La Bella 0760M vs. Rotosound 88's

[nitsuj]

I'm getting a Squire CV P-Bass. Going to drop in some vintage (sounding) p-ups, a new volume pot, and dress it in new strings. Which of the La Bella 0760M and Rotosound 88's do you like better and why?

[CrimsonGhost]

The rotos are all clank no tone. cant go wrong with the labellas.

[bill reed]

have to disagree with C-Ghost, i find the sound of roto sound 88s to be realy great in tone, i have them on my beatles bass and my 5 string fretless.
it gives me a really great double bass sound and really bright if using a pick.
i love the sound they make and much better than the roundwound strings that were on both basses before i changed them.
i have rotosound roundwound on my Epiphone EB3 and on my Yamaha RBX170, and they give a diffrent sound and each bass gives a difrent tone.

[PlungerModerno]

Originally Posted by bill reed

have to disagree with C-Ghost, i find the sound of roto sound 88s to be realy great in tone, i have them on my beatles bass and my 5 string fretless.
it gives me a really great double bass sound and really bright if using a pick.
i love the sound they make and much better than the roundwound strings that were on both basses before i changed them.
i have rotosound roundwound on my Epiphone EB3 and on my Yamaha RBX170, and they give a diffrent sound and each bass gives a difrent tone.

I have to agree with bill. I've tried roto nickel and steel rounds on both my basses and there was a big difference - with the same strings on each, in tone and usable action / playability.
I've heard the LaBella's are surefire vintage tone (Deep Talkin' = amazing thump) but Haven't tried them yet.
As I recall the monel (77's) flats have been described as bright flats - but the 88's aren't really comparable with the LaBellas.
Nylon and Traditional steel flats aren't very close in tone - so whatever instrument you put them on results are going to be very...individual. I'd say try the LaBella's first - you may love them and you'll need to do less if any nut filing.
They cost a fair amount but last for decades. seems fair. If a company sells 5 sets of stings to a life long player to charge a little extra!

I'm going to be trying a set of 77's. If they ever get to me! (not mad just trying to support the locals)

[tekdiver500ft]

Have to agree with Crimson Ghost. LaBellas are the standard against which all other flats are measured. These are the strings Jamerson and Dunn play(ed), and are the quintessential p-bass with flats sound. There are other flats I like better now, but for different reasons, and of the two you're considering, the LaBellas win hands-down.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Is like comparing Flatwounds to black nylon tape wounds!


(seriously)

[Frank Orlando]

Whichever you choose, play the hell out of them for at least a few days before you decide if you like the tone. Flats change by the hour when they are new. They take a while to settle in to their final tone. So many people on here say they tried LaBella flats and didn't like them because of uneven tone across the strings or a dead E or whatever. They then take them off after after only a very brief period and state that the strings suck. Big mistake. Play them a lot for at least a few days and then decide. They will not sound the same in a few days. The sound just keeps getting better and more even. In a few weeks they sound amazing and stay that way. I have gone through this with numerous sets on numerous basses. They always start out so-so and end up sounding incredible. Just a little patience to get there.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

They may be close in gauges but they do not feel the same.

Both feel smooth to the touch as they are "flat" without ridges like Round Wounds.

The Rotosound Tapewounds feel a bit slicker and faster. Thats just how the Nylons feel. Tru-Bass 88's tapewound wrapping nearly feel like they have been ground to be super flat and silky smooth.

La Bella Jamersons are wound very tight for flats so the outer winding is very smooth and fast feeling.

Both strings are pretty heavy gauged. Although, they will play very different.

The La Bella 1954's are very tight and bouncy when tuned E A D G. They have some give and flexibility to them but you can really dig in on them and they barely move! Very solid feel. Very thumpy / punchy sound but still have brightness too them.

The Tru-Bass 88's may be pretty thick, but they feel light and flexible. They feel like they are 40-100 round wounds wrapped in tape (these are not accurate measurements but thats about what they feel like)... The tone is punchy and still has some brightness, but they sound very tubby.

Overall they are two very different types of strings in feel, playability, and design.