Dogal Flats vs. Thomastik

[hogy]

I tried to read up on this, but can't really find an answer. Please accept my apologies if this has been discussed.

I am a longtime Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats user. They are on all my basses (vintage Jazz and Precision basses). To me, these strings do not wear out. The set on my '59 P-Bass has been on there since 2005.

So there is no reason to change strings, other than curiosity. I've read a number of reports on here from people raving about the Dogal "Jaco Flats", and then there are the new "Hellborg Flats", which seem to be a different type of string altogether.

Has anybody on here had a chance to compare TI Flats, Dogal Jaco Flats and Dogal Hellborg Flats in real life? I'm wondering if it makes any sense to take a perfectly good set of TIs off a bass and replace them with Dogals. Is it a lateral move, or are the differences significant? With the playtime I get out of strings, money is not really a factor. I just don't like wasting stuff.

If you were to replace Dogals with TIs, would you do it on a P-Bass or a Jazz Bass? The Jazz bass is fretless.

Thanks in advance for any insight!

 

[Barton Lee]

I've used the Dogal Jaco flats on a fretted Jazz and fretless P (Tony Franklin), and currently have TI flats on two basses and used them on several others. I liked the Dogals well enough on both and did enjoy the slightly higher tension compared to the TIs (I had the 40-100 Jaco flats).

I like bright sounding flats and the Jaco flats did remind me a little bit of a roundwound at first. They're smoother than the TIs, too. After a few gigs and losing their intial bright quality, the Dogals began sounding mostly like flats and for me, lost a fair amount of their appeal. No doubt, others may have a different response, but they didn't sustain a unique character like TI flats do IMO. Nice strings but not cheap here in the USA.

I haven't made the investment in the Hellborg flats yet and not sure I will.

 

[GIBrat51]

I currently have TI Jazz Flats on my Alembic Epic; the bass I use when I try to play Jazz, and the only bass that's finger-picked all the time. I think the TI's are perfect for that bass and for what I use it for. As for the Dogals? I have their R44 Flats on my Gibson Thunderbird; again. for what I play on that bass? Well... let's just say that they ain't coming off, any time soon. I recently replaced the Fender 9050L's on one of my Danelectro DC59 Pros with the 38-86 Jaco 106A's. I have to say... They haven't impressed me much, to date. They do sound great, and they do make my fingers happy; but OMG are they... flexible. To the point that they make the TI's on the Alembic feel stiff. To a player who's played "normal", stiff flats 99.9% of the time for the last 50+ years, they definitely take some getting used to. Hopefully the heavier sets aren't like these things... So, would I replace the TI's with the JC Dogals? No, I would not. IMO, they don't sound "better" than the TI's; just a little different...
As for the Helborgs? I bought a set, recently; however, from listening to several demos? I doubt that they'd work very well for the majority of what I like to play; not nearly enough lows and low-mids. They'd probably give the TI's a run for their money, but... again, I'm not taking the TI's off the Alembic just to find out.
And, as for the JC 106A's on my Dano? If I decide to replace them, it won't be with TI's. I'll just put the Fender 9050L's back on...
But, if you want to experiment - and you've got the scratch? By all means, give the Jaco Flats a try. Try the Hellborgs, too...