Can anyone tell me what order these would be in when it comes to tension/flexibility? Lowest to highest.
Thank you.
Thank you.
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760FX vs Precision Flats (Light) vs EB Group IV Flats
- Thread starter Stan_da_man
- Start date
GHS lights (45-95) and EB Grp IV (40-95) are very close in terms of stiffness/flexibility. Very different in tonal character, though.
I have no experience with the La Bella 760FX, but I would imagine they're close to the other two.
I have no experience with the La Bella 760FX, but I would imagine they're close to the other two.
For me lowest to highest:
LaBella fx
Ernie Ball g IV
Ghs precision flats
The difference is not too much.
LaBella fx
Ernie Ball g IV
Ghs precision flats
The difference is not too much.
keep in mind, while tension is the same, they do all have their own unique sound.
GHS, pretty flat sound, not a lot of overtones and will go dead more quickly than the other 2.
La Bella, scooped mids, lots of top end sheen, especially when new. they will go dead but the FX set take quite a bit of time. more harmonics than GHS.
EB, brightest when brand new but they will mellow out pretty quickly, not like GHS, but quicker than la bella. they have the most aggressive mids and can grind alot more than the other two sets, especially when you dig in or use a pick.
GHS, pretty flat sound, not a lot of overtones and will go dead more quickly than the other 2.
La Bella, scooped mids, lots of top end sheen, especially when new. they will go dead but the FX set take quite a bit of time. more harmonics than GHS.
EB, brightest when brand new but they will mellow out pretty quickly, not like GHS, but quicker than la bella. they have the most aggressive mids and can grind alot more than the other two sets, especially when you dig in or use a pick.
I've used:
(Old Formula) Fender Flats
EB Group Flats in various gauges
Labella DTFs
And
Thomastik Jazz Flats
The Fenders on a jazz bass was probably my favorite EBG tone of all times, at least based on what I wanted to hear at the time. They really changed me after decades of playing on rounds. But they were very high tension and ultimately more than that bass could handle.
I thought the EB Group Flats were the best compromise over all, but every other set had something specific about them that was better, just in all in.
I think that LaBella is the gold standard for traditional flats. Probably better overall than EB's, but the groups were maybe a little better balanced and versatile. (It's been a while)
I also liked the TI's a lot. The light/flexible thing seemed overblown to me, but I was playing polite jazz with them and always kind of felt like if I needed to some else, they might not feel or behave as I needed them too. But, can't say for sure.
If I went for a traditional flat at this point:
I'd be interested in trying the new formula Fenders, but I would strongly consider EB Group (somethings). And I have a feeling that, new bass, going back to flats and wanting something familiar and traditional, hard not to start with LaBellas. They are kind of one thing, but they are really, really good at it.
I'd also be contemplating some of the more modern flats, though. A lot of new offerings out in flatwound world; Dunlop, DR, maybe EB Cobalt.
I'm currently using GHS Pressurewounds. Really good quality strings. If I wanted to back to flats, though, I think I would skip the GHS Precision. They seem more committed to that old-school thing than even LaBella, but I can't imagine that they are better at it.
(Old Formula) Fender Flats
EB Group Flats in various gauges
Labella DTFs
And
Thomastik Jazz Flats
The Fenders on a jazz bass was probably my favorite EBG tone of all times, at least based on what I wanted to hear at the time. They really changed me after decades of playing on rounds. But they were very high tension and ultimately more than that bass could handle.
I thought the EB Group Flats were the best compromise over all, but every other set had something specific about them that was better, just in all in.
I think that LaBella is the gold standard for traditional flats. Probably better overall than EB's, but the groups were maybe a little better balanced and versatile. (It's been a while)
I also liked the TI's a lot. The light/flexible thing seemed overblown to me, but I was playing polite jazz with them and always kind of felt like if I needed to some else, they might not feel or behave as I needed them too. But, can't say for sure.
If I went for a traditional flat at this point:
I'd be interested in trying the new formula Fenders, but I would strongly consider EB Group (somethings). And I have a feeling that, new bass, going back to flats and wanting something familiar and traditional, hard not to start with LaBellas. They are kind of one thing, but they are really, really good at it.
I'd also be contemplating some of the more modern flats, though. A lot of new offerings out in flatwound world; Dunlop, DR, maybe EB Cobalt.
I'm currently using GHS Pressurewounds. Really good quality strings. If I wanted to back to flats, though, I think I would skip the GHS Precision. They seem more committed to that old-school thing than even LaBella, but I can't imagine that they are better at it.
I have 760FX on my G&L SB-1 with a super-duper hot Magnetic Field Design P pickup, and EB Group IV on my Ibanez RKB900 with Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder PJ...Plus 760FL on a Fender Honeyburst P Special that I'm trying a few different pickups on (Lollar, Fralin +5% and EMG GZR...).
And I've used the light GHS P flats on the G&L and Ibanez.
The Group IV are the flats I'd recommend to someone new to flatwounds, they are kind of a Goldilocks string in terms of being in between vintage thumpy and modern bright, are very playable but not floppy, kind to your truss rod, not too expensive. They have a really nice woody tone plucked lightly by the neck, but can snarl when I dig in. I have Group III which don't really have the same woodiness (which to me evokes Brian Ritchie's acoustic BG tone with The Violent Femmes).
LaBella DTF are the only flats I've really liked on the G&L - it's literally the loudest passive pickup I've ever used, and has soooo much midrange and treble. It emphasizes the clank and noise of most newer-school flats like Fender, so the mid-scoop of the DTFs works well. I would have expected the FX to be "too light" but they have enough tension for spirited playing, even tuned down to D. I find them less thumpy and more versatile than the FL on this bass I like the FX so much better than LaBella Low Tension flats, which I feel lack detail, sound boring and tubby, and have a noticeably brighter G that doesn't blend well with lower strings or mellow out over time (G string doesn't have silk damping layer like lower strings do).
GHS to me are very deep-sounding, but not boomy or hyped, and still have enough clarity to hear the note you're playing, kind of like a well-worn LaBella. They'd be my choice for super-60s sounds like Richie Havens' "Follow" or Stephen Stills' bass work.
All have pretty similar low-ish tension and good string to string balance, and won't freak out your truss rod.
And I've used the light GHS P flats on the G&L and Ibanez.
The Group IV are the flats I'd recommend to someone new to flatwounds, they are kind of a Goldilocks string in terms of being in between vintage thumpy and modern bright, are very playable but not floppy, kind to your truss rod, not too expensive. They have a really nice woody tone plucked lightly by the neck, but can snarl when I dig in. I have Group III which don't really have the same woodiness (which to me evokes Brian Ritchie's acoustic BG tone with The Violent Femmes).
LaBella DTF are the only flats I've really liked on the G&L - it's literally the loudest passive pickup I've ever used, and has soooo much midrange and treble. It emphasizes the clank and noise of most newer-school flats like Fender, so the mid-scoop of the DTFs works well. I would have expected the FX to be "too light" but they have enough tension for spirited playing, even tuned down to D. I find them less thumpy and more versatile than the FL on this bass I like the FX so much better than LaBella Low Tension flats, which I feel lack detail, sound boring and tubby, and have a noticeably brighter G that doesn't blend well with lower strings or mellow out over time (G string doesn't have silk damping layer like lower strings do).
GHS to me are very deep-sounding, but not boomy or hyped, and still have enough clarity to hear the note you're playing, kind of like a well-worn LaBella. They'd be my choice for super-60s sounds like Richie Havens' "Follow" or Stephen Stills' bass work.
All have pretty similar low-ish tension and good string to string balance, and won't freak out your truss rod.
Well...
As someone said; and, although I'm not absolutely sure? The 760FX's; the EB Group IV's; and the GHS light P-Flats. Actually, I have 4 basses right now that are wearing these strings. And, another bass that will be wearing them very shortly. So, here's what I know...
- La Bella 760FX DTFs. I have 2 basses that wear these; a long scale, '98 Gen 1 MIK Danelectro DC59 Pro, and a '17 Danelectro Longhorn. They wear these strings mainly because I want the distinctive "Dano Sound" from them. I have another DC59 Pro that wears other flats, because I a different tone from that bass. The long scale 760FX's are... well, not as flexible as TI Jazz Flats, but they're definitely not stiff.
And, let me say right here; I do NOT care what the actual, pounds-of-pull-to-pitch of any strings I use, is. I do not have basses that actual tension is a problem for. Well, I do have one, but Rick 4001's with the "Dreaded Bathtub Rout" for the neck pickup, are sometimes liable to fold in half at that spot - and mine is starting to. So, it wears extremely low tension Dogal "Jaco" CarbonSteel Flats. But, that's one bass - out of 30... So;
That said? For me, 760FX's are right on the edge of not being playable with a pick. Not saying that you can't, but I've spent 50+ years playing much stiffer flats with a pick; if they were any more flexible? It would require a lot of technique adjustment on my part. Which is why my one bass with TI Jazz Flats on it, is the only bass that never gets played with a pick. As for the short scale Longhorn? La Bella does make a set of flats for it (760 FD's), with an 89 ga. E String. For me, that is too flexible to play with a pick; so I replaced them with the FX's....
- Ernie Ball Group IV Flats. These came stock on my '24 Schecter Stiletto Studio 4FL lined fretless bass. To be perfectly honest? They feel pretty much like most of the long scale, light gauge flats I use on a lot of my basses. They're not as flexible as TIJF's; but plenty flexible enough to work very well on a fretless bass. I have no intention of replacing them with anything else I can think of, at this time...
- GHS Light Precision Flats. I currently have a short scale set of these on my '18 Eastwood "Flying Vee" Bass. In a short scale set, they are... well, stiffer than they'd be in a long scale set - but not a lot stiffer. Again, they're pretty typical of the lighter-gauge flats... Most of the 11 short scale basses I have, wear at least 45-105 gauge flats. The Longhorn, The Flying Vee, and the MIK Rogue VB-100 Violin Bass (with Roto TruBass 88m tape wounds on it) are the only exceptions. However, since the these flats are pretty much clones of the original Squier Light Flats that Fender P-Basses shipped from the factory with, until 1982; and on Jazz Basses until1978? I'm planning to put a set of them on my '78 P-Bass. I really want the original, from-the-factory sound from that bass; the heavier GHS #3050M P-Flats that currently live under the mute in the bridge cover? They sound really nice, but... factory tone, they ain't...
