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GHS P-Flat Lights vs. LaBella LTFs

#21
GHS are great, you’ll notice more fundamental and less top end. Desirable in many ways if that’s the vibe you’re going for. If you play any chords, they might not be for you.

LaBella is great for that “snap” when you dig in. They are more versatile in that they thump as deep as the GHS but you can get really nice highs from them too. You can slap on them in a pinch. Better chords, even harmonics.
 
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#23
michael_t said:
I really liked the 760FL for their nicely balanced feel, but had a hard time with the 104E sounding a bit too muddy on my P bass. This particular bass seems to prefer lighter E's.
Click to expand...

Yeah, it will depend on the bass. I love Labella 760FL but they can definitely be too muddy on SOME P-basses. They are amazing on MOST P-basses though if you're looking for a classic, vintage tone. Probably THE classic P-bass tone for me. If these strings sound muddy on a P-bass it's usually just a matter of getting a different pickup (although the bass itself will matter too of course, some P-basses are simply darker sounding than others). 760FL are far too muddy with very dark sounding pickups like the Fender Pure Vintage 63 IMO but absolutely amazing with many other P-bass pickups. One of my favourite basses is my Fender American Vintage '57 which has an INSANELY bright sounding pickup for a P-bass. It's a perfect match for LaBella 760FL but way too aggressive for roundwounds. Matching a bass with the right type of strings is THE most important thing in the search for great tone IMO.

As for the TI Jazz Flats they are one of my personal favourites but they're definitely not the right choice for a vintage tone. They can be quite aggressive in the upper mids on many P-basses. I tend to love them on pretty much all basses EXCEPT P-basses. The mid-forward tone of P-basses combined with the mid-focused TIJFs is usually not the best choice for my taste.
 
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#25
I've used various roundwounds, EB Flats, LaBella Tapes (white and black), LaBella DTF, LaBella LTF - on several basses. My favorite two are LaBella black tapes and Labella DTF. Neither, IMHO, have a distinctly vintage tone, but are closer than rounds. For that old school tone, DTF or the heavy gauge "originals" from LaBella will get you there, but they are stiff, and may require some tinkering with setup due to tension, and to get rid of a bit of muddiness.

To me LTF sound like someone got the DTF and used a compressor/eq to get a more modern tone. The feel of the LTF is about like rounds to me, but obviously much smoother. If you have an EQ pedal, these are fairly versatile strings. I cant speak to their slap tone however. My technique needs improvement before I can say anything like that.
 
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#27
My thoughts are while GHS makes some darn good strings, their precision flats are not one of those. EB Cobalt have been good, and I do like them. Two disadvantages are minor rust (for me), and these age unevenly (very noticeable for me).

I do like Fender flats (the newer ones - I guess) as a good, all-around flats with tone that sits in the middle. Not too thumpy, and not too bright as the flatwound scale goes.

The next set I'm eyeing to replace the cobalts is a set of LTF-5A. TI's are probably too klanky for me, and price-wise, is probably out of my budget.

Right now, I have

1- GHS Boomers on my Precision (hex core right now, but usually round cores - mistakenly ordered hex cores)
2- Fender flats on my EBMM Sterling
3- EB cobalts on my Vanquish
 
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#28
Thanks to everyone for your inputs. I'm going to have to get a set of the P-Flats and give both them and my LTFs a try.

One thing this discussion reminded me of is that I've wondered in the past how the LTFs compare to the LaBella 760FX (39-96). The FX set doesn't seem to get a lot of mention on this board relative to the LTFs (and certainly relative to the other DTFs). I'm not sure if that's because people don't much care for them or they're just more likely to be drawn to the LTFs, since they would seem to be in basically the same market space. So how do the two compare in tone and stiffness?
 
#30
40Hz said:
TIs have lower tension. If you play with a light touch you may prefer them. If you play with a heavy hand, like to dig in, or play with super low action, you probably would prefer getting something else.
Click to expand...

As @michael_t indicated in post #5 above, the TI tension is actually higher, so I’m thinking that you really mean subjective stiffness or flexibility, which is fine too.
 
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#32
Rocket Queen said:
As @michael_t indicated in post #5 above, the TI tension is actually higher, so I’m thinking that you really mean subjective stiffness or flexibility, which is fine too.
Click to expand...

Correct. I’m referring to the feel under your fingers. Which is really (IMO) all that matters unless you have a very unstable neck, in which case the lateral tension could be something you’d need to worry about. :)
 
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#36
It is interesting how these 2 strings are for different people. I just started on GHS after all these years hearing about them. When it is time for a string change I will try out the other GHS offerings. Even without the breakage of the La Bella on my through body short scale, the GHS was the tone in my head and I also think they are on pitch intonate better. I am not really a flatwound person in general, but like the other poster said, different pickups can alter how a string can sound.

I bought a bass with TI flats that had been there for 7+ years. Even at 35 inch scale, they were too floppy for me. Of course on upright I prefer Thomastiks as well as guitars, but not on electric basses. I tried to like the TI flats, feel and tone don't do it for me.
 
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#37
One thing this discussion reminded me of is that I've wondered in the past how the LTFs compare to the LaBella 760FX (39-96). The FX set doesn't seem to get a lot of mention on this board relative to the LTFs (and certainly relative to the other DTFs).

The 760FX are great strings and a little less tension than the LTF's. I have found that some basses don't tolerate them too well (not enough tension on the neck?) The LTF's are a good compromise but when I can I try to use the 760 FX they have a nice growl.
 
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#38
Having just experimented with a bunch of flats over the last few months, here is a quick and dirty rundown of my findings:
#1. I hear things quite different than most forum members ;)
#2. When you find a set of strings you've considered trying-- BUY THEM!
#3. Not a hint of rust, goo, breakages, or anything unwanted/unusual with EB Cobalts
#4. One specific brand/set does not bring out the best in all basses
#5. Nothing beats personally trying as many different brands/sets of flats yourself.

#5 Is the point I'd like to emphasize here. Buy a set, any set now, install them and play the balls out of them for a month. Take notes on what you think of them at the beginning of each week-- record samples too if possible. When that month is up, repeat with a different set, and continue this until you've played all those you're interested in. Set aside about $50 a month (sometimes less) and when your experiment is over you will know exactly what you like and don't like about each one. Afterward, you'll have a bunch of spare sets to use on other basses, or to gift to friends who've never tried flat wounds.

My favorites so far:
- Fender P: Chromes, Fender, EB Group III
- StingRay Special HH: Cobalt Flats
- G&L L2000: Chromes, EB Group III
 
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#39
DCCat said:
Thanks to everyone for your inputs. I'm going to have to get a set of the P-Flats and give both them and my LTFs a try.

One thing this discussion reminded me of is that I've wondered in the past how the LTFs compare to the LaBella 760FX (39-96). The FX set doesn't seem to get a lot of mention on this board relative to the LTFs (and certainly relative to the other DTFs). I'm not sure if that's because people don't much care for them or they're just more likely to be drawn to the LTFs, since they would seem to be in basically the same market space. So how do the two compare in tone and stiffness?
Click to expand...
I have the 760FX's on a couple of basses; a long scale Danelectro DC59 Pro, and a short scale Danelectro Longhorn. The 39-96 gauge is pretty close to the original Dano flats (La Bella 760FDs), but those are made to work with the original Dano's bridge and it's little guitar tuners. Features I don't need, and the FD's are short scale only. Not sure if La Bella still makes them, anyhow. Personally, I don't think the FX's and the LTF's sound all that much alike. But, that's probably because I have the LTF's on a '73 Rick 4001, and IME a Danelectro doesn't sound much like a Rick - with any strings. The long scale FX's, to my fingers, barely feel like bass strings. They don't feel stiff like flats, so much as tense; pulled really tight, instead of simply inflexible. Actually, they feel a lot like the strings on my baritone guitar... The short scales? They're more like TIJFs; right on the edge of rubbery... Tone? Well... if you want '60s Garage Band, or Surf; or the "Tic-Tac Bass" sound that was popular back in the day? The FX's are probably what you want - especially on a Dano...:cool:
 
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#40
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
I said this some time ago .. Dunlop are much stiffer and way brighter than TI .. they do not sound vintage at all .. for the price one of the largest amount of wasted money I had to put on record since my flats investigation begun …
In my opinion, look elsewhere .. absolutely !!!
Click to expand...

Stiffer is correct, bright also correct..... But brighter thing only happen once both Dunlop flat and Ti flat fresh from pack.
After few week, overall story notable change.
 
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