My recent experience with La Bella Golden Alloy strings...

warfrat73 · #1 06-30-2022, 09:58 AM

Ever since Martin changed up the SP 80/20s that I'd been using for years on my Bourgeois, I've been looking for a new go-to string as I burn through my dwindling stash of SPs.

I picked up a pack of La Bella Golden Alloy along with a few other things in a recent order.

Anyway, very short version is that I put them on on Monday evening, and I took them off on Wednesday.

Normally, even if I'm not enamored with a set of strings, I'll leave them on for a while anyway, just to see if they grow on me, and usually they're still ok and usable.

This was different. They were the same gauge as the strings they replaced, but they rattled and gave me string buzz where I didn't have it before... I checked that they were seated well on the bridge plate, and at the nut, and there didn't seem to be any problems.

I was also getting intonation problems that I didn't have on the previous set and don't with the set of GHS Bright Bronze that I replaced them with.

Lastly, the attack was very different than what I'm used to. It was much more round and thumpy, reminded me a bit of Gibsonesque, J-45 kind of vibe. It could have been kind of a nice, round warm tone if that was the kind of thing I was looking for (and notwithstanding the previous two issues), but surprisingly different than what I'm used to on this guitar.

The closest experience to this that i've had is when I used to use round-wound [Edit: oops... meant round-core, but leaving the original text intact] DR Sunbeams and sometimes had strings go bad on me right away (even while meticulously following instructions this happened periodically). But these are not round-wounds that I know of... at least, they're not listed as such, and no such precautions listed.

After the fact I searched the forum and found that there's not a whole lot of enthusiasm for their strings.

Anyway, don't really love being so negative, but I just wanted to share my experience.

AfterViewer · #2 06-30-2022, 10:34 AM

Love to use La Bella polished gold plated strings for recording on my Classical but am happy to hear about the La Bella Golden steel set you mentioned, they sound like what I need to record with on my newest full size Koa/Sitka spruce steel string guitar.

AfterViewer · #3 06-30-2022, 10:52 AM

Checking out the strings online I think they are probably not what I am looking for, which is a polished goldplated steel string set for recording. Good luck on your hunt for a string replacement that will give you the sound you are looking for on your Martin.

steelvibe · #4 06-30-2022, 12:12 PM

Round wound and round core are two different things.

The audience is listening [emoji846]

warfrat73 · #5 06-30-2022, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Round wound and round core are two different things.

The audience is listening [emoji846]

Yes they are, and I did mean round-core... been spending too much time playing bass lately, apparently.

AfterViewer · #6 06-30-2022, 02:09 PM

These are the strings I will be using for playing out and recording : Optima 24K gold plated acoustic strings 12-52.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOPo0-DQ-aE

gibpicker · #7 06-30-2022, 02:31 PM

I only tried La Bella once in the mid 70's when I was young and didn't have much money, they were cheap, but sounded bad on my Humming bird that I couldn't really afford.

Lillis · #8 06-30-2022, 03:05 PM

Well I have the golden alloy 12-52 on my Larrivee and I'm loving them. Worth a try on any guitar I think. Only way to find out if they're a good match.

steelvibe · #9 06-30-2022, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warfrat73

Yes they are, and I did mean round-core... been spending too much time playing bass lately, apparently.

Thanks for letting us know your thoughts. Not all LaBellas are bad though, I think the Silk and Steel are very nice. Best in class really.

Brucebubs · #10 06-30-2022, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Thanks for letting us know your thoughts. Not all LaBellas are bad though, I think the Silk and Steel are very nice. Best in class really.

Agree - I thought they compared very favorably against the much more expensive and highly regarded Thomastik-Infeld Plectrums.

Glennwillow · #11 06-30-2022, 06:52 PM

Interesting observations, Warfrat!

- Glenn

warfrat73 · #12 06-30-2022, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steelvibe

Thanks for letting us know your thoughts. Not all LaBellas are bad though, I think the Silk and Steel are very nice. Best in class really.

And I know they're very well regarded by many bass players...
I am wondering, a bit, if the set I got were representative.

ewalling · #13 06-30-2022, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lillis

Well I have the golden alloy 12-52 on my Larrivee and I'm loving them. Worth a try on any guitar I think. Only way to find out if they're a good match.

I have them on my Eastman and love them. I discovered La Bella Golden Alloy about six months ago and was mightily impressed. They have a shimmer and sparkle which is perfect for fingerstyle, a sound I do not hear in the standard Martin, D'Addario, John Pearse offerings. In fact, they'll be my staple for at least a while, and I would recommend them to anyone who likes brighter-sounding strings.