Labella Rx stainless vs Ghs blanced nickel

[tapiodmusic]

Am planning to change my greasy old loosen strings.
And wandering between these two options..
Do you have some reviews on them?
Let me know!

 

[michael_t]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ghs-balanced-nickel-strings.1298488/

Are you actually comparing hex-core stainless steel rounds and round-core pure nickel rounds?

 

[tapiodmusic]

Id like the funky smooth sound with similar string tension between 1 to 4 strings..., do i need to go Ghs for that?

 

[michael_t]

Id like the funky smooth sound with similar string tension between 1 to 4 strings..., do i need to go Ghs for that?

I don't know about "funky" but the GHS BNs are very smooth in the mids (thanks to pure nickel) and very nicely balanced both in tone and feel.

 

[tapiodmusic]

Thank u i meant funky as smooth warm mid
Thank you for the reply sir!!

 

[Stan_da_man]

https://www.talkbass.com/threads/ghs-balanced-nickel-strings.1298488/

Are you actually comparing hex-core stainless steel rounds and round-core pure nickel rounds?

He is - deal with it.

 

[BOOG]

Am planning to change my greasy old loosen strings.
And wandering between these two options..
Do you have some reviews on them?
Let me know!

I hesitate to comment because it usually ruffles somebody’s feathers…
I put a set of GHS BN’s on a Euro Spector and I’m not a fan. They now live on another MIK Spector that I use as a backup. To my ears, they don’t have the girth of more standard designs. The tone seems more guitar like. They’re not bad strings and a lot of people love them, but I won’t get them again. At the same time, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from trying them, either.

What strings are on there now and what are you trying to gain (get to) by changing them? Because, greasy, old and loose can be eliminated with any new set of strings.

 

[logdrum]

Pure Blues from DR are another alternative and cost less than GHS BN - which I was not a fan of. It went to a bass I sold (which had TI's ). Get Pure Blues instead.

 

[mrperkolator]

@tapiodmusic Labella has RX nickles iirc. I may end up putting a pair on my V3, but not at the moment. I can say that Labellas are quality strings. I've never had bad quality - maybe not the right fit for the vibe/music but not bad quality. Bad fit would be my fault for picking wrong string.

 

[Dincrest]

If you are a nickel player thinking of trying steels, I would recommend the LaBella RX steels. I currently have the 40-118 steel set on a 34" scale 5-string and they feel, sound, and intonate nicely. The texture feels less rough and the sound's warmer than most steel strings (and even some nickel strings) I've tried. I don't know what sorcery LaBella uses to make that 118 B feel and sound tighter than some thicker-gauged Bs from other brands, but it is a damn good B. I play a little bit of everything from Motown to metal and the Rx steels can do it all for me (except maybe super clangy modern metal).

I've tried the LaBella Rx nickels 40-118 on another bass and while they feel great (in terms of both suppleness and texture) and sound alright, they don't stand out from the nickel round crowd.

If you're going to go LaBella Rx, go with the steels. I think they're something special.

I can't comment on GHS Balanced Nickels, since I've not tried them.

But, yeah, I think LaBella Rx Steels are well worth a try and they cost less than many GHS offerings, so you don't have much to lose to try them.

 

[burgerdj]

Not sure what your tone goals are, but I’m here to add a +1 to DR Pure Blues.

 

[micguy]

Stainless string are bright with a capital B. The balanced nickels are the opposite end of the round wound spectrum - GHS rates them as less bright than their Pressurewounds. There is a world of difference between those two kinds of strings, with a LOT of stuff in between. This is sort of like comparing a Maserati and a minivan - both useful things, both vehicles (there is some overlap, I suppose), and each one is good at something, but you wouldn't think anyone would be trying to choose between the two.

 

[michael_t]

Stainless string are bright with a capital B. The balanced nickels are the opposite end of the round wound spectrum - GHS rates them as less bright than their Pressurewounds. There is a world of difference between those two kinds of strings, with a LOT of stuff in between. This is sort of like comparing a Maserati and a minivan - both useful things, both vehicles (there is some overlap, I suppose), and each one is good at something, but you wouldn't think anyone would be trying to choose between the two.

This was exactly my point in post #2. GHS Balanced Nickels = Maserati, La Bella RX Stainless = minivan.

 

[micguy]

This was exactly my point in post #2. GHS Balanced Nickels = Maserati, La Bella RX Stainless = minivan.

I would go the other way - Maserati = stainless, you really have to know how to drive them - not the easiest thing to control, but when you can....

 

[Sam Dingle]

I like the labellas

 

[tapiodmusic]

Am gonna buy Ghs but gonna try out some labellas
for next string thank you for the advise guys!!

 

[BOOG]

Am gonna buy Ghs but gonna try out some labellas
for next string thank you for the advise guys!!

No doubt it demands some trial and error. On a couple of bass’s it has taken me as many as five sets of strings to get a setup and tone I can be satisfied with. I gave up long ago asking others for string recommendation's because, it’s probably the most subjective aspect of the instrument with the least overlap of agreeable descriptors. I can get a general idea from TB input, but at some point, I just gotta try them myself and decide.

 

[bucephylus]

I’ve used mainly DR High Beams and Sunbeams for the past 3 decades, along with a smattering of GHS, D’Addario, Smith and Fodera branded etc etc. More recently, I acquired a bass here on TB, which arrived with what would turn out to be the LaBella RX strings. Best strings by far that I have played. Even. Never seem to die. Articulate. I think they are amazing.

 

[gluewithuhu]

Am planning to change my greasy old loosen strings.
And wandering between these two options..
Do you have some reviews on them?
Let me know!

I think you’ll be very pleased with the La Bella RX Steels.

I dislike most SS strings for being clangy and their zingy highs but these RX Steels are warm and have a low mid punch to die for. They have a fat bottom and they last a long time! I have them on some of my basses and the RX Nickels on others.

The GHS Super Steels also have similar characteristics except they have this nasally twang and sound more airy which I did not like.

Both of them have a really comfortable mid tension and feel very supple under the fingers (not coarse at all).

I’m a big fan of the La Bella RX and think that they are very underrated as a string maker.

For those who say SS are bright are just generalizing and have obviously not tried the RX Steels. I have definitely played some nickel strings that have harsher highs and overtones that I dont care for.

Just for reference I have used the following strings over the years in my quest for the “perfect” strings:

GHS Bass Boomers
GHS RC Bass Boomers
GHS Pressurewound
GHS Super Steels
EB Slinky Hybrid
EB Cobalt Slinky
DR Sunbeams
DR High Beams
DR Pure Blues
DR Legend Flats
Rotosound Swing Nickels
Rotosound Swing SS
Rotosound Ultramag
D’Addario XL
D’Addario Chromes
La Bella Deep Talkin Flats
Dunlop Superbright Nickels
Dunlop Regular Nickels

Give the RX (Nickels
and Steels) a shot - you’re in for a treat.