LaBella Low Tension vs TI Flats

[Marcury]

Rehearsal canceled tonight so I don't get to see how they sound at volume in the mix. I'm loving the stiffer feel of them. Since these are on an ABG I'm liking the way they feel and sound closer to an upright to me.

If you take a close look at the outer winding, you would notice the La Bella LTFs are very tightly wound with very little space in between, while the TI's are a little more loosely wound, especially for E and A, making them more pliable and flexible.

makes sense!

I found the D & G underwhelming on the LaBella set -

@Marcury you know you can get TIJF singles if you want to make your original set up?

I think I got a single from Just Strings in New Hampshire awhile ago.

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Thanks that's great to know.

I can't get past the fact that you broke a TI flat E string. I love TI flats and have had them on some basses for more than 15 years. Never broken a string. What were you doing when the string broke?

That's the thing I wasn't playing any harder or differently than usual.

My favorite strings are TI Jazz flats, though I have LaBella flats on one bass. I like the LaBellas, but I like the lower tension of the TI strings more.

I recently picked up a Rick Turner Renaissance fretless, and it came with TI Acousticore strings. I didn't think I would bond with them, but I was wrong. They provide the low-tension feel that I love, and their brightness is somewhere between flats and rounds. I am really enjoying them.

https://media.sweetwater.com/api/i/...b2/images/items/750/AB344-large.jpg.auto.webp

They use a bronze wind around a nylon core. Similar to what you would find on a nylon-string guitar, but fatter.

You may like them on your acoustic bass. They are "optimized for piezo" pickups. Not sure how they would sound on a solid-body bass.

I've discovered that I'm not as much of a fan of the lower tension feel of the TIS, but I'll keep the Acousticores in mind.

 

[gmarcus]

I've had TIs and LTFs on the same bass. The TIs have more upper mids and the LTFa have more lower mids. The TI b string is superior. Its a.136 vs .118 for the LTFs. Also the LTFs are so smooth they actually have more friction under my fingers if I'm sliding around. The TIs are rough enough to break up the friction.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

I've played TI flats on my Fender P-bass for several months and like the feel. Tone is very nice. Similar to the feel of my double bass strings, which is quite handy. For those of you who are doublers and have played both the TI and La Bella LT's, how does your experience with "feel" between EB and DB compare?

 

[GregT]

I use TI flatwound strings on my Precision with Gezzer Butler pickup, all original 78 Musicmaster, vintage Apollo violin bass, mandolin, and my fiddle. They make great mandolin strings! My 4/4 German flatback upright bass (the actual one from The Three Stooges movie, Disorder in the Court) has old Barefoot Larry's Hillbilly Bass strings though. I like TI flats a lot and they will outlive me on my electric basses because I plan on never changing them.

 

[logdrum]

As someone who uses Thomastik Infeld strings on my 2 upright basses and on my cello (yes I just got one) and on my 2 electric guitars. I DO NOT LIKE them on my electric basses. Too soft and the tone is just okay. La Bella or GHS for the EB flat sound FOR ME. Of all the La Bella Flats and tapes, the LTFs are what I prefer less but I like them better than TIs.

BUT, one thing TI Flats are known for is their long life. I brought a fretless that was made by a TB member in early 2013 ( Jan Feb). I am the 3rd owner. There is a build thread here and also a recording of the bass after the build. It was only ever strung with that set of TI flats and when I got it, I had to reach out to the builder about a wiring question. He asked me to record it. Both recordings which was direct to an interface , sounded the same. After 9.5 years (they are out of the bass for now), there was very little change. And the silks are not tattered. The bass was played a lot, you can see it in the fingerboard and the slight discoloration of the strings.

 

[bolophonic]

LOVE those Labella LTF’s.

 

[sid sonic]

have been using labella tape wounds for 20 years on my fretless j and nothing even comes close...however not for a fretted bass so i would stick with your favorite metallic on the fretted neck. if low tension is a must like the rickenbackers of old need, just tune b e a d and have the best of all worlds. ps I also break the labellas occasionally too, most recently the a string but last time the d went... who needs foolish frets anyway!...feel the force luke..ss

 

[Bassamatic]

LaBella LTFs are the poor man's T.I.s. And they are not the same. They are not bad, but the TIs are much much better. More even sound, more upper mids for clarity.

Every bass I put the TIs on still has them. The LTFs have come and gone.

 

[Fun Size Nick]

LaBella LTFs are the poor man's T.I.s. And they are not the same.

I think the second sentence here negates the first. To me these are completely different strings: different sound, different feel, different attack/decay characteristics, different vibe all around. I think they're both good in completely different ways.

 

[DCCat]

I found the D & G underwhelming on the LaBella set -

Yeah, I decided I wanted to put the LTFs back on my P bass in place of the TIJFs because I had been missing the thump in that P for a while. And the LTFs delivered the thump in the E and to some degree in the A, but the D & G sound thin to me, like they come from a different set of strings. Could be it's just a peculiarity of this particular bass-string combination, but I'll probably just put the TIs back on, or maybe go back to the light GHS P-flats for the thump, even though those also have a bit of a jangly G on this bass.

 

[AaronBass4]

And the LTFs delivered the thump in the E and to some degree in the A, but the D & G sound thin to me, like they come from a different set of strings.

I only recently gave into the hype about TI Jazz Flats and tried them . . . the thing I like the most about them is the evenness across the strings. The tone of the G is still round and full, not thin like in other strings I've tried while the E is still articulate but still 'thumpy' enough for most purposes. I'd really love to find a set that in similar in this regard that does not cost $75/set!.

 

[bassdog]

I've moved the LTFs from my PJ to my P where they provide more of the woody thump I like, like DCCat and others have said. The TIs sing on my PJ more than they did on the P. I like that aspect of them for that bass. There is not as much thump, but I have the P for that. Both sets have a soft playing feel I need because my joints get a little sore sometimes. Off topic but Sunbeams on the J. Lay low. Bob

 

[bassdog]

Yeah, I decided I wanted to put the LTFs back on my P bass in place of the TIJFs because I had been missing the thump in that P for a while. And the LTFs delivered the thump in the E and to some degree in the A, but the D & G sound thin to me, like they come from a different set of strings. Could be it's just a peculiarity of this particular bass-string combination, but I'll probably just put the TIs back on, or maybe go back to the light GHS P-flats for the thump, even though those also have a bit of a jangly G on this bass.

I know what you mean about the D and G strings. For me, I'm not looking for thump there though, so all good. I like those strings to articulate a bit more. That's the design purpose, maybe. The thumpy E and A work for me. Bob

 

[Yahboy]

I believe you will found the LTF E string sound notable different after 3 weeks .....

 

[Wfrance3]

Any issues with using either the TIs or the LTFs on a string-thru the body short scale? I’ve heard that some flatwound strings don’t like to be strung thru the body and can be subject to breaking. Has anyone found that to be the case with either of these?
am going to do a warmoth 32” string thru build beginning of the year, and have been liking what I have been reading about the TIs but don’t want to put an 80 set of stings in a precarious position.

I have LTFs on my Pbass and like them a lot. 3 years old and just hitting their stride. Would like to give the TIs a shot on the medium scale, but not if it’s a bad idea…

 

[GIBrat51]

Any issues with using either the TIs or the LTFs on a string-thru the body short scale? I’ve heard that some flatwound strings don’t like to be strung thru the body and can be subject to breaking. Has anyone found that to be the case with either of these?
am going to do a warmoth 32” string thru build beginning of the year, and have been liking what I have been reading about the TIs but don’t want to put an 80 set of stings in a precarious position.

I have LTFs on my Pbass and like them a lot. 3 years old and just hitting their stride. Would like to give the TIs a shot on the medium scale, but not if it’s a bad idea…

What you've heard about flats and string-thru is... mostly true. It just comes down to the particular set of flats, and the break angle over the saddle on a particular bass. La Bella makes flats that are intended for string-thru, and they discourage you trying it with their other flats - including the LTFs. As for the TIJFs? They are flexible enough that I've never heard of anyone who tried it, that didn't get away with it... Personally, I've only tried the string-thru thing once, several years ago. Rounds, on an '06 Carvin LB-20 with a Hipshot A bridge. It worked... OK; but it was a PITA - and showed me absolutely nothing. So, off they came; and, since I didn't want to worry about breakage? The flats it's worn ever since are top loaded. Out of 20 basses that wear flats, I only have one with TIJFs; my '95 Alembic Epic. They are totally awesome on that bass; it's the one that I try to play Jazz on, and one of the few basses I own that are finger picked only. Yeah, yeah, I know that TI's can be played with a pick; but they feel... noodle-y... to me when I try it. And after playing Roto RS77LDs with a pick for a while? Let's just say the the TI's suffer greatly by comparison. Fingers only, for me... But, man, do they sound good on the Epic...

 

[Mastermold]

What you've heard about flats and string-thru is... mostly true. It just comes down to the particular set of flats, and the break angle over the saddle on a particular bass. La Bella makes flats that are intended for string-thru, and they discourage you trying it with their other flats - including the LTFs. As for the TIJFs? They are flexible enough that I've never heard of anyone who tried it, that didn't get away with it... Personally, I've only tried the string-thru thing once, several years ago. Rounds, on an '06 Carvin LB-20 with a Hipshot A bridge. It worked... OK; but it was a PITA - and showed me absolutely nothing. So, off they came; and, since I didn't want to worry about breakage? The flats it's worn ever since are top loaded. Out of 20 basses that wear flats, I only have one with TIJFs; my '95 Alembic Epic. They are totally awesome on that bass; it's the one that I try to play Jazz on, and one of the few basses I own that are finger picked only. Yeah, yeah, I know that TI's can be played with a pick; but they feel... noodle-y... to me when I try it. And after playing Roto RS77LDs with a pick for a while? Let's just say the the TI's suffer greatly by comparison. Fingers only, for me... But, man, do they sound good on the Epic...

TIs do lack the low end of traditional flats, which is why I understand a lot of LTF users prefer them over TIs. I’ve not yet tried LTFs so don’t have any direct experience, have TIs on a lot of my basses and have not been in a hurry to replace them, but am curious about the LTF difference and whether I might like them better.

 

[Richard Lindsey]

For the six string players among you out there, what do you do for a C string with the La Bella Low Tension flats?

I've been meaning to try them, but apparently they don't make a six string set, which is exactly the bass I want to try them out on. I could just leave the TI c there, but it may sound weird.

Wonering about that too. Perhaps you could get a .029 from the regular DTF set. Flat options in general aren't great for 6-stringers. I mean, the options we do have might be fine for many, but there are just so few choices. Right now I'm going with T-I on my ABGs.

 

[Wfrance3]

What you've heard about flats and string-thru is... mostly true. It just comes down to the particular set of flats, and the break angle over the saddle on a particular bass. La Bella makes flats that are intended for string-thru, and they discourage you trying it with their other flats - including the LTFs. As for the TIJFs? They are flexible enough that I've never heard of anyone who tried it, that didn't get away with it... Personally, I've only tried the string-thru thing once, several years ago. Rounds, on an '06 Carvin LB-20 with a Hipshot A bridge. It worked... OK; but it was a PITA - and showed me absolutely nothing. So, off they came; and, since I didn't want to worry about breakage? The flats it's worn ever since are top loaded. Out of 20 basses that wear flats, I only have one with TIJFs; my '95 Alembic Epic. They are totally awesome on that bass; it's the one that I try to play Jazz on, and one of the few basses I own that are finger picked only. Yeah, yeah, I know that TI's can be played with a pick; but they feel... noodle-y... to me when I try it. And after playing Roto RS77LDs with a pick for a while? Let's just say the the TI's suffer greatly by comparison. Fingers only, for me... But, man, do they sound good on the Epic...

Thanks!
I agree on the value of string thru not being all that. I was more thinking of the string thru option for the value if being able to use strings made for a 34” bass on a 32” bass. Any added sustain or whatever would just be bonus. I’ll look into those labellas made for string thru. Thanks!

 

[Tony In Philly]

These are TI flats on a Ric with the vintage cap sound on for the treble pickup. Even I was surprised by the crunchiness of the sound.