• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

BigCityStrings.com/Labella customer service praise!

I ordered a set of the Labella Deep talkin' flats in the 45-105 gauge (760FS) and once I got them on the bass, it seemed like the top E string was way more dead/mismatched from the upper three. Well, I sent this email last night to the people I bought the set from, BigCityStrings.com:

Bob Thiemann wrote:

Hi, I recently ordered and received a set of Labella Deep Talkin' flatwound bass strings (760FS) from you guys and had a question about the strings. The top E string on this set is completely dead sounding from the upper A, D and G strings from the same set. The upper three strings sound fantastic but the E string has almost no articulation and even the windings look different from the other three, is this typical with these strings? I've had some experience with flats in my lifetime and although this is my first personal encounter with Labella flats it would seem that perhaps the strings on this set came from the factory a bit mismatched or something. I ran across this sort of thing with a set of Dean Markley flats a while back where the E and A strings were siginificantly more "dead" sounding than the D and G strings and it turned out to be a flawed set. Anyways, I was just wondering if this is typical of Labella strings or if it is in fact an anomaly and if it is an anomaly if you guys had a return policy or anything I could do to send the set or just the top E string back even though they have been used for credit towards another set or something. Please let me know what you guys think, take care!

Bob Thiemann

Here's the email I got back this morning:

Hi Bob,

Product failure with La Bella strings is extremely rare. They are our favorite and best selling flatwound strings and we promote them with confidence.

Your replacement
01 x L-764FS La Bella Standard Deep Talkin Flatwound Single E
will arrive in 3-4 days.
Our total charge to your Visa is $00.00

At your earliest convenience, please return your defective string (with a copy of this e-mail) to
E&O Mari - La Bella
Attn: Mr Archigian
PO Box 869
Newburgh NY 12550-0869

We look forward to hearing from you again.

Stay Tuned,

Caroline Hudson
Customer Service
Big City String Company

These guys are awesome. I cant believe they are sending me a replacement E string at the drop of a hat, and with very prompt communication. I strongly recommend the Labella's or any string BigCityStrings.com offers, their customer service is top knotch man, just thought i'd share this little experience w/ the rest of you.....
 
Big City String has always done me well. And the owner is personable if you phone him with a question. Only problem is they do not carry a lot of stuff but if they have what I am looking for, they are where I go.
 
I had a similar experience with rotosound although mine was my own fault, I bought a set of trubass strings and cut the A too short thinking it was an E (with a gauge 100 A strign its easy to do). Anyhow I emailed Jason How to ask if he knew of anywhere I could order a single A string and explained that I had cut the string too short. Later on that day he replied and asked me to email my address to him and he would send me a replacement, I emailed my details to him and the following morning received a replacement string and some free rotosound stickers.
 
UPDATE!!!!!

Ok, so today I came back from class and noticed a package sitting inside my screen door. I thought to myself "I havent had any extra dough to throw around let alone order anything in MONTHS, what the hell is this?" I looked at the return address and my heart skipped a beat. It was from E&O Mari/Labella, the package had nothing inside but a pack of 760FS Deep talkin' flats 45-105. No note, nothing else.

This is awesome in two ways. One pertaining to the original thread message, that bigcitystrings.com already sent me a replacement E string and all was good. I was definitely NOT expecting a free set from Labella from the single defective string they had me send back. Essentially, I got two sets of badass flats for the price of one.

The second way is a bit more freaky. I was actually saving up some money to buy another set of Labella flats and had just stopped by the bank and deposited enough in my checking account to cover it on my way home from class. Then of course I discovered the package and the strings already here!!! Seriously freaky stuff.....I have a whole new love and respect for Labella, and they've got a customer for life.
 
The only drawback is that their strings last so long that if you hadn't planned to buy a second set, you'd have never needed them.

Excellent customer service from a company that makes outstanding strings!

Actually, the second set I was going to buy would have been for my jazz bass. The first set of labellas are sitting on my G&L SB-2. But you're right in the respect that those strings will be on those basses until they fall apart. But once they do i'll have a fresh batch of Labella 760FS flats ready and rearin' to go.
 
I bought a couple of sets of 760fs strings from juststrings.com for my p basses. The E string on one set broke right at the tuning peg when I was installing it. I called La Bella direct and talked to ,I think his name was Richard . . . He sent me a replacement string . Took a couple of weeks but thats better then having a partial set laying around. Thanks La bella and I say that in my "DEEP TALKIN" voice!