Superflex's were made when?

[MollyKay]

Does anyone know how long Thomastik Superflexi’s have been around? I have just acquired a bass that has steel strings with light blue silks at each end with the basic Thomastik ball end with the D wolf tone eliminator. Searching around I think these are Superflexi’s and not Lycon’s.

This bass must have been sleeping in a closet for 70 years as it is in near perfect condition. I am assuming the factory gut strings rotted off many years ago and someone put on a set of Superflexi’s which look totally un-used. The notches in the bridge are large so I think it could possibly be the original bridge too. Everything else is bone original on this bass. While I am over the moon excited, I am sad too. It is so perfect I had a vision this morning of it being bought new in 1940 by a young man who went off to WW2 and never returned. The bass has good juju as the whole day yesterday went perfect, but it has a weird sad vibe that I am feeling when I look at it.

Okay enough mumbo jumbo…if someone can confirm these are Superflexis and about what time they were first manufactured, I want to try them out.

[TroyK]

I don't know when they were first made, but my impression is that they've been around since maybe the mid-90's.

I have a photograph of some Lycons on an album cover and they are much more royal blue than baby blue, like the superflexibles. I don't think I would mistake one for the other, if that helps. If course, if they're 30 years old, I suppose they could have faded.

[Eddue]

Here is a thread that links them as far back as the 1960's. It also states that it was the second string introduced by Thomastik, before Spirocore.

Hope this helps

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...le#post3601015

[TroyK]

Well, I was way off!

[bejoyous]

At a school where I often supply teach, I came across an old SF string package with an old string in it. Someone had written, "Changed after 27 years on the bass," on all the package.

Looking at the SF strings on the basses in the room, I'd say they've been on the instruments for at least 10 years.

So, SF strings have been around for a while! And they are long lasting.

[kurt]

When I bought my 60's Wilfer carved bass (that had belonged to the school board) it had superflexibles that looked like they had been installed at the factory, the windings were fraying all up and down the length of the string which is rare for thomastiks so my guess is that they were on for a LONG time! So my guess is they've been around since the 60's, and the impression I get is that they were a cheap plentiful all round string that many basses were shipped from the factory with them installed. Just my opinion though, not based on any actual research.

[MollyKay]

This confirms what I thought. This string has been around for a while. I am guessing this bass sat around from 1940 until it was handed down through a family member in the 1960 - 1970’s. Quite possibly the gut strings were replaced with the Superflexis and then sat around for another 30 years (the string height is really high) or so and ended up in the next generations hands.

This bass found me (thank goodness for the internet) as it was destine to be fire wood in the next few weeks. The person who had it in their possession was moving and was given the bass just s few days prior to dispose of it. Again…thank goodness for the internet and a Google search.

Thanks all…these are confirmed Superflexible strings.

[bejoyous]

Great find, Molly. Please post pictures when it's all fixed up.

[bribass]

Originally Posted by Eddue

Here is a thread that links them as far back as the 1960's. It also states that it was the second string introduced by Thomastik, before Spirocore.

Hope this helps

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showth...le#post3601015

Yes, Ken Smith seemed to think they may have been the same string that was called Rope Core in the 60's & 70's. They do have a steel rope core rather than the solid steel wire core of TI Precisions and the spiral steel wires in the core of TI Spirocores. Although an old SF G that I have from the 80's has a longer ball end silk than newer SFs.

They're great strings w/ a responsive bass like my Prescott currently strung w/ SF G.D,A and a Spiro Mittel E. On my German carved I have an SF G w/ Spiro Mittel D,A and E.

The full SF set is nice too, I just can't give up that Spiro Mit E power plus the SF D feels too thick next to a Spiro Mit A.