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How long does it take TI Flats to break in?

Bassworship1

Bassworship1

Inactive
Jun 20, 2013
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Jackson
#1
I have a set of TI Flats on my main bass for a little over a month and love them. They are the best sounding and feeling string I've ever played. Question I have for those that have used them is how long does it take them to break in? also does the tone change on them and do they lose anything or gain anything? Reason I'm asking is I love the tone right now and if they pretty much stay that way I'm going to get another set for my backup.
 
#3
Bassworship1 said:
I have a set of TI Flats on my main bass for a little over a month and love them. They are the best sounding and feeling string I've ever played. Question I have for those that have used them is how long does it take them to break in? also does the tone change on them and do they lose anything or gain anything? Reason I'm asking is I love the tone right now and if they pretty much stay that way I'm going to get another set for my backup.
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What do you mean "break in"? I have TIs on two out of three of my basses (got six years on one of 'em), so would be interested to understand what you are looking for. Is this a sound thing, or a feel thing?
 
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#4
JMacBass65 said:
What do you mean "break in"? I have TIs on two out of three of my basses (got six years on one of 'em), so would be interested to understand what you are looking for. Is this a sound thing, or a feel thing?
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I was wondering if the tone changes from the out of the pack new tone they put off. I love the tone of these and was wondering if they keep it for a while and how long normally? If they keep the tone they have as new for a long time I will spend the money it cost to put them on my backup bass.
 
#6
JJR58 said:
I think that's the way i would describe them, had them on my 70's CV, loved em, but went back to rounds cause i miss the grindy round wound sound.
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One other thing regarding TI's. I bought a set around 7 years ago. I was using chromes then after trying several sets of flats. I heard of TI's here on TB and their price which was about $60.00 then.
I was in luck when a local music store had a set. I tried those strings on at least 5 basses (P bass) and never liked them.

Until I put them on one of my several P basses only then it sounded awesome. Maybe its just me and my ear but Chromes I like on any of my basses, TI's took the right combination of wood and electronics to work for me.
 
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#7
Bassworship1 said:
I was wondering if the tone changes from the out of the pack new tone they put off. I love the tone of these and was wondering if they keep it for a while and how long normally? If they keep the tone they have as new for a long time I will spend the money it cost to put them on my backup bass.
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Man, I don't know to be honest. If they change they change so minimally and gradually I never noticed. Note that I put a set on my Jazz in 2010, and have never felt the need to replace them due to any tone issues (never felt that way about rounds, or the Roto flats I used to use). I put a set on my other bass almost two years ago, but could not really compare the two as the other bass is a P not a J, AND it's fretless. So many different things going on tonally, so who knows. I will say that to me - they have not really changed much on the fretless that I can tell, so if they have, it's been SO gradual and minimal I just dont notice.
 
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#8
Some folks say they change over the lifetime of the string, and those people also say the strings just get better and better, but they rarely, if ever, describe in what ways.

On my '15 Am. Std. Precision I have had TI flats on there since May of this year ('16), three months so far. They were brighter in the first month - they sounded new. However, since that calmed down, they are less "new/brite/crisp" on the top but no less clear and articuate. The bottom may have bloomed a bit and the mids have remained present to forward depending on your interpretation. The changes I have heard are mild, and I have loved the results so far.
 
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#10
bassbully said:
One other thing regarding TI's. I bought a set around 7 years ago. I was using chromes then after trying several sets of flats. I heard of TI's here on TB and their price which was about $60.00 then.
I was in luck when a local music store had a set. I tried those strings on at least 5 basses (P bass) and never liked them.

Until I put them on one of my several P basses only then it sounded awesome. Maybe its just me and my ear but Chromes I like on any of my basses, TI's took the right combination of wood and electronics to work for me.
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I've have yet to try the Chromes. Always had good results with the TI's.
LaBellas just got to warm and bassy sounding for me.
 
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#12
bassbully said:
Warm and bassy? Now you talkin my tone. You want bright in a flat? Try Ernie Ball Cobalts...zing city.
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I've heard the zing mellows out after a while on those Cobalts, if so, i'd give them a try, Zing is my only complaint with any string, now i know i said i went back to rounds, using EB Super Slinkys, 40-100.
But what i like about em, is the zing mellows after a bit and that they're nickle rounds.

In general i'm a flats on a P bass guy.
But i just couldn't get use to those LaBella's, feel and play great, they just get TOooooooooooooooooooo mellow and warm for my tastes.
 
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#14
JJR58 said:
I've heard the zing mellows out after a while on those Cobalts, if so, i'd give them a try, Zing is my only complaint with any string, now i know i said i went back to rounds, using EB Super Slinkys, 40-100.
But what i like about em, is the zing mellows after a bit and that they're nickle rounds.

In general i'm a flats on a P bass guy.
But i just couldn't get use to those LaBella's, feel and play great, they just get TOooooooooooooooooooo mellow and warm for my tastes.
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The Cobalts by far are the brightest flat I have ever played. They make new Chromes sound dead. I took my Peavey Fury to practice last night and I had to completely re-EQ my amp for the Cobalts it wears.
I was in the guitars players register and way to bright for me. Once I got them set it was fine. I hope they tone down some for the tension is nice. Chromes always age nice for me and remain my go to flat.
 
#16
Rounds, Flats, all sounds great through this.
bassbully said:
The Cobalts by far are the brightest flat I have ever played. They make new Chromes sound dead. I took my Peavey Fury to practice last night and I had to completely re-EQ my amp for the Cobalts it wears.
I was in the guitars players register and way to bright for me. Once I got them set it was fine. I hope they tone down some for the tension is nice. Chromes always age nice for me and remain my go to flat.
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Interesting on the Colbalts, and i've heard nothing but good thing about those Chromes
 
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#18
JJR58 said:
Rounds, Flats, all sounds great through this.



Interesting on the Colbalts, and i've heard nothing but good thing about those Chromes
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Well Chromes are a love/hate flat IMO. They start very bright and then tone down to warm bassy land where I live. The Tension is a killer to some. It took me a while to get used to them. I found the tension allows me to set them up extremely low, so I can play with little pressure, and kind of bounce my fingers off them.

I hate changing strings and the set on my Frankin Fender is 8 or 9 years old. They sound and feel like a pad of slippery butter, on a Arizona highway, in the summertime , at high noon. ;)
 
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#19
bassbully said:
Well Chromes are a love/hate flat IMO. They start very bright and then tone down to warm bassy land where I live. The Tension is a killer to some. It took me a while to get used to them. I found the tension allows me to set them up extremely low, so I can play with little pressure, and kind of bounce my fingers off them.

I hate changing strings and the set on my Frankin Fender is 8 or 9 years old. They sound and feel like a pad of slippery butter, on a Arizona highway, in the summertime , at high noon. ;)
Click to expand...


Your talkin my kinda language when it comes to tension and touch bro.
 
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