Which flatwounds for my Beatle bass

[gary m]

Pyramid short scale flatwounds are the direct result of a collaborative effort with Walter Hofner, designer of the first Hofner electric bass. TIs and LaBellas are not.

[Johnny Alien]

Originally Posted by gary m

Pyramid short scale flatwounds are the direct result of a collaborative effort with Walter Hofner, designer of the first Hofner electric bass. TIs and LaBellas are not.

You suggested that other strings will put too much tension on the neck. Both TI's and LaBella's are less tension than the Pyramids. (LaBella's might be close to the same actually). Regardless of who designed the strings there are other options that are just as safe and work just as well. Should people playing Fender's only use Fender brand strings because they are made by or designed by the parent company?

[seilerbird]

A big thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I ordered the LaBella 760FHB2 strings from Amazon and they will catch up to me in a week or so. I live in a motorhome full time on the road so it is not easy getting mail. It must be sent to my mail box in Las Vegas and then forwarded to me. That is why I tried to buy them at Guitar Center so I would not have to wait, but GC had a very poor selection and nothing that would have worked for me. I can't imagine they were trying to sell me 45-105 long scales. I will post my opinion after I have them installed. I have never used flatwounds so this will be interesting. I don't like all the finger scraping noise of round wounds.

[bass_man86]

Originally Posted by seilerbird

I bought me a Hofner Beatle Bass last month and of course it has round wounds on it and I would like to try flat wounds. I cannot find any info on Hofner's web site about what the stock string diameters are so I went to Guitar Center to see what they said. The first saleman told me flat out they were 45-90s. So I went to the counter and told the guy what I wanted and he handed me a set of 45-105 long scale Rotosounds telling me these were the best strings made. I asked him if he had them in 45-90s and he said no, the only other set he had was 45-100.

I don't really want to do surgery on my nut and I really don't think I want even bigger strings, I have small hands. So I will ask the experts here what flat wounds strings should I buy for my Beatle bass. Please provide a link if possible.

I have been playing guitar for almost 50 years yet I am basically a beginning bass player and I will be playing mainly classic rock. Thanks for your help.

Most people will tell you to use La Bella strings, but speaking for myself Thomastick Infeld makes the only flat wounds with a tone that I care for for. With that being said, I should caution you that Thomastick Infeld strings retail for about twice the price of most other manufacturers. Nonetheless, if it wasn't for TI strings I would have had my luthier re-install frets on my '73 Jazz bass; it sounds amazing now.

[seilerbird]

Originally Posted by bass_man86

Most people will tell you to use La Bella strings, but speaking for myself Thomastick Infeld makes the only flat wounds with a tone that I care for for. With that being said, I should caution you that Thomastick Infeld strings retail for about twice the price of most other manufacturers. Nonetheless, if it wasn't for TI strings I would have had my luthier re-install frets on my '73 Jazz bass; it sounds amazing now.

Tone doesn't enter into my picture very much. I live full time in a motorhome in RV parks and I have a 20 watt Acoustic amp that I can turn up to 3 without bothering my neighbors. At my age, after 50 years listening to bone crushingly loud rock and roll it is more of a feeling than a sound playing bass. A nice feeling to be sure. And since I am always playing along with mp3s the sound of my bass mixes with the sound of the bass I am playing along with, so tone just doesn't matter. As I have stated, my main reason for switching is I don't like the sound of my fingers scraping the strings, which is almost as loud as the music at this volume. The odds are deeply stacked against me ever playing bass on stage. Not that I wouldn't want to, but it is hard to be in a band when you are living in a different town every week.

[bass_man86]

Originally Posted by seilerbird

Tone doesn't enter into my picture very much. I live full time in a motorhome in RV parks and I have a 20 watt Acoustic amp that I can turn up to 3 without bothering my neighbors. At my age, after 50 years listening to bone crushingly loud rock and roll it is more of a feeling than a sound playing bass. A nice feeling to be sure. And since I am always playing along with mp3s the sound of my bass mixes with the sound of the bass I am playing along with, so tone just doesn't matter. As I have stated, my main reason for switching is I don't like the sound of my fingers scraping the strings, which is almost as loud as the music at this volume. The odds are deeply stacked against me ever playing bass on stage. Not that I wouldn't want to, but it is hard to be in a band when you are living in a different town every week.

I feel you. I am a '57 baby and I work onboard ship these days; 23 years in the Navy was not enough punishment for me. Never say never though!

[hotbass57]

Medium Scale Chromes 40-95 on my Hofner. Fit nicely and sound good.

[4-string]

I picked up my Höfner Ignotion only yesterday and can't compare several brands, but I love the sound and feel from the La Bellas I got for it. I use the light set, but I always prefer light strings.

[music fun]

Originally Posted by jumbodbassman

labella from imperial guitars in newburgh NY. best prices by far

Wow, jumbod,

Great referral. Their prices are great, although it's hard to imagine why it costs anyone ten bucks to mail a set of strings. However, even with that ridiculous shipping charge, they still beat the rest by a tenner.

[music fun]

Originally Posted by 4-string

I picked up my Höfner Ignotion only yesterday and can't compare several brands, but I love the sound and feel from the La Bellas I got for it. I use the light set, but I always prefer light strings.

Where did you get it??? I cannot find one anywhere.

[seilerbird]

Originally Posted by music fun

Where did you get it??? I cannot find one anywhere.

You can't find the bass or the strings?

Here is the bass:

http://www.samash.com/s/hofner-bass

Here are the strings:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o01_s00_i00

[4-string]

Originally Posted by music fun

Where did you get it??? I cannot find one anywhere.

They're widely available in Europe, I got mine from Thomann.

[Papalampraina]

Thomastik-Infeld are great sounding, low tension flats. I have them on both my Beatle-bass (an Epiphone Viola) and on another semi-hollow bass and they're excellent.

[gary m]

Pyramids or Hofner strings, whichever is cheaper. Both are made in the same factory. Nothing sounds better on a short scale hollow body, IMHO.

[electracoyote]

Originally Posted by lmfreeman9

LaBellas

+1, love 'em on my Icons.

[music fun]

Originally Posted by seilerbird

You can't find the bass or the strings?

Here is the bass:

http://www.samash.com/s/hofner-bass

Here are the strings:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o01_s00_i00

It was the bass I couldn't find. I did find one this morning and expect to have it Friday. For the strings, I ordered through Imperial Guitar and Soundworks online. The best price by a mile for LaBellas. See post #29 above.

[Pilgrim]

I have the Rogue VB-100 with Labella Hofner Flats. It's a truly nice, full sound.

[ScottTunes]

However, NOTHING beats Pyramid flats for tone!

One reason is nickel... Thomastik Infeld has the only other nickel flat... Pyramid aren't as "loose" as TI, and not as "tense" as the stainless LaBellas... Great feel, great tone, long life!

I have 3 Hofners, 2 Fenders and a Ric 4003 strung with Pyramid flats (Hofner strings are made by Pyramid). Had Pyramid flats on a 1980 Carvin for 20 years! All sound great!

[bill reed]

here is my LE MARQUIS L.Y. fitter with roto sound tru bass 88s. love the sound of the 88s. have then on my 5 string bass too.

[seilerbird]

UPDATE

I got the LaBella light flatwounds about a week ago. After a week of playing them I am completely sold on flatwounds. They feel and sound fantastic. Thanks a lot for all the help guys, I am one happy camper.