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GHS P-Flat Lights vs. LaBella LTFs

#41
Yahboy said:
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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Mh .. you haven’t played TI too much IMO .. Dunlop take simply too much time to settle .. worst flats purchase ever for the price and availability in Europe.
Strings are what they are .. their character can’t take months to develop its just a waste of time.
You likely are a Dunlop estimator .. I’m not, for the plain reasons I’ve stated
 
#42
Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati said:
Mh .. you haven’t played TI too much IMO .. Dunlop take simply too much time to settle .. worst flats purchase ever for the price and availability in Europe.
Strings are what they are .. their character can’t take months to develop its just a waste of time.
You likely are a Dunlop estimator .. I’m not, for the plain reasons I’ve stated
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I reply you because I have a almost 4 years old Ti flat and try a Dunlop flat in half years on same bass.

The Dunlop sound brighter compare to Ti flat fresh from pack, she start break in and appear the old school thumb character after 3 weeks ..... Meanwhile, the Ti flat keep it medium bright and focus mid voice even she aged 3 years old......

I been share lot of flatwound bass string opinion at TB, not a newbie.
 
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#44
I have a lot of experience with both. Precision Flats lights are MUCH stiffer than LTF, and have worse tone, so I see no point in them over LTF. Precision flats are difficult to fret and feel "hard" to me, like they hurt the tips of your fretting fingers.

LTF is THE old school flatwould in my opinion. The best tone, and the easiest to play while not feeling loose either. I see no point in any other string if you are going to old school P thump. (Just want out for bad G strings that will have a "sitar" like chime, I've had to get a few replacements from LaBella but once right, you are golden)

Since Dunlop and TIs are also mentioned here, I have experience with those also. I LOVE TIs on a jazz bass - no better feel or tone for that bass playing fingerstyle, IMO. They are so soft and so easy to fret, but the tension is perfect for playing near the J bass bridge. They are too loose for a Stingray or Precision bass, though, IMO. They shine on a thinner neck. To me the diameter feels too thin on a P or Ray, and too loose for the finger style I like to play when played closer to the neck.

Dunlops are cool, they are actually a LOT like a more flexible Precision Flat. They sounded amazing on a 3 band Stringray I had. However, they have the WORST silk in the game. I don't like the thick, shiny, black color, but even worse on all three sets I tried the silk became untangled when installing them. What a mess.

LTF and TI are the only flats I will use, and I've tried them all. I will say that Cobalt flats sound OK on a Stingray, but I also find them a bit too stiff (yes, lights) and I am finding that I am LOVING Ken Smith light compressors on my Ray now. Super low tension and a great feel, plus punchy, warm tone for my Stingray, and I dislike most rounds.
 
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#45
Moondog said:
Any other thoughts on the tonal differences between GHS Precision (light gauge 045-095) vs. the LaBella LTF?

Also interested in comparison between the GHS Precision vs. Labella 760xs.
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Also, to me, I hate 760 FX. They feel loose in a weird way and the diameter feels too thin to me. I would go LTF all day, every day over those. They feel better, setup lower, and have better tone, IMO.
 
#47
Mike Vee said:
Also, to me, I hate 760 FX. They feel loose in a weird way and the diameter feels too thin to me. I would go LTF all day, every day over those. They feel better, setup lower, and have better tone, IMO.
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Thanks for your feedback. The only LaBellas I've tried are the 760FL, and those were too stiff for me. But I had wondered about the FX, since it is in their main product line. Have you tried the 760FL? If so, would you say the LTF has close to the same tone and thumps as well as the 760FL?
 
#48
jmattbassplaya said:
I had a set of LTFs that weren’t doing it for me. Swapped for GHS and haven’t looked back. The GHS strings thump better and have more going on in the mids. I also think they feel really nice. They aren’t bridge cables or wet noodles, but somewhere in between.
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Thanks for your post. What specifically about the LTF's did you not like? What gauge GHS are you using? I have tried the lights (045-095) and like them, but I think the heavier gauges would be too stiff for me. I haven't tried the LTF's.
 
#49
Moondog said:
Thanks for your feedback. The only LaBellas I've tried are the 760FL, and those were too stiff for me. But I had wondered about the FX, since it is in their main product line. Have you tried the 760FL? If so, would you say the LTF has close to the same tone and thumps as well as the 760FL?
Click to expand...
LTF, for me, is the best flat in every category. I like LTF a LOT better than FX because they are thicker and sound better. I mostly don't like a 95-ish E, feels too thin and the FX is looser than LTF. I just dislike that string.

I have tried pretty much every flat many, many times. You can ask me anything but i will say LTF as the winning answer every time. Unless you are looking for a bright flat, and for that Cobalt flat is the best.
 
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