Been playing these lately, really like them, but I never hear anything about them. Love the feel and the balanced tone. Not expensive. Anyone else using them or are they just that unpopular?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
LaBella Rx Nickel
- Thread starter fishdude101101
- Start date
As far as bass strings go, the La Bella name is more closely associated with their flats. Not that anything is wrong with the RX NPS rounds, but nothing unique or outstanding about them, either.
Yeah I get that and I love their flats as well. I like the RX nickels because they have just the right tension for me, are pretty slick for rounds, and you're right kinda do have a generic sound. I like the absence of gank, clank, growl, etc honestly. Not overly midrangey, no harsh overtones.
Makes sense. For some it's a good thing because some people really have a lot going on in terms of effects and wild eq settings and having those strings is like having a clean slate to start on. I've played the stainless and thought they were nice aside from the defective string in my set.
Oddly, I use very little effects, but with most string there will be some property that I don't like. If I dont' use these, I'll use SIT foundations nickel, or maybe one of the DR roundcore offerings these days.
I do agree the word "generic" or "neutral" doesn't necessarily have to mean anything negative. In fact, I've been enjoying the DR Nickel Lo-Riders (= NPS roundwound) I put on my Yamaha a month ago because of their relatively "neutral" character.
I do have a couple of unopened sets of La Bella RX rounds in my stock, but unfortunately, they're stainless steel.
I don't have a lot of effects either I like so I get where you're coming from. I noticed my style as well as the basses I play seem to have its own character which I really like. I grew up loving Rush and when I learned about how Geddy Lee plays and isn't a huge effects guy either I saw how he'd use his strings and his dynamics and I wanted to emulate that. (I realize that he's developed a little bit of fuzz later on when he got into sans amp stuff but anything before that time was all just clean tone and him playing the hell out of his strings.)
Just feel like they are a really solid string. Without naming named there are strings out there that get all the love that I just don't get.
Another user of RX Nickels here!
I get them in light gauges and find them both nice sounding and comfy to play on.
2 of my basses wear them all the time.
I get them in light gauges and find them both nice sounding and comfy to play on.
2 of my basses wear them all the time.
Never tried Labella rounds--have used the flats for decades.
I use Nickel Lo-Riders as well--the only round I use these days. To me they have what I always look for in a round but can be hard to find--the ability to thump w little zing, even when relatively new. If the Labellas can do that I would certainly give them a go.
To my ears the nickel lo-riders have a little more mid, and are a little less flexible, going off of memory.
I'm using an old set on my fretless. I really like them too. They lasted a long time as my fretted bass strings and after finally getting a little dull they are settled in perfect for the tone I like out of my fretless.
With a company like Labella, I'd love who all they make strings for.
One other comment. The LaBella .118 is great, for me at least. i know a lot of people like larger guage .130 or .135, but this .118 really works on my American Pro II Jazz V. The tension on this set .118-.40 is more than maybe Dunlop Super Brights and SIT Foundations, so the .118 works. Sounds good above the 10 fret too, not floppy at all. I had my doubts as well but so far so good.
Sorry to bring up an old thread @fishdude101101 , but I too am curious to try the LaBella RX 40-118s on my 5s. Steel on one, nickel on the other.
With the nickels, what would you say the longevity was for you?
(For me, DR Lo-Riders last the longest for me, GHS Boomers last the shortest for me, D'Addario XLs are somewhere in the middle).
With the nickels, what would you say the longevity was for you?
(For me, DR Lo-Riders last the longest for me, GHS Boomers last the shortest for me, D'Addario XLs are somewhere in the middle).
