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TI flats my experience

#21
Pimpernel Smith said:
I thought I’d pass along my recent experience with the T-I Jazz Flats 344.

After 15 years of using round wound stainless steel strings on my Jack Casady bass, I thought that I would try Ye Olde Jazz Flats again. When I first got the Jack bass, 19 years ago, I had played it with these flats strings for about 4 years.

Over the years, I’ve gone through a few amplifiers and cabinets. I’m currently playing through Aguilar equipment, a Tone Hamer 350 head and a Aguilar SL12 cabinet. This is the best sounding equipment I’ve ever owned.

I fitted on the Jazz Flats, and adjusted the bridge for height and intonation and played on them practicing for 3 days to settle down, before plugging in. Well, my man, what came out of my speaker cabinet was shocking and thrilling. Not only are these strings glassy smooth and easy to play, but the sound is spectacular, deep, rich and clear. Well worth the money.
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Funny thing, I have a new Epi Jack Casady 20th Anniversary model. Just yesterday, I was considering putting my TI Flats on that bass.
 
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#22
FWIW, I just changed strings on my main bass (Fender CS 59 P) from Sadowsky Black Label 045-105 to TI JF344 flats. An old set, played for three years or so. They just sound so good on that bass, and much more lively and versatile compared to most other flats. Still have the Sadowskys, they went on my new MIJ Fender Jazz five-string I bought from Japan just now ;)
 
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#23
I have flats on all my basses. Some have Rotosound, some have LaBella and others TI. My big issue with the TI's is that it seems every bass I put them on (5 string basses) the A string gives me problems. It's very resonant but always seems that I have to set the saddle very high or it buzzes too much. I wish it were a bit thicker in diameter. Other than that they are wonderful strings and sound great, especially on the two 36" scale basses I have. It's nice to go from the high tension of Rotosound/LaBella to the TI. To me, they force me to play different/better.
 
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#24
I used a set of TI's years ago on a bass I sold, I remember loving them, but I wasn't very good at that point. I have GHS Precisions on my P 5er now, and my 4 actually, but I have a set of 4 TI's so all I would need is a B string to give them a shot. I should probably just do it, and save the GHS in case they don't jive.
 
#26
I've tried them 2 times. The latest was on my G&L JB-2 jazz bass. There was an upper mid thing going on that didn't work for me. It may have been the bass - it's just a Tribute - but I wasn't liking them. I put my standard DR Hi Beams back on it. Much better. I may try flats again - it's my back up bass but I mostly use it for occasional jazz gigs - but it'll be something else.
 
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#27
SteveC said:
I've tried them 2 times. The latest was on my G&L JB-2 jazz bass. There was an upper mid thing going on that didn't work for me. It may have been the bass - it's just a Tribute - but I wasn't liking them. I put my standard DR Hi Beams back on it. Much better. I may try flats again - it's my back up bass but I mostly use it for occasional jazz gigs - but it'll be something else.
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Upper mid thing... same with my fretless. Couldn’t pick it out. Was ALWAYS there regardless of pickup selection or eq.
 
#29
I have TI Jazz Flats on both my fretless and fretted Precison basses.
Their midrange voice, feel, and versatility is what I love about them. They have just enough of the flatwound warmth in the high end but they keep a nice focused fundamental that's not over-hyped. The mids seem like they are just made for a P Bass. Great combo.
 
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#35
Just finish install the TiJF344 on my Cort/Sandberg Arona IV and tune in pitch.

Seriously strong MID and higher output than GHS pressure wound ML7200 which I swap with.
The G string sound is full and thick fresh from pack.

Hope this flat sound better with aged like another set on my pbass.
 
#37
I find them to be great for recording. The fact that they do not have a fat bottom is a plus because they do not overload the preamps of the recording equipment. The sweet top also simplifies things for recording. You just have a mids-focused string with some complexity in the high mids. IMHO.
 
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#39
I played a set of Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats in 1988 or so. I wanted something different on my hot rod '76 Fender Precision. They sounded good at first, or so I thought. After the honeymoon, not so much. The tone was fine, but I greatly disliked the flippity-floppiness of the low tension. I also had to keep jacking up my action higher and higher in order to play cleanly with the floppiness. Finally they failed to intonate properly and I had enough. Never again. Never ever again.
 
#40
Linnin said:
I played a set of Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Flats in 1988 or so. I wanted something different on my hot rod '76 Fender Precision. They sounded good at first, or so I thought. After the honeymoon, not so much. The tone was fine, but I greatly disliked the flippity-floppiness of the low tension. I also had to keep jacking up my action higher and higher in order to play cleanly with the floppiness. Finally they failed to intonate properly and I had enough. Never again. Never ever again.
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That sounds more like a playing technique/expectations issue than an inherent flaw with the strings.
 
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