Nylon String Bass Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I'd always used Rotosound round wounds on my 1979 Rickenbacker 4001 bass. But I now wanted to make the bass sound more like vintage R&B. These strings absolutely delivered. They are indeed "deep talkin'."PC

Plus points: low tension. Upright bass sort of sound. Nice sound a little bit brighter than flats. Negatives: thicker than normal strings makes action feel higher than it actually is. A bit rattley – you'll probably need to raise at the bridge. They don't have the same conducting effect as steel/nickel strings so you can get some earthing noises when you contact the strings.block.inlays

Tried these on my fretless acoustic bass and they make it sound lot like an upright double bass. I like the soft thump tone. Sometimes you need to be a bit understated and work with percussion rather than sound harsh and overwhelming playing bass-lead. These strings got the classic bass voice. I just wish they were a bit less expensive, so I hope they last a long time. I'm going to try some La Bella black nylon wrapped guitar strings on an ES335 next and see how they do jazz.p*w*r

Following a tip-off from Youtuber; 'Scott's Bass Lessons' I decided to give these a go. Apart from the seller's speedy delivery my biggest satisfaction comes from the sheer expansiveness of the sound available from these strings on my bass. They opened up all the 'head tones' I had been striving for along with the playing technique I had been attempting with regular flat wound strings. The internal metalwork combined with the warm muted effect and silky feel of the wound tape has brought a level of performance and enjoyment I previously only dreamed of. Now, with minimal effort (and little discomfort) I am able to bend notes and achieve a 'slap/picked' sound which adds greater depth and colour to the lines I have been wanting to master. Far from the dull 'thump' I had been expecting they spoke with 'zingy' twang like a Rick on full tone and with a crisp and deep bloom with tone full down. At a price point which is easily affordable to any player I'd say these strings would open up a new adventure for any bass player. Five stars well earned.selmeriv

I have always used roundwound strings on my Thunderbird but I decided to give these a go as reviews said they are not 'muddy' sounding which is the usual complaint with flatwound strings. I have to agree, they are also kind on the fingers, the tension is great (I have pretty low action) and of course no noise when sliding up the fretboard.cheese58chat

Finishing touch for fretless bass. The strings allow quick movement over the fretboard and continuous slides with a unique sound afforded by the nylon wrapping of the metal strings. Silky smooth sound but still plenty of bottom end. Not as trebly as round wound or half-round and easier on the fingers for sliding than nickel flat-wound. First time I have tried Fender strings and I am very impressed. Gauges are good too – 110 in a metal flat-wound was impossible for me to play comfortably but these are great.gre4961

I have used the previous Fender tape wound round wounds for years (7120s) on several basses. I mainly play fretless so having the round wound gets much more bite than typical flat wounds and the tape keeps the fret boards in great shape. I have an old Alembic fretless, a fretless Fender Precision A/E hollow body w/ a buffer pre-amp for the piezos and a fretted franken-p-bass made from various Fender parts and using active EMGs. All sound great. I mainly play through an Ampeg PF500 head and a Mark Bass 2X10 bottom and have had zero issues with these strings. They get a lot of crisp high end and a phenomenal bottom end possibly also due to the fact all three basses are active. Overall a great product and I would definitely recommend them. I usually change them every 6 months. The only thing negative I have found is that the tape kind of starts to get rough, especially on the fretted p-bass after 5-6 months, but I play a lot. I play in a jazz band as well as sitting in constantly w/ various blues players around St Louis so I have no idea how they would be for slap bass or other types of music. I do constantly get positive feedback as far as the sound of my rig. One of the best things about these strings is they are very quiet sliding on a fretless. I keep a couple extra sets around at all times but have never had one break.Steve

I wanted to try tapewounds as I was going for a McCartney-ish 60s-70s tone on my P-Bass. These are really nice. Smooth and easy on the fingers. Almost feels fretless. I would say they sound like a broken in set of roundwounds with a touch of flatwound tone. They also bend and slide nicely. It makes you want to play solos above the 12th fret. My only complaint, and it's not a defect in the strings in any way, is that you are not grounded. It's something I didn't think about. When you play regular strings you are grounding the bass by touching them. On the tapewound you are insulated from the metal, so if your bass has any buzz when you arent touching the strings, that buzz will still be there when you play with tapewounds.Chris

Finishing touch for fretless bass. The strings allow quick movement over the fretboard and continuous slides with a unique sound afforded by the nylon wrapping of the metal strings. Silky smooth sound but still plenty of bottom end. Not as trebly as round wound or half-round and easier on the fingers for sliding than nickel flat-wound. First time I have tried Fender strings and I am very impressed. Gauges are good too – 110 in a metal flat-wound was impossible for me to play comfortably but these are great.gre4961

I have used the previous Fender tape wound round wounds for years (7120s) on several basses. I mainly play fretless so having the round wound gets much more bite than typical flat wounds and the tape keeps the fret boards in great shape. I have an old Alembic fretless, a fretless Fender Precision A/E hollow body w/ a buffer pre-amp for the piezos and a fretted franken-p-bass made from various Fender parts and using active EMGs. All sound great. I mainly play through an Ampeg PF500 head and a Mark Bass 2X10 bottom and have had zero issues with these strings. They get a lot of crisp high end and a phenomenal bottom end possibly also due to the fact all three basses are active. Overall a great product and I would definitely recommend them. I usually change them every 6 months. The only thing negative I have found is that the tape kind of starts to get rough, especially on the fretted p-bass after 5-6 months, but I play a lot. I play in a jazz band as well as sitting in constantly w/ various blues players around St Louis so I have no idea how they would be for slap bass or other types of music. I do constantly get positive feedback as far as the sound of my rig. One of the best things about these strings is they are very quiet sliding on a fretless. I keep a couple extra sets around at all times but have never had one break.Steve

I wanted to try tapewounds as I was going for a McCartney-ish 60s-70s tone on my P-Bass. These are really nice. Smooth and easy on the fingers. Almost feels fretless. I would say they sound like a broken in set of roundwounds with a touch of flatwound tone. They also bend and slide nicely. It makes you want to play solos above the 12th fret. My only complaint, and it's not a defect in the strings in any way, is that you are not grounded. It's something I didn't think about. When you play regular strings you are grounding the bass by touching them. On the tapewound you are insulated from the metal, so if your bass has any buzz when you arent touching the strings, that buzz will still be there when you play with tapewounds.Chris

3 things about these: Firstly the warm deep sound pushes twang away from the Bass Guitar, if you want twang you won't get it from these unless you EQ it that way and even then…. Secondly the feel of the string on the flesh tip of your fingers, so it is very easy on the fingers. Thirdly you can get them for different scale lengths so make sure you check and it tells you on the top of the packet what the scale is (short, medium etc). I play only short scale bass and that's not 30 inch that's 25.5 inch scale so you get fret distances the same as a Classical Guitar and a very light (and smaller) instrument depending on the wood of the Bass. These strings give me a certain tension that I want because the scale fits. I love the sound of them and the feel of them. If you want that deep warm sound but still with definition and a really nice feel these strings do that. I also like the packaging they come in, sealed plastic bag. Take note of the Model number ETB92S that 'S' on the end probably stands for Short, because you don't see it when the strings are 'medium'. Look at the top right hand corner of the packet, that tells you the scale also. They have got more expensive probably due to the exchange rate but given that they last pretty much forever… I don't play any other kind of Bass string. If Dogal brought out a range of these type of strings I would have those, but they don't.cymro61

Installed a set of these on a Gibson SG bass based on a recommendation. I've tried several different strings on the SG and these are my favorite. Great feel. super even sound and output (a frequent issue with the SG/EB series). They really complement the character of the bass and are a perfect fit. Silk on strings just make it on the nut and bridge. Now I'm considering a long scale set for my fretless.aproud1

these have a sound that old school bass lovers will be addicted to. My best advice is to put these on a bass and standard string on your second and enjoy. Steel is brighter, but the nylon give a smooth mellow clear tone that just can not be found on the steel or nickel. Excellent sound, But I have other basses with other strings to produce different tones, These were exactly what I hoped they would be. clear, mellow, beautiful, deep, bass tones.Frank

I have used flat wound nylons on all my basses and found these strings as good, they have a nice crisp sound and clean sustain. They feel very smoth under fingers and are great for sliding along.jc2091

Tried these on my fretless acoustic bass and they make it sound lot like an upright double bass. I like the soft thump tone. Sometimes you need to be a bit understated and work with percussion rather than sound harsh and overwhelming playing bass-lead. These strings got the classic bass voice. I just wish they were a bit less expensive, so I hope they last a long time. I'm going to try some La Bella black nylon wrapped guitar strings on an ES335 next and see how they do jazz.p*w*r

Following a tip-off from Youtuber; 'Scott's Bass Lessons' I decided to give these a go. Apart from the seller's speedy delivery my biggest satisfaction comes from the sheer expansiveness of the sound available from these strings on my bass. They opened up all the 'head tones' I had been striving for along with the playing technique I had been attempting with regular flat wound strings. The internal metalwork combined with the warm muted effect and silky feel of the wound tape has brought a level of performance and enjoyment I previously only dreamed of. Now, with minimal effort (and little discomfort) I am able to bend notes and achieve a 'slap/picked' sound which adds greater depth and colour to the lines I have been wanting to master. Far from the dull 'thump' I had been expecting they spoke with 'zingy' twang like a Rick on full tone and with a crisp and deep bloom with tone full down. At a price point which is easily affordable to any player I'd say these strings would open up a new adventure for any bass player. Five stars well earned.selmeriv

I have always used roundwound strings on my Thunderbird but I decided to give these a go as reviews said they are not 'muddy' sounding which is the usual complaint with flatwound strings. I have to agree, they are also kind on the fingers, the tension is great (I have pretty low action) and of course no noise when sliding up the fretboard.cheese58chat

bought these to put on a Hofner violin bass but they are too short. the Hof has a 30" scale and these were still too short to make it to the 'head' side of the nut. unfortunately, i had to open the package to find that out. anyone want a new set unused….cheap?ujd213

The full, round sound of these strings assist in giving a full scale bass sound to a short scale instrument. Very smooth on the fingers. Unsure of longevity at this stage as only recently put on to my guitar. Good length of life could take product up to five stars. Davesheppard1948

I read the reviews and knowing that my Contemporary (violin bass) is supposed to be German spec, purchased these thinking I wouldn't have to file the nut. Well I didn't have to file the nut, but the black ends before the strings reach the nut. The metal wound part fits fine, but I was afraid these were too short. If the black nylon covering went past the nut I would have had to file the nut on the E and maybe the A. I decided to string it up anyway, and the sound is excellent. I played it for hours as if it were a new instrument. I suppose because the nylon wound part finishes just before the nut I might have to always retune the bass before playing, but so far (about a month) it has been managable and a pleasure to play them.Mike V-J9ksP

Excellent value for money as a starter bass. Light modern bass. Bridge pick-up doesn't have the greatest tone but for a the money it is pretty solid and a great beginners instrumentReviewed by guitarguitar custome

Good sounding bass at a decent price. I wanted to get back into long scale basses and this was light weight which suits me and sounded really nice. Time will tell when I get it out on gigs and compare it to my trusty short scale Hagstrom but i think its a keeper.Reviewed by Absolute Music custo

This was sold special offer so kept it otherwise would have returned it. Tuning pegs slip like mad, and the action was so high it was difficult to play. It does sound good and the feel of it (barring the action) is pretty good.Reviewed by guitarguitar custome

TalkBass is a shining example of what an online store should be. They excel at every aspect; price, selection, and, most importantly, the very best customer service I've ever experienced.James C

I was looking for an affordable entry-level classical guitar but I wanted one that was quality made and I knew I wanted an instrument with a solid top. I looked at other manufacturer's models and in my opinion they did not come close to offering as much as Cordoba does with this C3M model. With the C3M you get a solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood fret board and bridge plus a bone nut and saddle. These are great features for the player and you really don't expect to see them on a guitar in this price range. The C3M has a terrific, warm tone. I find that the playability and intonation is excellent all the way up the neck. The guitar plays well right out of the box. My only criticism is that the pictures of this guitar on the Musician's Friend website don't really match what the guitar actually looks like. The guitar is much darker in appearance. However, this is not a deal breaker for me and shouldn't be for you either. It is still a beautiful looking and playing instrument with a very nice matte finish and nice appointments as I already mentioned. The folks at Cordoba have done a great job with this guitar. You'd be hard-pressed to find another guitar of this quality in this price range.Wayne T.

The C3M is an amazing value. Classical guitars I've owned: 1984 Ramirez 1A, 1974 Alvarez Yairi (modeled on 1A), and this Cordoba C3M. This is 650mm scale, (standard length, the 1A is long scale) but with perfect, wide string spacing on the 2 inch nut. A full size instrument ready for performance, no adjustment necessary. The resin nut and saddle are dense like bone with great tone. The solid cedar top produces a clear lovely sound. It is not as loud, but clear, good for counterpoint. There is a lot of break over the high saddle which must help set the top in motion but will bend over time. The intonation is perfect. The action is within spec, higher than a high end guitar but very playable. There is no buzz, except on the A string 9th-12th fret. The bracing and solid cedar top are strong enough to support the stock Savarez high tension strings, no distortion of top visible. High tension is necessary to produce as much volume with the standard (shorter than 1A) length. The construction is flawless. Again, because the tension is high on the normal 650mm scale, pitch changes are considerably on the trebles as the guitar warms up. The tuners have a solid feel. After 30 hours of playing, the original Savarez D string wore through at 3-5th frets. Another characteristic of high tension strings; the basses are under more stress and wear faster. Maybe that's just the brand, but I'm switching to a different brand hard tension that measures a little less tension than the Savarez. Cordoba understands what is required to make a performance ready instrument, even on this entry level guitar.Darien

My family had a music store when I was growing up which specialized in classical guitars, so I had more than enough chance to play different kinds when I worked after school at the store. That said, this guitar has the best tonality you can buy for $200. I got mine for $140 on SamAsh online which was marketed as a "used" one, which to this day I am convinced it was brand new because it did not have a single show of use. I am incredibly happy with my purchase. The only thing I did was lower the action which is easily possible on this guitar because it has a rod in the neck which is super unusual for a classical but so freaking convenient! I love it!Kaco

I bought this guitar after a long time away from playing. I was looking for a reasonably-priced, full-featured instrument that would serve as a good re-entry to my music practice, and this fits the bill. It's compact, has an onboard tuner, sounds great acoustically with the option to plug in an amp whenever I decide to go that route. I'm going to enjoy getting back up to speed with this mini bass.Stephen

Long-time guitar player, first-time buying a bass. I purchased the Cordoba after contemplating another brand with rubber strings. I never could get my hands on one to try. Guitarcenter in my area stocks the Cordoba. I like the more traditional wound strings on the Cordoba, the scale length and the overall construction. This Cordoba stays in tune really well. It sounds good acoustic but sounds great amplified. I love this little bass – a blast to play. The onboard tuner is a big plus. Cons – action was a big high, but no string buzz, a fair trade off – and I would expect the higher action with a bass with a short scale. I will adjust the truss rod with the included tool. Bridge saddles feel plastic, but at this price it isn't an issue.Matt J

Great guitar! The price was perfect! Very comfortable to play. Very well made. Great sound! I really dig the matte finish. Overall, a great deal for this incredible guitar!John

I purchased this guitar for my son who starts to learn how to play. It is a very cheap entry guitar but has a wonderful sound. As it has open pore finish, it has a little bit dry sound and may be weak in its durability. But Cordoba has found a good balance between sound and price. I strongly recommend Cordoba C1M to beginners.Andy

These strings preserve tension from standard E tuning when tuned down to standard D (DGCF). I used to struggle to play with dropped C string (using Hipshot) as the string was too loose. With this set I can prevent my bass neck from twisting while in standard D and still have good tension and playability when I drop to C for a song or two. Highly recommended for hard rock/ metal players that need lower tuning.Michal M.

I love these strings on SOME of my basses. They won't give you that twangy tone of a roundwound string. But if you like the sound of McCartneys bass on Come Together, that's a good example of how they sound. Dark, fat, with a strong fundemental. On a fretless bass they actually make it easier to hear the exact pitch of the fundemental frequency. (The frequency that the note is named for.) It's easier to play intune on a fretless bass, and with the right setup I'm getting the perfect amount of growl. My P bass (fretted) sounds like the old Motown recordings. The only way to be dissappointed with these strings is if you don't know what you're getting into. The strings are not modern and bright. They sound vintage and dark, but very very cool!9033charles

I'd always used Rotosound round wounds on my 1979 Rickenbacker 4001 bass. But I now wanted to make the bass sound more like vintage R&B. These strings absolutely delivered. They are indeed "deep talkin'."PC

Plus points: low tension. Upright bass sort of sound. Nice sound a little bit brighter than flats. Negatives: thicker than normal strings makes action feel higher than it actually is. A bit rattley – you'll probably need to raise at the bridge. They don't have the same conducting effect as steel/nickel strings so you can get some earthing noises when you contact the strings.block.inlays

These string sound great–more sweeter mids than the La Bella Black tapewounds, which was exactly what I wanted. They also feel great. The only issue is that they put out much less volume when on my Fender CS '60 Jazz than any other strings I have tried, including the LA Bella Black Tapes, which I have on another similar Jazz. Not sure if the cause of the low output has anything to do with the copper pprtion being less useful with magnetic pickups, but I expect that is the case. I could get things close to loud enough by raising the p'ups and cranking the volume on my amp, though that solution is less than ideal for my use. No doubt the these strings would work great with the right setup. Just not with mine. I have switched back to the DR Sunbeams I had removed. The increase in output compared to the Copper-Whites is startling.gpinto75

This popped up on Stupid Deal of the Day and I am not in the least disappointed. It was well packaged, box in a box, from Dean. My intended use will be jamming with friends at the park, campground, or beach. But, it could see small venue use as well. It is big (it is a bass after all): 34", 24 fret scale with the neck joint at the 17th fret. The lower bout is 18" wide and just shy of 5" deep. If you really feel the need to go above the 17th fret…get the cutaway. Because of its size it has a decent acoustic tone. Set up, including intonation, was very good considering it was last touched at the factory. It is strung with D'Addario EXP 45-100 lights. The strings showed some age (string cleaner should take care of it) but still have decent tone, especially for my intended use. All the electronics work as they should. The battery box and input jack are a single unit located on the lower bout. It appears to be a sturdy unit that does not require any tools for 9V battery replacement. Using the onboard tuner silences the pickup. The top is book matched and looks better than some of my solid top guitars. The Dean Playmate EAB Gig Bag (SKU 548316 000000000) does fit. I'm so glad that neither the bass or gig bag are emblazoned with "Playmate" anymore. Seriously, if so, I would not have purchased them. Overall, I am very pleased and believe it is money well spent.Vintage Bassist

The action is easily correctable by lowering the saddle. Sadly, it is not very loud if you finger pick while in the acoustic mode. It is however loud enough to practice alone in a quiet room with soft backing track. Electrically, it is like most EA guitars and you have to watch which way you're standing in relation to your amp. The tone is pretty bright acoustically but can be dialed back in the electric mode for that bassier sound most bassists are looking for. I would consider playing out with this bass for a folk gig. I got this bass on a "stupid deal of the day" promotion and I still can't believe Musicians Friend could make any money at all with a price like that.CA$H

The band I'm in decided that we were going to do an acoustic show for a big fundraiser called Gettysburg Rocks. Great! But one major problem I didn't have an acoustic bass, so I had to get one for this show. After doing extensive research and considering the budget I chose this model. When I got the bass there were a lot of high frets which caused major undesirable fret buzz. The strings that were on it from dean were horrible so I took the bass to my local guitar shop and had it restrung and set up. After this was done this bass played amazing and had great tone unplugged. Then I plugged it in to my di box and it sounded pretty bad through the pa. The electronics in this bass didn't sound good because The strings were not evenly voiced. In my particular case the e string was the loudest and over powered the a d and g strings. I had 4 days before the show and had to figure something out quick. My solution was to run a limiter pedal. Once I had the limiter dialed in I was able to get a very good sound out of the bass, And through eq settings I was able to make the bass sound great. Then the night of the show came around and I had all the kinks figured out . The bass sounded great and the show went beautifully. This bass is by no means a high end bass but with a little tweaking itcan be made to sound really good. I've noticed that I will grab this bass and just start playing it when I'm trying to learn new songs and licks because it sounds so good and it is nice to not always be tethered to an amp. This bass is great to practice with but in a band setting it will need to be amped if you want to be heard with more than one acoustic guitar. Overall I am very pleased with this instrument and would buy another if it broke. I was apprehensive at first thinking that this would sound like $150 bass. Looking back I'm glad I got this model. I hope this helps anyone who is on the fence about buying this bass.v1637

This is a great value package. The guitar sounds absolutely awesome, deep clean sound. I bought it for my son as an upgrade from 3/4 size to full size Instrument. The bag is high quality and protects the guitar very well. Thank you PitbullAudio.maxim118

I could not find the strings I wanted at any of the music stores in Orange County, Ca. I wanted nylon wound bass strings for my 6 string bass. Thank God for The TalkBass Store! I placed my order, it arrived on time, and I'm back in business. I saved a ton of money too! TalkBass saved my sound. Thanks again for the great service and follow up.Joe G

Got this for my 5 string. I wasnt sure if the .135 would fit. If it didn't work then my plan was to tune it high with the high C string. It worked out great and now i have a spare C.R931

I was so pleasantly surprised by this bass. It sounds awesome plugged in, it really sings. It won't hold it's own acoustically without being plugged in against acoustic guitars but it is great for practicing with unplugged. I removed the cheesy pick guard (it came right off) and installed a thumb rest to set it up like I want to play, I almost never use a pick. Very happy and would recommend it to anyone looking for an affordable ABG and it looks so cool also.TCP

Even with a smallish body, it has good balance (not neck heavy). Really good sound. Once acclimated to the temperatures, stays in tune. Good close action with little fret buzz, only if you really snap it. Piezo pickup is very sensitive, so flat wound strings might be in order to reduce slide-squeak. Played through an acoustic guitar amp it has a deep true sound. Some slight splintering around the inside of the sound hole. Nice neck profile, well finished frets. Very thin finish, which helps the sound but makes the body seem somewhat fragile. Handle with care! Overall an excellent value.The Seeker

My new Ibanez bass was just the right tool to have for my musical project, which has a robust construction. good action and comfortable for fretting. The high end sound is very mellow.Reviewed by guitarguitar custome