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Issue with Thomastik Infelt Jazz Flats
- Thread starter InstantEctobass
- Start date
I switch from Fender pure vintage 63 pickups to pretty cheap Tonerider TRP1 currently on my squiet CV60pbass. With same set of Ti JF344, I found the Tonerider has better clean E sound and lack some thick lower Mid that PV63 pup has. The D and G still sound full and meaty on TRP1 compare to thin sounding G on previous set of SPB1.
Maybe TI’s just aren’t your thing? I think people either love them or hate them. And that’s ok. I’m on the love side of the spectrum.
Man, that sounds great! Super even and smooth like butta. My five week old TI’s sound nothing like that. Still sound very steely and a bit hollow but they have smoothed out a lot since new. I think they sound better and better all the time.
Yeah, man... trust me, they'll smooth out! I thought the same when I bought my first set, steely/hollow and not very smooth sounding. Again, they take longer than most other flats to break in. That set I used in that clip is about 3 yrs old. It also helps to clean the strings to remove whatever sticky resin (machine oil?) comes on them from the factory. Believe it or not, I wipe down my TIs every time I play (now that they're broken in) and sometimes clean them with alcohol pads! That's just to say I didn't get that sound in that clip by covering the strings w butter or a can of Crisco!
The TIs sound so good broken in because they're so articulate and "steely" out of the pack. The problem w some flats that are smooth out-of-the-pack is that when they break in, they lose even more midrange character. This can be good or bad depending on your tonal goal. For me it's usually not preferable bc the dull, thuddy flatwound sound gets lost in a live mix easier (talking mostly rock music here). If I were playing folk music (less competition sonically), a set of broken in La Bellas or GHS would probably sound pretty good (maybe even preferable).
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I hear you. I pulled the PV63 out of my AVRI. For non-CS Fender it's an all right pup, imo. I personally think there are better options if you're going for a "vintage" or even just a straight up neutral P bass sound. They're a little hot (spec'd at 12KOhm). Because of this, there is a definite low mids bump (imo, too much and I love low mids), and the highs are more receded than I'd like. I just think it's a little too hyped to be a killer "vintage" style pup, especially when you got Lollar, Aguilar, Arcane, Klein, etc...
I recorded a sample of my TI on my PBass (new bone nut by the way). Stock pickup (affinity). Rosewood, slim C neck... poopy pickguard (it does have an impect on the sound) :
$60 for a set of strings that you have wear in to minimize defective voicing (which everyone here acknowledges)? Sorry, not interested. Non-overthinking accomplished.
That's fine that you aren't interested but the above is, of course, hyperbole. I don't think it's a defect so therefore it's not everyone.
You'd think that for $107 (5 string) they'd train monkeys to break the strings in.
All these testimonials about the TI's longevity and their ability to get better over time is fine... But I'm still bumped down that they are not "balanced" when new. The A string is still making me going crazy after nearly 1 month...
It seems your expectations were completely off, as were mine. I had to admit I was wrong and let it go. Maybe there’s a lesson in that.
I took the bass to a studio session with 2 month old TI strings and hated the zingy tone & uneven feel. I was as annoyed as you are.
Frustrated I loaned that bass to a friend to play and forgot about it for for 6 weeks. Then I heard him play it at a gig and it was the clearest, most articulate live bass sound I’d ever heard. “OK then, I should give these a proper go”. They sounded perfect after 6 months playing and STILL sound amazing.
@InstantEctobass : You're not crazy. I'm as big a TI fanboy as can be, but even I'll admit the A string is low-tension and responds best to a light touch. I've occasionally found myself needing to slightly raise the A-string bridge saddle on my TI-clad basses, just a hair, to keep the string from bottoming out against the frets. The standard TI gauge is 99.9% perfect for me, but I do think TI could gain more customers if they offered a wider selection.
My A saddle is already raised more than it should. It doesn't change the tone of the string. Not only it is floppy, but also too bright sounding compared to the 3 other strings and I don't understand why. These strings are definity not the perfect ones, and their price is suddently crap for me. If anybody in Europe in interested in a cheap set of JF346 (yes 6 strings set), they can call for a buy! Cheap and new (another set that the one of my bass!)
As I was looking for a way to calm down that open A string (I sometimes use it... so), and as I didn't want to go for the "Gruv Gear" option... (can be a good tool but ugly IMHO), I went for a shoe lace:
That's a known flaw with Fender-style basses. Looks like you cut the A string too short, so it doesn't have adequate downward pressure in the nut slot. Another option is an aftermarket "string tree" that covers the A string. Not TI's fault.
That's where you're wrong, I did not cut it too short. Three (3) turns around a tuning peg is how it's meant to be done. Look at them, they have a rounded part where the turns of the string should stay in place. If it goes below that, it's too much and anyway, it won't as radically correct a string angle as a string tree. Also, that's not the true and main issue. The true issue is that the standard for 4-string bass guitars string gauges were: 045 065 085 and 100 (not 105). Thomastik went for a .070 A string gauge, way lighter, in a set that they offer as a unique option. Unless you craft a nut espacially for these strings, the A string will "float" in its nut slot, when played open, resulting the part of the string being between the nut AND the tuning beg to resonnate (with a complete different note) and sending back that vibration to the rest of the string.
That shoe lace prevents that part of the strings (post nut) to vibrate, and thus, making unwanted behaviours. So far it works. I'm not sure at all that more turns around the tuning peg would have changed anything, as the nut slot would remain too wide. I'm not making any special nut just for a set of strings that still have NOT convainced me.
I hesitate to even respond, since I know your mind is already made up about the TI's (plus I tend to agree with you, that TI should offer a broader selection of string gauges). However I do have a few thoughts:
- I can plainly see from your photo that your A string has the least wraps of the 4 strings on your bass. On a Fender-style instrument, the A string should have the most wraps (to compensate for the design flaw).
- Fender makes a stealth string tree that looks better than a shoelace, and requires no permanent modifications: Invalid Link Removed
- A properly cut nut slot should be rounded, not flat, so you can use a variety of string gauges without them "floating" in the nut slot. It is possible your budget bass would benefit from a new nut; setup flaws are not uncommon at this price point. I agree it would be crazy to set up your bass for a set of strings you won't be keeping. Nevertheless, your bass might benefit from a setup by a talented luthier. With a good setup and the right set of strings, even a Squier can sound and feel like an instrument many times the price.
I hesitate to even respond, since I know your mind is already made up about the TI's (plus I tend to agree with you, that TI should offer a broader selection of string gauges). However I do have a few thoughts:
- I can plainly see from your photo that your A string has the least wraps of the 4 strings on your bass. On a Fender-style instrument, the A string should have the most wraps (to compensate for the design flaw).
- Fender makes a stealth string tree that looks better than a shoelace, and requires no permanent modifications: Invalid Link Removed
- A properly cut nut slot should be rounded, not flat, so you can use a variety of string gauges without them "floating" in the nut slot. It is possible your budget bass would benefit from a new nut; setup flaws are not uncommon at this price point. I agree it would be crazy to set up your bass for a set of strings you won't be keeping. Nevertheless, your bass might benefit from a setup by a talented luthier. With a good setup and the right set of strings, even a Squier can sound and feel like an instrument many times the price.
You've been fooled by the silk, every string has the same amount of turns because I always cut them properly with the same lenght after the tuning peg. The Fender Stealth Bass String Retainer is only possible with Fender Tuning machines. My nut is properly cut, rounded, and yes you can use more than one string gauge but because size for .080, .075 and 0.70 would be okay, not .070. My nut slot works fine with Elixir's, Labella's and Fender strings... why not TI's? By the way that nut is new, I made it a week ago (even less). I do not need a luthier and all my three other basses have been set my myself and they are totally fine. Even my cheapest one doesn't have any dead spot! (compared to that Squier, that I still love though)
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