Breaking Period for LaBella DTB Flatwounds?

[Brian Patterson]

I've had this new set on for several months now but need to 'tune up' each time I play still.
Is it the strings still 'coming in' or should I suspect the OEM tuners for slippage? They have not friction screw to snug up, sadly.
I'm planning on adding Hipshot USA Ultralites at some point...thoughts?

(PS: Check out my photographic pickguard overlay!)

 

[Yahboy]

Sometimes it is not machine head stabilizing problem, it could be the neck itself. That's why I highly recommend LTF4A for that reason.

 

[michael_t]

I've had this new set on for several months now but need to 'tune up' each time I play still...

Which specific set are you talking about?

 

[michael_t]

(PS: Check out my photographic pickguard overlay!)

I don't like it. Not the best match for the beautiful natural finish of the bass. It would probably look better on a bass with solid black body, though.

 

[onda'bass]

all strings need to be tuned, is this an extreme out of tune problem? I like the black pick guard much more, are there batteries for the green one lol

 

[Brian Patterson]

all strings need to be tuned, is this an extreme out of tune problem? I like the black pick guard much more, are there batteries for the green one lol

Passive bass but just minor tweaks to get it in tune - nothing dramatic. Just doesn't hold perfect tune from one day to the next. Out a half a note or so.

However, while they typically 'loosen' in tune, on one high humidity day they actually 'tightened' higher in tune. Might be a neck thing...

Thanks for the tip on La Bella LTF4A's...

 

[KevInDaBassment]

How are they wrapped around the tuning posts? I didn't see a picture showing how they are wound. If those are airtight, then yeah I'd say it could be the tuners slipping.

 

[Brian Patterson]

Take a peek and see what you think - I tried to get the string at the bottom of the post windings.

Could the silks be losing grip somehow?

 

[michael_t]

Take a peek and see what you think - I tried to get the string at the bottom of the post windings.

Could the silks be losing grip somehow?

Thanks for the pic. It answers my earlier question as to "which set". Black silk = 760FS, 45-65-85-105.

 

[Brian Patterson]

Thanks for the pic. It answers my earlier question as to "which set". Black silk = 760FS, 45-65-85-105.

Yup, that's the ones...can those silks contribute to slippage?

 

[michael_t]

Yup, that's the ones...can those silks contribute to slippage?

Are they top-loaded or thru-body? LaBella flats in general don't like to be put thru-body, unless it's the "TB" version, although Yamaha's "diagonal thru-body" is not quite as hard on them as the traditional thru-body.

 

[Brian Patterson]

Top loaded Hipshot KickAss bridge. So, do the silks contribute to any slippage?

 

[enjoi1018]

The silks shouldn’t slip if the string is rooted in the center hole of the tuner and then kinked and wrapped appropriately. Even if the silk itself comes unraveled, the string itself won’t be able to back out.

 

[75Ric]

I use the same strings on my P bass. They don't slip and certainly don't need a half step of tuning each day. I'm often amazed that it's still in tune when I don't play it for a few days. (I was travelling recently for three weeks. When I returned the bass was still closely n tune.) When the humidity changes, they will need retuning, if not a truss rod adjustment, but that's more the neck moving than the strings slipping. The silks don't cause slipping. My bass has the Hipshot tuners. I have those tuning machines on two basses and neither has string slippage - the other bass is a jazz with Pyramid Gold flats.

 

[/\/\3phist0]

Lube the nut slots with graphite from a pencil lead they could be binding and releasing, how’s the neck relief?

 

[Topkat13]

All you’re gonna get here are if and buts. Take it to a tech person. As far as the pickguard if you like it…well there it is.

 

[SharpCat]

For a test, tune them at the end of playing, then next day play for 15 minutes before tuning. See if they’re back in tune again. Could be the strings changing tune due to heating. (Actually, cooling overnight. )

Or, could not worry about it and just tune when ready to play.

 

[TomB]

I suspect the neck. Is it a new bass? New necks sometimes take time to stabilize. I can’t vouch for the tuners, but I wouldn’t suspect the strings as the issue.

 

[GIBrat51]

It could be any number of things causing the problem; or, any combination of things. I'm curious; what kind of machine heads do you have, that they can't be tightened? But, anyway...
In my experience, La Bella flats tend to break in pretty quickly - as in about a week, if you play them a half hour or so every day. A lot quicker than some of the flats I use, but... not quite as quickly as some others...

 

[rorofosho]

could be the nut too - how are the flats fitting into the slots there? Also perhaps the neck relief - how straight is the neck, any bow or backbow to it? If there's wild changes to temperature and humidity where you live that could have something to do with it as well. Guitars also take a second to 'warm up' when you start playing them which causes the metal to warm up... but a well set up bass is usually very consistent.

Anyway point is it could be a lot of things, but if it's half a semi-tone off in pitch every day when you pick it up, it's probably got nut issues due to the flats being a different size or the neck (truss rod) is not set up correctly. Start at the neck - most guitar problems start there; place it upright on the floor and look down the neck from the headstock, by doing this you should be able to identify if the neck is straight.