Thanks to Santa's generosity, I have to decide which set for my Pbass... thoughts?
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Ernie ball or LaBella DTF on a P bass
- Thread starter TheArchitect
- Start date
Are you talking about Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats (aka Slinky Flatwound) or Ernie Ball Stainless Steel Flats (aka Group Flats)?
I have the EB Group IV (40-95) Flats on my P bass right now and I really like them. Not quite as old-school as La Bella but smooth and mellow with a nice midrange clarity.
I have the EB Group IV (40-95) Flats on my P bass right now and I really like them. Not quite as old-school as La Bella but smooth and mellow with a nice midrange clarity.
Those are the Cobalts. They wouldn't be my personal choice for my P bass. If anything, they would probably sound better on a Jazz.
People love the labella's. I just can't deal with the dead thuddy E string. Cobalt flats for me all day long between the two.
Once upon a time I had Labellas on an Ibanez SR300. I liked them for recording but I did notice the low E thing as they broke in. Labellas on a P is a classic tone. Flats tend to last forever and cost more so the decision is a little more of a commitment
Then Santa should have brought me some!
Did you write? Santa reads all his letters.
Santa went rogue this year... lol. I will get to the TI's eventually. Still exploring flat wounds
LaBella all the way, I will never use another flatwound on any of my basses.
I have Cobalt flats on my Stingray and I love them. They compliment the naturally bright sound of the bass because they sound like broken in rounds with a little of the bite dialed back. I think on a P they might also be akin to using rounds - great for a rock tone, especially with a pick. But possibly too bright for a vintage tone. All depends on what tone you're going for.
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Might I suggest GHS Precision flats. Very even and woody tone from the set I got. Feel good to the fingers, too.
"Orignial" and FL. Sorry, too drunk out of my mind to say any more.
I will get to them.. going to play through what I have
Everyone knows the bass picks the strings.
I haven't played a ton of flats, but I have played both the Labellas and the EB Cobalts recently. They are very different strings tonally. Go with the Labellas if you want old school warmth and thump. EBs are much brighter than the Labellas, but still retain some of the smoothness of flats. They're flexible enough to slap. Go with the EBs if you still want to keep some of the zing of rounds.
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The Cobalt flats have a unique sound. I've had them on my Yamaha TRBX605 for some time. I don't know what happened, but the Cobalts have jumped a lot in a short period. Last year I was buying a 5 string set of EBCF's for $36. Now the 4 strings are $49 and the 5 strings are $59. The Cobalts aren't cheap but I love em... but will be very very very slow in putting fresh ones on myu bass.
Oooh... One thing... Pro tip: If you buy the EBCFs, before installing them wipe them down well with alcohol. For whatever reason EB puts some sort of goo on the strings that I can't explain. When I get new EBCF's I clean them first, then wipe them down with Finger-Ease and then they are just as I want them to be.
Oooh... One thing... Pro tip: If you buy the EBCFs, before installing them wipe them down well with alcohol. For whatever reason EB puts some sort of goo on the strings that I can't explain. When I get new EBCF's I clean them first, then wipe them down with Finger-Ease and then they are just as I want them to be.
