Ste-up on a Fender Precision with LaBella flatwounds: 52-110

[johnhenry]

My bass is a 1964 Fender Precision. I've had it 39 years and though it's not mint it's a beauty. I really like the sound and feel of LaBella medium gauge flatwounds but I'm having a difficult time getting the E string to play in tune up the neck. The barrel bridge is way back and I've shortened the screw but it still plays sharp. I wonder if it's a truss rod adjustment? It seems to me these strings were made for this bass so there must be a fix for this that I don't know about. Please help!

 

[Oren Hudson]

Not usually a truss rod adjustment cause, but anything's possible.. Pretty much making the string longer and shorter to compensate for all other things. However, you always want to start your set-up with getting the neck to speck. Then proceed to intonation. Are you sure the saddle is moving? I have screwed the saddle all the way up and then back, kinda like rebooting the saddle. Maybe try that with little or no string tension for easy movement of the saddle.

 

[GIBrat51]

Do you normally use that string gauge, or is this an experiment? If you've used a 110 E string before, was the saddle way to the back before that one would intonate? It could be that the bridge simply won't work properly with that particular size and brand of string. This seems to be a problem with stringing a 4-string bass BEAD; lots of complaints about the bridge not wanting to intonate the big B string. My Carvin LB-20 is strung that way; it will intonate properly, but just barely; and all the bridge saddles are cranked way to the front (?!?). But, they're heavy LaBella tapewounds, not flats; and it's a much different bass/bridge from yours. Still - very different saddle positions from the "Normal" strings it used to wear, though..

 

[96tbird]

Is this a new set of strings you are talking about?

Did you do a complete setup once the strings were installed?

Did you press the strings down at the nut and bridge to eliminate arc up over the contact points? (Witness points). Especially important on stiff .110 flat wound E strings.

My Labellas intonate exactly where you'd expect them too with the saddles in the proper step down angle they should be as do all my bases with round wounds.

 

[johnhenry]

Is this a new set of strings you are talking about?

Did you do a complete setup once the strings were installed?

Did you press the strings down at the nut and bridge to eliminate arc up over the contact points? (Witness points). Especially important on stiff .110 flat wound E strings.

My Labellas intonate exactly where you'd expect them too with the saddles in the proper step down angle they should be as do all my bases with round wounds.

This is good news. I will try it again with a new set of strings. Thanks I'm not experienced in set-ups on my own bass but I really hope it'll work according to Hoyle. Or Fender. I've printed out their set-up recommendations. I don't think I'll try it myself but at least I'm better informed. Thanks again!

 

[96tbird]

Whoa, you may not need a new set. My question was that I ASSUME you are using a brand new set thereby necessitating this: pressing down on them as I said in the third paragraph. You must eliminate arc up over the saddles and nut.

 

[Lownote38]

I would go 105 - 45 with the gauges on the strings. 110 seems pretty heavy for a flatwound E string, and the saddle may not intonate properly for that reason.

 

[Willicious]

My bass is a 1964 Fender Precision. I've had it 39 years and though it's not mint it's a beauty. I really like the sound and feel of LaBella medium gauge flatwounds but I'm having a difficult time getting the E string to play in tune up the neck. The barrel bridge is way back and I've shortened the screw but it still plays sharp. I wonder if it's a truss rod adjustment? It seems to me these strings were made for this bass so there must be a fix for this that I don't know about. Please help!

Some great advice on this thread from others. Follow through with a good, thorough setup, because those '54 Jamerson strings are a thing of beauty on a Fender P. Plus, their higher tension allows you to dial in a nice, low action, which helps counteract their larger size and stiffness.

 

[johnhenry]

Whoa, you may not need a new set. My question was that I ASSUME you are using a brand new set thereby necessitating this: pressing down on them as I said in the third paragraph. You must eliminate arc up over the saddles and nut.

Thanks and thanks to everyone who has responded. I tried a different set of flats and really didn't like them. So I took them off and put an old set of the LaBellas back on. The intonation problem has been worse at times. Despite evidence to the contrary on this thread, this web page, I don't think it's a string that is commonly used. I played upright primarily for long enough to develop a heavy touch though I'm learning to lighten up without sacrificing expression. Maybe that's not even why but I'm not comfortable with the 45 - 105s of any brand I've tried. So now I've got the old "Jamerson" Labellas (I don't know how old, it's likely a combination from old sets I've kept for spares) and the E string barrel is way back but there is still room and it needs to be more in tune. I believe it can be. The other strings are not a problem, though the action overall is a little too high.
After the show I'm playing is done I'll get a new set of strings and tackle the issue again. Two things were completely blowing my mind: a hot spot in the pit on E natural (naturally), very noticeable (at least to me); and whenever he bass is doubled the timpany it's not a tuner I want to consult, it's the Richter scale. The bass (a/o its player) can't be expected to solve either issue. Once I calmed down I mentioned this to the music director in private and he was encouraging. The next rehearsal was better. But my first reaction is it IS my problem. I was already vaguely dissatisfied with my set-up/intonation and I made this matter worse trying a quick fix. The LaBellas are not carried by any local shop which is my evidence that they are stings not commonly used. This is a (questionably) major city but since coming here I've been getting strings ad things on line and felt I didn't have the time to wait this time. Probably most bass players are wiser possibly less neurotic about these things, (though we all have our musical pet peeves I'm sure), and at the very least wouldn't overreact as I did.
But it's good to have a forum like this to talk about stuff with other bass players. Unlike horn players, electric bass players are pretty much one to a gig. We've got to to talk about our experiences on gigs and thoughts about instruments, strings, other gear, elsewhere. I suppose that's true of drummers and piano players as well. So I don't feel like a total fool for bringing up the issue. And all the responses here are now part of my Go-To library with things like favorite transcriptions, Fender's adjustment and care guide,a list of the frequencies relative to A-440 at each fret, my recurring dreams (there are a lot of them, I'm narcoleptic), pictures of my ex-girlfriends for inspiration indexed by type of emotion...Whoa! this all took a left turn, eh?

 

[Pilgrim]

Flats currently aren't trendy so most music shops don't carry them. Our local GC has maybe two sets out of 30 strings they carry. But that doesn't mean that knowledgeable bass players don't use and love flats. Remember that music shops stock for the 18-year-olds who just got their first instrument, not for people who have played for 40 years and know what suits them best. I don't blame them - volume in sales is needed to stay in "bidness."

I like Labella Deep Talkin' flats, 760-FL in light gauge, .043-.104. I always have to order them.

 

[bklynbass]

Sometimes older strings, particularly labellas, go bad and won't intonate. Even more common is an occasional bad string from labella. Bassstringsonline lets you buy individual strings. I'd buy a new e from them. OR, Labella has been known to replace bad strings. Good luck!