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Returning to Flatwounds (Need help with La bella options)

R

Rycebag

Supporting Member
Feb 22, 2008
1,084
311
#1
Hey all,

Im finally returning to flatwounds after a long hiatus. Im looking to put a set of la bella flatwounds on my lakland skyline joe osborn bass (34" scale length). The specific sets that i am looking at are the 0760M, 760FM, and the 760FS. I have a few questions for those of you who have experience with them:

1) I usually go the string-thru-body route. Has any one had trouble doing that with these sets?

2) Is there a noticeable tension difference between them?
 
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#2
Rycebag said:
Im finally returning to flatwounds after a long hiatus. Im looking to put a set of la bella flatwounds on my lakland skyline joe osborn bass (34" scale length). The specific sets that i am looking at are the 0760M and the 760FS. I have a few questions for those of you who have experience with them:

1) I usually go the string-thru-body route. Has any one had trouble doing that with these sets?

2) Is there a noticeable tension difference between them?
Click to expand...

La Bella Deep Talkin' Flats should never be used for thru-body unless it's specifically a "thru-body" version with TB at the end of the model designation, eg 760FS-TB.

There is a noticeable difference both in tension (as in pulling weight) and stiffness between the two as the 0760M uses thicker core wires than the rest of the DTF lineup.
 
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#6
Heavytrain said:
Used Rotosound Swing Bass 66 on my Tbird for years then changed to La Bella Deep Talkin Bass strings last year and I love‘em. My old fingers are thanking me and I noticed a nice change in the tone and sustain. My Fender Jazz has D'ADDARIO ECB81SL CHROMES FLATWOUND and they are also an excellent choice (IMHO).
Click to expand...

Nice! D'addario chromes are definitely looming in the back of my mind. What kind of tonal differences do you notice between the la bellas and the chromes? Are they able to string-thru-body?
 
#7
Have not done a comparison on the same Bass but my Fender Jazz seems to have a little bit brighter and cleaner tone with the D’Addario Chromes over the Rotosound Jazz Bass 66. I will stick with the LaBella Deep Talkin Bass on my Tbird just for the tone, I like the roar of the humbuckers and it seems to be more of a beast with the LaBellas. For my preference I have changed to these strings over the Rotosound but as always it’s up to you and the sound you are looking for. I haven’t totally given up on Rotosound and will probably use them again but for now I’m happy with my choice. Hope my input is helpful.
 
#9
andare said:
Chromes have more high end and less midrange, to my ear. They are also more flexible and should survive being strung through the body.
Click to expand...
And then that zing dies to worthless thump. Not mellow, just dead thump. Have you considered the Fender 9050L set? They are a modern flat with or growl that mellows nicely over time. When I play the Fender flats, I run them through body and they do just fine. The most underrated flat out there are the Ernie Ball stainless flats (not the Cobalt). They have just a little bit of growl, sitting in the tone spectrum between La Bella and Fender and also work through body well.
 
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#11
iiipopes said:
And then that zing dies to worthless thump. Not mellow, just dead thump. Have you considered the Fender 9050L set? They are a modern flat with or growl that mellows nicely over time. When I play the Fender flats, I run them through body and they do just fine. The most underrated flat out there are the Ernie Ball stainless flats (not the Cobalt). They have just a little bit of growl, sitting in the tone spectrum between La Bella and Fender and also work through body well.
Click to expand...
I have Chromes on my Mini P and Bronco and they are still bright after more than a year.
I have Fender 9050MLs and they are middy/muddy. I've had them on two P basses, alnico and ceramic pickups, they sound pretty much the same. They're ok but I'd like more definition sometimes. Too broke to try other strings now. These differences go out the window on the stages I play anyway.
 
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#13
andare said:
I think it has to do with hex or round core. IIRC hex core is more flexible. Labellas are old school round core and will break. (might be the other way around)
Click to expand...

As a general rule, hex core is stiffer and less pliable than round core. La Bella DTFs are all hex core while the LTF is round core.

Most flats, hex or round, can be strung thru-body with no issues. La Bella is the only company who explicitly warns against thru-body method with their DTFs. And that has more to do with the formulation of the stainless steel used for the outer ribbon wire that makes them harder and more brittle than most others.
 
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#14
I had a set of Labella LTFs (5 string) strung through-body, no issues. Good feel, great sound. Switched them out for GHS tapes, which work a little better for that bass. Not getting rid of the LTFs, though. Worth a try.
 
#15
Rycebag said:
Hey all,

Im finally returning to flatwounds after a long hiatus. Im looking to put a set of la bella flatwounds on my lakland skyline joe osborn bass (34" scale length). The specific sets that i am looking at are the 0760M, 760FM, and the 760FS. I have a few questions for those of you who have experience with them:

1) I usually go the string-thru-body route. Has any one had trouble doing that with these sets?

2) Is there a noticeable tension difference between them?
Click to expand...

1) I haven’t strung these thru-body but La Bella has specific thru-body strings as they state the regular ones won’t be able to handle the break angle and will possibly break. I would just stick with what the manufacturer suggests.

2) The 0760M will have highest tension followed by the 760FM then the 760FS. The tension will be much more noticeable between the 0760M vs the 760FM and 760FS.

Personally I use 760FLs as I prefer lighter gauges
 
#16
andare said:
IIRC hex core is more flexible.
Click to expand...
michael_t said:
hex core is stiffer and less pliable than round core.
Click to expand...
It's not core shape per se - cores are cores - but the whole string: a hex core digs into the (under)windings, which creates a stiffer whole. A round-core string can fail not due to its core being inherently more prone to breakage (it's not, unless it is unusually thin, which is another thing and independent of shape) but because it comes unwound.
 
#18
Chromes are real weird., I have a 16 year old set on one bass which are beautifully dead...tons of mid range when played lightly...another set remained bright as a bulb for about ten years then a few months ago I had to remove and then re-fit them and bam...they are now dead, weird.
 
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#19
EB Group IV flats work on my string though '79

20211230_170431.jpg
 
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#20
Personally I prefer 760FL (43-104). I find them "bouncier" than the heavier gauge sets and more or less comparable in perceived tension/stiffness to a typical 45-105 roundwound set. I'm usually not fan of lighter gauges than 45-105 EXCEPT when it comes to LaBella DTFs. The 760FS (45-105) sets don't feel nearly as nice to me and they're more different to 760FL than the relatively small difference in gauges may suggest. The 760FL sets feel very nicely balanced to me, the 760FS sets do not. Any heavier than that and I'm out.

If you want to go though body you will have to get the TB set though, which is only available in 45-105.
 
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