Request a Comparison -chromes, deeptalkin, TI

Gab124 · #1 12-05-2009, 04:58 PM

I could not find a thread that gave a direct comparison for these 3 brands of flats. If you would all be so kind, if you have experience with these brands. For the record, I have the chromes now, and wondered how the other two brands compare to them.
Thanks you all for your time

Meatrus · #2 12-05-2009, 05:43 PM

Havent tried them, so maybe I shouldnt post, but from what I have read Labellas = high tension, TIs = low, and Chromes medium. Sound wise there is a comparison of them on youtube some where.

Gab124 · #3 12-05-2009, 05:49 PM

I will take a look on youtube - any others with thoughts?

seanm · #4 12-05-2009, 06:24 PM

LaBella is *the* classic flat tone IMHO. I especially like the FLs.

Chromes are much brighter than LaBella, even when broken in. Great string for a slightly more modern tone without going to rounds.

TIs don't really sound/feel like flats to me. These are basically a love them/hate them type of string.

Fender flats are more like LaBella and make a great inexpensive introduction to flats.

Hard to compare tensions since LaBella, chromes, and Fender all come in different gauges.

Gab124 · #5 12-05-2009, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seanm

TIs don't really sound/feel like flats to me. These are basically a love them/hate them type of string.

How so, If I may ask?

seanm · #6 12-05-2009, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gab124

How so, If I may ask?

It has been years... and the memory is fading.

As for feel, they are definitely the roughest flats I have ever played. I had been playing flats exclusively for a few years when I tried them, so it was a real shock.

They are also very low tension. Which some people love. Strangely, I can go to rounds and the tension doesn't throw me. But the TIs did, maybe because I *expected* more tension.

I am terrible at describing tone. I just found the TIs as yuck, which doesn't help you much. I guess they didn't have the zing of rounds, but also didn't have the heft of flats. I am guessing the problem is I like the sound of flats and don't want something half way.

I would not be surprised if there is a large group of people who would like something that has a sound in between rounds and flats.

Now a huge caveat, I never got the nerve to try them live, not even in a band practice. I tried them for a while on one bass, and when I sold the bass the strings went with it.

air_leech · #7 12-06-2009, 02:10 AM

LaBellas - tried the 760FM set, never actually played it since the tension needed to tune them up was so high I had a hard time turning the tuning pegs (!!!) and it freaked me out.
tried this on two basses with the same thing happening so I tucked them nicely into their packaging and if someone really wants to break their truss rod I'd happily send it to them.

Chromes - got a used set with a bass I bought on TB.
they sound nice but dont expect a classic flat sound.
from how I remember the sound I'd associate them with Tony Levin's tone on Peter Gabriel's Dont Give Up - a very strong metallic bottom end and a mid dip the depth of the ocean but maybe thats because the last time I broke out this set was for trying it on a fretless.
also, the sound reminded me the GHS Brite Flats.

TI JF344 - best flats I tried so far. all other types I tried were very dull but these actually have midrange and it's musical and punchy.
the tension is low but I like that as I play with a light touch anyway.
for some reason I didnt like them on my Stingrays, I thought they would emphasize the SRs' midrange but they just made them sound very generic, guess I just dont like flats on Rays but on my Precisions the TIs kill.
IMO, TIs really start shining after you've broken them in a bit. the sound out of the box didnt stun me and the best sounding set was on a bass I bought used (I've been through three sets since then and the older-the better with these).

eyecandy · #8 12-06-2009, 02:49 AM

if you're looking for a deep vintage thumpy tone.. then its definitely Labellas.. the 760M or the Jamerson set are pretty high in tension so they do damage the necks.. I've known someone who's basses were destroyed by the Jamerson set as well as James Jamerson himself warped his 62 P-Bass.... but Labellas do offer lighter gauges like 760FL, and 760FX

Chromes "i heard have mid high tension", they have a well defined tone and lots of high end...

TI flats have the lowest tension among the 3... but they don't sound all vintage-y, they are more on the mids...

Gab124 · #9 12-06-2009, 06:55 AM

thanks everyone - this direct comparison and reading through lots of threads has been a great help.

dexplosion · #10 12-08-2009, 07:40 AM

YouTuber "XBaBoonX" has some videos demonstrating different flats.

Also, I did a bit of a comparison, not with LaBella's, but with Chromes, TIs, and DR Legends if that helps.

Deep · #11 12-08-2009, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dexplosion

YouTuber "XBaBoonX" has some videos demonstrating different flats.

Also, I did a bit of a comparison, not with LaBella's, but with Chromes, TIs, and DR Legends if that helps.

Nice comparison test. I've never used Chromes and I never realized how bright they could actually be. Wouldn't they mellow out after a short time? Or do they keep some of that brightness?
I like what I hear on your clips of them. I really dig JO flats (GHS Precisions) on my Lakie, but I'd like to give the Chromes a try. Also, what length would be good for the 35" scale Lakie WITHOUT going thru-body....long scale or super long?

dexplosion · #12 12-08-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep

Nice comparison test. I've never used Chromes and I never realized how bright they could actually be. Wouldn't they mellow out after a short time? Or do they keep some of that brightness?
I like what I hear on your clips of them. I really dig JO flats (GHS Precisions) on my Lakie, but I'd like to give the Chromes a try. Also, what length would be good for the 35" scale Lakie WITHOUT going thru-body....long scale or super long?

I believe they will mellow a bit. I really didn't have them on long enough (3 ~ 4 months) to know for sure, but from what I've read, that seems to be the case.

As for the length, I would probably go super long to be safe.
I went through the body on my 34" scale Fender, and it was perfect. There was about a half of an inch of string past the nut before the silk wrapping.

Deep · #13 12-08-2009, 04:51 PM

thanks for the reply. super longs seem the way to go for me.

Diogenes · #14 12-08-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep

Nice comparison test. I've never used Chromes and I never realized how bright they could actually be. ...

That's one of the things I like so much about the Chromes... they're fairly bright for flats and actually keep their tone for months, YMMV. To me Chromes are like my favorite worn in nickel roundwounds but come straight out of a box and have the slickest feel of any string I've yet played.

Gab124 · #15 12-08-2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diogenes

That's one of the things I like so much about the Chromes... they're fairly bright for flats and actually keep their tone for months, YMMV. To me Chromes are like my favorite worn in nickel roundwounds but come straight out of a box and have the slickest feel of any string I've yet played.

That really seems to be a point of debate, slickest feel and all. I find my chromes stick to my fingers a lot, especially in humid weather. IDK, other times they are really slick.

**TheEmptyCell** · #16 12-09-2009, 01:57 PM

I've used Chromes and TI's, as well as some GHS Brite Flats, which made me want to vomit. I seriously never felt a worse string, not even WalMart brand strings feel so wretched.

Now, TI's are very low tension, but they have a nice presence and sustain compared to all other flats I've heard. The set I've had on my T-40 for about 3 years is nicely broken in, but still has a nice bite when slapped and popped.

Chromes are thumpier, flatwound-sounding strings. I think Diogenes hit it on the head... they sound like a broken in set of nickel strings, with a slightly stickier feel, but not as bad as other flats I've played. They're somewhat bright, more so than Labella from what I've seen/heard, but not like TIs.

bongomania · #17 12-09-2009, 02:23 PM

I've tried all three, plus the Sadowsky flats (made by LaBella).

The TI's felt best to my fingers, but their tone was totally hit or miss--on one bass they sounded great, on another they sounded like crap. I can't explain it. On the bass where they sounded good, I could easily imagine leaving that set on there forever--they won't "go bad" for a very, very long time.

The Chromes are exactly as others have described them: bright and slick, and they stay that way. Higher tension than the TI's. I liked them OK, but felt they were too bright for warm thump, and too dull for mwah or grind, so they're a good compromise but not great.

The LaBella Deep Talkin' are my favorites. They do the deep warm thump terrifically, and they last forever. Not great for bright mwah or growl, but for that I choose strings that aren't flats. I like the lighter gauge Deep Talkin', not the Jamerson set.

The Sadowskys were kind of in between the Deep Talkin' and the Chromes. Good, but they didn't quite please me as much as the Deep Talkin', not as thumpy. (Watch, Roger or somebody from LaBella will come on here and tell me the Sadowskys are just re-branded Deep-Talkin's.

)

For mwah and growl I'm digging nickel rounds and Elixirs.