thomastik flats vs. Labella 760FL

jacove · #1 09-05-2005, 01:20 PM

Hi there,

I'm looking for a set of flatwounds...I've narrowed it down to Thomastik Jazz Flats and Labella 760FL...which one do you like the most? I've played the Thomastik Rounds JR344 and they had a really nice tone, but they were a bit thin sounding. Does the Thomastik Flats have a bigger sound to them.

How would you compare the Labella set to the Thomastiks tensionwise...I've heard people say that the 760FL feel like a 40-90 set of roundwounds...that's pretty wild when considering gauge of the set.

superfly · #2 09-05-2005, 01:53 PM

I've used both, and MY personal preference are the Labella's.
I like the tension of the Labellas over the TI's. Other than that issue, for me they are both the best you can get.

jacove · #3 09-05-2005, 01:58 PM

superfly, do you find the Thomastik thin sounding, which string do you think is most all-round?---thanks

JimmyM · #4 09-05-2005, 02:33 PM

LaBellas. TI Jazz Flats don't have a very thick sound. Very midrangey and boingy. I took mine off after two months and put my old LaBellas back on.

fourstringdrums · #5 09-05-2005, 03:00 PM

I prefer the Labellas. The TI's have a lower tension, and I don't care for lighter gauge strings anyway. They are almost TOO dead sounding to my ears. The Labellas have that flatwound tone but are still live enough for me.

jacove · #6 09-05-2005, 03:10 PM

thanks guys, interresting, I thought the Thomastik was the big favorite....which set would you regard as the most defined and clean set?

bgavin · #7 09-05-2005, 08:26 PM

I have the same TI Flats on my MIM-P since 2000. They still sound great, but did take a while to adjust to the low string tension.

My P does not thump.

Early on, I changed out the MIM pickup for a Duncan Hot P, but that was seriously middy in combination with the TI Flats. I then went to a DiMarzio Will Power Middle, which is better, but still very middy and no thump.

The P records very well. Tone is very defined and articulate when recorded DI into a good console. No thump.

I'm looking for a bigger bottom for the P, so the TI are going over to my J fretless, and a set of LaBella are going on the P. I also have a Duncan Vintage P pickup waiting around, in case the string change doesn't do it.

superfly · #8 09-05-2005, 09:58 PM

Yes, midrangey would be the term for the TI"S.
The Labellas have a good fat tone, but they sound alive.
I use the .104 gauge, but I want to try the .109's.
Roll off the treble a bit on a "P" and you have "the" tone.

::::BASSIST:::: · #9 09-05-2005, 10:07 PM

LaBellas for me. I have owned the TIs before and I like the sound. Sort of like a roundwound sounding flatwound. However, the labellas sound very good too but much different. Most importantly to me, the Labellas are EXTREMELY smooth... like glass. String feel is very important to me.

Labellas are the best strings I have ever used handsdown (out of about 10 different types of flats I have used).

::::BASSIST:::: · #10 09-05-2005, 10:08 PM

LaBellas for me. I have owned the TIs before and I like the sound. Sort of like a roundwound sounding flatwound. However, the labellas sound very good too but much different. Most importantly to me, the Labellas are EXTREMELY smooth... like glass. String feel is very important to me.

Labellas are the best strings I have ever used handsdown (out of about 10 different types of flats I have used).

jacove · #11 09-06-2005, 08:10 AM

OK...guys, I just tried a set of thomastik...they are really middy and not very thumbing for a flatwound, though they sound sweet and have a great tone...maybe they will be great on a fretless I suppose....I've just ordered a set of Labella 760fl, I hope these will nail the classic flatwound sound.

::::BASSIST:::: · #12 09-06-2005, 11:54 AM

They do in my opinion.

radi8 · #13 09-06-2005, 01:46 PM

I have T.I. Flats on my MTD Kingston 4....running a close second:the Rotosound JazzBass 77's.
The 77's had a nice bite on my first bass,an Ibanez SR200.

Squidfinger · #14 09-06-2005, 01:49 PM

I once swore off TI flats after a bad experience with them. I received 4 bad E's in a row. Why did I go through the hell of getting the replacements? The other strings sounded that good!!!!!!! I mean crazy good!!! By far the best sounding G I've ever heard. It actually has some depth/smoothness with almost no zing. I hate zing. Well anyways, back to the bad E's. They all had a zinginess on them that all the other strings lacked and low end comparable to the A making the set sound unbalanced. So I get a replacement. Same deal. Another replacement. Same deal. Not ready to give up I order a Lakland and ask that it be setup BEAD with TI flats. Now here's the insane part, I assumed that if the E was weak with this set the B would be also. Not so. The B was monstrous. The E was bad again. Seeing as I had got all the sets from the same guy I figured he had got a bad batch (he mentioned something about a previous bad batch of A's floating around.

However one of the E's was slightly less zingy than the others so I put it on my MIM P-bass which I later gave to a friend as a birthday present. I play that bass now and am like

. It sounds great. The E finally sounds balanced. Maybe it needed time to mellow out? I love the low tension too.

After my unfortunate experience I decided to try D'addario Chromes. Other than their smoothness I hate them. After 7-8 months the A and D still have too much zing. Now I have set of TI flats sitting on top of my TV just waiting for me to get the money to put my bass back in EADG so I can put them on.

I'm even going to ask the guy if he can file the nut slots specifically for the TI's strange diameters. They impress me that much that I never want to play anything else.

Luckydog · #15 09-06-2005, 02:39 PM

Yow, TI and Labellas, those are just so far apart in almost every category. I've used many flats, and spent almost a year trying to love my TIs. It never happened, although I can see why others love them. Other flats I've tried (and they each had their good and bad points) were Chromes, Fenders, GHS, Rotos. And the winner hands down is.......Labella! These babies have thump, fatness, articulation, smoothevity, and tone out the yin yang (whatever that is). I've got them on my Sadowsky, Fender jazz and Precision. They feel just superb, and sound mahvulous.

Joe P · #16 09-06-2005, 03:14 PM

This thread makes me want to try those 'Bellas once.

I had used only rounds for-ever. Finally influenced by YOU-guys over-here on TB, I was finally convinced that flats are NOT a completely out-dated, rediculous choice that nobody but some un-hip old-fogey would have, IF anyone even MADE them anymore... So I tried a set of T.I.s. Now while I'm NOT chompin' at the bit to put any of those clangy, squeeky, twangy things back on my bass -- THIS makes me wonder if there were another choice in FLATS that I'd like even better!

I dunno though - these T.I.s sound and feel SO-so good... They even almost completely FIXED the 'bad-sounding B-string' problem on my cheap, 33" bass!

Joe

bgavin · #17 09-06-2005, 07:37 PM

If I could put a set of LaBellas on my P and get it to thump and do the Motown Thing, I'll be happy.

The current TI Flats will probably sing on my fretless, and also put a stop to the board wear I'm getting from running ELX-220 rounds. It mwah's for days, but is thin sounding, and tearing up the board.

jacove · #18 09-09-2005, 07:14 AM

I've just got a set of 760fl, and I must say they are much more my type of sound...they got the low end thickness and a thumb that I couldn't get out of the TI's....I've not tested them in a live setting...will probably do it this weekend. Thanks for your advice guys!

bgavin · #19 09-09-2005, 08:20 AM

Thanks for the feedback, as that is what I'm looking to get from my P.

jacove · #20 09-11-2005, 06:35 AM

Well, guys I did a a/b test of the Labella and thomastik flats in a live setting this weekend. In my rehearsal room I really liked the ol' school thumb of the labella, the thomastik sounded a little middy and thin in comparison. This weekend I played a medium venue with almost no PA support. I had my jazz bass through Bergantino NV610 with DB750 Aguilar on top. What suprised me was that even though the Labella sounded bigger and thumpier the Thomastik had a low mid punch that really sat perfect in the mix. Sure I was lacking a bit of thumb, but the punch and balance of the Thomastik in a live setting suprised me alot..I'm beginning to understand what the fuzz is about...The Labella performed well also, great booty!....but there was just a certain character to the Thomastik which really gave the bass a smooth but present sound in the mix....have any of you similar experience