T.I. production fault / variance?

[Bootrice]

Hi there!
Some background on my dilemma: A few weeks ago I was pondering getting T.I. flats for my Fender Jazz (fretted), and after installing them I was more than happy. A silky smooth feel under my fingers, I don't know if "subtle" is the correct term, but the set felt amazing. Sound-wise I knew it would take some time to break them in ...

After this, my Stringray Fretless (2014) was next for the T.I. treatment (thanks to a lucky tax return I didn't feel too bad about shelling out the cash). But alas ... there was a catch.

The E and A string produce a hair-raisingly ghastly SCRATCH sound when pressing the strings down and moving it ever-so-slightly up and down (in a sitting position), like a vibrato movement on a guitar or non-fretless bass. Think raspy, rough metal grinding against wood, it feels and sounds like torture for my fretboard.

Now, I know you should practice proper vibrato technique on a fretless, but the sound occurs simply by playing basslines with no vibrato whatsoever. It feels (and sounds) ROUGH, and quite frankly, it feels like a Roundwound, and not like Flatwound.

What puzzles me, and drove me to the thread's title is this: My first T.I. flats set was far, far smoother in feel. No stickiness, just smoothness, no metal-grating sounds, no tearing up the wood or frets.

Did I catch a bad set? Did anyone experience the same as I did?

I reached out to the vendor this morning, hoping for a solution. Should things turn sour, has anyone contacted T.I. directly concerning problems like this?

Hope my ramblings made sense.

Best wishes
Bootrice

 

[JRA]

Did anyone experience the same as I did?

i've only tried TI jazz flats once (very recently), on one of my fretless axes and no: i did not have the experience you're describing. makes me wonder if something else is going on with that ax of yours (?) or if you indeed got some bad strings.

maybe a TI-jazz-flats-expert will jump in with a useful notion. sorry you're having an issue. good luck!


disclosure: i didn't like those strings at all (i've always been a rounds guy!) so i gave them to someone who can use them.

 

[arbiterusa]

I don't know if you got a bad batch, but I'll tell you this - and it applies to TI flats as well as others - I can't stand flats on fretless. They make weird noises. They don't feel good.

They sound dynamite on fretted, and I've been on the all fretless program for years but wouldn't mind a fretted bass at some point just to have flats.

 

[sean_on_bass]

Anything is possible. For the sound, it might just be that these are really bright flats and need time to calm down. I've only played T.I. double bass strings, and those are annoyingly bright and metallic when they come out the package. As far as I know, the quality control as TI is pretty amazing.

 

[Bootrice]

makes me wonder if something else is going on with that ax of yours (?) or if you indeed got some bad strings.

Before installing the T.I.s the Stingray wore Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats, and there were non of the grating sounds, and no raspy feel whatsoever. So, I would say that it is a string problem, not an ax problem.

But thanks for the input, maybe this will lead to some insight!

Cheers!

 

[JRA]

non of the grating sounds, and no raspy feel

i'm at a loss on the "grating sounds" but i'm amazed at the "raspy feel" --- i thought my set felt like most flats = silky smooth! so yeah, your strings aren't living up to the hype, that's for sure. i hope you get this straightened out!

 

[kodiakblair]

Think raspy, rough metal grinding against wood, it feels and sounds like torture for my fretboard.

Did you definitely buy JF 344 not JR 344 by mistake ?

The packaging is the same for jazz flats and jazz rounds.

 

[Bootrice]

Yes, no doubt about it, I ordered and received the Flatwounds. Due to T.I.s various scale lenghts I double checked on purchase and reception of package.

 

[Killing Floor]

Is it buzz behind your fretting finger? Lower tension possibly changing the neck relief?

 

[superiorpine]

Brand new TIs take a long time to break in. Possibly more so on a fretless.

 

[Spupilup]

I would call whomever it was that you purchased the strings. If they can't give you any insight, perhaps call:
Connolly Music
8 Vernon Valley Road
East Northport, NY 11731

Phone: (800) 644-5268
Fax: (631) 757-0021
[email protected]

I think they are the US distributors for the brand.

 

[nilorius]

Many people think that flats are the best way for fretless teqnique and playing.

 

[Jazzdogg]

I don't know if you got a bad batch, but I'll tell you this - and it applies to TI flats as well as others - I can't stand flats on fretless. They make weird noises. They don't feel good.

They sound dynamite on fretted, and I've been on the all fretless program for years but wouldn't mind a fretted bass at some point just to have flats.

I have TI Jazz Flats on about eight different basses, fretted and fretless, and they all feel and sound "the same."

No strange noises of any kind.

I hope the OP has a chance to locate the source of his strange noises; I suspect it is not the strings unless they're damaged in a way I have not experienced.

 

[Gorn]

TIs are more delicate than most strings and less resistant to user error. They could’ve been twisted on installation. Or they could be flawed from the factory.

 

[Fender_Bender]

TIs are more delicate than most strings and less resistant to user error. They could’ve been twisted on installation. Or they could be flawed from the factory.

That was my thinking. They are so supple it would be very easy to put twists in there if one were to do the initial wrapping around the post by hand, not using the tuner manually or with a drill.

 

[iiipopes]

If the OP played EB Cobalt Flats beforehand on the fretless, remember that cobalt is a harder metal than the nickel ribbon on the TI's, or even nickel plated steel round wrap wire, roughly as hard as some alloys of stainless steel. After comparing the strings on the fretless to the set on the J-bass, to make sure nothing looks different, like skipped, open, lapped, or other imperfections in the windings, I would suggest looking very closely at the finger board to see if the hard edges of the open or beveled wraps on the Cobalt Flats put wear or ridges in the finger board. I tend to think this is a possibility, and that a qualified luthier may be able to better diagnose the bass to see if this is the situation. If so, a proper light dressing of the finger board with a radius block and super fine sandpaper may resolve the issue.

 

[uwrossl]

Where did you purchase them from? Same place you purchased your original set? Any chance you could snap a pic of them? I've currently got three sets and all are extremely consistent in both feel and sound.

 

[SLO Surfer]

Before installing the T.I.s the Stingray wore Ernie Ball Cobalt Flats, and there were non of the grating sounds, and no raspy feel whatsoever. So, I would say that it is a string problem, not an ax problem.

But thanks for the input, maybe this will lead to some insight!

Cheers!

Don’t cobalts have much more tension than TI’s? Did you inspect and adjust neck relief and string height after switching strings? Sounds like maybe the neck straightened out and your TI’s are clacking against the finger board. In any case, TI’s often sound as bright as round wounds straight out of the package and take some time to break in and settle down.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

They are always a bit sticky when first installed in my experience, but I ascribe that to manufacturing residue not roughness.

 

[Yahboy]

Do you check the neck relief after Ti install ?