Labella RX's vs. LaBella SN's - compared to DR Lo Riders?

[dave64o]

I'm a diehard DR Lo Rider nickel fan - I love the growly low-midrange of their tone, their long life, their feel under my fingers (not too rough for a roundwound), and I especially like the relatively stiff feel. Although I've found a few other strings I generally like (Ken Smith Burners and Dean Markley Helix's), I've always come back to the Lo Riders. But that still doesn't stop me from trying other stings once in a while just to see what's out there.

So, after trying a set of LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats on my Precision (they're only a few weeks old right now and probably not settled in yet, but I'm liking them a lot so far), which are the first LaBella's I've ever tried, I started looking at other LaBella strings. I saw that the RX's are a hex core and are available in nickel plated steel, so they got my attention and I started doing some searching here on TB. But I was surprised when I saw the wide range of impressions about their stiffness. I saw some say that the RX's are the stiffest string they ever played and others say they're surprisingly loose. I see that the RX's use fewer windings in the wrap to supposedly give them a more flexible feel, which explains the reviews that talked about their flexibility. But that seemed to counter the reviews that talked about them being almost unplayably stiff. So I attributed the range of reviews to everybody's perceptions being different and thought I'd ask my questions based on comparisons to strings I'm very familiar with and like a lot (the Lo Riders)....

How would would the RX's and SN's compare to Lo Rider Nickels (especially the mediums that I tend to prefer, 45-65-85-105-125) in terms of tone, lifespan, feel, and stiffness? Any other thoughts on the RX's and SN's? Any other suggestions for a relatively stiff feeling, long lasting, low midrangey, hex core string?

 

[trothwell]

I thought that RX nickels were not very much like Lo Rider nickels. RX nickels, to me, felt rougher than Lo Rider nickels, stiffer, and had a less pleasant tone.

 

[mmbongo]

I thought that RX nickels were not very much like Lo Rider nickels. RX nickels, to me, felt rougher than Lo Rider nickels, stiffer, and had a less pleasant tone.

My exact impressions. I found the Rx to be very stiff.

 

[dave64o]

I've played Lo Riders, Chromes, and LaBella's (Deep Talkin' Flats) and I really like their feel, so stiff doesn't scare me. For reference, I've played TI Jazz flats twice when they were on basses I bought and I was unable to adjust to their loose feel. I really do prefer some stiffness to my strings so, if the RX's are stiff, that doesn't scare me off. So I guess the tone and the lifespan are the keys for me, tone first.

I like the clarity notes get with the Lo Riders and I also like the low mid punch they seem to have, at least with my basses (I've had them on quite a few, including basses I've sold, and I thought they were fantastic on all of them), so that's a character I'd still want in a different string. I did some additional searching and I'm starting to think that, if I were to try a set of LaBella rounds, that the SN's or M's might be a better fit for me. Probably the SN's since I prefer the sound of nickels, but I saw quite a few reviews of the M's that they're not as zingy as a typical stainless steel string so I might not rule them out just yet.

I know I can't lose if I get another set of Lo Riders, but I was just in the mood to look into something new, especially since I was surprised by how much I like LaBella's Deep Talkin' Flats that I just put on another bass (although they're still pretty new, so I'm sure they have a lot more breaking in to do).

 

[SLaPiNFuNK]

not sure why you are finding the RX to be stiff strings... They are supposed to be more flexible than the original "La Bella Nickel Plated Steel Round Wound Series" (used to be called Slappers).

Both are different strings and constructed very differently...

DR uses smaller diameter outer windings so the overall surface feel will be different.
I personally found the RX to be more flexible feeling than similar gauge DR Lo-Rider sets.

It is worth trying a set of each as you can't go wrong with either one... I think it will come down to personal preference.

 

[dave64o]

The varied opinions on the stiffness of the RX's are kind of interesting. But, if you like a looser feel, I guess I can see how they'd feel stiffer than they'd feel to someone like me, who likes a stiffer feeling string.

But, after doing a little more research, it looks like the RX's are designed to have a relatively looser feel so that probably means they're not the string for me. Hence my recent order for a couple of packs of Lo Riders.

I'll still have to do some more research on the SN's to see if they might be a string I'd want to check out in the future. The tone seems to fit my preference, but I haven't seen anything about their stiffness/feel yet.

 

[BrentSimons]

Rotosound Swing Bass Nickels just for new taste? Growly, fairly tight feel comparable to Lo-Riders and not too rough?
Brent

 

[dave64o]

Just following up ....

Based on what I read on my own and also in most of the opinions I've seen here and in other threads, I'm guessing the RX's aren't the string for me. Seems like most people think they would feel too loose to me given how much I love the Lo Riders.

I do like the suggestion to try the Rotosound Sing Bass nickels and I'll keep that in mind for the next time I feel like experimenting. But since the real reason I was asking was to find a string to help me bond better with an L-2500 I got a few months ago, I decided to try my tried-and-true Lo Riders on it, hoping to improve my odds of being able to decide if I want to keep it. They're the third set of strings I've had on it since I got and and I'm FINALLY starting to really like this bass. Now it's just a matter of getting familiar with the electronics and learning how to get the sounds I want.

But I will have to consider the Rotosound nickels when I change strings.