Flatwound strings comparison

labella, rotosound, thomastik, fender, d'addario

[@PDGood123]

An excellent video!! Straight to the point with no talking, side by side comparison using the same lick, quick changes between takes, good sound quality.This is how a comparison should be done! I wish everybody could figure this out.

[@allrequiredfields]

YES. EXACTLY.

[@lucyjordan214]

TI fingerstyle 0:02 Rotosound fingerstyle 0:15 Labella fingerstyle 0:30 D'addario fingerstyle 0:48 Fender fingerstyle 1:05 TI pick 1:20 Rotosound pick 1:43 Labella pick 2:03 D'addario pick 2:24 Fender pick 2:46

[@crystalidentity]

Nice, thanks for the rundown of the times! ;)

[@IdanShir]

very helpful video. thanks alot man.we all know that changing 5 sets of strings is a huge pain. highly appreciated!

[@crystalidentity]

OMG I only _just_ realised that (for some reason it didn't hit me 'til you said it outloud)!! Wow, that is a huge sacrifice for the sake of his audience! O_O BRAVO

[@dollofshadows1703]

I agree! And your playing was great!! I'm just getting back into bass, I've got 3 of them, and this really helped my decision towards which strings to put on my 1950's Univox.

[@candrink]

Expensive too!

[@MaggaraMarine]

Thomastik is closest to my perception of a "flatwound tone". Rotosound sounded pretty bright.

[@dekkes1]

I personally prefer d'Addario's, because they have a richer mid-tone. love it! :-)

[@placeboing]

wow, wasn't expecting such a noticeable difference. thanks.

[@isaac000016]

Thomastiks sound the best, followed very closely by the Labellas, then the Rotosounds, Fenders, and D'Addarios in my opinion.

[@MrDrys]

The bass wins

[@daveg9068]

It's about time. This video is EXACTLY what I've been looking for. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.

[@glenfair5272]

Great video. I’m amazed at how similar they all sounded. To me the TI’s are the only ones that stood out with a slightly different sound.

[@SergioMerlin]

THIS IS A VIDEO. i see what i want to see and i can understand the different sounds, without a man that only want to say "see how much i'm good" .. yeah!! :D

[@pjmuck]

I use LaBellas, D'Addadios, and Thomastiks. All sound great, depending on what bass I have them on. The Thomastiks didn't work on my P bass, as the tension was too flabby, but worked great on my Tele bass. I've had the same set of LaBellas on my P bass for 15 years (0760M), and I'm never taking them off.

[@TWOTOSrecords]

wow man, this really is a useful video. no bullshit and just everything you need to know about these strings. thanks man!!

[@WorkconnectionsWallst-nk3bx]

Excellent comparison and great video!

[@jeroenklaassen579]

The d’addarios have a real nice articulation

[@paolozak3014]

Yes, Labella and Thomastik depending on moods. Thomastik slightly richer "in your face" harmonics, Labella so amazingly well balanced. Rotosound have way too low output and grunty mids, but the metallic edge could be interesting in some contexts. Daddario have that brighter sound when brand new and eventually get darker, quite nicely but suffering the comparison against the best ones. Fenders are also brightish yet decent, good for the price. Check out GHS precision flats, they're quite good. Also, Status' flatwounds are sounding surprisingly mellow in a good way. Never tried DRs or EBs, anyone ?

[@alskndlaskndal]

Nice demos. The Thomastik definitely sounded the best on fingerstyle. D'Addarios were second place for me. But I liked the D'Addarios better with picking, so for overall versatility I'd choose them.

[@dreadnaught90]

Great demo! The differences are easy to hear.Thanks.

[@JeremySmith23]

Subbed for the no bs straight to the point content. Excellent comparison.

[@Iranosaurus]

Thomastik for the win! Thanks for a simple, effective video.

[@MrGrsrrt]

Thanks to your video I put my first Thomastik Infeld on my P bass. Couldn't be more happy. Thank you

[@N2F1]

FANTASTIC JOB on your comparison here. Thanks so much for taking the time and spending the $$ to do this. To me, the TI's sounded the "best." Having said that, when I had tried TI Jazz Flats in the past, I hated them. I guess couldn't get past the feel to concentrate on the sound. Their super-low tension REALLY bothered me. I may have to try them again and see if me being a few years older makes me not feel so bad about the way they feel. Maybe now that I have more tension, the lack of tension in that string won't bother as much.

[@keithruddell1800]

N2F1 Yea the feel makes or breaks it for people. I wish they would fix their A from a .070 to a .076ish. When I record the A string is a little anemic. Raising the pickup helps a hair though.

[@dunkelwelpling]

I'm using the LaBella FS right now and man, those strings are like bridge cables. I have to tune them to D Standard only then it's comfortable to play. It seems like i'd prefer the low tension of the TI's. I also prefer the sound of TI's, but since i read that the LaBellas "feel" better i rather bought them.

[@TZGreg]

This video is brilliant! Thank you! Playing the same basslines, with just a drum backing track, is the best way to compare bass sounds. I use D'Addario Chromes on one of my Fender Jazz basses. After watching your video I think I might try a set of Rotosound flats. They sound lovely and bright! Thanks again!

[@AndyPanda9]

This is the perfect way to compare - great job! I have the Rotosound (both 77 and 88) and I was surprised how similar the D'Addario sound to the Roto 77. I liked the TI a lot and I'll be trying a set soon. It would be nice to hear the DR and GHS flats compared against these. It would also be nice to hear a tapewound comparison between the Roto 88 and Labella and who else makes tapewounds?

[@armybass1970]

great job...I am sure that was a lot of work to do all that string changing. I love and am a regular user of TI's, LaBellas and Roto's. I think those strings sounded the best in your comparison and I loved how the Roto's have that killer 70's funk tone to them. The LaBella's have the warm Motown vibe and the TI's just sound great. To me...the D'Addarios and the Fender both sounded thin and uninspiring. If I am not mistaken...they are both made my D'Addario. Great, great job!

[@keithruddell1800]

I am a studio player and my choice is TIs which edge out the others based on how pliable their silk core feels. Some argue it is not a flatwound because the E string is not completely smooth. Due to the silk core (like many upright strings) it could be argued as the truest flatwound. If I was going based on sound-only for studio I would probably use LaBella as my all-around flat.

[@madmux5334]

+keith ruddell Do you find the TIs, or any other brand, to be tonally consistent from the E to A and D (G is always different, tinnier, but I don't care)? All brands I've tried, the E is always different than the A and D; I love DRs, but the E is tinnier; same with GHS, but the E is thuddier....is the TI E consistent with the A and D?

[@keithruddell1800]

+Mad Mux My apologies for being late to this. I would say TIs are closer to uniform than DR and GHS flats. Out of the box the E string is somewhat bright but quickly dulls to a more uniform sound with the other strings. I'm sure this is due to the wrap not being quite as tight on the E vs other strings. On a side note, the Pyramid E sound way different than the rest of the set. Did you end up trying TIs?

[@TRJBASS]

I think Rotosounds are be best for rock...the Labellas for R&B...I'm not a fan of Thomastik ,they sound okay but I don't like how floppy they feel .

[@videomaniac108]

The D'addarios seem like well-balanced strings. The Rotosounds seem too bright, especially with the pick.

[@MrFly78]

Right, Rotos sound almost like roundwounds here.

[@gingaleanda]

Good one - I bought TI's for my p deluxe and rotos for my warwick streamerlx jazzman. Lovin' it so thanks for doing the video. Fantastic Pick riff BTW

[@craigdamage]

I got D'addario "Chromes" flatwound 105-50 on all three of my USA Fenders. (two Precisions and a Jazz) All three have been strung with these for several years. Will NEVER change. Just like "Duck" Dunn and James Jamerson I will leave these strings on forever.

[@mmratmm]

Great Job, Mateusz! It seems to be very hard to change at least four string set! Dziękuję bardzo! I think, THOMASTIK! The most unique & special sound. LaBella is rather good. Ok, I love all the guitars & all strings :), but there are the most suitable for any kind of music, I think. Thomastik set is great for retro sound (why else we want to play flatwound, guys?). Ideal for picking style & great for fingers. Rotosound... Very good, but not so individual as Thomastik. Other strings are very good & I think there isn't any bad set in this review. One of my dream is to buy 2 or 3 different basses (i'm a pianist & guitarist) for different music styles. Now I know exactly what kind of bass & string set I'll buy as a universal instrument for all retro styles. Because If I want more rock I'll buy round wound, that's all :)))

[@LetMeDieLord]

Very helpful video, much appreciated! It would be A LOT better still, if you cut away the breaks between strings, and make it seemless transitions between strings. That way, it would bu MUCH easier for the ear to hear the differences between the strings. Still, you did good work here, thanks!! Did I just say strings like a hundred times in a row? Guess I did X-P, anyway

[@michaelraftice1230]

Thanks for doing this. I agree with someone else who says that they were surprised at the difference between the brands.

[@Purpleskyshorizon]

I love my Fender flats.

[@marike1100]

Agree. Also hey all sound excellent, their difference can probably be narrowed almost completely with EQ.

[@rojerweller2881]

I like mine too

[@shewh0rn]

THANK YOU so much for not yammering on for a million hours before getting to the good stuff, it's so appreciated. I'm wondering if you can comment on the perceived tension between the TI's (which I currently have on my 4 string) and the La Bella "Low Tension Flexible Flats"?

[@MrTennisgolf]

Overall I like the Fender strings.

[@drewsleyy3836]

Something important I learned today: I’ve now personally played the Thomastik and the La Bella strings, and although they have a similar sound, the feel is incredibly different. This might not seem important, but the feel affects how the player navigates the instrument, affecting the overall tone and performance! In this case, the Thomastik strings are significantly thinner and more bendable, whereas the La Bella’s are far thicker and stiffer. Personally, I much prefer the feel of the La Bella’s, and they’re much less prone to string rattle.

[@montag4516]

How do you think the tension of the Labelled would feel on a Rick 4003 bass. The 4003 has a scale of 33.25", so wouldn't this allow a slightly looser tension when tuned to standard EADG? I like the deep thump of those Labelled and they may help compensate the lean sound of the 4003 compared to say a P-Bass.

[@montag4516]

LaBellas, not "Labelled", damn auto-correct.

[@Phaidrus]

I like the Fender!

[@alfarocris1]

In my opinion: ^MELLOW ^1- Thomastick ^2- Labella ^3- Fender ^4- Rotosound ^5- Daddario ^BRIGHT

[@keith1r]

Cristián Alfa I’d say Rotosound at 4

[@SonicXRage]

Yes, sir! You are exactly right!

[@bassdackel]

Super! Vielen Dank für den Vergleich

[@richieprimoretro]

Nice job on this comparison. Would've helped if you noted if the strings were new or had a break-in period. IME, there's a fairly big difference in some brands after they 'settle in' after a while. I've become a proponent of TI in the past few years -- both flats and rounds. If you prefer the lower tension, which I do, the positives put them out in front. The consistency across not only the strings, but the notes all over the fretboard are second to none. Some think they're pricey but fail to realize the lifespan makes them a bargain vs. the others in that regard. Thanks for sharing!

[@mouthmw]

Great video! I went for La Bella 760FS (45-105) for my P bass (with EMG GZR). I dig the TI tone as well, but I worry about the very low tension and feel I can get a bit more diversity in my tone with La Bellas for my rock band (mostly vintage rock and Led Zeppelin tribute). edit: screw that, I ordered both La Bella and TIs and will see which ones win out on my P! xD Maaan that TI tone... Dayum!

[@rhoodj]

+mouthmw Why the Ernie ball 2816 is not here in the list? Great video. Efficient............................. which one is the best?

[@jdjk7]

+mouthmw I'm interested in a follow up on that...

[@mouthmw]

jdjk7 hey man, I ended up leaving La Bellas on my P bass and they're fantastic. I'm definitely keeping flats on for a long time, it's got that classic thump and they only get better with time. TIs were definitely too low tension for me, especially with half a step down tuning that we use live. They did sound great though, slightly more like a well used nickel rounds though when fresh, they had a great mid character, while La Bellas have more of that classic low end thump. TIs are not for me though, and I'm much happier with La Bellas :)

[@Rom1970]

Great video comparison...Very helpful.....Thanks.

[@cosmic53]

Thank you for this useful video. I liked that the comparison was made playing a groove, ratear than soloing, this makes it easier to see the point in a real life simulation. Useful and free from narcissism. I think I am looking for a Thomastick sound, but will go through the video some more times before deciding. Faltwounds can stay on for year or two, so it is better to take a good decision.

[@crystalidentity]

Wait - "a year or two"? But I've read that they can stay on for waaay longer than that (much longer than roundwounds). I mean, I wouldn't know personally, this is just what I read from people's experiences they told on online bass guitar forums.

[@ChurchillCigar]

Aya Sherlocat 5 years on a Hofner bass before the A string broke. (Hofner flats) I have Labella 45-105 on a Squier "Telecaster" Precision Bass since Summer 2008... And they say it shouldn't be used on string-thru-body instruments... Imagine that.

[@billbuck7963]

+Michele Costabile I've gone up to 9 years with Thomastik Flats as have others, they are worth the price.

[@alfieharries]

For those that like the thomastiks - id recommend labella low tension flats. Same feel and loose tone but without the slightly plasticy string noise

[@explorer8454]

Great video! All of the strings sound great on this bass.This goes to show that I need to get a Precision bass.

[@telecasterbear]

I have been playing guitar since 1975. I have just bought a 1975 P bass. I want flat strings. I eventually decided on 760fs strings. There sure are a lot of options for La bella string choices. Some packages don't label the scale length.

[@phangtonpower]

Hmmm maybe they needed more time to resettle. I notice sometimes when I take flats off and put them back on, they'll sound new/bright for a bit, then disappear again. Regardless awesome video. Thanks for taking the time to do it bro!

[@neilthomasofficial]

yes! that's how you do a comparison video!!! well done mate!

[@rippersk8er]

The TI's and the Labella's sound the best to my ears! great vid!

[@TheDavoFloresChannel]

I´m a rock n´ roll p bass player, so I guess the deep and bright sound of fenders and rotos will work well for me. Thanks for the great comparison.

[@dreadnaught90]

The Fenders have a thicker sound than the Chromes or the TI. The Rotosounds are brighter and have a higher tension than the Chromes or Fenders. For rock and roll the Ernie Ball Group 3 flats might work well for you.Good bottom end but a touch of mid-range too. Also the GHS Precision Flats which have a more traditional vintage P bass sound.

[@benjaminlescoffier5070]

Now I need a set of Thomastik. Thanks...

[@charlesbraithwaite3261]

So I see that there is a lot of discussion on tonal consistency in strings between brands. I am using the Ernie Ball Slinky Flatwound which seem to have aspects of both flatwound and roundwound because of the cobalt ribbon wrap. Kobalt is neat, they are VERY tonally consistent. You folks are going to laugh but I also really like tape wound strings (La Bella 750N Black Nylon Tape Wound Electric) which were not in the comparison but I think have lovely qualities-with styles of music that they are characteristically know for-even on fretted instruments. I also play on La Bella LTF-4 Low Tension Flexible Flats. I am not one to say that one shoe should fit all styles and techniques, I did like D'addario's quite a bit. This prompts me to consider whether having redundant basses with different string setups-optimized for different styles of music would be crazy talk.

[@RedForceRising]

Thank you so much for this video. If you're going for the flatwound sound, the D'addario's and Rotosound have a bit too much brightness for me. From what I understand though, ones the D'addarios settle in they are quite nice, but yeah Thomastik and Labella sound great.

[@aangtonio5570]

Good video! I don't hear so much differences when fingerstyle, tbh. But pickstyle is another thing! I'm gladly impressed by the bright Rotos (almost like coated rounds!), but La Bellas are the most "authentic" old-school sound, imho. Chromes and Fenders sound very well (maybe a bit bright), while Thomastiks are somewhat dark-sounding to my ears.

[@gordonranney2742]

Thank you! Rotosound it is!

[@keith1r]

Now do a comparison of DR Legends, La Bella low tension flats, Ernie Ball Colbalt flats, GHS flats and Pyramid flats

[@MrBallynally2]

To judge the sound of a bass string one has to look in the 80 to 1 Khz area. people get put off by the lack of lows or too many highs and might disregard other factors like tension, sustain, feel, dynamics. You can always take out highs but you can't put them back in. Deep bass can be added or reduced as well. I found it hard to judge the video. Having played Daddario Chromes i find them really good on all fronts but didn't get the vibe off the video. If i would have to make a choice from listening to this video i'd go for LaBella..

[@carriermonkey4821]

Wow excellent demo bro , really hard to tell the differences fingerstyle and with a plectrum just slightly less so.

[@andreyzolotarev3356]

That is one sexy bass you have there.

[@TheOriginalFire93]

The thing I liked about the Rotosounds and the Labellas: sonically, they locked in with the bass drum perfectly. Deep flats are perfect for me. The Thomastiks did a nice job with overall punch. If you want flats that sit a little separate from the bass drum, these are probably your go-to. The Chromes sound like a "roundwound-lovers" flat. Nice & bright, sonically cutting, while also standing to lock in with the rhythm. Not my taste, but I can see why people love them.

[@mdurkinbass]

Good review. I bought some Roto flats before seeing this review, having previously always used round wounds! I couldn't believe the difference, and have since taken up double bass! But I may have hade to go for the TI's had I known about them. I use Thomastik spiros on my Double bass and dominants on my violins! But I could also be swayed by the la bella's! I'd love to hear a set of TI's on my bass through my old polytone mega brute 111, because my rotosound flats already are close to having that vintage jazz bass sound, and the TI's just seem to have that bit more darkness and fuller fundamental to the sound.

[@peaceinstead]

hmm? My favs were a tossup between the Rotosound and Labella. I think Labella fingerstyle and Rotosound with pick. They all sound good to me though. Thanks for this!

[@SiliconBassist]

They all sound good in some ways, but I think I preferred the Tomastiks in this case. I love how punchy they are.

[@rodl2005]

Great vid man. Thanx. Labella, OLD Fenders & T.I. are my faves. Then again, OLD Fender Tapes & Labella Tapewounds I like even more. BASS STRINGS ONLINE great place to buy em from.

[@alli333o]

F**k! theyre all sounding great! Now I have to buy many Basses and use all of 'em :D

[@gutbucket260]

Like the Labellas the best. Thomastiks close second. The Fenders and D'addarios sounded similar to each other.

[@Dezzy1966]

Thanks for the great video. Thomastik are best for me, Labella's also sound great! On the brighter side, I really liked the Rotosound Flats. Are these new strings or are they all broken in?

[@WakizashiSabre]

have tried GHS flats as well? From the video, I would say La Bella and D addarios sounded nicest to me, I liked punchiness of Rotos as well, tho

[@McOuroborosBurger]

I’ve played on the LaBella strings and Rotosounds. I have yet to try the Thomastik. Fair warning on the rotosounds, they tend to start to get really rough after not much playing. La Bella 1954s are my favorite though.

[@alexeyzavolokin]

Thanks for video! Thomastic & La bella sounds best for me! What's your favourite?

[@jmpsthrufyre]

rotos sound biggest with the fingers. Fenders sounded like they were made for pick playing. But I liked them all. Now, do another video with every brand of flatwounds available. ...may as well get every round wound while you're at it... There's​ a bassist who used to hang his strings to dry ....after coating them in butter....or lard. I'd love to hear those in comparison.

[@miladbaygan10]

Mellow to bright sequence: Thomastik>Labella>Fender>D addario>Rotosound

[@sk8board_blues248]

Awesome demo. Killer bass!

[@mbrock29609]

What gauges did you use? (mainly wondering about La Bellas)

[@tonyrayjames3880]

I have watched this video a few times..and even thought the few times I tried them I wasn't a fan The Rotosounds with a pick was the stand out tone of the whole video.

[@drial]

Best video on strings on youtube! One question...Is it true, the Rotosounds flats have the highest tension? My band is playing in "E Flat" and I like more stiff strings for rock songs.

[@Eldrian88]

Thank you, now i'm certain i need that set of Rotosounds :)

[@pjmuck]

Excellent video. I'm surprised how different the TIs sound comparatively to the others, which are more or less in the same ballpark. I think I like them the best here. I've tried TIs on my P bass, however, and they were too floppy/low tension for me.

[@danielirvine7468]

Just one question we're all these sets fresh out the box or all worn in ? I know this is an old post but thanks again for uploading you have save a lot of player time and possibly $

[@Pierfra007]

I'd like to know the gauge too, expecially for Labella (TI is just one gauge) thanks, great video!

[@Jjosh1358]

Finger: D'addario Pick: Rotosound

[@greggjohnson305]

Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks. I'm using D'addarios on my p bass - 50 - 105 and I really like them. I've used rotosounds which are nice but still have the roto - SOUND (which is ok for roundwounds but not flats) and plus the rotosounds didn't feel "flat" to me. The D'addarios on the other hand are "flat" and have a nice feel. I'm looking to go with D'addarios in a lighter gauge. the 105 is a touch too thick. I'm not sure whether to go with the 90 or 95 on the E string. I'm leaning towards the 95

[@keithruddell1800]

Gregg Johnson I think you're giving up too much tone going lower than a .100 but a .095 will be MUCH better than a .090. Hard to even find .090 :)

[@Cap683]

Although not in this shootout, I have tried and liked Dunlop flats which are medium to medium dark after break in and the tension about medium low but not floppy--I don’t have to fight to play them.

[@mauimarcus]

That's a lot of string changing! Thanks

[@ChurchillCigar]

Labellas ! Might try TI one day, to give my left-hand a break from heavy gauge strings...

[@outolempinimi5165]

D'Addarrios had most low end kick IMO yet almost as bright as roundwounds

[@danielirvine7468]

My top 3 would be La Bella Tom Fender

[@PANICBLADE]

D'addario sounded brightest with more overtones on tap than the other flats here,

[@crystalidentity]

What?? No way, surely the Rotosound are by far the brightest, they sound very metallic to me. I mean, that's what they're known for! (although I wouldn't know about the overtones)

[@PANICBLADE]

Sure it is what their known for, but even scientifically the d'adds would sound brighter on paper as they have a stainless steel ribbon instead of a monel one. Plus they just sound brighter to me here. I also remember reading a bass player mag they did years ago where they compared a bunch of bass strings of all kinds and sure enough, the chromes were the brightest flats rated.

[@Dr.Turkey]

Aya Sherlocat That's not really what they're meant to be known for. They just get that reputation because of Steve Harris

[@dreadnaught90]

In real life the Rotosounds would be the brightest strings that are tested on this video. They also have more tension than the other strings.

[@sonofmogh]

thanks for all the work!

[@jinggaddi]

The only set I haven't tried in this string-off is the Thomastik. All those I've tried are ok, but in terms of tone and tension, it's LaBella for me.

[@paulbaker5191]

Great video, love the P!!

[@dinglebass]

man i literally can't tell the difference. They all sound the same to my ear haha. D'Addarios it is then!

[@cgcgce]

You are an inspiration!!!..........THANKS

[@paulfiggis5887]

Great stuff, the power of flats on a p bass. Roto 77s all the way for me

[@pacmanbeni]

HI Mateusz very good comparison,cheers¡¡...what´the ranking , in your opinion,about this 5 sets in terms of feeling and comfort playing ?...thanks a lot¡¡

[@ROLEBRA1]

hi, mateus , gostei do seu video qual é o calibre dessas cordas; light,regular ou medium ?

[@MrTennisgolf]

Good comparison. I’m glad you did the finger style first so I could skip the picks.

[@bebopfantan2672]

Either la Bella or thomastik. La Bella a bit more airy and Thomastick slightly more aggressive. Hard to choice just one

[@whitherance]

great comparison! I think I have to get Laballa for warmer fat sound and rotosounds for more aggressive tone. btw, are they all in same gauge ? what are they?