Labella Super Polished

[Shoreline Gold]

So, are they essentially ground-wound with a more polished finishing than most? I've never liked ground-wounds personally since I always feel they're sticky or even sharp-edged feeling. And I don't like pure rounds which is why I love using GHS Pressurewounds when I need rounds-adjacent sound. I'm confuzzled. I guess we'll have to wait for the reviews.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

I like the idea of it, but that gauge is heavier than I like.

 

[jTrolt]

Here's what I suspect may be what's going on:
MTD, who LaBella manufactures strings for, had a special NAMM batch done, in which they polished the strings for a smoother,"buttery" feel, then offered as a special exclusive set. Here they are at Michael's web store:

MTD Super Polished Bass Strings — Michael Tobias Design

Seems like this was a test run, and evidently enough success that they've developed a permanent place in the LaBella line up. Funny how the "butter" moniker stuck. Not sure if they're exactly the same formulation strings that they produce for MTD, as they are not mentioning a tapered "B", but it seems most likely that's where the concept started.

Would be nice to hear from any MTD Super Polished users regarding how they feel. I've been considering a set for my fretless, as I am strictly a round wound user, but a string that's just a little nicer to the fretboard seems like a good idea.

As for the price, well, yeah, it's an additional process, so it's going to cost a bit more.

 

[subtlestew]

I got in quick and have a 4-string and 5-string set coming... plus a t-shirt! Woohoo!

(I may soon be selling some surplus string sets to pay for all this...)

 

[lowdownbp5]

Comparable to Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats?

I'm sticking with my cobalts. "If it works don't fix it"

 

[bassboysam]

I like the idea of it, but that gauge is heavier than I like.

the idea behind the olinto flatwounds was to use a heavier gauge but a thinner core to keep the tension manageable. these super polished rounds use the same core wire as the Olinto flats. I have the flats on a J bass and the tension/stiffnessis very reasonable, comparable to the stiffer 105 round sets. The super polished should be lower tension than the Olinto flats...

 

[Rayjay]

Similar for me. I've avoided Labella flats for two reasons: IME they are the dullest sounding flats, and they are the stiffest (excluding their low-tension flats). I've been playing Chromes in the .45 .65 .80 .100 gauges, because those specific numbers feel right to me.

YMMV and nothing wrong with your post, just a little bit surprised because I have the exact opposite experience. I've found both LaBella and Chromes (and TIs) to be the least dull and most mid-focused flats. Also, Chromes are so stiff they make me feel like my knuckles have arthritis, and I can't get into the pocket because the stiffness and friction fight back too much, whereas I have never experienced that with LaBellas - even the 1952 set (which I didn't really prefer) - still that set was better feeling than regular gauge Chromes to my hands.

 

[TwototheValley]

I would like to know how similar these are to the old discontinued Labella Quarter Rounds.

When/if I can get hold of a set I'll do a direct comparison. I have some medium gauge Quarter Rounds to hand.

 

[smtp4me]

YMMV and nothing wrong with your post, just a little bit surprised because I have the exact opposite experience. I've found both LaBella and Chromes (and TIs) to be the least dull and most mid-focused flats. Also, Chromes are so stiff they make me feel like my knuckles have arthritis, and I can't get into the pocket because the stiffness and friction fight back too much, whereas I have never experienced that with LaBellas - even the 1952 set (which I didn't really prefer) - still that set was better feeling than regular gauge Chromes to my hands.

Yeah I was thinking specifically of Labella Deep Talking Flats when I mentioned they are dull. At least in my experience.

Chromes are stiff, but again for me the Labellas are a little more so. I'd certainly be hesitant of these Olinto strings since the thickest is .107 and the Chromes feel stiff at .100.

 

[astoryarc]

Here's what I suspect may be what's going on:
MTD, who LaBella manufactures strings for, had a special NAMM batch done, in which they polished the strings for a smoother,"buttery" feel, then offered as a special exclusive set. Here they are at Michael's web store:

MTD Super Polished Bass Strings — Michael Tobias Design

Seems like this was a test run, and evidently enough success that they've developed a permanent place in the LaBella line up. Funny how the "butter" moniker stuck. Not sure if they're exactly the same formulation strings that they produce for MTD, as they are not mentioning a tapered "B", but it seems most likely that's where the concept started.

Would be nice to hear from any MTD Super Polished users regarding how they feel. I've been considering a set for my fretless, as I am strictly a round wound user, but a string that's just a little nicer to the fretboard seems like a good idea.

As for the price, well, yeah, it's an additional process, so it's going to cost a bit more.

This is also at least the second run of "buttery" smoother super polished. They also did a run in 2022 iirc so it's looking like there is probably enough demand for periodic production at a minimum.

I'm real curious to see if the lifecycle is more like rounds or flats

 

[gluewithuhu]

Huge fan of La Bella strings. I just bought a few sets of my usual RX Steels in 45-100 gauge. Im currently on the fence on this one but am keeping my eyes peeled for reviews.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Here's what I suspect may be what's going on:
MTD, who LaBella manufactures strings for, had a special NAMM batch done, in which they polished the strings for a smoother,"buttery" feel, then offered as a special exclusive set. Here they are at Michael's web store:

MTD Super Polished Bass Strings — Michael Tobias Design

Seems like this was a test run, and evidently enough success that they've developed a permanent place in the LaBella line up. Funny how the "butter" moniker stuck. Not sure if they're exactly the same formulation strings that they produce for MTD, as they are not mentioning a tapered "B", but it seems most likely that's where the concept started.

Would be nice to hear from any MTD Super Polished users regarding how they feel. I've been considering a set for my fretless, as I am strictly a round wound user, but a string that's just a little nicer to the fretboard seems like a good idea.

As for the price, well, yeah, it's an additional process, so it's going to cost a bit more.

Good sleuthing work!

Apart from those MTD Super Polished strings (which as you say are probably the same thing as the La Bella Olinto Super Polished, apart from the gauges - or, at least, their outer cover is probably made the same as the MTD),
MTD Super Polished Strings???
the most direct competition seems to be the Magma Ultra Flats, which also seem to be a kind of extra-groundwound string (and have the advantage of coming in a variety of gauges)
Magma Ultra Flats Impression - Flat that sounds like a Round

 

[gluewithuhu]

I sent La Bella an email asking if they have plans to make these strings a permanent fixture in their lineup and got the following reply:

Thank you for your email. Unfortunately at this point we do not plan to add them to the catalog full time.

Best Regards,
La Bella Strings

 

[astoryarc]

Here's the conversation around them from 2022 https://www.talkbass.com/threads/la-bella-super-polished-stainless-steel-roadie-club.1577715/

And these are from 2018

 

[CrimsonGhost]

Here's the conversation around them from 2022 https://www.talkbass.com/threads/la-bella-super-polished-stainless-steel-roadie-club.1577715/

And these are from 2018

Labella said these are an all new stainless string not related to the old runs.

 

[CrimsonGhost]

the idea behind the olinto flatwounds was to use a heavier gauge but a thinner core to keep the tension manageable. these super polished rounds use the same core wire as the Olinto flats. I have the flats on a J bass and the tension/stiffnessis very reasonable, comparable to the stiffer 105 round sets. The super polished should be lower tension than the Olinto flats...

Have you ever tried chromes in order to compare brightness to the olinto flats? I love my chromes but would love a little less tension on D&G. Thx.

 

[astoryarc]

Labella said these are an all new stainless string not related to the old runs.

My understanding is that these are the same as the 2022 run with new packaging, the 2018 were just unground polished nickel so quite different of course. Where did they say they're unrelated to previous runs, did they throw any more interesting tidbits out there?

 

[CrimsonGhost]

My understanding is that these are the same as the 2022 run with new packaging, the 2018 were just unground polished nickel so quite different of course. Where did they say they're unrelated to previous runs, did they throw any more interesting tidbits out there?

They had mentioned the following on Instagram.

 

[NickyBass]

Well, that's good news. I would never want to try a 'limited edition' string. A limited edition bass, amp, pedal...great. Something that you have to replace often has less appeal.
But, I will probably try a set one of these days. Whether that is the initial run or the full production run, I don't know yet.

 

[CuiFoo]

I just emailed them asking about it and they replied:
Thank you for your email. At this point we do not plan to add them to the catalog full time.

So that Instagram post and the response I got are in conflict.