TI Flats

[Toneman]

I was wondering if anyone had any issues with TI flats breaking as they're round core strings which are more susceptible to breaking than hex core when taking on and off a few times. Listening to sound bites they sound best to me of all the flats so I'll probably get some JF344's for my jazz bass they seem to have a upright bass tone that's killer.

[Jazzdogg]

I have TI flats on 5 different electric basses and I've never had a string break, even after swapping strings back and forth between basses. TI flats usually last several years for me.

Some decry TI flats as unacceptably "floppy," but their relatively low tension has never been an issue for me; in fact, their flexibility enables me to wring nuance from the notes, especially on fretless. I find them much easier on the hands than high-tension rounds.

One of the best features TI flats provide is clear, well-defined, tones with none of the strange harmonic variability and mosquito-like buzzing so common with roundwounds.

[SteveMoodie]

I once broke a TI flat D string. It was completely my fault - I was in a hurry to adjust my truss rod during a sound check, when the alan key slipped and crunched into the D string (I didn't loosen the strings because I was in such a hurry). Completely my fault!

I emailed Thomastik-Infeld to explain what had happened and is there anywhere that I can buy a single TI flat D string if not from them.
They sent me one for free saying that not enough customers let them know when strings have snapped and that they appreciated my contacting them. I was pretty stoked especially as I'd explained that it was my fault!

So... I think if anyone does ever have problems, their customer support is pretty amazing!

[CapnSev]

I must have taken my TIs on and off my bass a dozen times, and I have never had a problem.

[Senator]

My D string broke in a year from taking them off three few times. I had to unwind it from my Jazz V and slip the strings through the little holes of the string retainer block for maintenance and once for trying them on my P-bass. When I tried to put them back on my Jazz bass, it broke short at the tuner end.


I couldn't play the bass for about 6 months since other priorities fell on me and money wasn't always there. A close friend of mine ordered me a D string last month.

I'm going to be extra careful this time and get a Hipshot string retainer, so I could unhook them off rather than slip them through holes.

Now, I want to change my tuning (currently tuned E-C) and I'm looking for a used B string. New single B strings are pricey!


Thanks for the tip, SteveMoodie! I wish I had thought of that earlier.



The black retainer below is from Hipshot.
The chrome retainer below is stock on my Fender Jazz V.

[Chazinroch]

Been using them for years. Never had a string break even after changing them to another bass.

[ahc]

I had a D-string break on my 62 P bass with no human intervention. They'd been on the bass about 5 - 6 months and never removed. Came home from work one night, went to play the bass, and lo and behold the ball end had snapped off at the bridge. Bought a replacement from TB'er Johnny Alien. Couldn't get single strings at the local GC where I'd bought them. No apparent reason why it snapped. First broken string in about 25 years. In the late 70's I had a terrible time with Roto Swing Bass rounds. Stopped using them after that.

[DavePlaysBass]

Two sets of TIs. One set has been on at least 4 basses with no issues on either set. I did have a Superalloy D string break at the ball end. They sent me a replacement.

[Billnc]

They last me years, both on bass and archtop. (though I probably should change them on guitar more often, I'm a year and change on this set.