D'addario Chromes -> La Bella 760FM

[JenderBazzFass]

I won't be playing live for about 2 months, so I decided to try the La Bella strings everyone talks about on my P-bass so they'd have time to settle in.

My experience with them has been a little uneven. First, I heard they start out bright and it takes a while for them to break in, but it seems to me like they started off quite a bit darker than the Chromes I was using, and with much less higher end right out of the gate. Will they get a lot darker as they settle in? How long does that typically take for you folks who play every day?

These strings also seem to have less output and less sustain than the Chromes. Is that everyone else's experience? I kind of want the greater sustain for the playing I do, to be honest.

Just wondering what others' experiences are like.

Honestly, so far I liked the Chromes better and if these won't settle in differently I'd like to switch back over and get those strings played in before my next time out.

thanks!

 

[Hillbilly Sam]

Basically that's how the La Bellas are compared to Chromes: darker out of the box with less gain and less sustain.
Now I'm not so sure about the lesser output: that could be a perceived quality due to them being darker sounding (having less highs).

And yep, they'll keep getting darker and loosing sustain the more you play them. It's impossible to give you an accurate timeframe about that because it really depends on hours, playstyle and body sweat/acidic composition.

Bottomline: the qualities you seem to like about Chromes will only keep disappearing in the La Bellas the more you play them in, so if you're already finding them lacking in the highs and sustain department, I guess they're just not the flatwounds for you

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I had pretty much the same experience.

 

[Yahboy]

Let see what Ed said.....

 

[JenderBazzFass]

Thanks all.

I expected them to be a little darker and I do like the feel, they're the smoothest flats I've played. I just wasn't expecting the sustainless clunk as much

Live and learn!

 

[Boneless]

Like Ed said in one of his articles: LaBella flats are old-school (thumpy, warm, strong mids), Chromes are more modern (bright, clicky even, kinda scooped). I don't like Chromes for this exact reason, the ones I tried, even when broken in, were always a bit "cold" sounding. If you like bright but want something more old-school you might want to try Rotosounds.

 

[Boneless]

Thanks all.

I expected them to be a little darker and I do like the feel, they're the smoothest flats I've played. I just wasn't expecting the sustainless clunk as much

Live and learn!

I must say that the extra light gauge has lots more sustain. And they sound very mid-forward. I had to remove them on my Guild Starfire though because the tension was too low and the G and D strings kept vibrating on the bridge.

 

[onda'bass]

try fender 9050's if you liked chromes

 

[TTPbass1]

That’s exactly my experience. I like my pbass to sound somewhere in between old school Labella’s and modern sound Chromes, so I have TI flats on my main pbass. They’re super thumpy but much more defined than Labella’s. I have Chromes on my active Jazz and they sound great.

 

[Phaidrus]

What I didn't like in the 760FS was the tonal imbalance between E & A and D & G. After half a year D & G were still too trebly compared to the lower strings. So I switched to Fender 9050M.

 

[lermgalieu]

That’s exactly my experience. I like my pbass to sound somewhere in between old school Labella’s and modern sound Chromes, so I have TI flats on my main pbass. They’re super thumpy but much more defined than Labella’s. I have Chromes on my active Jazz and they sound great.

To me this is a great alternative. I do love me some Chromes, but the TI's are more thumpy with still some aggression to them when needed.

 

[TheArchitect]

I had the LaBellas on my old SR300. Over all they made the bass much better sounding than with rounds, but over time they started feeling rather dead. I cannot imagine having them on for several more months let alone years in the state they were in. I will need to test some other flat wound options

 

[Grinderman]

Let see what Ed said.....

This reminds me of a question I've had. What's the most remarkable difference between .049, .069, .089, .109 760FM vs. .052, .072, .095, .110 760M other than balance?

I also wonder what's the difference in the cores, the entire construction, and how much difference in terms of total pounds of tension that amounts to. It sure would be nice if LaBella were open about tension info for their various strings.

I've got a set of 760M that I've used, put aside for the time being.

 

[el murdoque]

I won't be playing live for about 2 months, so I decided to try the La Bella strings everyone talks about on my P-bass so they'd have time to settle in.

My experience with them has been a little uneven. First, I heard they start out bright and it takes a while for them to break in, but it seems to me like they started off quite a bit darker than the Chromes I was using, and with much less higher end right out of the gate. Will they get a lot darker as they settle in? How long does that typically take for you folks who play every day?

These strings also seem to have less output and less sustain than the Chromes. Is that everyone else's experience? I kind of want the greater sustain for the playing I do, to be honest.

Just wondering what others' experiences are like.

Compliments on your ears. They work very well. Chromes are among the brightest flats there are, while the party trick the LaBellas provide is that, once settled (takes me a bit over 6 months, btw), their thump frequency is a fair bit lower than that of most other strings.

These are darker than the average flatwound string - and you're comparing them to Chromes, which widens the gap even further.

I'd say don't waste your time, take them off and install a set of TI's now ;-)

Put the LaBellas in an envelope and the next time you visit Europe, mail them to me. I'll put them on a P bass that is currently having Chromes installed which I find way too bright.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

What I didn't like in the 760FS was the tonal imbalance between E & A and D & G. After half a year D & G were still too trebly compared to the lower strings. So I switched to Fender 9050M.

Thanks! That's one thing I didn't like about the Chromes. The D and G strings seem too strident and too... present for my taste.

 

[azureblue]

what I liked about the LaBellas is how the strings made the bass line stand out in the mix, due to the stronger mids. Even with a pick. The Chromes I had were better for hard rock, since they had more highs. So I guess it comes down to what style music you mostly play..

PS - you might want to consider Fender flats.

 

[75Ric]

For a brighter flat, you might try Pyramid Gold flats. Nice and smooth to play, deep lows but not as dark and with more articulation than the LaBellas, and not as much thump. I have these on my jbass and the DTFs on my pbass.

 

[TheArchitect]

what I liked about the LaBellas is how the strings made the bass line stand out in the mix, due to the stronger mids. Even with a pick. The Chromes I had were better for hard rock, since they had more highs. So I guess it comes down to what style music you mostly play..

PS - you might want to consider Fender flats.

Yes, I found this to be very true recording with the LaBellas after the initial installation. They punched through mixes like a sledge hammer without needing big boosts in the upper mids or top end. Clearly heard but not in the way of other instruments. Honestly, that didn't really change as they aged but they felt deader to play as they aged

 

[Gizmot]

I apologize for saying the same things over and over, but my honest advice for you when you’re done screwing around with Chromes and LaBella is to get TI Jazz Flats and be done. Disclaimer — LaBellas don’t do it for me; Chromes sound much better, with their added zing. The Jazz Flats have highs and are simply better balanced, plus they’re silky smooth feel makes them super easy to play. Although they cost more to buy, Jazz Flats last for years and years with no audible change in sound quality. I change mine every five years just to minimize boredom— so they’re actually a good value. Don’t take my word for it and read all the rave reviews for yourself

 

[Yahboy]

Thanks! That's one thing I didn't like about the Chromes. The D and G strings seem too strident and too... present for my taste.

Chrome ECB 81 never sound balance after broken in, lifeless E and bright G never well mix with OK sound A and D. Except dial back the tone knob it will become better tonal balance.
Scott called it ~ Doom .