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My Labella roller coaster ride

#21
jallenbass said:
Wait a minute. I thought you were done with flats?
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That was so last summer ;)

Dude, I go so back and forth with the flats that it's not even funny. I just got to the point where any time I heard the roundwound ring, it took me completely out of the music I'm mostly playing (oldies from 50's 60's 70's), so I decided to commit to flats.
 
#22
onestring said:
I hear you on spotty QC issues. My first set of LaBellas were not good strings. They arrived with machine oil all over them (the paper envelopes were stained with it) and they had no personality.

And even since I've learned how awesome they can be when you get a good set, they are finicky. Other strings (especially my beloved TIs) can survive being removed and reinstalled repeatedly where the LaBellas tend to change character, and the wrap's hold on the core becomes tenuous if you are not really careful. But there is no faster route to a nice fat vintage tone than LaBellas.
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I've gotten flats covered in oily goop from several manufacturers. The worst was a set of Rotosound flats, which had an incredible amount of sludgy crud stuck to it. I've taken to wiping down new flats with a rubbing alcohol covered rag before installing them.

I've had issues with LaBella flats breaking after re-installation on the same instrument. Never had this happen with other strings.
 
#23
Was packing up my axes for Saturday night gig and wanted desperately to change my Jamerson Lows for some new Fender flats on my fretless...just didn't have the time.

They have been on for a couple of years and well seasoned. Half wounds...maybe next time.
 
#24
Handyman said:
I've gotten flats covered in oily goop from several manufacturers. The worst was a set of Rotosound flats, which had an incredible amount of sludgy crud stuck to it. I've taken to wiping down new flats with a rubbing alcohol covered rag before installing them.

I've had issues with LaBella flats breaking after re-installation on the same instrument. Never had this happen with other strings.
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Me neither. When I was using rounds and doing alcohol soaks, I rotated the same two sets of XL's on my P Lyte every couple weeks for two years. I don't know what to make of a string that can't take being reinstalled on the same bass more than a couple times. I know it's not their intended purpose to do that, but still...
 
#25
I've have the set of 9050L Fender flats off of my Peavey Millenium BXP twice, while I tried to figure out if I really wanted flats, or rounds on the bass. The flats are back on now. They show no sign of being weakened in anyway (I'm sure it helped that I was stringing thru the bridge, and not the body; otherwise I might feel differently.)

Unless they break, they are going nowhere.

Jimmy, next time you come up my way, I definitely want you to play my bass with the Fender flats on it, so you can see if you like them. I use gauge .045-.100 but believe me, they don't feel as stiff as the older ones did.
 
#26
Handyman said:
I've had issues with LaBella flats breaking after re-installation on the same instrument. Never had this happen with other strings.
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I don't get it. I've moved Labellas around from bass to bass for years with no particular problems. The only one that broke was an E string I strung through-body against their warning... it snapped off at the bridge in the most sickening way. I also have some that have been on the same bass for years. Once they hit a certain point they'll hold nice n steady for quite a while, for sure. Chromes are great strings too but they just don't have the same sound, IMO. Oh, and I have broken TI's too, right in the middle of a set, right next to the tuning peg.
 
#29
JimmyM said:
Ordered two sets of Labella flats in 39-96 gauges, one for my P Lyte, one for my Longhorn. Got Hofner Labellas and forgot that they won't fit on Longhorns, so I put them on my Realistic violin bass, the other set on the P Lyte. The G string wouldn't intonate properly in the P Lyte set, so I took them off till the could send me a new G.

A few days later I get the new G and put the set on, and the D string breaks at the peg for no apparent reason. My request for a second new string was ignored.
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The breakage thing has already been covered, but inconsistent sound with Labella flats is hardly a new problem.

I used to get bad E strings off and on as far back as the early 70's, and B strings from the mid 80's. More recently, I had a couple of bad Labella bronze strings on my baritone guitar. Getting free replacements is hit and miss at best.

But once you get a set of Labella's that you like, it can be a great tone and feel. And at least with the flatwound bass strings, you can leave them on for years. I just consider it part of the cost of doing business with Labella...
 
#31
steve_rolfeca said:
The breakage thing has already been covered, but inconsistent sound with Labella flats is hardly a new problem.

I used to get bad E strings off and on as far back as the early 70's, and B strings from the mid 80's. More recently, I had a couple of bad Labella bronze strings on my baritone guitar. Getting free replacements is hit and miss at best.

But once you get a set of Labella's that you like, it can be a great tone and feel. And at least with the flatwound bass strings, you can leave them on for years. I just consider it part of the cost of doing business with Labella...
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This is unacceptable for a string that goes for about $40.00.
 
#33
I cant even use LaBellas! The polishing compound they use gives me insane allergic reactions! Just opening the pack is enough to get my eyes red, and give me itchy rashes everywhere!

I gave them a couple calls about that and was just ignored! (first time i was told they where out for lunch and second time he just told me it wasnt his problem!)

I never had any kind of allergies before that so i dont really understand what it could be! Since i use both nickel and SS strings (rotosound and D'Addario) without any problems i assumed it could only be the polishing compound they use!

Wiping the strings did nothing so i threw them away and it took a few weeks for me to be able to use the bass the strings had been on without having reactions!

Never again will i buy or recommend LaBellas!
 
#34
I just had a new La Bella experience myself. I've used them before but never was really sold on them because of the brightness difference between strings that others have mentioned. The last set I tried maybe 6 months ago had a nice thud to the E, A, and D strings, but the G sounded like a stainless roundwound...stuck out like a sore thumb.

Well, I just bought an old P bass and the seller strung it with a brand new set of La Bella 760FL's before he shipped it. This one has the reverse problem: The E string is very dead sounding, but the other 3 strings are super bright and twangy. You don't notice the difference so much playing finger style, but put a pick to these strings (something I adore about flats) and they just don't balance well at all.

I have never experienced this with the Chromes I use and I have been through a lot of those (the 50-105 set)

Back to the old reliable for me!
 
#35
madmatt said:
This is unacceptable for a string that goes for about $40.00.
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I agree. I have found Chromes to be far more consistent and they're about half the price. Plus, the tone is very usable right out of the pack, and they just get better and better for months. After a couple of months of steady use they "settle in" and stay there tone-wise, then you're good for...actually I don't know how long you're good for...I have yet to change a set because they stopped sounding or tuning up great.

I have basses that have had the same set for years and they still sound fantastic.
 
#36
Disheartening to hear this. I have recently changed to LaBella after using TIs for years. TI CS was top notch though I like the La Bella sound and feel at my fingertips much better. That said, out of the 4 sets I have ordered and used I received no duds and no problems. I have even restrung a couple of pairs a few times while I was going through the TI - LaBella debate. Again no problem. Poor CS though is an issue with me. I play every day and thus want quality and support from those I sink the meagre money I make into my gear. Still no poor level of CS could convince me to reinstall a set chromes on any bass I own (the only flatwound string I ever thrown away!). Still a reply from LaBella here would be reassuring to us customers. -Cheers, RFMac.
 
#37
I've been using Labella for a few years now and the only time I ever had a bad set was about 3 years ago, I had a set of a lighter gauge that was very unbalanced. The rest of the sets I've had have been fine. I've even reinstalled a set from one bass on to another with (so far) no issues.
 
#38
I use Chromes now due to their playability and customer service.
.050-.105.
 

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#39
RFMac said:
Disheartening to hear this. I have recently changed to LaBella after using TIs for years. TI CS was top notch though I like the La Bella sound and feel at my fingertips much better. That said, out of the 4 sets I have ordered and used I received no duds and no problems. I have even restrung a couple of pairs a few times while I was going through the TI - LaBella debate. Again no problem. Poor CS though is an issue with me. I play every day and thus want quality and support from those I sink the meagre money I make into my gear. Still no poor level of CS could convince me to reinstall a set chromes on any bass I own (the only flatwound string I ever thrown away!). Still a reply from LaBella here would be reassuring to us customers. -Cheers, RFMac.
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Well thanks but I'm really not looking for that from Labella. Not like I can't afford $16, although with shipping it was closer to $23. And to be fair, they did send me one string. These strings are actually working out for me, so I'm trying to be big about not getting the second bum string for free. After a week they're no longer sticky, and they're deadening up well...they're almost as dead as the Chromes after 3-4 months.
 
#40
I've had a similar experience with Labella DTB strings. I have a set (the heavier set - I forget the ##) on my violin bass - put them on last year. After trying four brands of flats on that bass, they had the best feel, sound, and balance between strings. However, the first set I put on had a dead E string - it would not intonate either. Fortunately for me, I bought the set at a brick and mortar store - took them back and they exchanged for another set no questions. Second set was just great and is still on the bass a year later.
 

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