Brighter strings for a LaBella Jamerson flats player

[onda'bass]

Chromes or 9050’s are as bright as i need, but not muddy dead flat sound

 

[Jason Hollar]

Roto 77s

 

[Stranger Danger]

Hey all,

Looking for a brighter set of strings to throw on a Yamaha BB series 5 string P-style bass. I love literally everything about the LaBella Jamerson flats but they admittedly aren’t the tone needed for the pop punk styles (Green Day, Blink, Sum 41, etc.) I’ve been asked by a buddy to record on. I know rounds is generally the go to for the style but I’ve never really found a roundwound string I like as much as the Labellas. I think it’s the looser tension and draw weight but honestly unsure as I haven’t tried a bunch of strings as after I found the LaBellas early on I never changed from them. Figured with all the knowledge here someone could point me to something that will feel closest to the Labellas while being much brighter (doesn’t have to be rounds necessarily just bright enough for the pop punk style) before I spend a boatload of time and money trying to find a string I like without much in terms of guidance.

Thanks in advance and cheers!

EB Cobalt flats

 

[bmusic]

Try Fender flats. Yes, EB Cobalts are closest to rounds, but I find that the 9050 set gives me a good amount of bite, while still feeling flatty.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Try Fender flats. Yes, EB Cobalts are closest to rounds, but I find that the 9050 set gives me a good amount of bite, while still feeling flatty.

I totally agree, but a low B of different make - the Roto one still has my vote in that case - will have to be sourced (the Fender 5-string set was discoed long ago).

 

[bmusic]

I totally agree, but a low B of different make - the Roto one still has my vote in that case - will have to be sourced (the Fender 5-string set was discoed long ago).

Oh, oops

 

[2F/2F]

Adjust your e.q. and your technique. The DTBs can get plenty bright if that's what you tell them to do, and they are great strings for a wide variety of punk rock tones from beefy to twangy. Been using flats my whole playing life of over 35 years (including lots of DTBs), in all sorts of genres from jazz to classic rock to punk to metal to pure noise. No bandmate, producer, or engineer (live or studio) has ever said jack $#! negative about my strings. That feel is that feel, and it's what makes the strings so great to play on. You don't need to sacrifice it in order to get different home base tones that you can get to simply by experimenting with e.q. and technique.

 

[Terry Farmer]

TI flats are the answer. Pricey but last a loooong time. I’ve tried many different brands, flats and rounds. I always come back to my TI flats.

 

[HaphAsSard]

TI flats are the answer.

Are they though?

I love literally everything about the LaBella Jamerson flats but they admittedly aren’t the tone needed for the pop punk styles (...) I’ve never really found a roundwound string I like as much as the Labellas. I think it’s the looser tension (...) someone could point me to something that will feel closest to the Labellas while being much brighter

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Adjust your e.q. and your technique. The DTBs can get plenty bright if that's what you tell them to do, and they are great strings for a wide variety of punk rock tones from beefy to twangy. Been using flats my whole playing life of over 35 years (including lots of DTBs), in all sorts of genres from jazz to classic rock to punk to metal to pure noise. No bandmate, producer, or engineer (live or studio) has ever said jack $#! negative about my strings. That feel is that feel, and it's what makes the strings so great to play on. You don't need to sacrifice it in order to get different home base tones that you can get to simply by experimenting with e.q. and technique.

My feelings exactly. No cost & best solution.

 

[Timothy Brosnan]

If you want to remain with flatwounds, I would suggest RotoSound 77 (maybe the Steve Harris set, if used to Jamerson flats?)

or Ernie Ball Cobalt flats.

 

[FenderP]

Roto has a 5-string RS77 set. You can also get a low B separately from Roto. I have a couple floating around when I had a 5er many a moon ago.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

I agree about the Roto 77's being a good substitute for the Jamersons if the OP is after a comparable feel but a brighter string. I've only compared a 77's 050 with a Jamerson 052 and both tuned to D2 on a 4 stringer for BEAD so not the same tension as if they were tuned to G2, so that effects the feeling and sound a lot. The Jamersons feel about the same tensions as Chromes to me, but way stiffer. The Roto more tense than a Chrome 050, and more stiff, but I don't know if that is because of the monel alloy, a thicker core or just because more tension itself stiffening the string.