Moan about La Bella Flatwounds

[KiOgon]

I've just fitted a set of La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass Flatwounds (1954 Oldies) to my Frank Bello & I'm a bit p155ed with them, more specifically - the E string.

It has to be said I'm a bit fussy about things & strings so as the E is like a QE2 anchor cable I thought I'd check the nut fit as I was going up from a .100" to the .110" & the old Fender seemed to sit a bit high in the nut. Also because I use a Hipshot xtender I wanted to make sure it had a free run through the nut. I spent a long time fettling & filing the nut slots to get a perfect fit on all strings, judging by the last 1/2" or so of the string before the silk. The Frank Bello has a BadAss3 fitted as standard, again 'as standard' is strung through body. When I fitted the G, D & A I was happy but then the E - it's not bloody long enough! The silk sits in the nut but worse than that, the flatwound section stops almost exactly where the silk starts, so the part of string actually in contact with the nut is not even smooth or even & with using the extender the silk ain't going to last long rubbing against the nut. Another moan is the rigidity & rough spiral of the silk covered ends that wrap around the pegs, they're really hard to guide neatly when winding on.

Annoying or what? The other 3 silks end nicely in line about 2" above the nut, if the E was the same it would be perfect, with the main body of the string just on the tuner peg.

At first I didn't like the feel or the tension of them either but tweaked the truss rod & left it overnight to settle. This morning I gave it a complete setup, the E sits a fraction low in the nut but I was able to get a good low action on all strings, with the E .100" clear from last fret, the A, D & G .080" or under, with .012" clearance under a 2' steel rule on the 8th fret.

I'm hoping the stiffness eases a bit when they've had a good stretch & workout! I nearly went back to the Fenders straight away, or maybe try some Status flats but at £25 a set I'll give them a fair try + of course I'll need a new nut now as well before I can change to anything less than a .110" E.
Sorry meant to post in miscellaneous etc.

Cheerz, John

Edited September 18, 2010 by KiOgon

[chris_b]

You can string the E through the bridge.

[KiOgon]

[quote name='chris_b' post='960423' date='Sep 18 2010, 02:38 PM']You can string the E through the bridge.[/quote]
Yeah but no but yeah but - no I can't - if you look at the pic of the E over the bridge you'll see how the winds have started to 'open' & the strings will all have a kink which is not nice if you then put the same strings through the bridge ending up with a not nice bit of string about 1 or 1.5" from the saddles, right where you might want to pluck!

[KiOgon]

[quote name='Johnston' post='960429' date='Sep 18 2010, 02:45 PM']I thought Labella didn't recommend that you put flats through the body!![/quote]
I've never seen any official recommendation other than don't wind the main string around the peg, oh and never let your bollx dangle in the dust

Not to mention that these are "Original 1954 Oldies" & how did 1951 - 1954 in fact until 1957 P basses have their strings fitted?

Cheerz, John

[Beedster]

[quote name='chris_b' post='960423' date='Sep 18 2010, 02:38 PM']You can string the E through the bridge.[/quote]

You can, and it might be OK, but it might also come unwound at the steep angle at the saddle, mine did.

C

[danny-79]

Not long had a fling with Flatt's to quickly fall out with them and go back to rounds., but....
My question is that no matter if there strung through the body or the bridge as long as there all going through the same place then the silks should all start at the same place on each string ?
Like in the photo the ADG are all the same length an then the E is a couple of INCHES!! shorter ????
Just seems a bit strange to me ?

[Machines]

I don't think the string is to blame, the string-through bridge is effectively making the scale length longer. Thus standard strings might not fit as seen, i'd be go for strings designed for 35" scale at least.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Machines' post='960890' date='Sep 19 2010, 06:04 AM']I don't think the string is to blame, the string-through bridge is effectively making the scale length longer. Thus standard strings might not fit as seen, i'd be go for strings designed for 35" scale at least.[/quote]
^^ what he said. I'm afraid to say, you should have bought a long-scale set.

As for the stiffness & size of the E.. If you've gone from a .100 E to a .110, it's bound to be a shock. The 54's / Jamersons are pretty extreme.

Maybe you should have tried some more 'normal' La Bellas, like the FLs, first...?

[KiOgon]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='960892' date='Sep 19 2010, 06:20 AM']^^ what he said. I'm afraid to say, you should have bought a long-scale set.

As for the stiffness & size of the E.. If you've gone from a .100 E to a .110, it's bound to be a shock. The 54's / Jamersons are pretty extreme.

Maybe you should have tried some more 'normal' La Bellas, like the FLs, first...?[/quote]

They are a long scale set how else would the A D & G be just right? It's only the E that's short.

To be pedantic the 'scale length' doesn't change strung through body or bridge

I use GHS on my '51 P bass - bridge mounted & the same GHS on my Skjold 35" scale, they fit either just right. The silks are 3/4" - 1" away from the Skjold nut & 2" from the P bass.

The GHS 3060s E string measures .107/.108" & they are sweet & flexible on both so I wasn't expecting the extra 2 or 3 thou to make a big difference in feel, it's not like these are the first flats I've tried, I've used mostly flats for 45 years! I do like a big G string , preferably over .050" so the LaBellas seemed a good choice, size wise.

I never expected the E string to be effectively 2" shorter than the other 3 - that's the thing

Edit: To make matters worse, I've just noticed on te LaBella packet - "Perfectly Balanced Sets" - I don't think so

Edited September 19, 2010 by KiOgon

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='KiOgon' post='960897' date='Sep 19 2010, 06:53 AM']They are a long scale set how else would the A D & G be just right? It's only the E that's short.[/quote]
Oh.. that is odd.

I'd see what La Bella have to say...

[Machines]

I find long scale set means for a standard scale 34" bass and super long for 35", but that's for D'Addario - no idea of that's different for LaBella.

[KiOgon]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='960899' date='Sep 19 2010, 07:01 AM']Oh.. that is odd.

I'd see what La Bella have to say...[/quote]

I've found the invoice from Stringbusters so I've sent them an email with pictures, we'll see what they say. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a reply from La Bella direct, never seem to have much luck with replies from across the pond!

Cheerz, John

[franzbassist]

Looks like a medium scale E string was packed with a long scale set to me. I've never had that problem with the La Bella sets I've used in the past or now.

[KiOgon]

[quote name='walbassist' post='960924' date='Sep 19 2010, 08:50 AM']Looks like a medium scale E string was packed with a long scale set to me. I've never had that problem with the La Bella sets I've used in the past or now.[/quote]
Yep! That's exactly what it looks like to me too

Cheerz, John

[chris_b]

Send them your photo. Do you stil have the receipt? I'd get them to change the set.

[Spoombung]

I had a similar problem with Pyramids at the other end. Appalling design (and terrible dull sound IMO)

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='walbassist' post='960924' date='Sep 19 2010, 08:50 AM']Looks like a medium scale E string was packed with a long scale set to me. I've never had that problem with the La Bella sets I've used in the past or now.[/quote]
+1. In each of my La Bella sets all four strings have close to the same length of non-silked string.

[KiOgon]

[quote name='EssentialTension' post='961314' date='Sep 19 2010, 05:02 PM']+1. In each of my La Bella sets all four strings have close to the same length of non-silked string.[/quote]
Thanks for that Dave - reassurance at last!

Cheerz, John

[Musicman20]

I've been using Ernie Ball Group III flats and they are fantastic!

Tension is about medium...a bit more than TIs.

Nice smooth tone, apparently they turn to that nice thud and lose their zing quite quickly.

Very impressed!

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='KiOgon' post='961320' date='Sep 19 2010, 05:06 PM']Thanks for that Dave - reassurance at last!

Cheerz, John[/quote]
I meant to add that I wouldn't myself string La Bella flats through the body; I would use the bridge.

[danny-79]

[quote name='walbassist' post='960924' date='Sep 19 2010, 08:50 AM']Looks like a medium scale E string was packed with a long scale set to me. I've never had that problem with the La Bella sets I've used in the past or now.[/quote]

My bets still on that.

[KiOgon]

2 working days, 2 emails - no reply yet. Come on Stringbusters

EDIT: Amazing! Just checked my email & they've come through:

"Hello John,

Sorry, we didn't seem to pick up the first email. In short, no - they shouldn't be like that. We've had a check on some other sets and the E's are actually shorter but only by about an inch. If all of your strings are through body, theoretically one of these E strings should sit the right side of your nut, judging by your pictures. We can get one off in the post to you to try, we'll enclose an SAE to return the short one back to us in so we can return it to La Bella as well. Let us know if it's still problematic for you though and we'll see what else can be done.

Kind regards,

A @ Stringbusters"

Result

Edited September 21, 2010 by KiOgon

[wateroftyne]

[franzbassist]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='963491' date='Sep 21 2010, 04:26 PM'][/quote]

Wow that's old skool

[KiOgon]

[quote name='walbassist' post='963492' date='Sep 21 2010, 04:27 PM']Wow that's old skool [/quote]
Yep - power to the email! (In a Wolfy voice of course)

PS: See my edit above ^^^^^^^^^^ Post #24

Edited September 21, 2010 by KiOgon