Can you identify these flats?

[upryz]

Hi there (long time lurker/first time poster here):

I recently bought a used Squier CV PBass and absolutely love it. It came with these flats on it. It had the most perfect thumpy dead Motown sound - only problem was the string gauges were quite small (especially the g string) so I wanted to put on a heavier set.
I bought a set of Fender 9050CL's and am thoroughly unimpressed. WAY too bright with far too much sustain. These old strings just had that THE sound. Of course it's possible that they were just totally broken in (unlike the new Fenders) but i'd still like to find out what they are.
I just can't figure out for the life of me who makes them: black silks on both ends, very smooth feel, steel ball ends (not brass). Any ideas?

[bassist4dalord]

Do they have a very springy, loose, low-tension feel? They look like the flats that came from the factory on my SX fretless P-Bass..

And yes, the Fenders will need some time to break in. However, they are going to be a little brighter than the Motown-style flat. If it's Motown you're looking for, La Bella is the way to go. (These opinions are based on heresay and TB; take with a grain of salt)

[upryz]

Aha! I emailed the guy I bought the bass from and he said he wasn't sure but that he may have bought those strings from Rondo Music. Problem is, the Rondo music site only shows LaBella flats and "Indie" flats - and they sell neither in a 4 string 34" scale configuration (also neither has black silks from what I an tell)... ?

[Root 5]

If you want a thumpy, warm Motown sound, I suggest you get a set of GHS Precision flats. They have a very smooth feel and sound.

But be aware that they are extra long strings - ideal for a strung-thru the body bass. You may have to wrap some of the E string around the post.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

LaBella Flats (at least current ones) don't have silk by the ball ends. Not sure about any much older ones.

[TomB]

LaBella FS or FM (not sure which) have black silk ends. That's likely what you have.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by bassist4dalord

Do they have a very springy, loose, low-tension feel? They look like the flats that came from the factory on my SX fretless P-Bass..

And yes, the Fenders will need some time to break in. However, they are going to be a little brighter than the Motown-style flat. If it's Motown you're looking for, La Bella is the way to go. (These opinions are based on heresay and TB; take with a grain of salt)

Yup, looks like what came with a new SX I bought from Rondo a couple years ago.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

LaBella Flats have different color silks...

760FX (Extra Light .039 .056 .077 .096) = Almost Red Orange Silk
760FL (Light .043 .060 .082 .104) = Red Silk
760FS (Standard .045 .065 .085 .105) = Black Silk
760FM (Medium .049 .069 .089 .109) = Blue Silk

0760M (Jamersons) = Blue Silk

(all at the Tuner End)

The Ball Ends now have Flexible Tails which look like this:

[upryz]

If they were LaBellas that would make this easier - but they DO have black silk at the ball end and steel balls so i'm still stumped...

[bassist4dalord]

Originally Posted by upryz

If they were LaBellas that would make this easier - but they DO have black silk at the ball end and steel balls so i'm still stumped...

It's very likely they aren't sold by Rondo anymore- they seem to have a pretty quick turnover of what they sell. I'm surprised you liked those strings. When I got them on my SX, I despised them.

To each their own!

[SLaPiNFuNK]

For as much as you enjoy those flats... You will probably love others even more...

(I am not implying these flats are not good or anything like that, just saying this as a genearl statement)

[Fresh Eddie]

I agree that they look like the flats that came on my SX fretless J-Bass... if I remember correctly the ad online said they were made by D'Addario, but that was a long time ago... my bass still has the fishhook headstock.