Lovin' the LaBella's

JKT · #1 11-28-2007, 12:31 PM

A while back I mentioned I was going to try a set. A longer while back I said I would post my thoughts.

It has been several months now and unlike any other string I have ever used, they actually sound better. In many ways I believe they really maximize the Barkers great tonal qualities.

Those of us that play Barkers or are familiar with them know that Lee has never intended the instrument to serve as a true EUB. That being said, I have to say the since putting the Labellas on, it has in some ways moved the sounds more in that general direction. It still articulates like a P-bass if played appropriately, and yet I have so become accustomed to that great sound you get from plucking at the bottom of the neck.

As with most things in life there is sooner or later a price to pay for everything. Since putting the flatwounds on, it is somewhat difficult to get it to growl like it did with the roundwounds on it. Slapping and popping are not as do-able with the flats. But for swingin lines and as far into "jazz" as I ever get, it is as the kids say, "the bomb." Don't get me wrong the Barker can still rock, it's just that the flats have compromised the funk a little.

Will I keep using the Labellas? I don't know for sure, but for now I am enjoying the sound a great deal.

JKT

pointbass · #2 11-28-2007, 01:36 PM

I've always used LaBella Deep Talkin' flats on just about every bass I play. When I got the B1 it had the black tapewounds, which were okay and interesting enough, but once I put the LaBella flats on it the bass really started to sing ...

I agree that the flatwounds tend towards a DB tone and that is especially evident on my B1, which is fretless. For me, I was able to control the sustain much more with the DT flats than with the tapewounds, but that may just be a preference thing ....

Those LaBella flats are kinda addictive ...

Lee Barker · #3 11-29-2007, 06:26 AM

It is presumptuous of me to even post on this subject, standing as I am in the tall timber of these two guys. Either one has probably played ten to the tenth power more notes than I have.

I guess I am here to ask questions. What, in fact, does the mylar do? Why was it developed as a string coating?

It seems to me the advantages are two: (a) tactile and (b) aesthetics. Is it reasonable to assume, then, that if the Mylar wrap has no sonic enhancement function, might it actually subtract?

That is to say, might it remove the metal of the string slightly--oooh so slightly--from the pickup? And might there be even more insulating going on than we might think?

IF that is possible, then would we have the explanation for PB's "started to sing" experience when he, in effect, took the Mylar off?

More I think about it, the more I think they're ten to the 12th ahead of me.

JKT · #4 11-29-2007, 07:57 AM

Regardless, the abundance and quality of the low-end just kills me and I have never,ever, had more people comment on my sound since I began playing this instrument.

This years christmas concert at church includes a Vince Gauraldi inspired arrangement of "Christmas time is Here"
And, although not deep in my bag, the Barker gently carries the tune (and me) to the point where I actually begin to think I can play jazz

JKT

pointbass · #5 11-29-2007, 08:38 AM

Well, I'm not a very bright guy, something my wife, daughter and dog all let me know on a somewhat routine basis. So anything I say has to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt

To my ears, the tapewounds don't provide the same clarity that I hear with the stainless flats. Granted, all flats are "duller" than roundwounds so I would guess that using the word "clarity" is subjective. The tapewounds seem extremely sweet sounding and very mellow, qualities which work well for many types of music. But I never seem to be able to get a more distinctive attack from them. With the flatwounds "sweetness" and "mellow" can be coaxed out of them, but I can never get a crisper attack out of the tapes. A lot of this may just be technique driven, as well ....

Lots of adjectives, I know, and tone is very difficult to describe since it's so personal. But as JKT said above ^^^ , the incredible low end of my Barker is always there, whatever strings are on the bass ....

**yodedude2** · #6 12-04-2007, 07:25 PM

two more cents...

the la bella tapewounds are all i use anymore. as much as i might obsess over the smallest detail, i never obsess over strings any more--as long as they are la bella tapewounds, i'm good. am i lured in by the tactile feeling, the supreme smoothness? why, yes. yes, i am. am i enveloped by the aesthetics? i wouldn't know aesthetics from a hole in the ground, so okay, yes on that, too.

bonus points: i dig the sound. smooth, bright, deep and clear, but not too bright. huzzah! later, ron

p.s. la bella tapewounds--the original coated string.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Barker

It is presumptuous of me to even post on this subject, standing as I am in the tall timber of these two guys. Either one has probably played ten to the tenth power more notes than I have.

I guess I am here to ask questions. What, in fact, does the mylar do? Why was it developed as a string coating?

It seems to me the advantages are two: (a) tactile and (b) aesthetics. Is it reasonable to assume, then, that if the Mylar wrap has no sonic enhancement function, might it actually subtract?

That is to say, might it remove the metal of the string slightly--oooh so slightly--from the pickup? And might there be even more insulating going on than we might think?

IF that is possible, then would we have the explanation for PB's "started to sing" experience when he, in effect, took the Mylar off?

More I think about it, the more I think they're ten to the 12th ahead of me.

JKT · #7 12-05-2007, 06:37 AM

Hey yodedude2.

Where do you purchase those tapewounds?

JKT

pointbass · #8 12-05-2007, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKT

Hey yodedude2.

Where do you purchase those tapewounds?

JKT

I'd be happy to send you the set I took off of my B1 .... I don't use them and they really don't have any playing time on them. Send me a PM with your addy and I'll ship 'em off to you ....

**yodedude2** · #9 12-05-2007, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKT

Hey yodedude2.

Where do you purchase those tapewounds?

JKT

Carvin! They call them acoustic strings, but they work fine on electrics.

https://www.carvin20.com/products/si...p?product=4012

you may need to modify your nut slots a bit for a proper fit

...later, ron

7flat5 · #10 12-05-2007, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lee Barker

I guess I am here to ask questions. What, in fact, does the mylar do? Why was it developed as a string coating?

It seems to me the advantages are two: (a) tactile and (b) aesthetics. Is it reasonable to assume, then, that if the Mylar wrap has no sonic enhancement function, might it actually subtract?

That is to say, might it remove the metal of the string slightly--oooh so slightly--from the pickup? And might there be even more insulating going on than we might think?

IF that is possible, then would we have the explanation for PB's "started to sing" experience when he, in effect, took the Mylar off?

More I think about it, the more I think they're ten to the 12th ahead of me.

Mr. Barker, if I may offer my very humble 2 cents,

The outside of the string is nylon tape, replacing the steel tape used on other flatwounds. There is still plenty of steel to create a current in the pickup field, and I don't think insulation enters into it at all.

The primary effect is to dampen the vibration of the string, and to make a different contact with the fingerboard. The nylon kills the highest-frequency overtones, as well as changing other vibrational behavior of the string.

The nylon also changes the nature of the contact the string has with the fingerboard, being a much softer material. It doesn't stop the string from vibrating against the fingerboard altogether, but softens the buzz some.

I think those two effects are much more important than the electrical effect of less metal in the mix.

Lee Barker · #11 12-07-2007, 05:50 PM

7flat5, your response to my musings is a capital example of why I enjoy this forum so much. I have learned more by listening (reading) to you real world guys than I could ever hope to absorb any other way. Thank you for the clear explanation of what the true differences are between tapewounds and the shiny ones.

We just finished a videography session this week with Will Witt playing Barkers, notably his 5 string fretless (with LaBellas) and the sound was so exquisite I had to grip the arms of my Producer's Chair to prevent my falling out, limp from the sonic massage I was getting in my ear canals.

More about the sessions on a future post; all the stuff is currently in the hands of Brian Johnson, the director/editor. He's a true artist, and I'm real comfortable leaving him to his snip snip paste paste without any pressures of time.

Meantime, I am enjoying this exploration of strings and what they mean and what they say. And what they do!

Kindly,

Lee