Through body with La Bella 760FL-B? Safe or risky?

Will 760FL-B strings break on a through body setup?

  • Yes— fix it before you lose an eye!

    Votes: 4 17.4%

  • No— the risk is overblown. If you like it, leave it as is.

    Votes: 19 82.6%
  • Total voters
    23
#21
Basslie said:
thank you. Just annoyed that their tech didn’t do it right, when we paid $99 for the setup. I’m sure they’ve set these up many times, and it says clearly on the package: “This particular set is NOT suitable for basses with bridges that require strings to pass through the body of the instrument.” They’re not the cheapest strings as you know.
Click to expand...

Well, the answer is right there on the package. Who do you trust the most? The company who made these strings or a bunch of anonymous strangers on the internet? There's a reason why LaBella make specific sets for through body bridges.

If it's just for practising at home I guess you can just play them until they break. If it's for playing gigs or for studio sessions I would replace them. LaBellas are not the kind of strings you replace 5 mins before a studio session. They really need to be broken in. At least if you want that classic, fat, thumpy LaBella tone.

As for your tech installing these strings many times... Perhaps. But most likely not, for several reasons:

Some strings are discussed a LOT on Talkbass but much more rarely seen in real life. LaBella flats are an example of this. Based on talkbass you would expect these strings to be the answer to all your tonal needs. They're not. They're niche stings that are only suitable for certain styles of music. In all the years I've worked at a guitar workshop I can't remember EVER installing a set of LaBella flats for a customer (it has probably happened a couple of times but it's definitely a rare thing). Of course, part of the reason for this might be that once you've got a set of LaBellas installed you won't need to replaced them for several decades. They will only get better with age (to a certain point of course). But the result is the same: Your tech has most likely not installed these strings "many times", if at all. If he's a GUITAR player he may not even have heard of LaBella flats. And 99% of the time he would have done the right thing. Bass players usually want the strings installed through the body if that's an option.

Still, if the tech ruined your strings by not following the instructions on the package you should ask (politely) for a replacement set. The bass is already set up for these strings so if you carefully change one string at a time the setup should still be the same, no need to mess with anything. You WILL need a brand new set of strings to install them through the bridge though. The "kink" over the saddles will move to the speaking length of the string if you re-install your current set through the bridge and that's DEFINITELY not ok.
 
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#22
So I've broke strings going thru the body as you have. But I knew right away. The string made a pop noise while tightening it up and then the more you tighten it was just unraveling. But if you already have these installed successfully and nothing happened when you set the break angle, then I'd leave them alone and enjoy them as is. Don't change anything
 
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#23
S.F.Sorrow said:
Well, the answer is right there on the package. Who do you trust the most? The company who made these strings or a bunch of anonymous strangers on the internet? There's a reason why LaBella make specific sets for through body bridges.

If it's just for practising at home I guess you can just play them until they break. If it's for playing gigs or for studio sessions I would replace them. LaBellas are not the kind of strings you replace 5 mins before a studio session. They really need to be broken in. At least if you want that classic, fat, thumpy LaBella tone.

As for your tech installing these strings many times... Perhaps. But most likely not, for several reasons:

Some strings are discussed a LOT on Talkbass but much more rarely seen in real life. LaBella flats are an example of this. Based on talkbass you would expect these strings to be the answer to all your tonal needs. They're not. They're niche stings that are only suitable for certain styles of music. In all the years I've worked at a guitar workshop I can't remember EVER installing a set of LaBella flats for a customer (it has probably happened a couple of times but it's definitely a rare thing). Of course, part of the reason for this might be that once you've got a set of LaBellas installed you won't need to replaced them for several decades. They will only get better with age (to a certain point of course). But the result is the same: Your tech has most likely not installed these strings "many times", if at all. If he's a GUITAR player he may not even have heard of LaBella flats. And 99% of the time he would have done the right thing. Bass players usually want the strings installed through the body if that's an option.

Still, if the tech ruined your strings by not following the instructions on the package you should ask (politely) for a replacement set. The bass is already set up for these strings so if you carefully change one string at a time the setup should still be the same, no need to mess with anything. You WILL need a brand new set of strings to install them through the bridge though. The "kink" over the saddles will move to the speaking length of the string if you re-install your current set through the bridge and that's DEFINITELY not ok.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarity. Requesting a new set seems like a decent compromise. I wasn’t sure if intonation would have to be reset with a new set top loaded, and not through body. You’re saying no, it’ll be fine, as long as I keep tension in the neck by stringing one at a time?

as for commonality of LaBellas…. It’s my second go with them, as I had them on another bass years ago. I guess when you play just one instrument, it’s easy to forget that most of the times techs deal with guitars and other things… and those usually with round wound strings.
Thanks
 
#24
When I owned a 5 that was string though, I ran these LaBellas through the body with no problems. I stopped using them because, as others have said, the tone of B string did not match the rest of the set at all. Haven't used them since. TI's are my magic bullet for flats these days.
 
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#25
Both the B and E strings of that LaBella set won’t reliably work through-body on most basses. Moreover the B string is a muddy mess. :rollno: Even where the LaBella DTFs can be top-mounted, I substitute a D’Addario Chromes B string to get pitch definition on the B. Tonally it works just fine with the rest of the LaBella set.
 
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#28
With guitar strings, you do have more of a risk of the string breaking and flying off (happened to me the other day actually, fortunately it missed my eye). But when bass strings break it's usually the core that snaps, it won't work anymore but the winding keeps it from flying off. You'll just feel it go loose all of a sudden.

The cost of replacing them is not insignificant; I've had LaBella replace a bad string for me before when it had a slipped core but they may not be so generous if you string through the body when the package specifically says not to.

Regarding GHS vs LaBella, I recently replaced some LaBella DTFs with GHS Precision Flats following an electronics project on my Fender. The LaBella's are the smoothest FEELING strings I've ever played, you almost cannot tell that there are seams between the winding wraps. The GHS strings are still smooth but I can feel some texture on them. It's hard for me to say whether they sound significantly different because of the brand or because the LaBellas were a couple years old and the GHS flats are new, or because I also put 500K pots in the bass when I swapped the strings, but the GHS are more lively sounding than the old LaBellas were.
 
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#29
Basslie said:
The break angle is what I’ve heard too causes the break. I wonder if the Yamaha BB series, with the diagonal through body holes are more forgiving to flats
Click to expand...

I believe that's the point of that angle - I've only ever strung through the bridge and I had the bass wearing Chromes for a bit before I decided I didn't care for them. No signs of strain on them at all.
 
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#31
Basslie said:
Hello,

I just got a new bass for my birthday from my wife (nice gift!). It’s a Sire P5R- 5 string.

She had tbe La Bella 760FL-B set put on it and had Sweetwater do the set up and string install (extra $).

I opened up the box and played it some last night. Loved it. Amazing neck btw. Come home from work today and take a closer look and I see that the Sweetwater tech set it up with strings through the body instead of through the bridge (I’d have figured they’d know better, but guess not? The input jack also fell into the guitar fist time I plugged it in, so that apparently got missed on this multipoint inspection too— luckily that was an easy fix).

I know LaBella says only through bridge for this set, but I’d hate to have to redo the whole setup. It’s currently set up very nicely with low action, etc. I’d hate to change it all— especially resetting up the intonation on new flats.

What are your thoughts on leaving it as is? whats the realistic risk of breaking a string with through body on this set?

This is a 5-string p-bass with flats, so not gonna be slapping on it. Mostly finger play, occasional pick usage. Maybe use the nordy mute.

I know the topic has been addressed in passing on different forums— but it seems there is no consensus on the risk of running these through body, so wanted to ask directly.

I created a poll for ease of judging the consensus.

thanks for your input.
Click to expand...
Have you spoken to the tech about it?
 
#34
Lance Bunyon said:
You know what I learned during my double bass years? (Certainly not how to play double bass)...but seriously they mix and match strings all the time on DB.
I once had a 5 string PJ with flats on B, E and A and rounds on D and G.

For some reason the BG crowd is obsessed with canon approved string sets but the more conservative DB guys are string swingers lol!
Click to expand...
With flats, there are times when I have replaced only one string. I haven't mixed flats and rounds, but why not?
 
#35
Little confused by this thread. I bought a set of Labella 760f-mus intending to use through the body. This is from Labella:
The 760F-MUS set is compatible with Fender® vintage THROUGH BODY Mustang® bass guitars.

The 760F-MUS set DOES NOT work with newer Mustang® models that have TOP LOADING BRIDGES. Top loading models take any La Bella short scale set.

The 760F-MUS set is NOT intended to fit or perform well with other models of bass guitars that happen to have 30" scales where the strings are installed through the body of the bass.

Fender® and Mustang® are registered trademarks of FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORP and are not associated with E & O MARI, INC / LA BELLA.
 
#36
SRHill said:
Little confused by this thread. I bought a set of Labella 760f-mus intending to use through the body. This is from Labella:
The 760F-MUS set is compatible with Fender® vintage THROUGH BODY Mustang® bass guitars.

The 760F-MUS set DOES NOT work with newer Mustang® models that have TOP LOADING BRIDGES. Top loading models take any La Bella short scale set.

The 760F-MUS set is NOT intended to fit or perform well with other models of bass guitars that happen to have 30" scales where the strings are installed through the body of the bass.

Fender® and Mustang® are registered trademarks of FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORP and are not associated with E & O MARI, INC / LA BELLA.
Click to expand...
Well, now I'm confused by your post, and how it applies to the present thread.
 
#37
The only ones that carry a warning against through-body loading are regular (not marked -TB for "Thru-Body" or -MUS for "Mustang") La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass flatwounds, both stainless steel and Golden Alloy.

Did you mean that 760f MUS were not meant for through the body installation and that only Labella strings marked TB are for thru body installation?
 
#38
SRHill said:
Did you mean that 760f MUS were not meant for through the body installation and that only Labella strings marked TB are for thru body installation?
Click to expand...
Why would you infer such a thing, when I clearly mentioned the MUS set alongside the TB? Whatever I meant for the former was clearly intended as valid for the latter as well.

Speaking of what I meant: the only sets that carry a warning against through-body are regular* Deep Talkin' Bass flatwounds (both steel and Gold).


* [Where "regular" means those sets that are not marked "TB" and "MUS". In other words, the non-TB and non-MUS sets have the "don't thru!" warning, whereas the TB and MUS set have no such warning (in fact, they have the opposite one).]
 
#40
HaphAsSard said:
Nearly all flats are through-body safe.

The only ones that carry a warning against through-body loading are regular (not marked -TB for "Thru-Body" or -MUS for "Mustang") La Bella Deep Talkin' Bass flatwounds, both stainless steel and Golden Alloy.

In other words, the Low Tension Flats are (supposedly, but also according to user reports) fine, the new Olinto Signature Flats are fine, DTB nylon tapewounds are fine, and so are flats by any other brand.
Click to expand...
HaphAsSard said:
the only sets that carry a warning against through-body are regular* Deep Talkin' Bass flatwounds (both steel and Gold).


* [Where "regular" means those sets that are not marked "TB" and "MUS". In other words, the non-TB and non-MUS sets have the "don't thru!" warning, whereas the TB and MUS set have no such warning (in fact, they have the opposite one).]
Click to expand...
Corrigenda -
At the time of the above posts, the La Bella Olinto Signature Flatwound sets (OSF-4, OSF-5 and OSF-6) did not come with the anti-stringthru warning.
However, the warning was recently added to their product pages as well.

In other words, the only thru-body kosher La Bella flats are
- the LTF-4A and LTF-5A from the Low Tension Flats line
- the 760FS-TB (Deep Talkin' Bass flat standard, thru-body version)
- the 760F-MUS (Deep Talkin' Bass flat for the thru-body-only Fender Mustang)
- the 760-FD (Deep Talkin' Bass flat for Danelectro short-scale basses), for some reason (either the light gauge or the fact that only in a sub-short scale bass would they fit through the body)

[The nylon tapewounds (whether black, white or custom coloured) are really, like the near-totality of the competition, roundwound under the tape, and accordingly come without the warning.]
__

The above having been said, all La Bella flats and tapes carry another warning, about correct headstock-end length fitment (the strings should taper before the tuning post).
 
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