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Has anyone played TI Jazz Rounds with a pick?

Jason Schulhz

Jason Schulhz

May 1, 2020
146
318
#1
Disclaimer alert: I searched past zombie threads for this and could not find a definitive answer. The thing is, there are certain strings (DR Sunbeams for example) that sound good finger style and not so good with a pick (in my opinion), and due to the high price and super low tension of these strings, I thought it is a reasonable enough question to ask.

I play the TI Jazz Flats on one P Bass and love them more than any other string, but I want rounds on my other P. It just makes sense to try them since I love Thomastik and low tension so much. And I’ve tried just about every round wound out there. I thought Pressurewounds would be the one, and they do sound awesome, but the tension is killing me. I can’t do it. The JR344’s only have 3 or 4 demos on YouTube and they are all fingerstyle.
 
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#7
Jason Schulhz said:
“You mean the light set (40-96) is still too stiff for you?”

Oh, I got the medium 44’s. Is there a really substantial difference?
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Oh yes! I would never be able to play comfortably on the 44-106 set as they're stiffer in feel than a typical 45-105 roundwound set. I've used the 44-106 set for DGCF tuning in the past and they were just right. The 40-96 is definitely more manageable without feeling too floppy. I'm not a pick player, but I would imagine they would be good for playing with a pick as they do provide a certain degree of firmness.
 
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#10
Yep, I keep T-I Jazz Rounds on a couple basses... I use a pick about 25% of the time, but almost exclusively on basses with those strings.

This old Alembic Series I is the go-to when it really counts.
#77-621 headstock (angled).jpeg
#77-621 bridge & bird_T-I's.jpeg
 
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#11
Jason Schulhz said:
Disclaimer alert: I searched past zombie threads for this and could not find a definitive answer. The thing is, there are certain strings (DR Sunbeams for example) that sound good finger style and not so good with a pick (in my opinion), and due to the high price and super low tension of these strings, I thought it is a reasonable enough question to ask.

I play the TI Jazz Flats on one P Bass and love them more than any other string, but I want rounds on my other P. It just makes sense to try them since I love Thomastik and low tension so much. And I’ve tried just about every round wound out there. I thought Pressurewounds would be the one, and they do sound awesome, but the tension is killing me. I can’t do it. The JR344’s only have 3 or 4 demos on YouTube and they are all fingerstyle.
Click to expand...
Yes - I play with a pick, and have had TI's on 4 of the basses I've played over the past 10 years, including Ric 4003's, a Fender Starcaster and a Derek Sacramento.
 
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#12
Jason Schulhz said:
]Here’s a video of me playing my old Alembic Spoiler with TI Jazz rounds. It starts out finger style but moves on to plenty of picking.

You could have kept rocking on with Motorbreath! You had me about to jump into a mosh pit!
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Thanks! I wish they were full songs, but I recorded them for Instagram a few years back when you were limited to one minute videos. I had a lot of fun and really sharpened my chops when I was doing those 30-60 second covers. I should probably get back into it.
 
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#13
Jason Schulhz said:
Disclaimer alert: I searched past zombie threads for this and could not find a definitive answer. The thing is, there are certain strings (DR Sunbeams for example) that sound good finger style and not so good with a pick (in my opinion), and due to the high price and super low tension of these strings, I thought it is a reasonable enough question to ask.

I play the TI Jazz Flats on one P Bass and love them more than any other string, but I want rounds on my other P. It just makes sense to try them since I love Thomastik and low tension so much. And I’ve tried just about every round wound out there. I thought Pressurewounds would be the one, and they do sound awesome, but the tension is killing me. I can’t do it. The JR344’s only have 3 or 4 demos on YouTube and they are all fingerstyle.
Click to expand...

GIBrat51 said:
View attachment 1081819 My '94 Gretsch G6119BO-LH Broadkaster
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Yes, I play TI Jazz Rounds with a pick - pretty much all the time. I've had a set of JR324's on this bass for... a year or so, now. However... nice as they are, they were not the strings I wanted on it. But, after 12 years of trying - and failing - to find strings that worked? Out of sheer desperation - and because the TIJR's were bought by mistake, and I didn't want rounds on anything else - I put them on the Gretsch. I won't say I love them; out of 23 basses in my herd, this is the only bass that wears rounds. But, they make it sound like a bass - instead of a hippo fart in deep mud, or a baritone guitar, like everything else I'd tried - so, here they'll stay. And, for rounds? I have to admit; I kinda like them. But, as for playing with a pick? For what I play on the Gretsch, using a pick is pretty much the only way to play it. Which is fine with me; I play almost all my basses with a pick at least 95% of the time, anyway. They only bass I don't play with a pick - ever - is my '95 Alembic Epic. Which wears TI Jazz Flats. I don't use a pick on it, because the music I use it for, sounds better played finger style; and, the required pick technique change to play the TI's - versus the high tension flats on all my other basses - isn't worth the trouble. It would be nice if the TIJR's were a bit stiffer, but I don't have to make any real adjustments to my technique to play them. And, while they could have just a little more low end, they're loads better on the Gretsch than anything else I've tried on the thing...:cool:
 
#15
Jason Schulhz said:
Disclaimer alert: I searched past zombie threads for this and could not find a definitive answer. The thing is, there are certain strings (DR Sunbeams for example) that sound good finger style and not so good with a pick (in my opinion), and due to the high price and super low tension of these strings, I thought it is a reasonable enough question to ask.

I play the TI Jazz Flats on one P Bass and love them more than any other string, but I want rounds on my other P. It just makes sense to try them since I love Thomastik and low tension so much. And I’ve tried just about every round wound out there. I thought Pressurewounds would be the one, and they do sound awesome, but the tension is killing me. I can’t do it. The JR344’s only have 3 or 4 demos on YouTube and they are all fingerstyle.
Click to expand...
From what you've described you're probably going to like TI rounds which I've used with a pick a fair bit and think work well with a lighter touch. Another similar option might be Dogal Jonas Hellborg rounds which are $15-20 less than the TI rounds. They have the same kind of flexible feel. They're maybe a hair stiffer but they're so responsive you don't really notice it. The big difference with those is they aren't as smooth as the TI and have a bit more string noise when brand new. Definitely in the same league as the TI rounds though and for a couple bucks less.
 
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#17
Just put some TI rounds on an sb-2. Finger style sounds great, very even response and tone. But the pick sound is absolutely GLORIOUS!! I had no idea, totally unexpected. Punchy, warm, articulate. I am gonna be playing a lot more pick with these.
 
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#19
I currently have the TI jazz rounds on my G&L sb-1 and they sound excellent! Glorious, even. I actually prefer a pick with those strings over finger style. It might take a little tweaking to get the setup right, but it’s worth it. You might have to adjust your touch with these strings; I have found that easy with a pick.
Enjoy!
 

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