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Deep talkin' TI flats?!

Mastermold

Mastermold

May 5, 2008
11,565
12,741
Orange County, California
#1
I've read posts by folks here saying TI flats are middy but I'll be damned if the set I've had on a 57 AV reissue P-bass for about a week now isn't one of the fattest sounding string sets I've played, with much less zing than the new La Bellas I'm also breaking in on another P-bass. The E string has a deep warm thumpy/woody growl thing too which is really cool.

And for those who've found TI flats "floppy" I'm finding their tension similar to La Bella 760FLs once they've been played a bit, so tension-wise I'm also pleasantly surprised.

I've been playing the 57 with the TI's through my new Markbass LMII amp today and that's a sweet setup right there! (the cab is an SVT 410HLF)

:bassist:
 
#2
I have TI JazzFlats on three of my basses, including a '73 fretless P-bass. I'd call 'em versatile and responsive, without the dirt collecting proclivities or finger noise of rounds. Works for me. :D

Back in the day, I used to string my fretless P with tapewounds, and although they provided old-skool thump without finger noise, I don't think I'd call them versatile. ;)
 
#3
I used to think the excitement about TIs was mainly a bunch of hype. :rollno:

Then I tried a set......:hyper:

They are wonderful! Expensive, but well worth the money. I always like flats, but their tension was way too much for me. These have the tension of a set of light roudwounds.
Best of all, their sound was nice and thick and not a dull thud that was hard to EQ.
 
#4
Mastermold said:
I've read posts by folks here saying TI flats are middy but I'll be damned if the set I've had on a 57 AV reissue P-bass for about a week now isn't one of the fattest sounding string sets I've played, with much less zing than the new La Bellas I'm also breaking in on another P-bass. The E string has a deep warm thumpy/woody growl thing too which is really cool.

And for those who've found TI flats "floppy" I'm finding their tension similar to La Bella 760FLs once they've been played a bit, so tension-wise I'm also pleasantly surprised.
Click to expand...

I've been saying that for a couple years here as have a few others. It's taken a long time but more people are now using them and finding out what a really good set of strings they are. They're not ideal for everyone of course, but a lot of the myths about them have now been proven false.

I too use them on all my basses. I can't stand the feel or sound of round wounds anymore. I guess I've become a bit spoiled.
 
#5
They are wonderful! Expensive, but well worth the money.
Click to expand...
Agreed. If you like the feel, you'll love the sound. Personally, I'm kind of off and on with the feel (every so often I switch my flats bass to LaBella). But the sound and responsiveness of TI flats is unique and unusually good. Plus - they last forever - more than offsetting the added cost. As time passes, they just get warmer - without the kind of loss of intonation and tunability you get with other strings. :)
 
#6
bassman10096 said:
Agreed. If you like the feel, you'll love the sound. Personally, I'm kind of off and on with the feel (every so often I switch my flats bass to LaBella). But the sound and responsiveness of TI flats is unique and unusually good. Plus - they last forever - more than offsetting the added cost. As time passes, they just get warmer - without the kind of loss of intonation and tunability you get with other strings. :)
Click to expand...

Yes, I've mentioned it before--the set on my old Fender P were on for 8 years and still had a great sound. I probably could have left them on a couple more but was affluent with a couple extra sets of T.I.s and decided to change them. Right now the price has gone up to over $70 a set in Canada, but even at that price, that works out to less than $10 a year.
 
#7
I tried a set on my '74 4001 Rick (lower tension to protect the truss rods) and I can't imagine anything better. Yes they are very supple but I soon got used to the change and found that I began to get a whole lot more expressive with my fretting hand! Absolutely fantastic.
 
#8
:)I finally decided to switch my P to the TI Jazz Flats replacing the LaBella 760FS which I have had on for two years and still dig but thought the rap that the TIs are getting is an experience I need to have firsthand. I spent two years breaking in the 760's so I'll just keep them handy. Should have the TIs on this week, juststrings has them on sale.

I'll report back in a few weeks.

p.s. I can't bring myself to change the Bravewood Bass of Doom to anything other than the Rotos Swing Bass RS66LD.
 
#11
Mastermold said:
I've read posts by folks here saying TI flats are middy but I'll be damned if the set I've had on a 57 AV reissue P-bass for about a week now isn't one of the fattest sounding string sets I've played, with much less zing than the new La Bellas I'm also breaking in on another P-bass. The E string has a deep warm thumpy/woody growl thing too which is really cool.

And for those who've found TI flats "floppy" I'm finding their tension similar to La Bella 760FLs once they've been played a bit, so tension-wise I'm also pleasantly surprised.

I've been playing the 57 with the TI's through my new Markbass LMII amp today and that's a sweet setup right there! (the cab is an SVT 410HLF)

:bassist:
Click to expand...

I have a very similar setup, 57RI, TI Flats and LMII. Awesome combo.
I love, love, love the TI Flats. However after 4 months they are still on the floppy side. I tried the LaBella's first and they were far too stiff so surprised you found the tension to be similar. Anyone know how long it takes the TI's to stiffen up? They would be perfect if they were just a bit stiffer, especially when you really need to dig in or are playing th notes.
 
#13
Britbonic said:
I have a very similar setup, 57RI, TI Flats and LMII. Awesome combo.
I love, love, love the TI Flats. However after 4 months they are still on the floppy side. I tried the LaBella's first and they were far too stiff so surprised you found the tension to be similar. Anyone know how long it takes the TI's to stiffen up? They would be perfect if they were just a bit stiffer, especially when you really need to dig in or are playing th notes.
Click to expand...

If you're playing that bass all of the time, you might not notice that they've stiffened up. I noticed it on mine when I went and put a new set on another bass. I switched the strings out, thinking it was the bass itself, but it was actually the strings.

To the OP..... I don't think anyone is saying the TI's are middy..... but the mids are just beautiful with these strings. I put a set on my Jazz bass, and while they sound wonderful, they're absolutely stunning on my old G&L SB1.

BTW, I put the original set of TI's back on my SB1, and they've been there now for just about 18 months.


A bit off topic, but I placed a set of the SuperAlloys on my G&L L2000, and they are like the JF of the roundwound world. Very low tension, and beautiful mids. I've had those on for about 6 months now. Once they broke in a bit, they've kept the same sound for the entire time. Incredible! I'm not so sure they'd sound as good on another bass, but I could be wrong..... but on the L2000, they're great, and I bet they'd sound awesome on a Pbass.

Ljazz
 

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