Labella Flats breaking?

[Beatlefreek]

I have a Hofner Contemporary violin bass still with the factory installed roundwound strings. I want to switch over to flatwounds and, having done some checking on the net, Labella flatwounds (those specifically deigned for the Hofner violin bass: Set 760FHB2) have gotten great reviews on their sound and appropriateness for a "Beatle" bass.

However, when I went to order them from Amazon (my local music store doesn't normally stock these) two out of the three reviews complained about the strings breaking (snapping off the ball end).

It was only on the Amazon reviews that I read about this. I hadn't encountered any such complaint in any other reviews I read, including some from this very forum.

But I just wanted to double-check here with you guys before ordering them to see if anyone has experienced such breaking/snapping off with Labella "Beatle bass" flatwounds.

thanks

 

[landau roof]

I've never used the BB sets, but I've been playing LaBellas for over 6 years and have never had a breakage.

 

[Beatlefreek]

Yeah, it's not totally clear to me, but it seemed to me that these complaints I read were only in regard to the Beatle bass flatwound strings and not the Labella brand in general.

 

[Pilgrim]

I have installed Labella flats on more than a dozen basses and had zero string problems, zero breakage. One of them is a Rogue violin bass, same setup as the OP asks about.

 

[Beatlefreek]

Hmm? I just now read that apparently McCartney uses this very same set of strings on his Hofner.

So perhaps the complaints I read must have coincidentally involved an oddball bum set of strings ... and they took the time to complain about it. If true, rightfully so, of course.

 

[MrChrizmo]

I just recently tried Labella flats on my Fender Precision Bass, it has a Badass Bridge, String through Body.

I didn't know that you need a specific Labella String Through Body Set for it and used a regular Set, the E-String broke immediately at the ball end after I put some tension on it.

Maybe that's the problem the guys on the amazon review encountered.

 

[PBnJBassist]

Break angle will snap La Bella strings easily. I snapped a .039 "G" within 30 seconds of playing it after stringing it through a top-load bridge on my former MIM Classic '50s Precision. The bridge was the original bent plate Fender but the fact that I play with my action so high (1/4" off the fretboard from the 12th fret) it snapped at the ball. Also, I have a hard finger attack style while playing, hooking and pulling the string upwards rather than grazing over it with a light touch. All those factors added towards the snap. Had a 30 minute or so conversation with the La Bella sales rep (nice guy) and all the right questions were asked to conclude so.

Also, I have been recently made aware of their string-thru sets, though I'm still wary of purchasing from them again. Granted, La Bella's customer service was right on top of things and replaced the string for free and was delivered to my home within the week. All in all - I still recommend trying them out. CS is fantastic and every clip and song that featured them has been good to my ears.

Sorry to the OP, I have no experience with the LB - BB strings, just the regular LB flats. As long as you have a light touch and low action, I can't imagine a LB flat breaking on you unless it was a dud.

 

[boynamedsuse]

I use the 760FHB2 LaBella strings on my Contemporary Club. They have been fine (at least up to now) and I've been playing that bass more days than not for perhaps 8 months.

 

[Johntheson]

I've had them on my 500/1 for over a year now; I dig in, and play soft also. Never a problem.

 

[landau roof]

I wasn't aware that there were special sets at the time if they even existed, but I guess I got lucky when I had LaBellas on my string-thru Jazz for a few years without issue - a set of 760FS for about a month and a set of L760N tapes for about four years.