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Hofner experts - strings


ikay
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I've just acquired an HCT Club bass which is strung with Hofner flats (I believe made by Pyramid). Fairly new set, about 3 months old so have been played in. Love the sound except for the E which is significantly duller and thuddier than the others. I know this is the 'Hofner sound' and exactly as it should be, but I'd like a set of flats with just a little more life in the lower range.

I'm thinking of LaBella 760FHB2 (Hofner set) but have heard that they sound a bit too bright/harsh. Does anyone have any experience of these on a Hofner?

I'm also thinking of the Thomastik JF324H (Hofner set). I really like Thomastiks but the description says "They do NOT fit the Asian made Icon & Contemporary series. This is due to the tuning machines used on those models; the holes are too small for the strings.". I've also heard that the Thomastik Hofner set is a bit too long from ball end to start of silk which results in about 1cm or so of the main string being wound round the tuning post on the E and G. Does anyone know if this is true and if they will fit an HCT?

Thanks for any input on the above or other suggestions.

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[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1502450555' post='3351523']
I've just acquired an HCT Club bass which is strung with Hofner flats (I believe made by Pyramid). Fairly new set, about 3 months old so have been played in. Love the sound except for the E which is significantly duller and thuddier than the others. I know this is the 'Hofner sound' and exactly as it should be, but I'd like a set of flats with just a little more life in the lower range.

I'm thinking of LaBella 760FHB2 (Hofner set) but have heard that they sound a bit too bright/harsh. Does anyone have any experience of these on a Hofner?

I'm also thinking of the Thomastik JF324H (Hofner set). I really like Thomastiks but the description says "They do NOT fit the Asian made Icon & Contemporary series. This is due to the tuning machines used on those models; the holes are too small for the strings.". I've also heard that the Thomastik Hofner set is a bit too long from ball end to start of silk which results in about 1cm or so of the main string being wound round the tuning post on the E and G. Does anyone know if this is true and if they will fit an HCT?

Thanks for any input on the above or other suggestions.
[/quote]

yes I have La bella on mine. They go thud, lovely. They are the only strings I've had so I don't have any experience with any others. The original rounds that it came with went in the bin.

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Thanks for reply police squad - do the La Bella's have an even tone across the strings and is there any 'life' to the thud?! My issue with the Hofner flats is that the E has a different feel to the rest of the strings - it has a sort of lifeless thud with very little note definition. The G, D and A strings have better definition and a more musical/singing quality.

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to be honest I've only done a couple of blues gigs with it. I didn't notice anything was unbalanced. I don't normally play short scale either but I did like the sound I was getting. There was a thickness to the tone but still some definition.
I was planning on taking it out again at the end of the month

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  • 1 month later...

[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1502450555' post='3351523']
I've just acquired an HCT Club bass which is strung with Hofner flats (I believe made by Pyramid). Fairly new set, about 3 months old so have been played in. Love the sound except for the E which is significantly duller and thuddier than the others. I know this is the 'Hofner sound' and exactly as it should be, but I'd like a set of flats with just a little more life in the lower range.

I'm thinking of LaBella 760FHB2 (Hofner set) but have heard that they sound a bit too bright/harsh. Does anyone have any experience of these on a Hofner?

I'm also thinking of the Thomastik JF324H (Hofner set). I really like Thomastiks but the description says "They do NOT fit the Asian made Icon & Contemporary series. This is due to the tuning machines used on those models; the holes are too small for the strings.". I've also heard that the Thomastik Hofner set is a bit too long from ball end to start of silk which results in about 1cm or so of the main string being wound round the tuning post on the E and G. Does anyone know if this is true and if they will fit an HCT?

Thanks for any input on the above or other suggestions.
[/quote]

Hi, hope im not too late to be of help on this matter, I have used both the Labellas and the Thomastik flats on my CT bass , I had however swapped out the tuners on mine for the rugby ball style tuners (my CT is an early one with the really crappy tuners and they were awful and had to go) so cannot advise whether they will fit through the holes, obviously if you have a set of TI's spare you could try them to see if they fit (fairly sure the only difference with the Hofner set if the slightly lighter gauge to fit the tailpiece and the scale length).

Personally I prefer the Labella's , I tried the TI's and whilst they are a good string they lacked the thump of the Labella's (or any kind of thump actually) , the TI's sounded like flats to me but without the thump, I would say that they sounded like the bass was rolled off and the mids boosted a little which is good if you tend to do this on your amp but I tend to boost the lows a little and the low low mids a little as well.

The Labella's are a good string not exactly what I would call bright but focused and articulate with good thump, only issue with the Labella's is that because they are thinner towards the tuner end in order to fit the Hofner it is easy to snap them by accident to be cautious of this

Edited by markdavid
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Hi markdavid, thanks for replying and useful to hear of your string experience. I did already go with the Labella's which I'm very happy with. Been on about a month now and bedding in nicely. I know what you mean about the thin core wire at the tuner end, a bit delicate and also very sharp, I stabbed myself a few times during installation! Sound is exactly what I was after, response is even across the strings and they deliver definition and thump. A good choice. Cheers

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[quote name='ikay' timestamp='1505314625' post='3370973']
Hi markdavid, thanks for replying and useful to hear of your string experience. I did already go with the Labella's which I'm very happy with. Been on about a month now and bedding in nicely. I know what you mean about the thin core wire at the tuner end, a bit delicate and also very sharp, I stabbed myself a few times during installation! Sound is exactly what I was after, response is even across the strings and they deliver definition and thump. A good choice. Cheers
[/quote] Yes , I managed to draw blood with the thin wire at the tuner end but the sound is so worth it

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[quote name='markdavid' timestamp='1505292976' post='3370735']

The Labella's are a good string not exactly what I would call bright but focused and articulate with good thump, only issue with the Labella's is that because they are thinner towards the tuner end in order to fit the Hofner it is easy to snap them by accident to be cautious of this
[/quote]

I also have LaBellas on my Contemporary Club, and I like them. No problem with a dull E. And yes--be careful winding up or down, the tuner end is indeed fragile. I popped an A string being too hasty.

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[quote name='Wylie' timestamp='1505320853' post='3371051']
I also have LaBellas on my Contemporary Club, and I like them. No problem with a dull E. And yes--be careful winding up or down, the tuner end is indeed fragile. I popped an A string being too hasty.
[/quote] Yep done that, very expensive mistake, lesson learned I now keep my old strings just in case something like that happens

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