TI Jazz Flats users - LaBella wants your business

[Dave W]

I thought all the LaBella flats were hex core before these new strings came out
I tried round core DR flats that had rough looking windings and saw others with similar issues. The TIs also have the layer of silk thrown in between there. I don't think the new low tension La Bellas have that.

I doubt LaBella uses a silk layer, but that has nothing to do with the bond between the core and windings. That's done by tiny crimps. I've used LaBella DTB flats on one bass for years, never a problem with separation, roughness or any other issue. LaBella does recommend against using DTB flats strung through-body because there are several flat windings and a sharp bend can cause them to break.

About 10 years ago I called LaBella with a specific question and wound up having a nice conversation with Bob Archigian, their longtime national sales manager. Among other things he told me that the DTB flats and rounds were round core and that the Hard Rockin' Steel rounds were hex core. No big deal to me either way.

[4stringer77]

That's interesting to know Dave thanks. Then the new La Bellas don't seem different at all from the DTBs except for the gauges

[Granny Gremlin]

A few other potential major differences:
- tension.
- core wire guage.
- both are steel, but there are so many different alloys - we don't know they use the same one

[ilan]

I think I'll give them a try some day when I run out of TI sets.

[Dave W]

That's interesting to know Dave thanks. Then the new La Bellas don't seem different at all from the DTBs except for the gauges

I think they must be very different. The DTBs have small cores and lower than average tension on the neck for their sizes, but they're stiff feeling compared to most others. They're almost like steel tubes. They're almost the opposite of flexible.

[Aussie Mark]

I'm still a TI fan, but something similar and cheaper sure would be nice!

Is $5 a year not cheap enough for you?

[Pilgrim]

Is $5 a year not cheap enough for you?

It's not so much the average, it's the immediate expense.

There's also the comparable value.  I've never been interested in spending 3x as much to buy TI flats when Labella flats have made me happy.  If they had been a similar price, I might have been more interested.