Correct on both counts.
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Thomastik Infeld
- Thread starter Pbasslovernyc
- Start date
Thanks - that's very interesting about the layer of silk. I had no idea that was the case!
I can't speak to Thomastik flats but I've used a few different brands of flatwounds, including LaBella, GHS, and the D'Addario Chromes. I found the Chromes to be the least slippery feeling of the bunch, with LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats being the smoothest and GHS Precision Flats falling in the middle.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
Ric, I never really noticed any degradation of sound over time until I got my hearing aids...
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
Yep. Each set of strings is a different age and contributes its own sound. The newer strings are on different basses, and each combination generates a unique sound; it's one of the factors that determines which bass I choose.
My bass teacher was a double bass and electric BG player from Paris who also was skeptical of the boiling strings method. I told him about it once and his response (in a thick French accent) was, "oh, do you also put in some rosemary and olive oil?"
I tried it anyway and found the difference it made really not worth the effort. I've had better results using rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth on the strings to clean them off.
Up to $90 now - more expensive than TI's. No idea what they're thinking. They're good strings, but not that good.
As others said, Infelds are a luxury brand. Whether they're worth the luxury price is up to you.
I tried Infeld rounds many moons ago (I can't comment on the flats since I'm not a flats guy). I'm a string GASer so curiosity got the better of me. Excellent strings, but not at all worth the luxury price tag for me. I could get 3-4 sets of DRs and those strings last forever for me.
I tried Infeld rounds many moons ago (I can't comment on the flats since I'm not a flats guy). I'm a string GASer so curiosity got the better of me. Excellent strings, but not at all worth the luxury price tag for me. I could get 3-4 sets of DRs and those strings last forever for me.
I’m not sure I’d describe either as ‘slippery’, but there’s a huge difference in feel. The TI’s are known for being very floppy, the Chromes are quite stiff. This was the reason I replaced my Chromes with TI’s (I also happen to prefer their sound).
That decision was made easier by the fact that I live in Europe, and the TI’s weren’t much more expensive than the Chromes at the time. If I had to pay US prices, I probably wouldn’t have bought the TI’s at all. Now that I know that I like them and that they a last a long time, I could justify paying that kind of money for a set of strings. But it’s a lot of money for something that I might not even like.
While they're certainly well-made strings, it all comes down to perceived value, if you think they're worth it.
For that kind of money, I think they're crazy.
For that kind of money, I think they're crazy.
I’ve been using Jazz Flats for 25 years and I love them. Yes - they’re not a cheap date, but if you weigh how good they sound and feel, plus how long they last, they’re easily worth what they cost.
I'm not clear about what you're describing as "slippery." Maybe you're just describing the difference in playing flatwound strings as compared to round wound strings (if that's the case, ALL flats may feel "slippery" to you!)
TIs have a wonderful low-tension feel which I really enjoy, as I'm not a fan of high-tension strings at all (they're too much freakin' work!)
Well...
The deal with Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats?
1. They're made in Austria. So, there are shipping fees from Austria involved, as well as import duties - and fun stuff like that...
2. Most flat wound strings are made with a core wire (round or hexagonal) with a flat outer wire around it. Pretty simple. TI Jazz Flats, OTOH, have (if I remember correctly); a thin round core wire; a silk thread wound around that; another very thin round wire wrap; and - finally - a flat nickel-steel outer wire wrap. Very time consuming; very complicated - and, time consuming and complicated is never cheap...
3. I've been playing basses with flat wound strings - lots of different flat wound strings - for about 55 years, now. Yes, TI Jazz Flats are more expensive than most American made flats. But, there are some - Dunlop and Sadowsky, for instance - that are almost as expensive. German Pyramid flats, and Optima Flats, are almost as expensive. But, if you think TI's are expensive? Price a set ofDogal's Italian-made Jonas Hellborg Signature strings - rounds or flats. But, be sitting down when you do... And,
4. Take a look at the prices for upright bass strings, some time. Trust me; compared to those things? TI Jazz Flats are a bargain...
Finally... There are 2 ways to look at the price of things. One is the upfront cost; and by that measure? Yeah, TI's are expensive. But, if you look at the amortized cost - the cost of something, spread over it's expected lifetime? TI Jazz Flats are dirt cheap. Yes, you might pay $100 for a set; but, considering that - with minimal care - they will still sound good after a decade - or MORE? That's a fraction - a very small fraction - of a cent per day. The TIJF's on my '95 Alembic have been on it for almost 16 years, now. They still feel - and sound - great. There are members here, who have gigged regularly for over 20 years, before they had to replace their TIJF's. So...
Bottom line? You can buy cheap - and replace often; or you can pay more - once - and take your time saving your spare change for the next several years - when you might need a new set of TI's....
As I already mentioned, being in Europe, TIs cost pretty much the same as most US-made flats (only Fender 9050s are less expensive, almost all other flats cost 50-60 € for a four string set).
But since flats literally last for years, does it really matter if there's a difference in price?
Yes, there is a difference in feel (LaBella DTBs and D'Addario Chromes on the stiffer side, TIs on the softer one) - but in the end, what really matters is tone. I've tried many different kinds of flats over the last 30 years, but tonally TIs and LaBella DTBs are the only ones I'm sticking with.
EB Cobalts - might as well play roundwounds; Chromes - bright, and a bit bland, Fender 9050s - somewhere between Cobalts and Chromes; Pyramids - nice thump, but every set I tried had a completely dead E right out of the package.
LaBella DTBs have THAT tone - the classic 60s thump, the Stax/Motown tone, nothing else does that as perfectly.
And TIs are in a league of their own; they are brighter than the DTBs, but they aren't as bright as Cobalts, it's still not a "modern" tone. They have this very vocal, expressive mid-range, really unique; works for many different genres (well, maybe not metal), it helps getting heard in a dense mix, without sticking out in an obnoxious way. I haven't found any other strings that can do this, and that's well worth the price of admission!
I keep one P with LaBellas, but every other bass I have has TIs on it.
But since flats literally last for years, does it really matter if there's a difference in price?
Yes, there is a difference in feel (LaBella DTBs and D'Addario Chromes on the stiffer side, TIs on the softer one) - but in the end, what really matters is tone. I've tried many different kinds of flats over the last 30 years, but tonally TIs and LaBella DTBs are the only ones I'm sticking with.
EB Cobalts - might as well play roundwounds; Chromes - bright, and a bit bland, Fender 9050s - somewhere between Cobalts and Chromes; Pyramids - nice thump, but every set I tried had a completely dead E right out of the package.
LaBella DTBs have THAT tone - the classic 60s thump, the Stax/Motown tone, nothing else does that as perfectly.
And TIs are in a league of their own; they are brighter than the DTBs, but they aren't as bright as Cobalts, it's still not a "modern" tone. They have this very vocal, expressive mid-range, really unique; works for many different genres (well, maybe not metal), it helps getting heard in a dense mix, without sticking out in an obnoxious way. I haven't found any other strings that can do this, and that's well worth the price of admission!
I keep one P with LaBellas, but every other bass I have has TIs on it.
I believe that TIs are for players who have a light touch. I do, and I find them very comfortable and not at all floppy.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
I have a set of Dogal Hellborg rounds on one of my fretless five-strings. They are the best roundwounds I've ever played, but they took awhile to get used to after playing flats exclusively for about three decades.
I’m talking to Gerold Genssler about custom set of hybrid guts. By comparison the price of a set of TI flats that work so well for me seems utterly unremarkable.
