• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

T-I Jazz Roundwounds - Why?

KenD

KenD

Oct 25, 2020
1,936
3,934
Vancouver Island
#1
I have a hankering to try these on a short scale 5 string fretted bass (E>C). Genres I use this bass for are: bass/chordal/melody on soft jazz and pop standards with jazz chord palette; semi-acoustic blues; accompanying country-folk singer/songwriter, etc. If I ever play out again it will be very small venue low volume work.

The T-I's seem to receive universal high praise notwithstanding their outrageous price by comparison. Why? What's the magic that justifies the price?

For a point of comparison/reference, I have used these and have liked each of them for various reasons:
- Newtone platinum wind (much lighter gauge nickel final wrap, similar to what T-I advertises)
- GHS Pressurewound
- SIT Silencers
- Rotosound Solo Bass
 
  • Like
Reactions: JRA
#3
The effect of string stiffness on the higher harmonics (or overtones) has been covered in several threads. Stiffness tends to make the higher harmonics (or overtones) go sharp. This can be seen on a very good tuner. A more springy construction can contribute to that too.

TIJRs are very flexible and less springy than most.
Dogal Hellborg rounds are the only bass strings that I'm aware of that are even more flexible and less springy than TIJRs, but they're rougher.

These two properties can be estimated by dropping the strings onto a clean smooth surface in such a way as to try to make them land curled or S-shaped. Dogal Hellborgs win this little test but TIJRs are very good too.

EDIT: The audible result is great clarity and beauty in the highs especially. Lows also very clear.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HolmeBass, squarepeg, Honkey tonk and 3 others
#5
KenD said:
I have a hankering to try these on a short scale 5 string fretted bass (E>C). Genres I use this bass for are: bass/chordal/melody on soft jazz and pop standards with jazz chord palette; semi-acoustic blues; accompanying country-folk singer/songwriter, etc. If I ever play out again it will be very small venue low volume work.

The T-I's seem to receive universal high praise notwithstanding their outrageous price by comparison. Why? What's the magic that justifies the price?
Click to expand...
Well, in my case the why is simple. On a bass I've had for almost 17 years now ('94 Gretsch Broadkaster), they're the only strings it's ever worn (and it's worn a lot of them) that didn't sound either like the Tennessean guitar it was based on, or a frog fart in deep mud. With the TIJRs, it actually sounds like a bass guitar. As for the "outrageous price"? If you consider that they'll probably last a lot longer than several sets of other brands of rounds combined? They're not quite so expensive, on a cost over life basis... and, as for the "why"? Take a look at how they're made, compared to other strings. There are so many layers of stuff in them, it seems impossible to get it all in a bass guitar string. That tech doesn't come cheap...

LetItGrowTone said:
The effect of string stiffness on the higher harmonics (or overtones) has been covered in several threads. Stiffness tends to make the higher harmonics (or overtones) go sharp. This can be seen on a very good tuner. A more springy construction can contribute to that too.

TIJRs are very flexible and less springy than most.
Dogal Hellborg rounds are the only bass strings that I'm aware of that are even more flexible and less springy than TIJRs, but they're rougher.

These two properties can be estimated by dropping the strings onto a clean smooth surface in such a way as to try to make them land curled or S-shaped. Dogal Hellborgs win this little test but TIJRs are very good too.

EDIT: The audible result is great clarity and beauty in the highs especially. Lows also very clear.
Click to expand...

I absolutely have to agree with this. Out of 22 playable basses, the Gretsch is the only one that wears roundwound strings. There might be other rounds that wouldn't sound like utter crap on the thing - and don't feel like I'm trying to play a cheese grater - but I have no reason - or desire - to look for them. TIJRs are what "Big Orange" is going to wear - period...:whistle:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BlueTalon, Clutchcargo, Groove Doctor and 7 others
#6
GIBrat51 said:
Well, in my case the why is simple. On a bass I've had for almost 17 years now ('94 Gretsch Broadkaster), they're the only strings it's ever worn (and it's worn a lot of them) that didn't sound either like the Tennessean guitar it was based on, or a frog fart in deep mud. With the TIJRs, it actually sounds like a bass guitar. As for the "outrageous price"? If you consider that they'll probably last a lot longer than several sets of other brands of rounds combined? They're not quite so expensive, on a cost over life basis... and, as for the "why"? Take a look at how they're made, compared to other strings. There are so many layers of stuff in them, it seems impossible to get it all in a bass guitar string. That tech doesn't come cheap...



I absolutely have to agree with this. Out of 22 playable basses, these are the only roundwound strings I use. There might be other rounds that don't sound like utter crap on the Gretsch - and don't feel like I'm trying to play a cheese grater - but I have no reason - or desire - to look for them. TIJRs are what "Big Orange" is going to wear - period...:whistle:
Click to expand...

That's a very ringing endorsement! Yes, if they do last longer the initial cost comes back into line. But if they last a long time, how do you clean them, or do you? I usually soak regular strings in methanol or isopropyl alcohol overnight to clean and "brighten them up a bit".
 
#8
KenD said:
That's a very ringing endorsement! Yes, if they do last longer the initial cost comes back into line. But if they last a long time, how do you clean them, or do you? I usually soak regular strings in methanol or isopropyl alcohol overnight to clean and "brighten them up a bit".
Click to expand...
I don't clean them - at least, I haven't had to as of yet. I have clean hands before I play; my hands are very dry, and very, very seldom sweat; and I always wipe my strings down after I'm finished playing. Which has always worked well with flats - which have always been my preferred strings. We'll just have to see if extra effort is needed... As for "brightening them up"? I don't want them to sound bright; I want them broken in - and to sound that way. They've been on the Gretsch for about 15 months now, and they sound just the way I want them to. Not new, and not close to death, either. Just... broken in...:cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Clutchcargo, Jeff Scott and DrewD
#9
KenD said:
The T-I's seem to receive universal high praise notwithstanding their outrageous price by comparison. Why? What's the magic that justifies the price?
Click to expand...
We are supposed to answer those kinds of questions ;), but since the cat is out of the bag...

After reading an interview many years ago with the US distributor, Connolly, I gave them a try and haven't looked back.

The feel of them is amazing, IMO+E. Silky smooth, very supple, like a musical instrument string, not a bridge cable.

The tone is like a great, already broken-in round wound string which is what I prefer (not ear-bleedingly bright out of the package).

Long lasting (I rarely change strings, so the cost is not a factor at all; YMMV on this, though).

As to cleaning them, I don't play with dirty hands, and wipe the strings down with a dry cloth after playing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Low Down Brown, GwenOnBass, squarepeg and 6 others
#11
Jeff Scott said:
We are supposed to answer those kinds of questions ;), but since the cat is out of the bag...

After reading an interview many years ago with the US distributor, Connolly, I gave them a try and haven't looked back.
Well
The feel of them is amazing, IMO+E. Silky smooth, very supple, like a musical instrument string, not a bridge cable.

The tone is like a great, already broken-in round wound string which is what I prefer (not ear-bleedingly bright out of the package).

Long lasting (I rarely change strings, so the cost is not a factor at all; YMMV on this, though).

As to cleaning them, I don't play with dirty hands, and wipe the strings down with a dry cloth after playing.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't play while eating nachos either :) And I rarely play out so my hands don't work up a sweat. I can certainly see how a good wipe down would work well for flats but with roundwounds some amount of skin oil and/or micro-particles will lodge in the grooves between the winds, even with a wipe, no? I'm not doubting, just curious.
 
#12
KenD said:
Well, I don't play while eating nachos either :) And I rarely play out so my hands don't work up a sweat. I can certainly see how a good wipe down would work well for flats but with roundwounds some amount of skin oil and/or micro-particles will lodge in the grooves between the winds, even with a wipe, no? I'm not doubting, just curious.
Click to expand...
The point about them having the internal silk wrap is very valid one. If there is any concern about using a liquid to wipe the strings down, I suggest using naphtha. It won't harm anything (unless you light it with a flame, of course ;)).
 
#13
Jeff Scott said:
The point about them having the internal silk wrap is very valid one. If there is any concern about using a liquid to wipe the strings down, I suggest using naphtha. It won't harm anything (unless you light it with a flame, of course ;)).
Click to expand...

That certainly makes sense - don't want to dissolve the silk wrap. i think I'll shoot an email to T-I, describe my concern about roundwound cleaning and see what they recommend. If I receive a response I will come back and share it here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ggaa, tindrum, LetItGrowTone and 3 others
#14
I have TI Jazz rounds on my Fender Tony Franklin fretless, and I love how they play and sound. They're also rather grungy-looking after after six months of daily playing at home and a number of four hour bar gigs. I try to wipe them down but that only goes so far outside the house. However they look now though, these TI rounds still work just as well. Call it mojo and just ignore it. I'm leaving mine on the TF fretless indefinitely.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DrewD and Ricky Rioli
#15
Barton Lee said:
I have TI Jazz rounds on my Fender Tony Franklin fretless, and I love how they play and sound. They're also rather grungy-looking after after six months of daily playing at home and a number of four hour bar gigs. I try to wipe them down but that only goes so far outside the house. However they look now though, these TI rounds still work just as well. Call it mojo and just ignore it. I'm leaving mine on the TF fretless indefinitely.
Click to expand...

I really don't care how clean they actually are or how they look. I'm asking because with a lot of round wounds they become a bit "dull" or lifeless sounding and after a good soak in something like methanol they become usable again. I'm not talking about recovering a bright tone. I mean that after cleaning they have a fuller, rounder tone (for a while).
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back