What flatwounds are these?

[MovingPitchers]

Maroon or burgundy silk ends. Gold ball ends. Similar tension with 45-105 Roundwounds.

I got these on a bass I bought two months ago but strung them up on my Mexican P.

 

[michael_t]

Maroon or burgundy silk ends. Gold ball ends. Similar tension with 45-105 Roundwounds.

I got these on a bass I bought two months ago but strung them up on my Mexican P.

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They look like an earlier version of La Bella Low Tension Flats before they started color-coding the ball ends a few years ago. Can you verify there is no silk at the ball end?

 

[MovingPitchers]

They look like an earlier version of La Bella Low Tension Flats before they started color-coding the ball ends a few years ago. Can you verify there is no silk at the ball end?

Can confirm no silk at the ball ends.

 

[michael_t]

Can confirm no silk at the ball ends.

La Bella LTF for sure then.

 

[jeff62]

But the OP said they are similar tension to 105 round wounds. IME, Labella LTF’s were like floppy noodles compared to round wounds or anything else. My bet would be a diff unidentified string.

 

[SharpCat]

Burgundy could be Gibson flats.

 

[michael_t]

But the OP said they are similar tension to 105 round wounds. IME, Labella LTF’s were like floppy noodles compared to round wounds or anything else. My bet would be a diff unidentified string.

Stiffness/flexibility is a matter of personal perception. Many would agree La Bella LTF are not "wet noodles" like TI Jazz Flats. Besides, 45-105 rounds can be floppy noodles if they are round core, eg DR Sunbeams.

 

[michael_t]

Burgundy could be Gibson flats.

As far as I know, Gibson Flats have silk at both ends.

 

[SharpCat]

As far as I know, Gibson Flats have silk at both ends.

I don’t remember, you’re likely right.

 

[MovingPitchers]

They feel much lower tension than my other set of Labella’s which have black silk ends at the end. Stiffer than my TI Jazz flats.

 

[michael_t]

They feel much lower tension than my other set of Labella’s which have black silk ends at the end. Stiffer than my TI Jazz flats.

La Bella Flats with black silk = 760FS (45-65-85-105). The LTF would be more flexible than the 760FS and stiffer than the TIJF. So, it all makes sense.

 

[ImTheOnlyOne]

If the silks fray when you breathe near them, then likely they're LTFs

Eyeballing the G, that appears to be the case.

 

[Stewie]

Maybe GHS Precision Flats. Back in the day they had silks on both ends,

 

[michael_t]

Maybe GHS Precision Flats. Back in the day they had silks on both ends,View attachment 7527788View attachment 7527789

Yes, those do look like GHS Precision Flats. One telltale sign is the winding length (38" ball end to silk). The blue-ish purple silk also looks very familiar.

 

[FightMilk]

They’re the low tension flats.

 

[MovingPitchers]

They’re the low tension flats.

If that’s the case then I’m happy because those were what I was gonna get for this bass.

 

[GIBrat51]

Stiffness/flexibility is a matter of personal perception. Many would agree La Bella LTF are not "wet noodles" like TI Jazz Flats. Besides, 45-105 rounds can be floppy noodles if they are round core, eg DR Sunbeams.

Just so...

They feel much lower tension than my other set of Labella’s which have black silk ends at the end. Stiffer than my TI Jazz flats.

I bought 2 sets of La Bella LTF4-A's several years ago - as in, shortly after La Bella introduced them. Yeah, that's just how they look. I was going to put them on my '73 Rick 4001, which was developing the neck problem that some older 4001's get, but never did. It eventually wound up wearing some other flats, instead. I eventually put the LTF's on my Custom Shop ('cause, lefty) '23 G&L Kiloton lined fretless bass. They feel great, and the tone is too die for. Even though they have less actual tension than TI Jazz Flats do, they feel - and act - like more normal flats, because they were manufactured to be like that. Low tension definitely does not mean "Floppy". The strings I eventually put on my Rick 4001? Dogal's JC106A "Jaco" CarbonSteel Flat wounds. You want really low tension? Try 5kg. of tension per string - according to the package. That's 44 pounds of tension per set. Are they "floppy"? Absolutely not. In fact, they feel - and sound - very similar to the Optima 4440 RB Flats I have on my '01 Rick 4003...