your bass, you may need to set it up again if you plan on using nylon strings regularly. Most of the time a simple adjustment of the truss rod is enough to be perfect! Also, the gauge (thickness) of the strings can be higher then your standard strings. Make sure you check on this before ordering a set, to see if your nut is wide enough.
All in all, nylon tapewound strings are a great, inexpensive way to get an amazing and new sound out of your bass.
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