Which LaBella flatwounds for jazz bass

[bigthemat]

guess I'm in the minority but I LOVE the DTFs on my jazz. I've been a flats only guy for a long time, tried chromes, the fender flats with the seafoam silks that got too old and they don't make them in a fiver now, so got some la bellas and they're great.

 

[pyrat56host]

I have LaBella 760FS or 760FS-S on every bass I play, EXCEPT my Jazz...it has Fender 9050ML...and I adore them FOR THAT BASS. I tried Labellas on the Jazz and it was alright, the Fender flats make it come alive...like they WERE MADE for it!

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Ive owned both sets and haven’t really noticed a huge difference between tone or feel. So I guess it’s really a difference of taste, do you like red silks or purple silks? Both are great sets

 

[michael_t]

I have LaBella 760FS or 760FS-S on every bass I play, EXCEPT my Jazz...it has Fender 9050ML...and I adore them FOR THAT BASS. I tried Labellas on the Jazz and it was alright, the Fender flats make it come alive...like they WERE MADE for it!View attachment 5288610

 

[Grinderman]

I haven't used Olinto but based on what I've read my SWAG in choosing between those two sets would have me trying 47-107 Olinto flats.

I don't need to do that because I'm happy using Fender 9050M flats on my Jazz. If not those flats, I'd probably go with 45-105 Rotosound 77 Jazz flats.

 

[jnewmark]

GHS precision Flats. Ready to go right out of the package, no stickiness or breaking in period, even tone across the strings.

 

[pbass2]

I expect the pickups on a J make a big difference. I favor Labella FS 45-105 on P's and tried them on my Jazz with Area J's. Sounded good but those pickups are kinda polite to begin with, and the sound tended to disappear a bit in a mix (without some extra grunt added down the line) so rounds went back on. I have another Jazz incoming that I intend to keep single coil, so my plan is to try the FS's on that and compare. Looking for a classic Jazz w/flats tone for this bass for reggae, roots music, etc.

 

[trothwell]

I haven't used Olinto but based on what I've read my SWAG in choosing between those two sets would have me trying 47-107 Olinto flats.

I don't need to do that because I'm happy using Fender 9050M flats on my Jazz. If not those flats, I'd probably go with 45-105 Rotosound 77 Jazz flats.

I very nearly purchased a set of the Olinto flats several times recently, to put on my Jazz bass, but as far as flatwound strings on a Jazz bass go, I have been very happy with the Rotosound 77s. It actually took me a bit -- the first time I put the 77s on my Jazz bass, I did not care for it. Guess I had different expectations. But tried it again, and it's sounds really quite lovely.

Should try the Fenders again too... only had them on a fretless bass, have not tried them on any fretted bass yet.

 

[Bassamatic]

LaBellas DTFs for the P, T.I.s for the J - no question. First time I gigged my J with the T.I.'s the band members said that is how a bass should sound.

 

[antfarm]

I like LaBella LTFs on my Fender AO 60s Jazz Bass, feel and tone are perfect.

Disclaimer: I play exclusively finger style, and most of the time only use the neck pickup. Gives me the rubbery, a little raspy tone that I prefer.

 

[lomo]

My preference is also Labella low tension flats.......great finger feel and warm/clear to my ear. A bit higher tension than TI Jazz flats, but available in lighter gauges (I use the light ones).

 

[ravlin]

I've had La Bella DTF on 3 different jazz basses and never liked them. I really want to like these strings but cant. I'm about to throw away an almost new Jamerson set on a passive p/mm abomination because they didn't work there either. That said, I like the newish Ernie Ball Slinky Flats and Roto 77s. DR Legends deserve an honorable mention but the b string sounds like it belongs to a different set so I'd only recommend for 4 string jazz bass.

 

[butterfingers1]

Not much talk about the new Olinto’s.

 

[MrAB4003]

I think a Jazz bass with old school flats is a thing of beauty. King Curtis, Jerry Jemmott, Memphis Soul Stew.

I believe it depends upon the Jazz bass, especially when considering the neck. But La Bella DTF’s, GHS Precisions, Fender 9050’s, or TI flats if you like accentuated mid range and flexibility for your fingers, would be my suggestions for different reasons.

"Listen to the band move, watch the people groove, y'all."
- King Curtis

 

[MrAB4003]

Between those choices, I would go with the olinto flats. If you want a little bit of midrange bark though, take a look at the Labella gold flats. I swapped from the olinto flats (which were good) to the golds on my p and loved it. They brought back a little bit of the growl I was missing. Have not tried either on the jazz. The only downside to the golds flats is that they feel almost a little sticky for a few minutes when you pick up the bass. And no, it's not the donuts causing the stick...

I once owned a 7ender Jazz Bass and I strung it with La Bella Gold flats. I was not a fan to be honest. They were very sticky, the gold luster wore off very quickly, and the tone was way too tubby for me.

 

[butterfingers1]

I tried a set of Deep Talkin’ 760FS from a precision bass on the jazz bass today while I wait for the FLs and Olinto’s to arrive in a month. A big improvement over roundwounds as I expected, but a bit darker and less articulate than on the precision bass, back on the precision they go. I can see why people look for brighter flats for jazz basses.

For me however, who finds jazz basses anaemic and never sounding right in a mix, I don’t want to sacrifice the heft and percussion of the Deep Talkin’ Labellas. I can always EQ in some high end if necessary. So the FLs will go on the jazz.

 

[foal30]

I tried a set of Deep Talkin’ 760FS from a precision bass on the jazz bass today while I wait for the FLs and Olinto’s to arrive in a month. A big improvement over roundwounds as I expected, but a bit darker and less articulate than on the precision bass, back on the precision they go. I can see why people look for brighter flats for jazz basses.

For me however, who finds jazz basses anaemic and never sounding right in a mix, I don’t want to sacrifice the heft and percussion of the Deep Talkin’ Labellas. I can always EQ in some high end if necessary. So the FLs will go on the jazz.

hey mate

I’ve recently put the LaBella 760FS on my 71 Jazz. Early days yet but so far I think they are luverly

the string closest I think of is the old Sadowsky Black flats. brighter than GHS but duller than Chromes

 

[GIBrat51]

Among these two choices in the poll, but feel free to discuss others, mainly Labella if possible.

I'm afraid I'll have to agree with a lot of people here, and say - pretty much anything but La Bellas. I don't own a Jazz Bass, but I do own several dual single-coil basses. None of them - with 2 exceptions - wear La Bellas, but a couple of them do wear Fender 9050L's. The two that do wear La Bella flats, are a long scale Dano DC59 Pro, and a short scale Dano Longhorn. They wear the very light gauge (39-96) 760FX's. They give me the "Dano Sound" from the '60's Garage and Surf Bands that I grew up with. If someone stuck a gun in my ear, and made me buy a Jazz Bass? I'd be tempted to try a set of those on it - maybe. Failing the 760FX's? I might try a set of the La Bella 4LTF's on it. Not so much for the low tension as the fact that they aren't quite as Old School Thumpy as most La Bellas. However...
If I didn't default to TIJF's or Fender 9050Ls? I might be tempted with a set of the 45-95 GHS #3025 Precision Flats. I'm sorta obsessed with getting the original, factory "vintage" sound from the basses in my herd that originally had one. The Optima RB clones of the original Maxima factory flats on a Rickenbacker, for example. On a Fender P-Bass or a Jazz Bass? Up until 1978, Fender shipped Jazz Basses with their in-house Squier Flats (P-Basses came with them until 1982). Three guys from Squier (their initials are G,H, and S) left to form their own company, and their #3025 Precision Flats are about as close as anybody has come to duplicating those original Squier Flats. I have the slightly heavier #M3050 set on my "A" necked '78 P-Bass, under a foam mute in the bridge cover. The tone? Pretty much as I remember a friend's P-bass back in the mid-1960's... Otherwise? A set of Fender 9050Ls, for sure...

 

[butterfingers1]

hey mate

I’ve recently put the LaBella 760FS on my 71 Jazz. Early days yet but so far I think they are luverly

the string closest I think of is the old Sadowsky Black flats. brighter than GHS but duller than Chromes

Hi Reuben, thanks you’re encouraging me. I’ll be trying it again tomorrow when my ears are ringing less. The Labella Deep Talkin’s, including the “bridge cable” 1954 Vintage ones, are a revelation to me. I’m new to flatwounds at my age, they’re wonderful on precisions, never going back to roundwounds I don’t think.

 

[foal30]

Hi Reuben, thanks you’re encouraging me. I’ll be trying it again tomorrow when my ears are ringing less. The Labella Deep Talkin’s, including the “bridge cable” 1954 Vintage ones, are a revelation to me. I’m new to flatwounds at my age, they’re wonderful on precisions, never going back to roundwounds I don’t think.

I’ve managed this year to get down to just 6 Basses

All are strung with flats...I don’t even have a halfwound strung bass anymore (used the D’Addario set for a good 25 years)

Keep experimenting I reckon, strings are such a personal touch thing but a big part of the Bass Guitar sound.

I used the Jazz Bass earlier in the week through my big Ashdown 300 watt Valve Amp and thought it sounded exceptional when using a light plectrum. I’d be very surprised if you can’t get good tone from a flatwound strung Jazz Bass