Identify my flat wound strings, please!

[coolingitdown]

I didn't know you still use La Bellas, Joshua. I assumed you were a 9050CL guy all the way these days!

[chrisdski]

I have D'A Chromes ECB81 on my 4001- blue windings with brass ball ends. They are a couple of years old (~ 3) so maybe they went to color ball ends recently. I love the ECB81s.

[FretlessOnly]

That's your '74, right Chris? That was the bass that made me try out Chromes. It's certainly possible that Jeff's strings are several years old. All of my Chromes (w/ the colored ball ends) were purchased within the past 8 months, so I would think that they would have been manufactured no more than a year or a year and a half ago at most.

[chrisdski]

That's your '74, right Chris?

Correct.

[rickenbrother]

It's certainly possible that Jeff's strings are several years old.

That's true, because D'Addario started using different colored ends about 6 or 7 years ago.

[rickaddict]

WOW! I'm surprised at all of the head scratching, and I thank you all for all of your help!

It was more of a "just curious" question, because these strings have too much tension for this neck IMO. So I guess now I'll know what not to buy to replace them! I actually have a set of the tape wound RIC strings that I'd like to try out.

And I like higher tension strings. This bass has a great neck. Like my other late 80's/early 90's necks, it feels like a 70's 4001 neck but the modern rods make it better equipped to handle higher tension strings...just not this high!

They might be the LaBella DTB .049-.109's. I'll check again when I get home and compare them with a set of round wound .045-.105's.

These strings are definitely several years old, 'cuz they were on the bass when I bought it a few years ago.

I think the D'Addario Chrome silks in Chris's photo are a different shade of blue than mine. The D'A's almost look purple.

Anyhoo...Thanks again guys!

[RicOSoundMan]

I can identify that they are definatly flats....

I have been using Elixer strings of late abd they have no silk on em.....

[cassius987]

I didn't know you still use La Bellas, Joshua. I assumed you were a 9050CL guy all the way these days!

I use both--they are very different in character.

[johnallg]

My Chromes are like Chris's - blue silk and brass ends. Got them about 4 years ago. His picture is washed out and the blue is actually like in Jeff's picture. For what it's worth.

My '91 came with LaBella strings that were on for 3 years and they were so high tension it had lifted the tailpiece. Chromes are higher tension also, but not as high as the LaBella.

[JM82]

I have a set of Ernie Ball flats with blue silk and brass ends if this helps narrow it down (or just confuse further! sorry)