Trying to identify flatwounds with the red yarn winding tips! Help!

smythe5 · #1 05-26-2010, 06:51 PM

this is killing me. I bought a p bass that had killin flatwounds on it. they sound and feel great. they have red yarn at the winding tip. But they are old, so i bought some labella deep talking strings hoping thats what they were, boy was i wrong! the labellas dont come close to the sound or the feel. It's drivin me crazy! What are these old strings? Anybody?

RedemptionBass · #2 05-26-2010, 06:56 PM

Rotosound.

knucklehead G · #3 05-26-2010, 06:59 PM

You replaced flats for being old? Old and dead is how flats should sound!

jasper383 · #4 05-26-2010, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedemptionBass

Rotosound.

+1

Is the red silk at both ends? I think Rotos have the red at both ends, and the La Bellas at just the tuner end.

Schlyder · #5 05-26-2010, 07:27 PM

sorry to thread jack a bit... I am trying to find which brands have tan/beige silk on stainless roundwounds...
Dean Marley used to, not sure of any others...

McKay · #6 05-26-2010, 07:41 PM

I just put a set of these on, they are great. They have the red thread on both ends.
http://www.rotosound.com/jazz77.html

P. Bass · #7 05-26-2010, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKay

I just put a set of these on, they are great. They have the red thread on both ends.
http://www.rotosound.com/jazz77.html

What gauge did you get? They sound great on the demo.

PS: On the DVD "Standing In the Shadows of Motown" - in the "Jam Session" extras, Bob Babbitt is playing a P w/flats that have red silk wrap. Probably my fav. flat sound EVER. They look "floppy", like TI's on close ups. He mutes w/ sponge under strings @ bridge as well.
Might be a vid. on line.

McKay · #8 05-26-2010, 10:10 PM

I went with RS77LD 45-105 So far Im a happy camper.

Swampman Cory · #9 05-26-2010, 10:13 PM

Also look into Thomastik Jazz Bass flats. It's possible it could've been them, because they have the yarn, are killer, and I believe are night and day with the Labellas. I could be wrong though...

M0ses · #10 05-26-2010, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knucklehead G

You replaced flats for being old? Old and dead is how flats should sound!

+1
The reason you hate the LaBellas so much is because they're new. Flats sound much better after a few months.

Craig_S · #11 05-27-2010, 12:19 AM

My LaBella's are wound only on the tuner end. I'd bet that's what you have. They sound great to me, fresh or broken in. I love 'em on my Precision.

Laurent · #12 05-27-2010, 12:27 AM

Thomastik Jazz Bass are indeed red. Great strings.

jasper383 · #13 05-27-2010, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P. Bass

What gauge did you get? They sound great on the demo.

PS: On the DVD "Standing In the Shadows of Motown" - in the "Jam Session" extras, Bob Babbitt is playing a P w/flats that have red silk wrap. Probably my fav. flat sound EVER. They look "floppy", on close ups. He mutes w/ sponge under strings @ bridge as well.
Might be a vid. on line.

Babbitt is a big La Bella player. I think he used the heavy Jamerson set at Motown, but now uses the 760FL set.

Sithian · #14 05-27-2010, 09:33 AM

Do the TIs have red silk at both ends or just at the headstock end?

scottbass · #15 05-27-2010, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swampman Cory

Also look into Thomastik Jazz Bass flats. It's possible it could've been them, because they have the yarn, are killer, and I believe are night and day with the Labellas. I could be wrong though...

+1. That would be my guess, since OP said they were significantly different than LaBellas.

Thomastik Jazz Bass flats have red silk at the tuner end only.

Bassist4Life · #16 05-27-2010, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurent

Thomastik Jazz Bass are indeed red. Great strings.

yup.

Jaco who? · #17 05-27-2010, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sithian

Do the TIs have red silk at both ends or just at the headstock end?

Went and dug out my TI flats from the box, they're the JF344 version, .043 .056 .070 .100, they have red silk on the ball ends too.

Sithian · #18 05-27-2010, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaco who?

Went and dug out my TI flats from the box, they're the JF344 version, .043 .056 .070 .100, they have red silk on the ball ends too.

Thanks a lot!

scottbass · #19 05-27-2010, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaco who?

Went and dug out my TI flats from the box, they're the JF344 version, .043 .056 .070 .100, they have red silk on the ball ends too.

Hmmm...I coulda swore they were wrapped only on the headstock end. I'm at work so I can't check right now. Also, I have mine strung through-body so it's not really visible to me if the ball ends are wrapped. And of course since they are flats they have been on for several years now, so I can't really remember the specifics from when I installed them! Still, I coulda swore they were wrapped only on the headstock end...

Droot · #20 05-27-2010, 12:26 PM

TI and Rotosounds both have the same color and length red silk, as well as brass end piece. Looking at the two side by side in my hand, the Rotosound is a tiny bit darker (as if it were damp) then the TI. The difference is so small you could not see it from a foot away. Both also have winding at both ends that looks the same. I have both types on my basses, and the difference is in how they sound and play. The TIs are a lot more bell like in the heavier string sizes. Don't seem to be much different on the smaller gauges.
DRoot