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*TI Flats MegaThread*

#102
Jongor said:

"I'm currently using a set that's 8 years old on my 4 string PJ, they're like magic on that bass!

So punchy yet warm and feel great!

Can't see replacing them unless they break!"

I concur. But then I'm 56 years old, my 26 year old son prefers FRESH ROUNDWOUNDS, always. I guess it just depends.

as for me, I am a fan of the lighter guage Ti flats. And while I can see replacing them every couple of years or so, or sooner, if you can afford to, I just dont see it as a necessity.
 
#104
So I haven't read the whole thread but i just installed a set on my CV p-bass equipped with a PV63 pickup
Did a proper set up ( as i do every time i change strings ) Granted it's only been an hour or so that i have them on but so far i get plenty of warmth low mids/mids from the D and G strings but not so much from the E and A strings and there's a lack of bottom end that i wasn't expecting.

I knew they were supposed to be more mid forward ( which is why i bought them ) but will the bottom get bigger as they brake in ?
 
#105
Brkls said:
So I haven't read the whole thread but i just installed a set on my CV p-bass equipped with a PV63 pickup
Did a proper set up ( as i do every time i change strings ) Granted it's only been an hour or so that i have them on but so far i get plenty of warmth low mids/mids from the D and G strings but not so much from the E and A strings and there's a lack of bottom end that i wasn't expecting.

I knew they were supposed to be more mid forward ( which is why i bought them ) but will the bottom get bigger as they brake in ?
Click to expand...

IME, TIs don’t really have a fat low end. That’s not to say they can’t support a band, but if you’re wanting more “bass” then Labellas or GHS flats might be more your bag.
 
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#107
tallboybass said:
Hi, I'm new to the world of TI Flats. After doing a Lot of searching...there are many small threads on these strings but nowhere you can go and find the definitive thread for info on these babies. Hopefully, this might be it.

After having these strings on my Fender Hot-Rodded Precision Bass (PJ setup) for One Month, I've got a bit of a love/hate relationship with them at the moment, The A string has a very lovely fretless Mwaah sound that I love (and the bridge saddle must be moved farther toward the neck to properly intonate, compared to the others), while the other 3 sound like more 'normal' but very mid-oriented flats. I've seen different threads that talk about some inconsistencies like this.

Thomastik Flats, Inconsistent? | TalkBass.com

Finally have given up on TI Jazz Flats | TalkBass.com

The feel and balance are great, I want them to work out. Been a 'flats lover' for quite a while now, these strings are obviously quite different from the other flats out there! I'm going to try leaving them on the PJ a while longer, hoping things settle down. But, thinking about the tonal characteristics of these strings, it seems like they might be better suited to a Jazz Bass...what do you think?

Feel free to post links to other TI Flats threads that have good information in them and/or share your own thoughts and experiences.

Thanks,
Alan
Click to expand...
I gavé sets on a Fender J, a Fender P, and a G&L SB-2T. I like them all.
 
#108
Thanks for the heads up guys.
I'm coming from labellas so i was surprised by the sound. Like most people here i have multiple basses so i'm trying stuff out.. So i,m not crazy.. they don't have a tone of bottom end. Good to know. I'll take the time to break them in anyways just to see where it gets me. I have 760FM on a Fender P so i'll rotate between the two for now. Wonder if the original CV60's pickup would have more bottom then the PV63 ?
 
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#112
I have never longed for or needed more low end out of TIs. Maybe bedroom tone you'd think you want more... but in a band mix playing live with a they've got more than enough junk in the trunk. I still have to run an HPF the same way I do with any other strings. If they're new just give them a little time to settle in. Pure magic in a mix both in live applications and recording. Favorite strings for my Moollon P.
 
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#113
With TIJFs the fundamental of low E is there, and discernible, and can be increased if desired with EQing.

But with broken in La Bellas, for example, the fundamental of low E is very much surrounded by something else that makes it hard to pick out, and low E, F, F# are hard to distinguish. If you raise a 40Hz slider you get more of *that*. There are threads about string flexibility that cover this, and to me it's very well established.

I love La Bellas fresh out of the package but I don't feel like changing them frequently enough to keep that.
 
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#114
Giving a set on my Stingray a go. Have used them for years on my fretless's and my hollowbody. So far so good. On the Ray, was just not digging the rounds and Chromes are fun but too much 'just a flatwound'
 
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#115
The lower tension and smaller gauge make the TI's more "focused", less "boomy". You can get a little fatter tone if you play closer to the neck. I much prefer focus to boom. They might not have the same "bite" or "snarl" RW's do but they've even served me nicely for metal tunes!



Gotta love TI's.

By the way, comparing the TI's to the 760FM isn't really "fair", if you want a fat bottom. The FM's are much stiffer and bigger in pure girth.
 
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#116
uwrossl said:
I have never longed for or needed more low end out of TIs. Maybe bedroom tone you'd think you want more... but in a band mix playing live with a they've got more than enough junk in the trunk. I still have to run an HPF the same way I do with any other strings. If they're new just give them a little time to settle in. Pure magic in a mix both in live applications and recording. Favorite strings for my Moollon P.
Click to expand...

Yeah i'm mostly a bedroom player so that might be why.
Tried a small piece of foam mute under the strings yesterday and it made s tremendous difference.
Mids where decaying faster and the lows where full and round.
Made them sound similar to the labellas ( note that with the labellas i have a Original62 pickup and with the TIs i have a PV63 )
 
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#117
Gothic said:
The lower tension and smaller gauge make the TI's more "focused", less "boomy". You can get a little fatter tone if you play closer to the neck. I much prefer focus to boom. They might not have the same "bite" or "snarl" RW's do but they've even served me nicely for metal tunes!



Gotta love TI's.

By the way, comparing the TI's to the 760FM isn't really "fair", if you want a fat bottom. The FM's are much stiffer and bigger in pure girth.
Click to expand...


I didn't know what to expect and my point of reference is either Labellas or Chromes. I also had fender flats which weren't bad but to me they lacked character. I think it comes down to which pickup you pair them with.

Thing i noticed about the TI is, since they have less fundamental, that i seemed to have more flexibility in terms of note choice. The labellas have stronger fundamentals so if for example i was improvising in C major pentatonic the 6th and the 2nd would not sound very well cause it would change the chord too much or demand attention whereas with the TI having less lows/fundamentals i could play the 6th and the 2nd and it would not sound off or commend too much focus. IDK
 
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#118
Brkls said:
Yeah i'm mostly a bedroom player so that might be why.
Tried a small piece of foam mute under the strings yesterday and it made s tremendous difference.
Mids where decaying faster and the lows where full and round.
Made them sound similar to the labellas ( note that with the labellas i have a Original62 pickup and with the TIs i have a PV63 )
Click to expand...

Yeah...you just need to give them some time I think since they're so fresh. TI's very much have a lot "round wound" aspects to them when fresh. In fact, I joke that my favorite rounds are TI flats. Also...don't be afraid to twist the knobs a bit on your amp until they've settled in.. A little bass bump with the TI's is nice and they still retain the clarity. If you are liking/adjusting to the tension of TI's then the rest is all gravy. They won't ever thump like LaBellas for sure...but one of the greatest things about TI's for me is that even after they are 3-5 years old(and beyond) they still sound phenomenal. The retain all the best parts of their tone.

On another note...TI's don't always fit the bill for everyone. Play em for a few months and if you don't bond with them they're super easy to unload here as mentioned in the other thread. If you find yourself in that rare position and you're mostly playing at home....I'd recommend GHS Precision Flats for that really warm and chocolatey sound. If you find yourself looking for something that falls between LaBella and TIs with more character(my opinion) than the Fenders and Chromes pick up a set of Dunlop Flats. Dunlops straddle the line nicely between traditional and modern flats and give TI's a solid run for their money as my favorite flats. Dunlops are permanently on my Serek Midwestern(short scale) and a close second for my Moollon P. They are also very flexible. Just don't give up on the TI's too soon if their low tension and flexibility isn't a problem for you.
 
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#120
uwrossl said:
Yeah...you just need to give them some time I think since they're so fresh. TI's very much have a lot "round wound" aspects to them when fresh. In fact, I joke that my favorite rounds are TI flats. Also...don't be afraid to twist the knobs a bit on your amp until they've settled in.. A little bass bump with the TI's is nice and they still retain the clarity. If you are liking/adjusting to the tension of TI's then the rest is all gravy. They won't ever thump like LaBellas for sure...but one of the greatest things about TI's for me is that even after they are 3-5 years old(and beyond) they still sound phenomenal. The retain all the best parts of their tone.

On another note...TI's don't always fit the bill for everyone. Play em for a few months and if you don't bond with them they're super easy to unload here as mentioned in the other thread. If you find yourself in that rare position and you're mostly playing at home....I'd recommend GHS Precision Flats for that really warm and chocolatey sound. If you find yourself looking for something that falls between LaBella and TIs with more character(my opinion) than the Fenders and Chromes pick up a set of Dunlop Flats. Dunlops straddle the line nicely between traditional and modern flats and give TI's a solid run for their money as my favorite flats. Dunlops are permanently on my Serek Midwestern(short scale) and a close second for my Moollon P. They are also very flexible. Just don't give up on the TI's too soon if their low tension and flexibility isn't a problem for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tips
I have a set of GHS coming in the mail for an other bass. We'll see how it goes.
I'm gonna keep the TI's on for now. I have upgraded my pots for cts250k this morning and it might be a placebo effect but i felt like they sounded much fuller... So i'll keep them on for now and play an other bass if i don't feel like playing them :)
 
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