Thomastik Infeld

[Pbasslovernyc]

I had no idea there were a set of flats that were this expensive…what is the deal with these?

 

[mikko93]

I don’t think they are that much more expensive than other flats. I live in the EU and a set of TI flats would cost me 63€ as opposed to a set of La Bella DTF’s that are 55€.

The deal? Amazing tone with much less tension than the aforementioned La Bellas. I personally loooove my DTF’s but I also get why people love their TI’s.

 

[JonathanPDX]

I use rounds, but they are incredible. Yes, they're expensive, but completely worth it. I have not put another string on any of my basses in 15+ years.

 

[ardgedee]

I had no idea there were a set of flats that were this expensive…what is the deal with these?

They last for much longer than most strings before going dead. More expensive to buy but cheaper in the long run.

If you're in the US, they're imported from Austria which has always added to the cost (due to shipping costs and one or more distributors each adding their own markups before they reach the retailer), but the current tariff situation has added yet another layer of expense. At Thomann they're more expensive than US strings but not twice as much.

I should add: they have their own tone and feel. If you want classic American style flats you might not like TIJFs.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Meticulously hand-wound by Tirolian virgins.

I have a couple sets in the batter's box but can't decide which bass is truly worthy.

Riis

 

[Against Will]

They’re a luxury brand. But yes, their strings are very good.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

Since they are flatwounds, they will outlive you. You'll only have to buy them once

 

[LHbassist]

It's market value. The hype on the Jazz Flats has increased to a point, among some bassists, that these are now considered the Holy Grail of flat wounds. I tried a set right around the time hey were first available in The U.S.. At that time- quite a while ago, I was a devoted stainless round wound player. I thought they sounded and felt great, quite a bit like rounds in their overtones. I disliked their flexibility. Fast forward to now- I have not played on a set since. I have become mostly a flat wound player, except for my recent and expensive discovery of how incredible Optima gold round wounds are. My current favorite flats, all are around 45-55 dollars for a four string set. My Ernie Ball Slinky five string sets were about 60 bucks when I bought them. ALL flats have gone WAY up in price, Dunlops are pretty expensive now, and why- I'm not sure that they're any better than my other favorites. LaBellas have been keeping pace, with no outrageous price spikes. I also love the Fender 9050 series, and the great Rotosound RS 77 Jazz Flats... a great string- but watch out for the original set- it's VERY stiff.
My long winded point, is flats are expensive- but the great thing about them, is you can put them on a bass and leave them on for years.
If you LIKE a really flexible string, the Thomastiks are a great choice.. For me- I'd just get a set of Ernie Ball Slinky 40-95.

 

[2saddleslab]

I had no idea there were a set of flats that were this expensive…what is the deal with these?

Rather large initial investment but when you realize they can literally last decades it makes that investment well worth it.

 

[MCS4]

TIs are more expensive than most, but it seems to me flatwounds tend to be more expensive than rounds on average anyway. As others have stated, this is pretty significantly compensated for by the fact that they last far longer.

 

[rogerb]

I'm replacing mine today as one of the strings broke due to an external force, been on there more tha 5 years still sounded great. They are weird though it's like handling worms.

 

[Geddaric]

Haven`t tried their flats yet, but their roundwounds are EXCELLENT! If my Labellas ever die(doubt it) I`ll try the TI Flats on my P and my fretless.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

I'm replacing mine today as one of the strings broke due to an external force, been on there more tha 5 years still sounded great. They are weird though it's like handling worms.

I never got on with the TI Jazz Flats on my precision bass, which is a classic formula. For me they were flats for people who didn't like flats... bright, not as smooth as other flatwounds, and I don't like low tension flatwounds like those, La Bella LTF, etc. It's like playing spaghetti noodles.

I've loved some sets of flatwound strings, the EB Pino's are my favorite, but the TIs were not for me.

 

[Ric Vice]

I have been using TI Jazz Flats since rhey were first imported to the U.S. in the early 80’s. Their introductory price was somewhere around $35,00
which wasn’t as expensive. They rose steadily in price until I just stopped using them. Since I play Double Bass as well I can tell you that Austrian made strings DB strings from Pirastro and Thomastick have increased in price continually since the 70’s. A set of Evah Parazzi Weich Strings is now quickly approaching $400.00 and the only last 18 months. Lots of things have contributed to the constantly rising costs of exported strings.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

I have been using them ever since Carol Kaye introduced me to them, around the millenium (it's a long time ago and a bit hazy). Granted, the first set finally gave up the ghost, but I still have the second set I bought on by fretless ABG. I bought some when they were on sale. I am probably set for the rest of my playing career.

 

[Kael]

No other string really feels like they do. They are relatively unique and therefore cost what they cost. Fortunately for those that like them, they last for damned near forever. Fortunately for me, I don't like them so I never buy them in the first place.

 

[Pings Bass]

Whenever people complain about the cost of bass guitar strings I think about what it costs to put TI spirocores on my upright or to rehair my bow.

The good news is they can last for years. Price per day is spare change.

 

[kodiakblair]

If you're in the US, they're imported from Austria which has always added to the cost (due to shipping costs and one or more distributors each adding their own markups before they reach the retailer), but the current tariff situation has added yet another layer of expense.

A plausible explanation which sadly falls apart once you remember US strings sold in Europe are subject to those same conditions.

My favoured TIs are the JF344, £49 ($65USD) from Thomann. That's £49 including the mandatory 19% sales tax (VAT) we Europeans pay.

As far as I'm aware folks in the US are not subject to a blanket sales tax but it's applied at state level, average 7.4%. In any case the EU VAT is not levied on exports outside the EU

If you break that down my favoured £49 TIs would be £39.69 after VAT was removed. £45.64 with the current 15% tariff applied and £49.06 with a 7.5% sales tax.

Currency rates as of 15:18 today say £49.06 converts to $65.57.

Sweetwater are charging $99.99 !!

Could well be SW operate at higher profit margins than Thomann but a 50% mark up screams of rip off to me.

 

[ardgedee]

A plausible explanation which sadly falls apart once you remember US strings sold in Europe are subject to those same conditions.

My favoured TIs are the JF344, £49 ($65USD) from Thomann. That's £49 including the mandatory 19% sales tax (VAT) we Europeans pay.

As far as I'm aware folks in the US are not subject to a blanket sales tax but it's applied at state level, average 7.4%. In any case the EU VAT is not levied on exports outside the EU

Not necessarily the same conditions. TI might be selling direct to Thomann rather than through a distributor, while I believe that all TI strings retailed in the US are through a domestic distributor. That's a layer of what the business press discreetly calls "profit taking". Shipping expenses will also be higher to North America rather than within Europe/UK.

I bought my TIJFs through Thomann last spring, before tariffs were imposed. I still have some notes from the time. One string set with postage included was approximately what the same set through an American retailer would cost. Two string sets with postage, though, were enough to beat any US retailer's price (for some perverse reason, Thomann's shipping price was lower for two sets than for one, so now I have a lifetime supply). At the time this put the net cost for two sets at about the same price level as two sets of EB Cobalt Flats through a US retailer. Thomann recalculates US prices daily based on exchange rates against the Euro, so the effective price to the US fluctuates even when it's stable within Europe; if I'd timed the purchase well I could probably have saved another five or ten bucks.

 

[el murdoque]

Thomastiks are only expensive if you plan to replace them in 6 months.
When you use them for a decade, the relative cost is actually not that much of a factor.