New LaBella flatwound strings

[Nerve]

Very curious to hear about people's experiences with these strings. I'm on the fence about waiting for these new Olinto strings to become available, or just go with the FL's (which I also haven't tried before) on my new G&L LB-100.

 

[Kevin Hailey]

I’d heard about these and enquired with LaBella a little while back as to whether they would be making 6 string sets, the answer at the time was not yet.
Two days ago I saw some were available and I snagged the last set! They arrive Saturday.

 

[woodyng2]

I’d heard about these and enquired with LaBella a little while back as to whether they would be making 6 string sets, the answer at the time was not yet.
Two days ago I saw some were available and I snagged the last set! They arrive Saturday.

I got an email notice from the Labella String club about the Olinto string set debut and presale.
The description of the strings didn’t exactly light me up, (fatter gauge, but thinner core?),
and the complete lack of any mention of tension values makes me want to wait to hear more from user experiences.

 

[Kevin Hailey]

I got an email notice from the Labella String club about the Olinto string set debut and presale.
The description of the strings didn’t exactly light me up, (fatter gauge, but thinner core?),
and the complete lack of any mention of tension values makes me want to wait to hear more from user experiences.

I’m hoping that the thinner core will provide a slightly more supple feeling string with improved articulation over the standard labella flat. Don’t know yet because of delay with delivery..

 

[bobyoung53]

Has anyone used these yet?

 

[Kevin Hailey]

Just put these on my Ibanez sr1346.
Initial impression is very good. Tone is warm, thick and articulate, my bass can be overly bright and I’m not hearing that. Strings feel stiffer than what I’ve been using (Fodera light/med, TI jazz flats) could be hex cores? I don’t know. Nicely responsive to vibrato. Tension is comfortable, probably about on par with Labella low tension flats. Pitch focus/note definition on the B and E strings is good, better than other labella flats I’ve used.
The C string is definitely brighter than the others and is quite loud. Hopefully this works well in a band context where the high string can easily get buried.
The two tone silk winding looks nice but the outer (white) layer came unwound very easily on installation leaving a bit of mess around the tuners which I just cut off.

 

[jdjk7]

Ultimately the dealbreaker for me is the color of the silk. I think it should be as close to the color of the strings as possible or at the very least never purple.

And here I was, like a chump, thinking it was about the sound and the feel...

 

[jdjk7]

Just put these on my Ibanez sr1346.
Initial impression is very good. Tone is warm, thick and articulate, my bass can be overly bright and I’m not hearing that. Strings feel stiffer than what I’ve been using (Fodera light/med, TI jazz flats) could be hex cores? I don’t know. Nicely responsive to vibrato. Tension is comfortable, probably about on par with Labella low tension flats. Pitch focus/note definition on the B and E strings is good, better than other labella flats I’ve used.
The C string is definitely brighter than the others and is quite loud. Hopefully this works well in a band context where the high string can easily get buried.
The two tone silk winding looks nice but the outer (white) layer came unwound very easily on installation leaving a bit of mess around the tuners which I just cut off.

I set up a BEAD bass with the Jamerson set, because that was the type of string that was on it to begin with. It technically functions, but I feel as though the higher core diameter might be messing with the intonation of those lower notes. Do you think the Olintos would be a notable improvement in that case?

 

[Kevin Hailey]

I set up a BEAD bass with the Jamerson set, because that was the type of string that was on it to begin with. It technically functions, but I feel as though the higher core diameter might be messing with the intonation of those lower notes. Do you think the Olintos would be a notable improvement in that case?

Probably, never used a Jamerson set with a B string but the E string from that string set is notorious for intonation problems.

 

[jdjk7]

Probably, never used a Jamerson set with a B string but the E string from that string set is notorious for intonation problems.

Funny enough, I felt like the intonation on it was fine until I made the switch from EADG to BEAD. Not only does the B string feel out of wack, but so do the others (which previously were fine). It's not something that comes across as much in recordings, but it's something I can hear and feel. Not sure why

 

[andare]

And here I was, like a chump, thinking it was about the sound and the feel...

Nobody called you a chump. Maybe you don't care about the color and look of your instruments but I do. I won't spend my money on just anything

 

[jdjk7]

Nobody called you a chump. Maybe you don't care about the color and look of your instruments but I do. I won't spend my money on just anything

I'm the one who called me a chump, because it seemed I've been thinking about this whole music thing the wrong way. I debated adding /j to the end of that message... it appears I made the wrong call.

Feel free to care about the look of your instruments, but I really just can't imagine the color or presence of silk string ends making or breaking your musical experience.

I mean... I am assuming that you are putting strings on basses with which to make music, and not to collect or hang on walls. If you ARE a collector and you're judging these strings based on their visual aesthetic alone, then sure, I say it's a valid opinion to choose one string vs another based on the color of the silk.

I am not a collector. My instruments make sounds, and the quality and characteristic of the sounds they make is what I consider the priority when it comes to making changes to that instrument (new strings, etc).

I'd rather spend my money on a better sounding string with baby puke-colored silk than a string I don't like the sound of which happens to have my favorite color silk. That is the only point that I wish to make here.

 

[andare]

I'm the one who called me a chump, because it seemed I've been thinking about this whole music thing the wrong way. I debated adding /j to the end of that message... it appears I made the wrong call.

Feel free to care about the look of your instruments, but I really just can't imagine the color or presence of silk string ends making or breaking your musical experience.

I mean... I am assuming that you are putting strings on basses with which to make music, and not to collect or hang on walls. If you ARE a collector and you're judging these strings based on their visual aesthetic alone, then sure, I say it's a valid opinion to choose one string vs another based on the color of the silk.

I am not a collector. My instruments make sounds, and the quality and characteristic of the sounds they make is what I consider the priority when it comes to making changes to that instrument (new strings, etc).

I'd rather spend my money on a better sounding string with baby puke-colored silk than a string I don't like the sound of which happens to have my favorite color silk. That is the only point that I wish to make here.

I don't think it's weird to also make aesthetic choices when the choice is there. I'll avoid purple and any color that clashes with the color of the bass if I can. This goes for pickguards, knobs etc. As I wrote earlier I don't see why strings should have color since the silk is rather prominent. It's not the end of the world but I'll exercise any choice I have.

 

[sunbeast]

Funny enough, I felt like the intonation on it was fine until I made the switch from EADG to BEAD. Not only does the B string feel out of wack, but so do the others (which previously were fine). It's not something that comes across as much in recordings, but it's something I can hear and feel. Not sure why

Did you use the same set of strings or brand new ones when you converted? If the same ones I might suspect some twisting, which is easy to do when reusing strings that have been removed (especially flatwounds in my experience)

 

[jdjk7]

Did you use the same set of strings or brand new ones when you converted? If the same ones I might suspect some twisting, which is easy to do when reusing strings that have been removed (especially flatwounds in my experience)

I reused the E, A, and D strings and added a B.
Do you think there's a good way for me to try to correct twisting?

 

[sunbeast]

I reused the E, A, and D strings and added a B.
Do you think there's a good way for me to try to correct twisting?

If your bridge is a top-loader, I would loosen the strings at the tuner and pull the ball ends back through the rear of the bridge and try to let them spin out any tension/twisting while returning them to pitch. If you held the ball ends taught while installing them then they probably twisted as you tightened them (I always let the tuners pull out slack of the strings from behind the bridge so that the strings will mostly straighten themselves out from twisting while I tighten them). If your bass is a rear-loader you can try the same process, but it can be more difficult because the bend of the strings can stop them from untwisting

 

[GIBrat51]

Just put these on my Ibanez sr1346.
Initial impression is very good. Tone is warm, thick and articulate, my bass can be overly bright and I’m not hearing that. Strings feel stiffer than what I’ve been using (Fodera light/med, TI jazz flats) could be hex cores? I don’t know. Nicely responsive to vibrato. Tension is comfortable, probably about on par with Labella low tension flats. Pitch focus/note definition on the B and E strings is good, better than other labella flats I’ve used.
The C string is definitely brighter than the others and is quite loud. Hopefully this works well in a band context where the high string can easily get buried.
The two tone silk winding looks nice but the outer (white) layer came unwound very easily on installation leaving a bit of mess around the tuners which I just cut off.

Thanks very much for the review. Since I use flats almost exclusively (only 2 of my 22 basses don't wear them), and have also played them almost exclusively for 50+ years (a lot of them being La Bellas, as well), it's nice to have my theory of their probable performance mostly confirmed. That being so? Sadly, I don't think these new flats would give me anything - on any of my basses - that I'm not getting from any of the different flats that I'm using right now - and will stick with. So, these new flats seem nice, but... I'll have to pass...

 

[SBassman]

I generally like the tone of many flats, but the stiffness and tension often makes me rip them off the bass.

 

[smeet]

Where are guys getting these strings? Got a link?

I really like Cobalt flats, I’m very interested to hear how these compare.

 

[Just Wrong]

Where are guys getting these strings? Got a link?

I really like Cobalt flats, I’m very interested to hear how these compare.

LaBella Roadie Club: The Roadie Club: La Bella Strings' Backstage

They have < 10 4-string sets in stock right now.