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Need some help: TIs vs. Fender Flats

#25
squeally dan said:
They sure seem bright to me.
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Any string will seem bright compared to your 10-year old flats! Many new flats can sound really bright at first, but most take 1-2 months of regular playing to “break in” and get their true sound character going. Try to play these strings daily for a couple months before you decide if you like them. New TI’s will also sound bright like roundwounds for the first couple months. I found it took about 8 months to get my TI’s to their sweet spot. But I didn’t play the bass daily, probably just a handful of hours per week.
 
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#26
michael_t said:
Don't give up on the Fender 9050s too soon, though. It does take a good month or two for them to settle into their true character. They happen to be my favorite flatwound for my Fender Jazz for their full-bodied punch and a nice midrange with a hint of grind.
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I gotta agree 100% on all points made by MichaelT here. While I like TIs on my P-Basses, the 9050s seem right at home on my Jazz.
 
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#28
squeally dan said:
Thank you. That fixed it. Still may change back to TIs for the mellower tone and lower tension.
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Let the Fender strings mellow for a few months. Seriously. You will really enjoy that they will both 1) mellow nicely, but 2) still have enough presence for the mix. I gigged a set for two years, changed an E string that finally died, and gigged them another year before change in bands and repertoire dictated a change in equipment and style. I still keep two used sets in reserve as may be needed.
 
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#30
If you spring for a new set of TI flats, be prepared for a lengthy break in period of painfully bright. After a few months, the bright wears off, the feel gets even better, and you are back to the happy place for another decade or so.

You might keep an eye on the classifieds for a used set.

Me, I’d have ordered a single G from FretNation.com. Love it up with some sweat and grease, back in business.

I pretty much just go for the TI flats whenever I get a new bass. For as long as they last, I think they are about the most economical strings out there.
 
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#33
@squeally dan If you like lower tension flats, maybe try the Labella Low tension flats. I have a set that plays and sounds great on one of my Precisions. I am also a big fan of the Ernie Ball Cobalt flats. They are bright at first, after playing they mellow out. Probably my favorite string TBH.
 
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#34
squeally dan said:
Thank you. That fixed it. Still may change back to TIs for the mellower tone and lower tension.
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Well... It's your bass, so of course you're entitled to use any strings you like. However... I'm inclined to agree with @michael_t. For a couple of reasons:
1. Give the Fender flats some time to break in. They won't take as long as TIJF's do, but they do take a little while.
2. As a user of both TIJF's and Fender 9050L's, I gotta tell you; to my ears? While the TIJF's may be the slightly "smoother" sounding of the two - slightly -, and the Fender's may be a hair more... aggressive, maybe? Overall, IMO they sound an awfully lot alike. I have the Fender's on two basses at the moment; the TIJF's are on only one. And, IMO the TIJF's come with enough baggage to limit them to that one bass. The 9050L's - again IMO - are versatile enough; stiff enough; and, frankly, so much cheaper and easier to find locally, that they might just wind up on a couple more of my basses... I do like the TIJF's; I even like the TIJR's that are on one of my basses. But, in my musical world? Their physical properties make them both pretty much One-Trick Ponies. They both do their one trick superbly well, but... The Fender 9050L's are simply more versatile in my world...:cool:
 
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#35
And another daily user of TI flats. My only true alternative are the 9050Ls and both are just fantastic. The The Fender are stiffer no doubt but they have something punchy, smooth and 'not TI's' that I really appreciate. Unlike TIs that sound near perfect on day one, give them a little time and it will be worth the wait.
 
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#38
I’ve tried a bunch of different brands of flats and on any of my basses, there’s simply no comparison- Jazz Flats are it! As others have said - read the reviews. I don’t know about 10 years, but I usually only change my Jazz Flats after 5 years because I feel guilty
 
#40
squeally dan said:
One of 10 year old strings on my J bass unwound down by the ridge so needed some new ones. I really liked the strings that were on it. I don’t know for sure but think they were TIs. They felt very low tension. Decided to try something different and cheaper this time so I installed some Fender 9059Ls. They feel much stiffer and the low E is rattling…..I think because it might be too big for the nut.
So, when I look at the gauges, the TIs and Fenders appear to have the same size E. So why would the Fender not fit as well?
Also, the other 3 TI strings smaller? Is that the less tension I’m feeling? Didn’t think it would make that much difference?
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Fenders. Medium/light Guage. They come in every obscure guages you can imagine. I find the medium light pack is fairly perfect.
 
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