Thomastik verses Fender flatwounds

**butchblack** · #1 12-05-2007, 06:41 PM

Hi

I'm currently running Fender flats on my Fernandes J bass copy. What difference could I expect by switching to Thomastik flats? They are more then 2x the cost of the Fenders, are they worth the extra $?

king_biscuit · #2 12-05-2007, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by butchblack

Hi

I'm currently running Fender flats on my Fernandes J bass copy. What difference could I expect by switching to Thomastik flats? They are more then 2x the cost of the Fenders, are they worth the extra $?

Night and day. Fenders are stiff traditional flats with plenty of thump and tight E and A strings; I love them. TIs are very soft and middy with less thump and less definition on the E and A strings; I keep trying to like them, but no luck so far.

BetterBottomEnd · #3 12-05-2007, 07:05 PM

TI's 5-string set tuned up a fourth. It sounds great and feels so nice.

bthiemann80 · #4 12-05-2007, 07:54 PM

TI flats and fender flats are at the two opposite ends of the tension spectrum, TI's being the least tense and fenders being the most tense. You could go half way w/ a set of Labellas, and they're cheaper than the TI's.

**butchblack** · #5 12-06-2007, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bthiemann80

TI flats and fender flats are at the two opposite ends of the tension spectrum, TI's being the least tense and fenders being the most tense. You could go half way w/ a set of Labellas, and they're cheaper than the TI's.

What I'm hearing from this thread is that the TI's are the brightest among the flat wounds, and I'm trying to tone down a bright bass. I'm hearing a lot of good things about the La Bella Deep Talkin' flats but I like low tension. D'addario chrome flats super soft look almost as low tension as the TI's. Anyone have any experience with them?

r379 · #6 12-06-2007, 04:06 PM

I haven't owned a set of TI flats in a while, but as I remember them they weren't bright so much as they were more articulate than other flats. If I've got it wrong somebody please correct me.

jdbutz · #7 12-06-2007, 04:11 PM

I've got a set of Chromes and a set of Fenders on my basses. I think the Chromes are brighter than the Fenders and not quite as stiff. The Chromes have more tension than the TI's, at least with my experience. Of all of the flats I've used, I'm a fan of the Chromes.

bthiemann80 · #8 12-06-2007, 04:24 PM

If you're looking to tone down a bright bass with low tension flats, you might want to look into the 50-100 gauge set of dean markley flats. Out of the flats i've tried so far (Labella, Rotosound, Fender) the dean markleys had the lowest tension. They're SUPER smooth too and sound really traditional, thumpy. I imagine they're closer to the TI's tension than most flats only w/out the brightness and hefty price tag.

**MAJOR METAL** · #9 12-06-2007, 06:11 PM

In my expirence the TI's will have no dead spots on them where they are common place in fender sets. The TI's are by far a more quality string.

markjazzbassist · #10 12-06-2007, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MAJOR METAL

In my expirence the TI's will have no dead spots on them where they are common place in fender sets. The TI's are by far a more quality string.

isn't it the bass that has dead spots and not the strings?

bassbully · #11 12-06-2007, 09:14 PM

Never tryed TI's and doubt i will i dig to hard and dont want floppy strings. I put on Chromes a month ago and fell in love.

Jeff K · #12 12-06-2007, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by butchblack

What I'm hearing from this thread is that the TI's are the brightest among the flat wounds, and I'm trying to tone down a bright bass. I'm hearing a lot of good things about the La Bella Deep Talkin' flats but I like low tension. D'addario chrome flats super soft look almost as low tension as the TI's. Anyone have any experience with them?

You might want to try a set of the GHS Flats, since you're trying to tone down a bright bass. The GHS flats are not as bright as the Chromes, and they're very inexpensive (much more so that the La Bella's or the T.I.'s). So if you want to try them and you don't like them, you haven't wasted a lot of money. I normally use Chromes, but I have an ancient set of GHS Flats on my '75 P-Bass, and it sounds killer. My two current Jazzes have Chromes.

Jeff K · #13 12-06-2007, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BetterBottomEnd

TI's 5-string set tuned up a fourth. It sounds great and feels so nice.

I love your avatar, and the explanation with it ("Not me - I just like looking at her"). I can see why. And I'll bet she does, indeed, have a "Better Bottom End"...

Luckydog · #14 12-07-2007, 06:28 AM

FWIW (maybe nothing) I don't understand why cost of flatwounds is a purchase consideration when (1) they last very long, and (2) they have so much to do with your signal chain that they can make or break a several thousand dollar bass (or any other for that matter).

**butchblack** · #15 12-25-2007, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff K

You might want to try a set of the GHS Flats, since you're trying to tone down a bright bass. The GHS flats are not as bright as the Chromes, and they're very inexpensive (much more so that the La Bella's or the T.I.'s). So if you want to try them and you don't like them, you haven't wasted a lot of money. I normally use Chromes, but I have an ancient set of GHS Flats on my '75 P-Bass, and it sounds killer. My two current Jazzes have Chromes.

I went with a set of GHS .045-.095 and like them. I noticed that the tension decreased a bit as they broke in, is that normal?

Jazzdogg · #16 12-25-2007, 11:11 PM

After 40-odd years of playing, I've found that TI JazzFlats satisfy my needs very well, whether on a fretless P-bass, or on active fretted fivers (I also string my uprights with TI flats).

To my ears, they're articulate and very coherent without being overly bright or having any disproportionate overtones, and they generate no appreciable finger or fret noise with the EQ settings I use. My left hand finds the slight decrease in string tension welcome, especially after an up-tempo 4-hr gig.