La Bella Black Nylon 750N-B vs Thomastik Infeld

[GoneFission]

I really love the feel of the La Bella's I currently have on my electric fretless but the sound.... I feel like I can feel/hear the plastic of the nylon in the tone. Also, due to them being tape wound i'm getting buzz at times that was not there before using steel strings. Looking to put a set of non taped strings on my bass and just leave them on this fretless for years.

Always have read good things about the Thomastik Infelds but have no experience with them. What I have heard is that they have lighter tension as do the Labella's. I definitely prefer the lighter tension. I tried the Chromes once but they were WAY to much tension for me. Would the Thomastik's possibly be to much the other way as far as lighter tension feeling even compared to the La Bella's?

I know the Thomastik's are expensive but i am willing to get them if they are going to be a great set of strings for me. If they are going to be on the bass for years then i don't have an issue shelling out the money now. Just want a great set of strings that feel great under my fingers, and sound great as well, that will last a very long time. Thanks!

 

[Yahboy]

Labella LTF4A

 

[Chris Wilke]

I really love the feel of the La Bella's I currently have on my electric fretless but the sound.... I feel like I can feel/hear the plastic of the nylon in the tone.

Always have read good things about the Thomastik Infelds but have no experience with them. What I have heard is that they have lighter tension as do the Labella's. I definitely prefer the lighter tension.

Would the Thomastik's possibly be to much the other way as far as lighter tension feeling even compared to the La Bella's?

IMHO Thomastiks are the strings for you. They have some of the same tonal charactaristics as La Bella tapes (perhaps a bit warmer/more "acoustic" sounding) but none of that "plasticky' attack that you describe - which I also noticed. I actually tried Labella tapes on 3 basses (one was spec'd for them and wore them for close to 10 years), and of those three basses, 2 are now wearing Thomastiks (Rob Allen MB-2 fretted, and Mike Lull M5 fretless) and one is wearing chromes (5 string pBass). I do not miss the Labella's at all on any of these.

A couple more thoughts for you:
Tension: I also was often irritated by the high tension of La Bella Tapes and even experimented with down tuning just to see if I liked them a whole step down (I did, but too hard to manage the alt tuning in practice). I am not sure of the rating but the La Bella's felt stiff even if they weren't. I find the Thomastiks just feel normal compared to other strings (i.e. round wounds). They do not feel particularly low tension to me.

Ironically The Chromes on the P Bass just sound so good I don't even worry about the tension. It just goes with the thump and I like it. I am sure Thomastiks would work on the P too though.

Another string to consider: EB Cobalt flats are very similar to Thomastiks in my experience/opinion, but are a little more aggressive. Before putting the Thomastiks on the Lull M5, I had them on a 5 string jazz, and the Lull wore the Cobalts. After the switch, I think both basses found their happy place. The fretless is more organic, earthy and "acoustic" sounding, and the Jazz Bass V has a little more growl.

Hope it helps!