TI flats once more.

snowdan · #1 08-10-2006, 01:40 AM

just for the record:

i have them on my G&L climax now.

initial impressions:

-the midrangiest strings ever. but sweet!

-A-string could be a tad thicker i think.

-not nearly as smooth as fender flats

-string tension not nearly as low as sometimes implied here. actually very close to the 40-100 DR fatbeams that were on the bass before. judging from the increased bow in the neck, they pull actually a bit more than the DRs. the TIs are not flabby by any means, nor was any action adjustment necessary. i cabn even leave the PU polepieces as they are. so the DRs and the TIs seem to make for an easy swap couple. great.

snowdan · #2 08-10-2006, 02:31 AM

hello, it's me again. this time i am speaking to you directly from the era of finger funk. TI flats have timewarped me 30 years backwards. i can't believe it.

seriously, these strings are the shizzle. i cant stop playing funky licks.

wooha.

Fuzzbass · #3 08-10-2006, 08:40 AM

I have a set that I occasionally keep on a bass. I removed them when I was down to 2 basses, but now that I'm up to 5 I will put TI's back on one.

I don't have a whole lot of experience with flatwounds, but even so I love the TI's. As you say, they're wonderful for vintage tone. Thru a tube preamp with gain and mids bumped, I could get a very muscular fingerfunk tone... a la Theme from SWAT. The G string is just divine... better than any roundwound G I've heard (for fingerstyle, anyway). But they're good all the way around: the B string is useable even down low.

Also: I once brought my flat-strung bass to a rehearsal where I had to play "Aeroplane" by the Chili Peppers. The TI's sounded surprisingly good when slapped. Sure, it was an old-school slap tone, but perfectly effective.

P.S. I just got some LaBella nylon tapewounds... first time I've put 'em on a bass I owned. I'm interested to find out how they compare to TI flats.

snowdan · #4 08-11-2006, 06:39 AM

one of the most remarkable aspects: notes sound very similar all over the fretboard, on any string. D and G strings sound very rich and fat (unlike with some rounds) and you can shift and transpose your licks at will, anywhere. a bit like playing synth bass.

they sound great even when very lightly plucked. still, they allow you to dig in.

they seem not to be producing a lot of low lows. i can achieve more perceived loudness with these before speakers fart out.

the only drawback: i may end up buying another bass just to have a permanent place for these strings.