TI Jazz Rounds on a Lakland fretless 44-02 deluxe

[pfschim]

Wow, I can't say enough about these strings (or this bass, for that matter ). What a great combination. Got the Lakland from a fellow TB'er about 2 weeks ago and had the TI's ready to put on it as soon as I took the old strings (D'A half rounds) off.

The combination of the Bart pre, Fralin pups, ebony board with super low action, and the TI strings is just tremendous. Sings up and down the board. Harmonics just pop out and ring all day (if desired). Gets a very cool Tony Levin-like sound using the J/full MM pup set up, nails the straight Jazz fretless sound, great quasi-acoustic/upright sound (as close as I'm going to get on a slab). Just can't stop playing the thing with this set-up.

I was already used to the "rubber band" feel of the TI's as I use AcousticCores on my fretless Turner Ren. So, there was no adjustment factor at all.

Part of my joy here is the bass for sure, but an equal part is the TI strings. I've got to try these on one of my fretted basses asap.

Sorry if it's been said before, but I felt like I had to share the joy!

Enjoy!

[Groovin]

My experience is much the same as yours. I put a set of the rounds on my 5 string Fretless and love them. I've been meaning to put a set on my fretted as well. Pretty damn expensive but well worth it.

Its funny that these don't seem to get the love the flats do but for me, these strings are the best I've used.

[lowerclef]

That's good feedback. I'm a TI Jazz flats user, and I've been very curious about their rounds for awhile. I may just take the plunge and try them out now! Thanks!

[Mrdak]

I've been a Jazz round lover for quite some time, but don't you wish they made a set with just a little bit heavier gauge? Like maybe instead of 43-51-68-89, they could up the 34" set to like 43-60-80-102.......... Keep everything else about the string the same. Then we could have a bit of bottom on the E. and A strings. The strings definitely sing, but they need a bit of low end oomph! IMO.
What do you guys think? You know of another nickel plated steel, light gauge round wound set that have that nice bendable feel that the JR's have? I don't, and I wish I did. I've heard Labella Hard Rockin steels in light gauge are close.

[pfschim]

Mrdak, I don't know about your set up, but I have no complaints at all as far as low end response from from my E and A strings using the TI Jazz Rounds.

Its true, I was a little skeptical of the light gauge of the TI's at first, as I do usually use all nickel Fender 7150 Medium Lights (45-100), but I just don't see (or hear) the lack of lows on these strings at all.

Of course, I've got them on a Lakland 44-02 with the 3 band bart pre/pup rig and there are plenty of lows being driven by that set-up. But, even in passive mode .. no tone controls, I get plenty of lows.

to your actual question, no I don't know of another brand of strings with a similar feel to the TI's that come in a heavier gauge.

good luck

[sas]

Here's my tragedy: I love these strings. Nearly 2 years ago, I found a fine XL-2 Steinberger (late 80ies model), passive variety, sounds/plays incredibly with the TIs. It's been my main instrument from the outset (but that's another topic).

Obviously, I need to use an adapter to accomodate the JRs that are non double-ball-end. Turns out trimming the strings behind the nut kills the winding (it just comes off). The fixating screw within the adapter does hardly anything to keep it in place, and I have to leave on a great portion of the string under the silk cover and tie those ends together in a ridiculous knot that protrudes from the end of the fingerboard a good 10-12cm, somewhat defeating the compact sizing of the headless and its fitting into compact gigbags. And even if a string change proves successful (high breakage quota trying to get the screw tightness right!), the winding close to the adapter invariably comes slowly undone before the actual string life is through.

I've conferred with the makers of the string (the are next block, actually) who recommend soldering the winding behind the nut just before the cutoff point, or using insulating screw joints on every string (!)... sigh. Most other strings I tried on the Steiny survived trimming without great problems, DR coated and non-coated, mostly.

I'd pay a fortune for these strings TI-JR) if they made them in a double ball end version.

[pfschim]

sas - thats a tough story about your Steinberger my friend. I never played a bass with particularly unusual string end requirements so I have no similar experience.

It makes sense that the windings would come off if you cut them though. I think they are just round windings on a round core.

It's additionally bad because of how great these strings sound.

Does anyone happen to know of another brand of strings with round winding over a round core ?

[Marcus Willett]

Originally Posted by Mrdak

don't you wish they made a set with just a little bit heavier gauge? Like maybe instead of 43-51-68-89, they could up the 34" set to like 43-60-80-102.

They do; the JR364 set.

Gauges are: .043, .055, .075, .101

While ostensibly only for extra-long scale basses, I have used this set on my regular 34" scale basses with no problems at all...you just end up having a bit of the unwrapped part of the lower strings on your tuning posts, but if they are the larger (Fender) size posts, these string are flexible enough that's it's not an issue.

You're welcome