La Bella 760FL vs. DR Hi-Beam Flats vs. Fender 9050ML vs. TI JF344

[Ryan Mohr]

I am looking for the classic flatwound sound without high tension. These four sets seem to be the best contenders. I want big thumpy lows, punchy mids, and smooth highs. As they will be going on a P bass, here is the tone I want - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzyj3Wxhjr4 What do you guys think?

[One Drop]

I think any of those 4 will get you there (I'm guessing about the DRs, never tried them) if you had his touch and technique.

Seriously, most of that tone is in his fingers (and a great recording and mix to get that sound out).

[unclekebm]

760FL's

[jasper383]

Of those four, I vote the La Bellas. Quite possibly "the" flatwound sound.

The TI's in my opinion would be the worst choice, based on your criteria.

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by jasper383

Of those four, I vote the La Bellas. Quite possibly "the" flatwound sound.

The TI's in my opinion would be the worst choice, based on your criteria.

Thanks, will I still get "the" sound if the are the light gauge?

[Mastermold]

Originally Posted by jasper383

Of those four, I vote the La Bellas. Quite possibly "the" flatwound sound.

The TI's in my opinion would be the worst choice, based on your criteria.

Well he'll get the sound from the TIs, but the lower tension may not give him the percussive part he needs. I'd suggest DR flats personally as I've found them just as thumpy as either La Bella or Fender flats but more flexible and easier to play.

[Mastermold]

Originally Posted by AqueousView11

Thanks, will I still get "the" sound if the are the light gauge?

Yes but be patient with them. It took me about 4 months of daily playing for my La Bella FL set to break in enough to where I liked the tone. The D and G strings were a bit too bright for my taste, but they died eventually.

[Ryan Mohr]

Mastermold - Do the DRs nail the classic flatwound sound? I know they are roundcore so I'm not sure what that would do to the sound. Out of the three, which is the warmest sounding? Are the other too as bright as the La Bellas?

[jasper383]

Originally Posted by AqueousView11

Thanks, will I still get "the" sound if the are the light gauge?

Yes, in a few weeks of solid playing, The FL set is my favorite; the heavier sets are just too tight for me.

[jasper383]

Originally Posted by Mastermold

Well he'll get the sound from the TIs, but the lower tension may not give him the percussive part he needs. I'd suggest DR flats personally as I've found them just as thumpy as either La Bella or Fender flats but more flexible and easier to play.

I have found the TIs to be really short on the "thump" factor; lots of mids, and really sweet highs, but not that bassy thump.

I found the DR set to be very much like Chromes. Even across the spectrum, pretty crisp highs. Granted, this was when the DR flats very first came out about three years ago. They were then off the market for a few months, so who knows if DR changed the formula.

[Mastermold]

Originally Posted by jasper383

I have found the TIs to be really short on the "thump" factor; lots of mids, and really sweet highs, but not that bassy thump.

I found the DR set to be very much like Chromes. Even across the spectrum, pretty crisp highs. Granted, this was when the DR flats very first came out about three years ago. They were then off the market for a few months, so who knows if DR changed the formula.

Yeah I can get a nice "punch" out of my TI flats with the right pluck technique, but they don't "thump" like higher tension flats do. Still they're my favorite string right now, I'm putting them on most of my basses these days because I love the overall tone and playability so much.

As for DRs, I've just put on my first set this weekend so I can't compare them to what they may have been like before, but this set is very nice. It took just one day for the "new-flat-zing" to mellow which I appreciated. They do have similar tension to medium/light Chromes IMO, similar as well to the La Bella FL set. They have silk wrap now, something I didn't expect from DR strings which are usually naked. I like wraped strings and this wrap is a neutral gold color, very tasteful. I'm very pleased with them so far, both in tone and playability. I'd say they're my second favorite flats now behind TIs.

[Mastermold]

Originally Posted by AqueousView11

Mastermold - Do the DRs nail the classic flatwound sound? I know they are roundcore so I'm not sure what that would do to the sound. Out of the three, which is the warmest sounding? Are the other too as bright as the La Bellas?

I think so, but you should know I'm working on my first set that I've only just had on this weekend. Having said that, I put them on Saturday morning, played them for a few hours and put the bass away, took it out again Sunday (this morning) and the new-flat-zing that usually takes days or weeks to mellow was already mellowed quite a bit. They're on a Fender P-bass and I'm getting some nice thumpy response from them which I'm sure will only get thumpier as they age. So yeah I'd say give them a shot. The round core only seems to help playability, not hinder anything tone-wise.

As for Fenders and La Bellas, I use them too and as for brightness, that depends more on age of the strings. Both will dull and get thumpy over time, but in my experience the Fenders will sooner (if you're in a hurry).

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by Mastermold

Yeah I can get a nice "punch" out of my TI flats with the right pluck technique, but they don't "thump" like higher tension flats do. Still they're my favorite string right now, I'm putting them on most of my basses these days because I love the overall tone and playability so much.

As for DRs, I've just put on my first set this weekend so I can't compare them to what they may have been like before, but this set is very nice. It took just one day for the "new-flat-zing" to mellow which I appreciated. They do have similar tension to medium/light Chromes IMO, similar as well to the La Bella FL set. They have silk wrap now, something I didn't expect from DR strings which are usually naked. I like wraped strings and this wrap is a neutral gold color, very tasteful. I'm very pleased with them so far, both in tone and playability. I'd say they're my second favorite flats now behind TIs.

Originally Posted by Mastermold

I think so, but you should know I'm working on my first set that I've only just had on this weekend. Having said that, I put them on Saturday morning, played them for a few hours and put the bass away, took it out again Sunday (this morning) and the new-flat-zing that usually takes days or weeks to mellow was already mellowed quite a bit. They're on a Fender P-bass and I'm getting some nice thumpy response from them which I'm sure will only get thumpier as they age. So yeah I'd say give them a shot. The round core only seems to help playability, not hinder anything tone-wise.

As for Fenders and La Bellas, I use them too and as for brightness, that depends more on age of the strings. Both will dull and get thumpy over time, but in my experience the Fenders will sooner (if you're in a hurry).

Thanks, I think at this point I'm leaning towards those DR Hi-Beam Flats. I want that thump you hear in the video, and if the TIs can't get that I'm not interested. Seems like with the roundcore, the DRs are a good balance between TIs and the others.

[debassr]

The Labellas are the ticket IMHO.

[Ryan Mohr]

Originally Posted by debassr

The Labellas are the ticket IMHO.

But I don't want to have to wait half a year for the D and G strings to settle down.

[Ancient Mariner]

Originally Posted by Mastermold

.... I'd suggest DR flats personally as I've found them just as thumpy as either La Bella or Fender flats but more flexible and easier to play.

+1

[wateroftyne]

The playing is a few hundred thousand miles short of Jamiroquai, but here is a clip of me playing my P with La Bella FLs, DI'd to the desk, apparently with very little EQ applied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsTP543lpqQ

It might help to give you an idea of how the sound. I love them.. great strings.

[Mr. Ray]

My two favorites are 1.) Labella and 2.) Pyramid Gold (super fat and warm). There is a lot of love hear for Thomastik...I can't stand them, they just don't play or sound like a flatwound to me.

[One Drop]

Originally Posted by wateroftyne

The playing is a few hundred thousand miles short of Jamiroquai, but here is a clip of me playing my P with La Bella FLs, DI'd to the desk, apparently with very little EQ applied.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsTP543lpqQ

It might help to give you an idea of how the sound. I love them.. great strings.

WoT, great to hear that clip again. You sound simply amazing there!

[bluesfan216]

I LOVE the sound of my 760FL set on my P-bass. I tried the D'addario chromes and the Fender flats, but the Labella won out by a large margin. Thumpy, and sweet.