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TI Jazz Flats rule for me...

#121
I finally bit the bullet and ordered a set of JF344's on Tuesday and I eagerly anticipate their arrival. I used Fender flats for a couple of years and liked the tone but eventually the heavier tension bothered me and I went back to roundwounds. I miss the tone of the flats and the feel but from what everybody pretty much says about the TI's, there isn't heavy tension with these strings. Can't wait to get them on my J-bass and gig with them. Hope they work out and are worth the dough. :bassist: )-(
 
#123
As TI flats are lower tension will that give more mwahh because the string vibrates more against the fretboard or does tension not affect that?

I've tried them before and didn't really like the lower tension but if I can get used to playing with a lighter touch maybe that would help.
 
#125
i think these strings are great when you have a REFINED touch... that might be light, might be rather heavy, but it must be refined and controlled.

i would not consider myself to be a 'light player' in the sense of someone like matt garrison or similar players who have super high tech basses with ramps and stuff (although i do own one... time and a place for everything) so you can't possibly bash the strings, but i play in a very controlled manner. i sometimes dig in with these strings, but i have no problems, because i am digging in in a careful manner. maybe it is because my action is a bit on the high side that i have no problems... i dunno.

the low end that these strings are capable of when playing mezzo-piano is amazing, and everyone who hears or plays my bass has been loving the sound. i also recently modded the electronics, which has been a perfect match with the TI's on my jazz bass.

john
 
#128
JohnDavisNYC said:
i think these strings are great when you have a REFINED touch... that might be light, might be rather heavy, but it must be refined and controlled.

i would not consider myself to be a 'light player' in the sense of someone like matt garrison or similar players who have super high tech basses with ramps and stuff (although i do own one... time and a place for everything) so you can't possibly bash the strings, but i play in a very controlled manner. i sometimes dig in with these strings, but i have no problems, because i am digging in in a careful manner. maybe it is because my action is a bit on the high side that i have no problems... i dunno.

the low end that these strings are capable of when playing mezzo-piano is amazing, and everyone who hears or plays my bass has been loving the sound. i also recently modded the electronics, which has been a perfect match with the TI's on my jazz bass.

john
Click to expand...

That's it! You've nailed it exactly. I've been trying for years to express those same thoughts in a way that could be communicated, and failed. I think you're right on. I've been using these strings for many years on all my basses and never have a problem. Not that I can't play a bass with other strings. I can but I much prefer the T.I. flats.
 
#129
edbutler3 said:
I finally took the plunge and ordered a 5-string set of TI Flats for my Mike Lull P5. This will be an interesting (and somewhat expensive) experiment, because I have almost no experience with flat wound strings at this point. The controversy around the tension issue intrigues me as well. I'll be a good test-case for that, because I have a particularly heavy-handed picking style. In fact, I may be exactly the kind of player who should NOT use these strings. We'll see...

I'll report back in a few days after I've received the strings and tried them out at a rehearsal.
Click to expand...

Well, I've had the TI Flats on my Lull P5 for a couple weeks now, and I've had the chance to use them with the band plus several hours of solo practice.

The verdict: I will definitely be keeping them on this bass!

The sound is just what I've been looking for, not necessarily as my primary voice, but as a cool alternative to the roundwound sound -- so I can switch basses and get a very noticeably different tone. I'm having fun trying to decide which bass to use for which song now. I keep getting surprised by these strings -- a lot of songs that I expect (based on their style) to sound better with the roundwounds actually end up sounding better to me with the flats. For a couple of tunes the guitar player has expressed a preference for the rounds because he wants to hear that aggressive "crunch" -- or maybe the song calls for me to fill up more sonic space (above where the flats would focus) since we're a trio. But overall the new sound has been well received.

The lower tension did not turn out to be a big deal for me. I did raise my action and loosen the truss rod so I'd have a little more room to dig in, but that's not a big deal at all. I may be wrong here, but I think most of the complaints about the low tension are coming from players who normally use other brands of flats rather than roundwounds -- since other flats tend to have a very high tension compared to rounds. So for someone like me who normally uses rounds, the tension is not so dramatically lower. Although, of course it is still a very different feel overall. (Does that make sense?)

Through the Berg NV215 cabinet, the low notes from these strings are monumental. The low D is like a velvet sledgehammer. :D
 
#130
edbutler3 said:
... The lower tension did not turn out to be a big deal for me. I did raise my action and loosen the truss rod so I'd have a little more room to dig in, but that's not a big deal at all. I may be wrong here, but I think most of the complaints about the low tension are coming from players who normally use other brands of flats rather than roundwounds -- since other flats tend to have a very high tension compared to rounds. So for someone like me who normally uses rounds, the tension is not so dramatically lower. Although, of course it is still a very different feel overall. (Does that make sense?)
... The low D is like a velvet sledgehammer. :D
Click to expand...
Interesting observation. I've used round wounds exclusively on all my basses except for my Barker upright. In fact, it never occurs to me to use anything but round wounds, so my transition to TI flats was as you described yours.

Also, I have a very light touch, and others have mentioned they think the light touch makes the transition easier as well.

Cool report though. I especially loved the "velvet sledgehammer." No ambiguity about that mental image!
 
#131
I bought a set new in '96 on recommendation from Carol Kaye and they did indeed sound good. Especially for jazz / blues...but not much else. In fact, I thought they were too hollow and honky sounding in the mids on my old jazz bass.

I recorded with them and they sounded fantastic. Live...it was a different story

When I purchased my stingray in 05, I put a set on and once again...great for jazz / blues but not much else. For anything other than that which requires a light touch, I found I was left wanting.

What eventually prompted me to remove them from the SR was the issue with dead spots. These strings REALLY bring dead spots to the fore. I just couldn't cope with them any more

To cut a long story short...I took em off and replaced them With DR sunbeams, which in my opinion and while not a flatwound serve my musical needs much much better and are a much fatter, warmer sounding string without the 'gank' and 'clack'.

I just can't imagine putting flats on my new jazz . To me the jazz needs roundwounds to achieve that warm 'open' sound, especially on the back pickup. I think a lot of the tonality I like with a jazz disappears when it's strung with flats.

As I said...for me they were great for jazz / blues...but not much else.
 
#133
I had Jimmy put a set on my Alleva Coppolo KPB-5 - fantastic old school sound and they sound great slapped also. No lack of low end on that setup!

FWIW, I'm using a Shuttle 6.0 into an Accugroove Tri-115 cabinet - sounds great!

Dan K.
 
#136
I currently own 11 basses and who knows how much other gear.

As you can imagine, my kids have been around basses and me talking basses all their lives, but I have never had a particle of evidence that they have ever listened to a WORD of what I've said about basses or gear... until this last Monday.

Monday was my birthday, and to my great shock, I opened up one of the gifts from my kids and lo and behold my 16 year old got me a set of of Thomastik Infeld Jazz Bass strings for a 6 string bass. Cool!

As you know, these things have a list value of $180 a set and a street value of $90 a set.

And as if that wasn't enough, a couple of packages later I discovered my 15 year old got me a set as well!

Then the next package I opened was another set from my wife!

Not counting the sets I have recently installed on basses, I have 3 spare packages of 6 string TIs, which reportedly can last 8 years!

I guess my raving about these strings made an impression!

But man, what am I going to do with all these strings? I guess I need to get more 6 stringers! :hyper:
 
#137
Tom7 said:
I currently own 11 basses and who knows how much other gear.

As you can imagine, my kids have been around basses and me talking basses all their lives, but I have never had a particle of evidence that they have ever listened to a WORD of what I've said about basses or gear... until this last Monday.

Monday was my birthday, and to my great shock, I opened up one of the gifts from my kids and lo and behold my 16 year old got me a set of of Thomastik Infeld Jazz Bass strings for a 6 string bass. Cool!

As you know, these things have a list value of $180 a set and a street value of $90 a set.

And as if that wasn't enough, a couple of packages later I discovered my 15 year old got me a set as well!

Then the next package I opened was another set from my wife!

Not counting the sets I have recently installed on basses, I have 3 spare packages of 6 string TIs, which reportedly can last 8 years!

I guess my raving about these strings made an impression!

But man, what am I going to do with all these strings? I guess I need to get more 6 stringers! :hyper:
Click to expand...

I think need to find a wife and kids. Or can I borrow yours?
 

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