• 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.

TI Flats Conundrum

#21
NOVAX said:
Those are perfect for a through body shortscale Fender. An inch is a mile.
Click to expand...

nixdad said:
I ran into the same issue installing the TI flats on my Fender Starcaster. Although I was not happy about having to wrap bare (E) string around the post, I've had no issues at all with tone or performance.

Carry on and enjoy!
Click to expand...

Lex P. said:
Should be no problemo!
Click to expand...

Yes, it worked out fine !

My first experience with TI's was when I installed them on the Squier Vista Series MusicMaster I had. (String through Bridge ... the ti winding length wasn't an issue on that one on) Those have a stock '51 Style alnico p/up. Sounded great, and experiencing such soft strings for the first time was a treat.

This one's going on 6 hours or so letting the string settle. Getting ready to tweak the intonation and p/ups heights. Gotta some tubes warming and waiting :)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Lex P.
#23
When I put TIs on my 30" and the E string wrapped around the post a full turn past the silk, I contacted Jason at Bass Strings Online (@SLaPiNFuNK) and sent a pic to get his feedback. His reply:

"Thomastik "Short Scale" strings are made longer to accommodate more "short scale" instruments like Hofners, Starfire, and others. Thankfully these strings are so flexible that they wrap around the tuning post without problems. The strings look like they were installed well and I do not foresee any issues with them as they are."

upload_2018-7-16_20-16-5.png


Been playing them a few weeks now without issue.
 
  • Like
Reactions: LadyLoveStingRay5, lowplaces and Lex P.
#24
Florinda4 said:
When I put TIs on my 30" and the E string wrapped around the post a full turn past the silk, I contacted Jason at Bass Strings Online (@SLaPiNFuNK) and sent a pic to get his feedback. His reply:

"Thomastik "Short Scale" strings are made longer to accommodate more "short scale" instruments like Hofners, Starfire, and others. Thankfully these strings are so flexible that they wrap around the tuning post without problems. The strings look like they were installed well and I do not foresee any issues with them as they are."

View attachment 3083851

Been playing them a few weeks now without issue.
Click to expand...

Update: Still playing the same set of TIs on my 30"... they still sound great, maybe even better than when new. All nice and even, plenty of brightness and warmth as needed. Probably on them 8-12 hours a week on average.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ricky Rioli and lowplaces
#25
lowplaces said:
With the vintage style tuners on the bass, the hole in the center of the tuner is about an inch deep. So I can leave about can leave 2.25 -2.5 inches of the silk on the tuner end of the string. That will allow me to bend the silk end as such..

View attachment 3080099

...and insert it into the hole on the tuner. That should leave enough silk on the end of the string to keep the windings intact.

Still leaves the question of the exposed windings
on tuner post.

Here is a photo of a Squier MusicMaster Bass, which has a string through bridge.installed. TI Flats installed. On the E string you can see the windings on the post and the resulting effect.

View attachment 3080109

The windings weren't separating much around the post but enough to notice.

The photo doesn't show it but once the string cleared the tuning post the windings were not separated.
Click to expand...
I have TI's on my SD Curlee 32" scale. The E wrap looks like that. I have no problems with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DavesnothereCA and lowplaces
#26
~
With a 35.5" wrap length, and a stated 32" scale length on the package, TI is sending mixed messages.

That said, their 324 set ought to fit a lot of medium scale basses, which is a bonus, as there are so few string choices for those.

I'm not in love with the price, but they should fit a couple of such basses which I own.

And even with the reassuring pics upthread, given that they cost as much as they do, I will not be taking any chances on my real short scale basses with TI strings, especially when there are enough other brands which fit better.

At the end of the day, the silly thing is just how simple it would be for TI to adjust the settings of their string winding machines and to offer a proper short scale set [call it '304' - the number is not yet taken], and still they have not woken up and smelled the coffee, after all of this time !

It's not rocket science.

And for the premium price that TI charges, we deserve better suited choices. [/rant]
~
 
#27
TI Flats are expensive, but they last for years. I'm using "short-scale" (I would call them medium scale) TI Flats on a Gibson SG bass with a HipShot SuperTone bridge. Scale length is 30", ball end to tuner distance for the E and G strings is a little under 34.5". The TI strings fit well enough; the wrappings do get onto the tuners a bit, but the strings stay in tune and haven't broken. I also have a long-scale TI strings on my Fender and EBMM long-scale basses and they fit fine.
 
#28
DavesnothereCA said:
~
With a 35.5" wrap length, and a stated 32" scale length on the package, TI is sending mixed messages.

That said, their 324 set ought to fit a lot of medium scale basses, which is a bonus, as there are so few string choices for those.

I'm not in love with the price, but they should fit a couple of such basses which I own.

And even with the reassuring pics upthread, given that they cost as much as they do, I will not be taking any chances on my real short scale basses with TI strings, especially when there are enough other brands which fit better.

At the end of the day, the silly thing is just how simple it would be for TI to adjust the settings of their string winding machines and to offer a proper short scale set [call it '304' - the number is not yet taken], and still they have not woken up and smelled the coffee, after all of this time !

It's not rocket science.

And for the premium price that TI charges, we deserve better suited choices. [/rant]
~
Click to expand...
Sounds like TI are catering to the Hofner crowd.
 
#29
iiipopes said:
Sounds like TI are catering to the Hofner crowd.
Click to expand...
~
They might THINK that they are, but Hofner wrap length is 34.0", according to LaBella, in order to not put any around the tuner posts.

The published 35.5" wrap length of TI's JF324 short scale set would put an unfair amount of wrap around the narrow tuner posts which Hofners are known to have, especially with the E string, even with the trapeze tailpiece taking some of it - certainly enough extra wrap to negate MY comfort in putting them onto a Hofner.

That said, TI also makes a set specifically marketed for Hofner basses, called JF324H.

Apparently, the wrap length is still 35.5", but the E is a 96 instead of a 106, so the problem which I described would still be present.
~
 
Last edited:
#31
DavesnothereCA said:
~
They might THINK that they are, but Hofner wrap length is 34.0", according to LaBella, in order to not put any around the tuner posts.

The published 35.5" wrap length of TI's JF324 short scale set would put an unfair amount of wrap around the narrow tuner posts which Hofners are known to have, especially with the E string, even with the trapeze tailpiece taking some of it - certainly enough extra wrap to negate MY comfort in putting them onto a Hofner.

That said, TI also makes a set specifically marketed for Hofner basses, called JF324H.

Apparently, the wrap length is still 35.5", but the E is a 96 instead of a 106, so the problem which I described would still be present.
~
Click to expand...
Whatever. Write La Bella and insist they re-issue their medium scale length flats in their FL gauge: 43-104.
 
#34
DavyR said:
Hofner 500/1 basses have 2 different trapeze lengths, so ...
Click to expand...
~
Thanks for the info ! :thumbsup:

I suspected as much.

Is this due to whether they are German, Contemporary, or Ignition series, or for some other reason ?

And do you happen to know what the numbers are, of how much string wrap length is needed to match each of them ?

I have two numbers on file, which are about an inch different from each other, and the longer one would exclude some brands of short scale strings, due to not enough wrap to reach past the nut.

Also, should we infer the same to be true about trapezes on the Hofner 500/2 [Club] basses ?
~
 
Last edited:
#35
DavesnothereCA said:
~
Thanks for the info ! :thumbsup:

I suspected as much.

Is this due to whether they are German, Contemporary, or Ignition series, or for some other reason ?

And do you happen to know what the numbers are, of how much string wrap length is needed to match each of them ?

I have two numbers on file, which are about an inch different from each other, and the longer one would exclude some brands of short scale strings, due to not enough wrap to reach past the nut.

Also, should we infer the same to be true about trapezes on the Hofner 500/2 [Club] basses ?
~
Click to expand...
I only know this to be true about the German 500/1. Not sure about the Contemporary or Ignition "Not Made in Germany" basses.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DavesnothereCA
#37
DavesnothereCA said:
~
So there are two lengths just among the German 500/1 basses.
Wow !
How different are they ?
~
Click to expand...
I'm sure the 2 different trapeze lengths potentially exist on all German Hofner basses but I have only seen the two lengths on 500/1 basses. I never measured but at least a good inch difference. Google is your friend as are searches here on this forum.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back