Taperwound/exposed core bass strings vs standard

Glaw343

Hi everyone, I need some new strings for my 5 string (cort a5 plus), I usually use pretty light strings (Elixir roundwound Stainless 45-130) I came across some rotosounds which are around the same price, but they are "piano string design" I.E. you put the ballend in the correct spot yourself so that only the core travels across the saddle then there is a taper in the winds to get to full thickness. anyone tried these? if so what do you think? are they any better than standard taperwound and do taperwound actually make any difference over standard strings?, I know I'd have to adjust my action for taperwound/exposed core strings. cheers

LuttiS

Pics of the A5 or it doesn't exist - internet rules
Love a Cort Artisan series.. no idea about the string thing though. Sure a knowledgeable person will be along shortly

Funkfingers

In the late Eighties and early Nineties, my brother had a phase of using Superwound taper wound bass strings. I do not recall him sounding noticably different as a result.

The obvious physical difference is that, without the full diameter of the string resting in each saddle, they need raising to compensate for the missing metal in order for the strings to clear the frets.

Glaw343

Funkfingers said:

In the late Eighties and early Nineties, my brother had a phase of using Superwound taper wound bass strings. I do not recall him sounding noticably different as a result.

The obvious physical difference is that, without the full diameter of the string resting in each saddle, they need raising to compensate for the missing metal in order for the strings to clear the frets.

cheers, yeah I was wondering if it's worth the hassle of adjusting the saddles again as it's set up very nicely at the moment, from what you've said I suppose it isn't 

Glaw343

LuttiS said:

Pics of the A5 or it doesn't exist - internet rules
Love a Cort Artisan series.. no idea about the string thing though. Sure a knowledgeable person will be along shortly

Here we go lol, they're great basses, mine has a particularly pretty headstock veneer which I really love, really solidly built and the hardware is really good for the price too also it's not too pretty to gig which is a plus (unintentional pun lol) https://imgur.com/a/7jpBD5Y

MikeS

I really need to get more sleep, I clicked on this thread because at first glance I thought the title said "Tapeworm exposed sore ass", and thought I really need to read about this.

fftc

I've read they have benefits, though I can't remember off the top of my head what they are. Unless you think standard strings are lacking in some way I probably wouldn't bother myself, but then I'm quite happy with flats and a five string is an alien concept so my opinion is probably not worth much!

ICBM

I don't like them, in my experience they cause intonation and action problems.

They're absolutely fine in a piano, but piano strings don't get fretted...

Bridgehouse

MikeS said:

I really need to get more sleep, I clicked on this thread because at first glance I thought the title said "Tapeworm exposed sore ass", and thought I really need to read about this.

More unusually, why post that subject in Bass?!

Glaw343

ICBM said:

I don't like them, in my experience they cause intonation and action problems.

They're absolutely fine in a piano, but piano strings don't get fretted...

cheers for the reply, did you find they had a noticeably different feel/sound?

ICBM

I think they feel a bit ‘slinkier’, but it might just be that they lower the action (unless you deliberately raise it). They sound like new roundwounds. I don’t know if they settle down after a while, since I took off the only ones I tried on my own bass after a short time as I didn’t like them.