Don't pre-stretch La Bella strings - pro tip

Gear
21

Or didn’t like them… I used to tune my violin to a piano or a tuning fork. I’ve embraced modern tuners now though.

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22

Pre-stretching (and yes bass strings due stretch) (esp Thomastiks @PamPurrs).
By doing so you are much closer to being in tune every time you pick up a bass vs. not doing so, and staying in tune longer when you play until they break in.

It might not matter to some, the additional retuning etc.
Seemed like a smart idea to me so I started doing it.
You tune, stretch, tune repeat until the string stays in tune when stretched.

I LOVE La Bella strings so will keep buying and stop stretching.
No biggie really.

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23

I would expect nothing less. You do you

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24

Thank you :blush:
Always remember, I was the drummer who was kicked out of the high school band after tossing her Music Theory book out of a third story window.

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25

Always pre-stretch here. Never had a problem.

I thought everyone did. Takes much less time for the strings to stabilize and stay in tune if you stretch them first.

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26

Yeah, that day and a half it takes for the strings to stabilize is maddening lol.

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27

It’s not like it’s hard to stretch them and avoid it :slight_smile:

Weird that the LaBellas fall apart when you do this. Never had any issues with any other brand.

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28

I still don’t see the point in stretching the strings, it seems like a complete waste of time to me.
Example: I put LaBella Deep Talking Bass flats on my ESP on Saturday. Today is Tuesday and they are still perfectly in tune.
The “pre-stretching” must be a round wound thing. There’s another reason to hate rounds that I’ll add to my ever growing list. :rofl:

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29

I’m in this camp too :slightly_smiling_face:

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30

I have put quite a few La Bellas on and off basses, and never had an issue.
The ‘don’t ever stretch them’ email reply to me was very surprising.
They make no mention of it on their site or packaging etc.

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31

Opinions…

Looks like the classic debate, like Coke or Pepsi (although we all know the answer is Pepsi!).

http://gretschpages.com/forum/general-tech-questions/string-stretchingdo-you/62718/page1/

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32

Pretty common tip (starting at that timecode).

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33

Again, I think it may be round wound thing. I have changed strings (flats) dozens of times and have NEVER done that pre-stretch thing, and certainly am not going to start now.

P.S. maybe it’s because rounds are like tightly compressed slinkys :rofl:

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34

I don’t see why rounds vs flats would matter here at all. Both are wrapped around a core wire, which is what you are stretching.

We’re not trying to talk you in to it :slight_smile:

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35

I think that’s because they sort of expect people to know better. This pre-stretching thing seems like a myth to me. I’ve never even heard of people doing this until you started this thread.

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36

I’m just saying, I have installed lots of flats on basses without doing that pre-stretch thing, and you say it’s necessary. You adore rounds and hate flats, so I can only conclude that it’s a round wound thing. Even LaBella says don’t do it.

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37

And you definitely won’t :rofl: :rofl:

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38

We know :slight_smile:

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39

Could it be possible that La Bella pre-stretches the strings before selling them?

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40

Maybe?

I find it kind of odd though. As far as I can tell this is nearly a universal practice - I’m surprised to hear people here not doing it as it’s really common advice.

Not just for bass either; I see the advice all the time for normal guitar strings, most of which aren’t even wound at all, it’s just the wire - usually on a 6-sting only the first two or three strings are wound.

So maybe LaBella does something different with the core wires than everyone else? Who knows.

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