Le Bella Black Nylon Tape Flat Wound strings

[dvd5300]

Read on the Gibson Forum that La Bella makes a Black Nylon Tape Flat Wound (say that 3 times fast) string set. It sounded interesting. I went to their website and they describe the "Medium" set as 14g. My Luthier, who had never heard of this string set, said that would be too heavy of a gauge to string on my archtop (25.5" scale). I believe that I read that the 14g strings were wrapped, and that the heavier gauge (bigger string diameter) did not produce the same tension as a nickle flat wound set. Does anyone know these strings and have the scoop on the 14g? How do they sound? As always, thanks in advance for your thoughts.

[StijnV]

We have only mounted La Bella strings on Steinberger guitars as far as I could find:

 

http://www.gibson.com/jp-jp/Divisions/Steinberger/Synapse%20Series/XS-15FPA/

[L5Larry]

I believe that I read that the 14g strings were wrapped, and that the heavier gauge (bigger string diameter) did not produce the same tension as a nickle flat wound set.

 

Your research is correct, your guitar tech is wrong.

 

These are the strings I've used on my archtops for years. Basically the wound strings are a smaller diameter nickel roundwound string that is then wrapped in nylon tape. Therefore the tension created by the string is ONLY from the "inner" smaller gauge string. Technically speaking the nylon wrapping is "inert", meaning it has no bearing on the structural integrity, tensile strength, or tension of the string. You WILL feel the added tension while playing on the first and second "plain" strings, but the overall tension on the neck is no greater than a regular set of medium gauge string. In fact when I first tried these strings I bought he 12 ga. set because I was afraid of the 14's for playability and neck damage. The 12 ga. set was so sloppy to play I immediately replace them with the 14's.

 

I use these strings on my 1990 L-5CES, 1947 L-7, and an old 50's Silvertone archtop. If a $35 Sears Silvertone guitar can handle these strings, ANY real guitar can.

 

This is about the third time these strings have come up in conversation lately here on these boards, and you might try a "search" on previous topics. I'm due for my annual string change on the L-5, and I have been wanting to unwrap the nylon off the wound strings and put a micrometer on the "core". I will post the results for informational purposes.

 

As for the sound, pickup up (or YouTube it) anything by John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Rick Haydon or a combination of the above. They are the three main jazz players, and endorsers, of these strings. In fact it was John Pizzarelli that got me playing them.

[dvd5300]

Your research is correct, your guitar tech is wrong.

 

These are the strings I've used on my archtops for years. Basically the wound strings are a smaller diameter nickel roundwound string that is then wrapped in nylon tape. Therefore the tension created by the string is ONLY from the "inner" smaller gauge string. Technically speaking the nylon wrapping is "inert", meaning it has no bearing on the structural integrity, tensile strength, or tension of the string. You WILL feel the added tension while playing on the first and second "plain" strings, but the overall tension on the neck is no greater than a regular set of medium gauge string. In fact when I first tried these strings I bought he 12 ga. set because I was afraid of the 14's for playability and neck damage. The 12 ga. set was so sloppy to play I immediately replace them with the 14's.

 

I use these strings on my 1990 L-5CES, 1947 L-7, and an old 50's Silvertone archtop. If a $35 Sears Silvertone guitar can handle these strings, ANY real guitar can.

 

This is about the third time these strings have come up in conversation lately here on these boards, and you might try a "search" on previous topics. I'm due for my annual string change on the L-5, and I have been wanting to unwrap the nylon off the wound strings and put a micrometer on the "core". I will post the results for informational purposes.

 

As for the sound, pickup up (or YouTube it) anything by John Pizzarelli, Bucky Pizzarelli, Rick Haydon or a combination of the above. They are the three main jazz players, and endorsers, of these strings. In fact it was John Pizzarelli that got me playing them.

 

That helped. I'm goin' for the 14g. Many thanks.

[StijnV]

Good info, L5 Larry !!