LaBella Low Tension Flats & the sitar effect.

[59jazz]

In all my years of playing I have yet to come across this sitar effect or a dead string out of the pack. Apparently I now know where they are all going.

It happens. I spoke with a string winder who stated that the underlying wraps can slip on occasion, thus causing a dull or dead sounding string.

 

[burpgun]

I'm guessing this isn't a widely held view, but I found the low tension flats felt weird on my fingers and the low E string sounded noticeably different, and not in a good way, relative to the other three strings. They were also the deadest flats I've ever came across. That said, they were easy to play, so they had that going for them.

 

[mikecd1]

The only time I've gotten the dreaded sitar effect was when my fretboard was too flat (not enough relief) or when the pickups were too close to the strings. If the neck has a ski jump, that together with too little relief and perhaps pups too close to strings could all add up to the sitar effect. Some pups have a stronger magnetic field too and as noted sometimes you have to change the setup parameters to tweak to individual needs, but strings too close to pups would be the first place I'd look then the neck as Fender states a higher relief for 7.25 radius necks. If it only happens with certain strings then the tension together with all the other factors would come into play.

 

[PotsdamBass8]

I wanted something different for my latest find, a '63 P bass. After viewing several youtube vids, I determined that the LTF's are the strings for me. I removed the GHS Lite gauge P flats, installed the LTF's and reset the action, I like the board nearly flat and the string height low. Much to my surprise I experienced a very noticeable string/fret buzz on the "D" & "G" strings; kind of sitar sounding. I then set the neck with a touch more relief and raised the action a hair, same thing. Swapped the vintage saddle with a modern single slot saddle, no change. Then I set the bass up to Fender factory specs, which are much higher than I prefer......still the same. I'm not even digging in on the string, my attack is less than moderate, sometimes lite. The frets are near perfect, yet I'm getting this horrible fret buzz on 2 of the strings. I threw on a set of old EB lite gauge flats and lowered the action.......noise is gone.
Thankfully the good people at LaBella are sending me 2 new strings, hope that fixes it.
Has anyone ever experienced this with the Low Tension Flats?

Yes! I had my Mustang PJ set up with LTFs back in February or so with my very good tech. I noticed the buzz on the D string when I got home, called him up, and brought it back. We spent about 2 hours checking EVERYTHING. Frets, vibrations, bridge saddles, we were stumped. We had determined that it had to be a bad string. I emailed Labella, they sent a replacement, and it didn’t buzz. So this is definitely not imaginary. It must be something in the construction of these strings.

 

[59jazz]

Yes! I had my Mustang PJ set up with LTFs back in February or so with my very good tech. I noticed the buzz on the D string when I got home, called him up, and brought it back. We spent about 2 hours checking EVERYTHING. Frets, vibrations, bridge saddles, we were stumped. We had determined that it had to be a bad string. I emailed Labella, they sent a replacement, and it didn’t buzz. So this is definitely not imaginary. It must be something in the construction of these strings.

YES....... I’m not crazy!

 

[Bassamatic]

I have had this happen a couple of times. The last time was a T.I. Flats B string. They quickly replaced it and the sound was gone.

Be aware that our bass string can have many layers of windings. Any one of them with a glitch can affect the sound.

 

[Cutter8]

They weren’t LTF’s, but on two occasions I have had individual La Bella flatwound strings that had a buzz. And, to be clear, I do mean that the string itself was the source of the buzz, not that the string was buzzing against the frets or saddle, etc. So, it doesn’t surprise me that the “sitar“ effect you are hearing is happening, but I am surprised that two strings in the same set are doing it.

 

[JRB]

This same thing happened to me with LTF but only on the D string. I even put the strings on multiple Basses with a setup each time and could not get ride of the problem without sky high action. About a year later I got a new set of LTF and had no issues. I should have wrote to Labella but never did.

 

[diegom]

Sitar? Could the windings be loose on that string, somehow?
I have no experience with this, so I'm just throwing an idea...

Diego

 

[bassgrackle]

I have the LTF on my Olinto P basses and there is no fret buzz at all. Just yummy P bass goodness.

 

[bassgrackle]

I wanted something different for my latest find, a '63 P bass. After viewing several youtube vids, I determined that the LTF's are the strings for me. I removed the GHS Lite gauge P flats, installed the LTF's and reset the action, I like the board nearly flat and the string height low. Much to my surprise I experienced a very noticeable string/fret buzz on the "D" & "G" strings; kind of sitar sounding. I then set the neck with a touch more relief and raised the action a hair, same thing. Swapped the vintage saddle with a modern single slot saddle, no change. Then I set the bass up to Fender factory specs, which are much higher than I prefer......still the same. I'm not even digging in on the string, my attack is less than moderate, sometimes lite. The frets are near perfect, yet I'm getting this horrible fret buzz on 2 of the strings. I threw on a set of old EB lite gauge flats and lowered the action.......noise is gone.
Thankfully the good people at LaBella are sending me 2 new strings, hope that fixes it.
Has anyone ever experienced this with the Low Tension Flats?

I would reach out to Eric Cocco he’s a good dude and gets back to all messages.

 

[Flamingo21]

Lucky me. When I put these strings on I had terrible fret buzz, but only on a few frets near the headstock. Adjusting the truss rod was all it took.
(Yamaha BB415)

 

[BAG]

Is this why they are so expensive??? They have to keep sending out replacements for the dud strings.....

 

[Zooberwerx]

I put LaBella LTF's on my Carvin 5. I had to relax the relief a smidgen. Only purchased and installed one set my sampling is a bit skewed. It is a bit tougher to set the witness points in contrast to roundwounds.

Riis

 

[Mastermold]

...
Has anyone ever experienced this with the Low Tension Flats?

Not with LTFs but I had it with a set of 760FLs -- the G string did what you described and I tried everything to make it stop but eventually gave up and swapped the whole set for some D'Addario Chromes, which have been on that bass ever since. I usually have really good luck with La Bellas, this was the first time I had a bum string.

 

[bluesblaster]

Had a issue with DTF's G string once, just replaced with a .045 from .043 and problem disappeared, then again it could have just been a bad string but it was fine for some time and then started buzzing wobble noise on one or two frets. Have DTF's on several basses with no issues. I am considering the LTF's just cant decide which bass to put them on.

 

[Doug4321]

Very weird. I can’t figure how a “bad string” would cause a fret buzz. Maybe something with the string made it extra low tension.

 

[59jazz]

Very weird. I can’t figure how a “bad string” would cause a fret buzz. Maybe something with the string made it extra low tension.

Sounds like a fret buzz, but it's not. Something to do with the inner wraps? Or like you said, possibility of the strings being really loose. The E&A strings are fine.

 

[Admiral Akbar]

My apologies if anyone’s offended by resurrecting a “zombie thread”, but I just purchased a new set of LaBella LTF’s for a 34 year old ‘57 Pbass Fender reissue and guess what? The D string buzzes like a wasps’ nest (real bad sitar) from frets 1->19, just like some have noted on this thread.

The neck is straight with a little relief, the action more than reasonable, I’ve checked for string twist and there is none.

I will now contact LaBella in hopes of getting a replacement D string sent. (Too bad, because the other 3 strings sound totally dope!)

I don’t know if it matters, but this new set of LTF’s has the colored ball ends…. The older set of LTF’s that is STILL on my ‘62 Pbass (as I’ve mentioned earlier in this thread 2 years ago) still sound and feel great.

Let’s see what happens .

 

[michael_t]

My apologies if anyone’s offended by resurrecting a “zombie thread”, but I just purchased a new set of LaBella LTF’s for a 34 year old ‘57 Pbass Fender reissue and guess what? The D string buzzes like a wasps’ nest (real bad sitar) from frets 1->19, just like some have noted on this thread.

The neck is straight with a little relief, the action more than reasonable, I’ve checked for string twist and there is none.

I will now contact LaBella in hopes of getting a replacement D string sent. (Too bad, because the other 3 strings sound totally dope!)

I don’t know if it matters, but this new set of LTF’s has the colored ball ends…. The older set of LTF’s that is STILL on my ‘62 Pbass (as I’ve mentioned earlier in this thread 2 years ago) still sound and feel great.

Let’s see what happens .