The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    This weekend I re-strung my Aria PE-185 (copy of a Gibson Super-V by Matsumoku) with a set of .14 to .67 (medium gauge) tape-wound La Bella flats. These are, by far, the heaviest strings I have used on an acoustic-electric guitar. I had to wrap more of the 6th string on the tuner in order to get the string to run through the hole in the tuner shaft--the diameter of the string at the point at which I would ordinarily have cut it prior to stringing on the tuner would have been too thick to go through the hole.

    My initial impressions, based on playing just this weekend on a Gibson-like guitar, are that the strings yield a great tone for playing Wes Montgomery-style jazz. Fast octave runs and Wes-pattern single-note, then octave, then chord melody runs work amazingly well on these strings. I was a bit anxious that the wrapping on the strings would slow me down on these runs, but it is not a factor, at all.

    The gauge of the strings is not a big deal at all. Like Thomastik-Infeld strings, the La Bella strings seem somewhat low tension for their gauge. The wrapped strings are actually easy to bend. The .14 and .18 first and second strings, of course, are fairly stiff, but they don't seem to pose a problem for me. (I play bass.)

    Nice set of strings.

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    I think everyone should try them. I've used them on an L-5 and an ES-335(!).

    I love how the low E string sounds when you "thumb" it.

    I think you'll find the wrapped strings last a long time.

  4. #3

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    Are these flat wound strings?

  5. #4

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    Yes

  6. #5

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    Great strings - a very "specific" tone, but an excellent one nevertheless. The longest lasting strings I've ever used, too!

  7. #6

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    +1 on LaBella.

    They sound great and feel like low tension so me. I have the flats tho' and not tapes (?)

    I love the extra E+B strings too

  8. #7

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    yep.. using black tape labellas on my Emp Reg.. not a guitar I play daily but they are the only string that sound great YEARS after I put them on.. the last set I had to change because my kids knocked over the guitar and dented the strings.. and that was a couple of years after I had put them on. The intonation doesnt go wonky or anything.

    I found 3 sets in a bargain bin a few years ago.. at this rate it might be a lifetime supply... seriously.

  9. #8

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    My own personal experience with labella tapes is that they lose tension as they settle in, to the point where they get a bit too floppy for my taste.

    Like a lot of folks here I like TI swings for electric. For acoustic I recently switched to the TI plectrum bronze, the only acoustic bronze set I know of with flat wound strings (ADG; E is wound); unfortunately only available as 11s (AC111) (there is an AC112 set, but it is completely different; only one flat wound string, and an enormous wound E).

  10. #9

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    Re "specific" sound. I can see that. When I started playing, it seemed to me that the guitar/strings were more "be-boppy" than usual. That's why I gravitated to Wes. There is a definite bluesy/bebop feel to the guitar and strings now.

    I have been using the bass guitar version of these strings for years. The strings give a Joe Osborn bass sound, without any noticeable deterioration of the strings, for years at a stretch.

  11. #10

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    Has anyone tried the newer white nylon version? La Bella Strings Introduces Electrics® White Nylon Tape Wound Guitar Series, Expands Black Nylon Tape Wound Guitar Series

    La Bella is plugging them as being "smoother".

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greentone
    Yes
    I could be wrong, but I always thought the La Bella Black Tape strings were basically a smaller diameter nickel round wound string that is then wrapped in nylon tape. That's why, despite the greater diameter, the tension is not much greater, if at all, then regular steel strings. The tension created by the string is only from the inner, smaller gauge string.

    The nylon tape wrapping basically has no bearing on the tension of the string. The overall tension on the neck is therefore no greater than a regular set of medium gauge strings

    But of course, the tape make them sound and play much like a flatwound string, so for all intents and purposes, that's what they are. Personally, I'll probably never use anything else. You're absolutely right, Greentone, they're ideal strings if you want that classic Wes tone.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
    Has anyone tried the newer white nylon version? La Bella Strings Introduces Electrics® White Nylon Tape Wound Guitar Series, Expands Black Nylon Tape Wound Guitar Series

    La Bella is plugging them as being "smoother".
    Yes, I tried them on a Gibson L5 CT. Unfortunately I haven't tried the regular ones so I can't comment on the difference!

  14. #13

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    It would make sense if there is a roundwound core in there. The strings sound like that. The guitar is more acoustically alive. I just finished a session with the guitar. The strings were exactly in tune when I took it out of the case today. That's unusual with a new set of strings, IME.

    The strings seem to have really settled in--they sound really sweet. The huge diameter--.14-.67--has no bearing on how easy the strings are to play. I'm sold: these strings are going to be in this guitar from now on, unless they sound like crap next week. The Wes Montgomery repertoire sounds fantastic on this guitar now. The pickups sound much better than they did...just with a change of strings. AND, no string noise.

    :-)

  15. #14

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    Did you find it necessary to do any nut and/or bridge work to accommodate the larger diameter?

    I have a set I've been thinking of sticking on my L4-CES but the idea of retooling a nut/bridge, and maybe having to switch them back has made me a bit wary.

  16. #15

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    I've been wanting to try them on one of my 7 string guitars, but have been concerned that they might not fit through the 6th and 7th string holes in the tuners. Has anyone had a problem with that?

    The .078 I currently use was a tight fit. The La Bella 7th string is a .079 and tape wound. I could drill it out I guess. I wonder if John Pizzarelli's Moll, or Bucky's Benedetto have oversize tuner holes?

  17. #16

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    don't mix these up with something like coated strings...they are not a finished string covered with nylon

    from la bella-

    La Bella Jazz Tapes® are the secret behind the sound of the best professional jazz players in the world. These strings are handcrafted with a proprietary black nylon tape, wound on a hexagonal core


    they are wrapped like flatwounds but with nylon wrap instead of chrome/ss or pure nickel

    cheers

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by goldenwave77
    Did you find it necessary to do any nut and/or bridge work to accommodate the larger diameter?

    I have a set I've been thinking of sticking on my L4-CES but the idea of retooling a nut/bridge, and maybe having to switch them back has made me a bit wary.
    You might have to get the nut filed, but this is true any time you change the gauge enough.

    Bridges are more forgiving, or maybe I'm less picky on that end.

  19. #18

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    Aside: it just hit me, 14 gauge is "medium". Heh. They are practically no 15 gauge sets any more for electric guitar.

  20. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by BigDaddyLoveHandles
    You might have to get the nut filed, but this is true any time you change the gauge enough.

    Bridges are more forgiving, or maybe I'm less picky on that end.
    When I put La Bella's on my Hofner, I filed the nut slots on the low E, A, and D strings. The others were fine. I had no problems getting the strings through the tail piece slots and the tuning post holes.

    I agree with Big Daddy, filing a nut slot to accommodate different strings is no big deal. If you're worried that you'll have to get a new nut if you ever decide to go back to other, less heavy strings, all I can say is, once you try these stings you'll probably never take them off.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Slide
    I've been wanting to try them on one of my 7 string guitars, but have been concerned that they might not fit through the 6th and 7th string holes in the tuners. Has anyone had a problem with that?

    The .078 I currently use was a tight fit. The La Bella 7th string is a .079 and tape wound. I could drill it out I guess. I wonder if John Pizzarelli's Moll, or Bucky's Benedetto have oversize tuner holes?
    They fit my 7-string with no tooling of holes.

    Great string. Check out my page below to hear them acoustically on a 17".

  22. #21

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    The low E on a 6 string set just about fits through the tuning posts on my guitars (Asian made - I doubt the posts are any different to USA made guitars but not sure if there was metric/imperial hoodwinkery in manufacturing so thought it worth noting). The low E didn't *instantly* fit through the tailpiece hole - it sticks out by about 15mm (where the ball end wrap is particularly thick). I just tune it to F# and leave it for a while. In 10 minutes or so, I just hear a thud where the tension has worked its magic and pulled the string into its correct place.

    This thread is making me want to put another set on! I'd love them for life if the low strings had a bit more tension to them. They feel lovely to play - very much like a classical guitar, to me.

  23. #22

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    Grand Wazoo and Jazzy Jim, Thanks guys!

    I'll order a tape wound set. I think John Pizzarelli uses a regular round wound 7th string, not tape wound.

  24. #23

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    The sixth string (0.67!) is sitting a little high on the nut of my PE-185. I am not going to file the nut until I decide for sure that I am going to stay with this gauge and string. Right now, the intonation and action is good...at least, good enough.

    On a permanent basis, I would want to file the nut and get the string down at the headstock end just a bit. But for now, the guitar plays fine and it sounds absolutely first rate--better than it ever has, even with TI Swing Flats.

  25. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Slide
    Grand Wazoo and Jazzy Jim, Thanks guys!

    I'll order a tape wound set. I think John Pizzarelli uses a regular round wound 7th string, not tape wound.
    John isn't customizing -- the 7 string set (800-7) has a regular 7th string. I don't know why,

  26. #25

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    Presumably to have a string of that density to be tuned to a low A or B and still have some stability and not sound flubby, you'd be looking at a 115 gauge string at least! bass guitar tuning posts, anyone?!