Labella Deeptalkin' flats for stringthru bridge?

bthiemann80 · #1 11-09-2007, 03:22 PM

I know the Jamerson set isnt supposed to be used for stringthru body bridges, does anyone know if the other labella deeptalkin' sets like the standard 45-105 (760FS) can be used for string thru body bridges?

bongomania · #2 11-09-2007, 03:31 PM

FWIW, every package of flats I have ever seen from LaBella says "not suitable for string-through-body bridges". OTOH, a few people have posted here saying they've never had any problems doing that. So LaBella doesn't recommend it, but that doesn't necessarily mean it can't be done. Oh, and we are just talking about flats, right? Their rounds don't come with that warning, and will not be an issue.

DavidRavenMoon · #3 11-09-2007, 05:30 PM

The stainless steel set of DTB flats is very flexible... so they might work. I never tried it though.

bthiemann80 · #4 11-10-2007, 01:52 PM

I think it might be more a matter of length. I noticed that the black string thread at the top starts a bit early, maybe the extra length needed for the string thru body bridge would make the strings too short.

bongomania · #5 11-10-2007, 04:26 PM

The word from LaBella is that the sharp angle that the strings bend at over the bridge saddles can cause their flats to break at that point.

king_biscuit · #6 11-11-2007, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidRavenMoon

The stainless steel set of DTB flats is very flexible... so they might work. I never tried it though.

What guage are you referring to? La Bella flats are about the least flexable flat available.

DavidRavenMoon · #7 11-11-2007, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

What guage are you referring to? La Bella flats are about the least flexable flat available.

LAB_760FL, .043, .060, .082, .104. I love these strings.. they are almost as bright as round wounds, but don't sound clangy. They aren't thuddy, but turning down the tone gives you a big fat tone. You can actually slap on them. (but then of course the grand-daddy of slapping, Larry Graham, used black nylon tapewound strings, as did John Entwistle on My Generation)

NOT the Jamerson set.. those are big ol' cables!

La Bella Electric Bass Guitar Deep Talkin' Bass Light, .043 - .104, Stainless Steel Flat Wound, 760FL

I don't care for very low tension strings like the Thomastik's. I like to feel some resistance in my plucking hand. Let's me pick harder. But the LaBella's aren't all that stiff either. I use a lot of vibrato and bend a lot...

king_biscuit · #8 11-11-2007, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidRavenMoon

LAB_760FL, .043, .060, .082, .104. I love these strings.. they are almost as bright as round wounds, but don't sound clangy. They aren't thuddy, but turning down the tone gives you a big fat tone. You can actually slap on them. (but then of course the grand-daddy of slapping, Larry Graham, used black nylon tapewound strings, as did John Entwistle on My Generation)

NOT the Jamerson set.. those are big ol' cables!

La Bella Electric Bass Guitar Deep Talkin' Bass Light, .043 - .104, Stainless Steel Flat Wound, 760FL

I don't care for very low tension strings like the Thomastik's. I like to feel some resistance in my plucking hand. Let's me pick harder. But the LaBella's aren't all that stiff either. I use a lot of vibrato and bend a lot...

Ok, you are talking about tension. I am talking about flexability of the string for a string through application. The La Bellas are very stiff (non-flexable), and would not do well strung through the body. It may work for a while, but they will break if played enough. The La Bella string tension, while playing, is medium for a given gauge. What I mean is that if you took all of the popular flats in in the exact same guage (if you could get them all in say 45-105), Fenders would be the stiffest, and TIs the softest. EBs, Chromes, and La Bellas fall in the middle. The La Bella string flexability (if you tried to bend the string in half) is the stiffest out of all of the flats.

DavidRavenMoon · #9 11-11-2007, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by king_biscuit

Ok, you are talking about tension. I am talking about flexability of the string

I'm talking flexibility also. They are very pliant. When you hold one in your hand before it's on the bass it's very flexible.. more so than round wounds. Much more so than Chromes. I find them to be stiff. But you can't bend a flatwound any sharper than the width of the flat wrap wire, or they will break.

bongomania · #10 11-11-2007, 09:49 PM

Ah, but what's weird about that is that Chromes handle being strung thru-body with no problem.

jpark369 · #11 12-31-2008, 04:36 PM

so flats sting-thru always a problem? or jusy with the la bellas? is there a flat that compares to the la bella that can be used string-thru?

ibnzneksrul · #12 12-31-2008, 08:44 PM

Just a thought, but it *may* be a CYA thing with LaBella. IME their Customer Service is reluctant to replace strings, for whatever reason.

Rodriguez · #13 12-31-2008, 11:46 PM

I believe I saw something Eric Cocco is working on in that regard. You should call and ask about it.

bongomania · #14 01-01-2009, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpark369

so flats sting-thru always a problem? or jusy with the la bellas? is there a flat that compares to the la bella that can be used string-thru?

Its just the LaBella's. Any other brand of flat should be fine- unless you find one that also has a warning label the way the LaBella's do.

I use Chromes through-body all the time, and once they are broken in and deadened a bit they sound a fair bit like the Labellas.

TomB · #15 01-01-2009, 05:02 AM

I've used Ti's, Chromes, Labella (FM's?), Fenders & Rotos, all flats, at various times on my '98 Am. Std. P thru the body. I've had no structural problem with any of them at all. I suspect Labella is being cautious.

FenderP · #16 01-01-2009, 08:55 PM

The Rotosound RS77LE set is basically just like the Jamerson set in tems of stiffness, yet it's fine as string-through. I've used it on two different basses. I would say Labella is being overly cautious.

One Drop · #17 01-02-2009, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FenderP

The Rotosound RS77LE set is basically just like the Jamerson set in tems of stiffness, yet it's fine as string-through. I've used it on two different basses. I would say Labella is being overly cautious.

They aren't constructed the same way.

LaBella is not being cautious, they are correct to warn of the possibility of breakage.

Anecdotal evidence (i.e. a bunch of posters reporting problems) on another board convinces me it's not worth the risk, especially since it takes time to break in flats, and there is nothing worse than a sweet sounding thumpy set of flats with a clangy new E string.

Aaron J · #18 01-02-2009, 08:39 PM

I have had the .105 set on my Glaub for a few years now. They are strung through the bridge and I have not had any problems. Man those are great strings...

jpark369 · #19 01-05-2009, 02:49 PM

so...
la bellas vs. DR chromes ??

ive tried the rotosound flats, and those werent bad, but i sold the bass they were on. so now im looking for a new pair. cant decide between these two.

drnknmstr · #20 01-05-2009, 03:00 PM

I've got a set of Labella's, not QUITE as heavy as the Jamerson, but just one gauge off. I think it goes to 109 instead of 110. I have a 99 MIA P Bass, strung through the body. I got lucky they're still good. I actually would pull them REALLY hard to break them in. No breakage; had them for 4 months. It's my first time using them and had no problems with that string through body setup, though I probably won't be swapping strings like I normally do.

However, the windings are more exposed at the break angle. You can really see the separation. Probably not a good thing, though again, no trouble yet.