LaBella set arrived in questionable condition--Return immediately or try them first? (white nylon tapes for Sire U5)

[Gorn]

As excited as I am to try them out, I'm also wondering if they might give me a hard time about the return if I've "used" them.

I just realized this is part of this discussion. The person who bought and partially used them probably had the same thought, leaving you in your current predicament.

 

[Turnaround]

They're used product. Return them and buy strings from a reputable seller.

I don't know how you can use a bass string without winding on the tuner post.

 

[ardgedee]

I don't know how you can use a bass string without winding on the tuner post.

#11 described it best: Likely that the previous user threaded the strings through the bridge and decided not to use them before installing on the posts.

I suspect they're probably okay -- if I bought them in-person from a shop I could at least talk to the clerk or manager about how they ended up like this -- but online my interest in risk-taking is much lower, and if I'm paying for new strings I expect new strings.

 

[Mastermold]

Hello! TL;DR: Question in title, pics below. What would you do in this situation? I ordered some LaBella White Nylon Tape Wound short scale strings online. After removing from the padded mailer, it appears the strings have been repackaged into a loose plastic bag (first photo), inside of which they were in various states of being uncoiled. If I had to guess, it looks like they fell out of their original packaging and were stuffed in another bag. That said, it's my first time buying these strings and have no reference for what they should arrive looking like, packaging-wise. Outside of that "bag," there are visible kinks near 3 of the ball ends, as well as at least one smaller kink/imperfection and a couple patches where the texture feels different while sliding my finger along the string. There may be more damage/imperfections on the two strings I haven't unwrapped yet. As I'm typing this, I feel like I may already have my answer--This doesn't seem like acceptable condition for a $50 set of strings to me. But hey, I'd still like to hear what you fine folks have to say.

Back in the bag and initiate return immediately? Throw them on the bass and see how they actually feel and sound first? It would be valuable to get a sense of how I like them and if I want to order another set even if I'm returning them (I've never tried any LaBella strings before, nor have I tried tape wounds). As excited as I am to try them out, I'm also wondering if they might give me a hard time about the return if I've "used" them.

View attachment 7440780View attachment 7440781
View attachment 7440782View attachment 7440783View attachment 7440798


(FWIW, the bass in question is a Sire Marcus Miller U5--my first short scale). If you're just dying to talk about the strings you love on your short scale, particularly U5, feel free.

Long story longer: I play a variety of styles from classic rock to metal, some funky stuff and country stuff, a little reggae, some spacey/textural sections, pretty eclectic I suppose. I've primarily used round wounds, but I've tried some flats too and sometimes prefer them for recording. While I do like some bite in a lot of my rock playing, my background is classical cello, and I've realized flatwounds on the U5 (my first short scale bass) gets me fairly close to the size and feel of a cello, which is pretty cool! I didn't have that goal in mind when I bought a short scale or put flats on it, but it dawned on me that I'd inadvertently created a somewhat cello-like setup.

The U5 is currently strung with DR Legends (Stainless Steel .045-.105 Short Scale). Their tension is higher than I'd like, and the E and G strings seem a lot louder relative to A and D (unless that could be user error with my installation/setup? I don't feel like I've had trouble with this in the past, but 80+% of my playing and string changing has been on one bass and this is a different instrument). I read here on TB and elsewhere that the LaBella white nylon tape wounds were lower tension and brighter than typical flats, smooth, etc. and thought they sounded worth trying!

Thanks in advance for weighing in and especially if you read all that!

You paid for new strings and got used strings. I'd return them.

 

[JamesGrant]

I would return them for a refund, and not buy from that seller again. Very clearly not a set of new strings. If they have taken zero care to repackage, you can guarantee they're taking zero care elsewhere.

 

[skier 913]

return!
that kink is also suspect!

 

[skeevy]

Thanks for the responses.

These were sold by LaBella, fulfilled/shipped by Amazon: Product page link. I thought that seemed like a good compromise between buying direct and getting fast shipping, but I guess it didn't work out this time.

I'm still debating throwing them on the bass to try out before returning to Amazon. I guess my thinking is they are already "used" or "damaged," so is it really going to matter as far as this return exactly how used or damaged they are? I'm guessing Amazon will throw them away regardless and not waste time inspecting them or nit picking the details. For example, what if I had already clipped and strung up 2-3 strings before noticing something wasn't right, or if I'd had to string up the bass and try them in order to make the determination that they needed to be returned, would that change anything as far as the return is concerned?

 

[MrAB4003]

1- Like everyone else said, those strings have been used. That's what the kinks on by the ball ends are. They've been on a bass.

2- Just order direct from La Bella

3-

Yes. Tapes are EXTREMELY "low-tension" (aka. not stiff). Like, probably lower tension than any round-wound you've ever played. They'll bend for days too. The Whites are their brightest, snappiest sounding La Bella tapes.

La Bella tapes in order of Darkest to Brightest:
Black --> Copper White --> Gold White --> White

I have a couple basses with the Copper Whites and my fretless has Gold Whites. I love how they feel on all three. Amusingly, i love how "low-tension" the Tapes feel, and i also absolutely love how stiff and high tension my basses with La Bella Flats feel too.

Completely subjective opinion:
I tried the Whites on a couple basses and they were too bright and brittle sounding for my ear, but everyone likes different sounds. I've talked to others who consider the Whites their favorites.

I like dark and the Blacks were still too dark for me.

The Copper Whites and Gold Whites were kinda my goldilocks zone of beefy + clarity without being too bright, for my tastes. But again, this isn't to say you'll like and dislike the same ones as me. Just my own experience mixed with my preferences as a reference.

I agree with all three points, especially returning those used strings.

I agree that these tapes are extremely low tension. So I would not recommend them for anything but standard (or higher) tuning. I had the whites and gold whites on my basses in 2023. I also switched to D Standard as my main tuning that year. They became way too floppy tuned to D Standard, so I changed them out for D'Addario Chromes. That's my recommendation if you like the sound of the whites or gold whites, but you want or need more tension.

Don't buy strings from Amazon! You don't know who you're really buying them from. I second the recommendation of buying directly from La Bella or from a reputable dealer like Sweetwater.

 

[ardgedee]

I'm guessing Amazon will throw them away regardless and not waste time inspecting them or nit picking the details.

Nope. An Amazon inspector is going to check whether all four strings are in the package and then put it back in the warehouse for another customer. The package they inspected before that might be 23 hair clips from a bundle of 25 and the package after that might be a leaky bottle of motor oil. They're somebody hired to confirm that returned products sufficiently resemble the product description and log their condition into the sales records, their musical skills did not land them the job. Their quotas do not allow them nearly enough time to think about what's passing through their hands.

If you're going to order online, do it directly from LaBella's website, or use a reputable online string vendor. We're lucky in the US to have quite a few of those.

 

[Turnaround]

#11 described it best: Likely that the previous user threaded the strings through the bridge and decided not to use them before installing on the posts.

I suspect they're probably okay -- if I bought them in-person from a shop I could at least talk to the clerk or manager about how they ended up like this -- but online my interest in risk-taking is much lower, and if I'm paying for new strings I expect new strings.

At what point are they "not new"? At what point do you expect a retailer to eat the cost at a loss when the strings were never installed? At what point should the seller be bound to accept a return at no cost to the purchaser? We've come to expect things like free shipping and no charge returns while at the same time bemoaning the loss of local music stores. I worked for many years with an independent sole proprietor music shop and watched while he was driven out of business by the big box machine, so I am particularly sensitive to these things.