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Labella Jamerson 0760M: Review and Comparison
- Thread starter fourstringdrums
- Start date
I could've sworn....
and the Jamersons are dark blue. Well what I would refer to as dark blue anyway.
My gut is going to say no. These are very high tension strings. I believe I've read others warning about using them on slim necks as well.
I had some Fender flats on my Squier Jazz fretless for a while, which are also very high tension, and while I got the neck to straighten out it took a bit of work on the truss. Eventually I decided to change to TI flats, not so much for the lighter tension but for the tone, but I think the neck was grateful I made the switch too!
I think they settle by breaking better over the saddles and nut, rather than stretching (especially big strings like these). In the past I had a lot more fuss with tuning when stretching than I do now just tuning up to pitch. I don't believe any manufacturer recommends stretching strings and I can't see any logic behind it myself, but what's important is what works for you, of course.
I think one of the reasons the jamersons can sound a bit out of tune up the neck has something to do with the sheer lack of harmonics which help define a note, but I'm really only guessing here.
Labella answered my question very quickly in a return email: they will use different silks than spec if the ones that usually are used are out of stock, which was apparently the case.
These strings broke in very quickly for me, and now sound incredible on my P. I find I have to hit them very hard and in the exact place Jamerson did to get the sound I like from them (granted, they are foam sponge muted heavily, too, as I don't like the unmuted tone at all, unlike lesser gauge Labella flats). Closer to the neck gets woolly and farther back too throaty and way too stiff to get vibrating properly.
They sound much better to me overdriving a tube amp than with a cleaner SS one, for which I'll take the FL760s, which are much more subtle, nuanced and responsive to attack, etc. Jamerson's technique makes a whole lot more sense when you play these strings on a P, and I find myself using his one finger 'hook' approach most of the time.
Amazing strings; playing them reminds me of a few years I spent experimenting with classic pairs of old and long heavy skis; you have to change your approach completely, and use a lot more muscle to make them work for you.
One of these days I'll try a set of Jamerson's just to see for myself what I can do with them. I don't know whether they'd be my exclusive tone or string choice but I can see how they'd work for that style of music the way you describe.
fourstringdrums - Thanks for a great review. Well written, informative, and for me, timely. I'm looking to buy my first set of flatwounds for a newly acquired fretless Jazz bass. Based on comments here about thin necks, and my inherent preference for lower tension, I think the 760Ms are not for me, but the 760FS and 760FL are definitely of interest.
Re: the FL set, do you think you could've simply gotten a bad D string? It sounds like aside from the problems with that string, the FLs were similar to the FSs. Yes?
As for your problem with the 760Ms sounding out of tune in the upper register, that makes sense to me. Strings that thick and stiff are likely to be more inharmonic, and shortening the string will exaggerate that tendency. So while the fundamental is right (according to your tuner), the harmonics are not. My theory, anyway.
Re: the FL set, do you think you could've simply gotten a bad D string? It sounds like aside from the problems with that string, the FLs were similar to the FSs. Yes?
As for your problem with the 760Ms sounding out of tune in the upper register, that makes sense to me. Strings that thick and stiff are likely to be more inharmonic, and shortening the string will exaggerate that tendency. So while the fundamental is right (according to your tuner), the harmonics are not. My theory, anyway.
The more I play the Jamersons the more I like them. i've been hitting them a lot less hard with great results.
They sound amazing picked, amplified cleanly they can sound surprisingly upright like.
They sound amazing picked, amplified cleanly they can sound surprisingly upright like.
Just discovered these differences to my cost. When I couldn't get hold of a Labella 5-string set I tooks a 4-string 760FL set and a single 760M ("Jamerson") B that I was offered. I figured as all Labella Deep Talkin' B's are the same gauge, they are the same string. WRONG! Now they're on the bass and the bass is set up there's a clear difference in not only the visuals (which I can live with) but the sound too ... the open 'E' is robust and firm and vastly preferable to the clanky 5th fret 'E' on the 'B' string.
I suppose it might settle down, but I think I'm going to borrow the B from another set of 760FLs and use the remainder as a 4-string set.
Andy
I have Jamersons on my cheap Ibanez Gio 4 string, and it handles them just fine, really makes the most of the cheaper wood.
Absolutely love them on my Schecter Elite 5. Honestly, I really can't imagine not having them on any of my basses. And for the record, the silk is a darkish blue. And while I have bigger mits, I can bend them just fine once they settle in after a few hours of playtime.
Absolutely love them on my Schecter Elite 5. Honestly, I really can't imagine not having them on any of my basses. And for the record, the silk is a darkish blue. And while I have bigger mits, I can bend them just fine once they settle in after a few hours of playtime.
If I can just say, nothing to me sounds better than Labellas. Deep and rich. I have various types on my basses (FS,FLs,low tension) and I do notice the heavier gauges do have a certain magic to them. Deeper than any other flat I have tried. Really are the best sounding strings IMO.
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I'm just starting out playing bass (40+ year recording engineer) and came to this thread looking for info on old school R&B, blues bass. I know this 760M set is pretty hi tensioned and harder to play, but if I start out with these and get used to them, would I be better off. My bass is a custom Precision with 70s Fender rosewood fretboard neck, standard top-loader bridge.
Thanx for any opinions in advance!
Thanx for any opinions in advance!
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My first flatwound strings in my life, about time. For two months now I’ve had the 760M and 760FS on two Fender Player precisions, 760FL on a Fender Player jazz, and the new Olinto’s on a Squier CV early 1950s single coil precision.
Those 1954 760M are wonderful, I almost prefer them to the 760FS. The 760FLs are perfect on the jazz. Anaemic never-quite-right-sounding jazz? It’s not the bass, it was the roundwound strings all these decades. Shouldn’t be a surprise. These Fender bass guitars were designed with flatwounds in the 1950s.
The new LaBella Olinto flatwounds are pretty incredible on the single coil precision. A bit brighter and more complex highs than the Deep Talkin’ Bass strings, without the noise and muddle of roundwounds. Less percussive thud than the DTBs, more of a thump.
These Olinto’s are so nice on that particular bass that I’m considering buying another(!) regular precision bass just for those strings.
Those 1954 760M are wonderful, I almost prefer them to the 760FS. The 760FLs are perfect on the jazz. Anaemic never-quite-right-sounding jazz? It’s not the bass, it was the roundwound strings all these decades. Shouldn’t be a surprise. These Fender bass guitars were designed with flatwounds in the 1950s.
The new LaBella Olinto flatwounds are pretty incredible on the single coil precision. A bit brighter and more complex highs than the Deep Talkin’ Bass strings, without the noise and muddle of roundwounds. Less percussive thud than the DTBs, more of a thump.
These Olinto’s are so nice on that particular bass that I’m considering buying another(!) regular precision bass just for those strings.
There is an original 54's dedicated thread here https://www.talkbass.com/threads/la-bella-54-originals-fellowship.1609995/
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