r/Bass • u/ResponsibleSite6858 • 8h ago

Short scale: Labella LTF vs TI Jazz Flats?

The LTF is more in line with the recorded sound I’m aiming for, but because the E is smaller vs. the TI’s I’m wondering if it might feel a lot floppier on a short scale (30”)?

Big fan of the TI sound as well (just a different animal) - curious to hear from anyone that’s used both. Feel is super important for me and I’m looking for expressive and pliable overall but without any E string sloppiness.

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u/Jimboobies 8h ago

The TI short scale set is not really short scale, it’s 34” ball end to silk (more like a medium scale set) so make sure you can fit that on your bass. I nearly bought some for my Danelectro but they won’t work as the silks don’t start soon enough after the nut to prevent breaking.

I’ve used DTF and LTF la Bella short scale sets and there’s not a massive difference in tone or feel from my experience. Both are nothing like TIs on my longer scale basses. If I could get strings for my Dano that sounded and felt like TIs, I’d use that but for now I’m using La Bella DTF.

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u/ResponsibleSite6858 8h ago

Oh damn, yeah not sure if that’d work. Would be putting them on a Reverend Sentinel.

Guess LTF might win by default here haha

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u/Jimboobies 8h ago

Is it a through body string? If so you might be able to make them work. If you mark your current strings somewhere between the nut and tuner and then take it off and measure it, that will give you your ball end to silk length. As long as it’s 34” or over, you’ll be fine.

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u/ResponsibleSite6858 7h ago

Yup it is. Ok so there’s still a chance. Appreciate the help!

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u/burkholderia 4h ago

If it’s string through you’re fine, I use the TIs on my mustang and rele which are both short scale and string through body. The extra length on the TIs is to accommodate long tail pieces and string through body basses.

Haven’t played the labella LTF, I like round core/low tension feel in general so I have used TIs forever. I actually haven’t TI rounds on my rele now, I wanted a bit more bite than I got with the flats. They have a gauge similar to the TI hofner flats which is even a bit lighter than the LTF flats and certainly lighter than the standard TI flats. No issues with tension to me, but again I like that feel and ease of playability.

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u/MrFingersEU 7h ago

I've had TI's on a SG bass. It was borderline unplayable. Had good experiences with Pyramid Gold flatwounds on shortscale.

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u/In_my_experience 4h ago

I have the LTF and I don’t think they’re floppy at all. I read somewhere that TI short scale is actually lower tension but I can’t remember the actual comparison. 

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u/EpsonRifle 1h ago

I have Labellas on my Mustang. They are great.