The other problem with them coming from Austria is that not only are they upside down, but they reek of Koala.
You're thinking of AUSTRALIA; Austria is part of Europe!
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TI Jazz Rounds are dangerous. Heed my warning.
- Thread starter g-dude
- Start date
You're thinking of AUSTRALIA; Austria is part of Europe!
The rounds sound magnifico on my J bass. Until then I had only ever tried the flats but boy am I glad I tried the rounds. So much texture as someone else pointed out. I'm not sure I can put anything else on that bass now. I have an affinity for the LaBella 760FLs on my Precision (a bit more diameter and tension) but I'm considering switching to the Thomastiks next time so it feels closer to my J. Fantastic strings.
Thanks I ordered a set. Used the TI flats a lot but never tried the rounds. Looking forward to trying them.
Just remember that you’re going to need to adjust your right hand technique. You might even need to go back and tweak your adjusted setup slightly. Once your bass and technique is properly dialed in, you’ll play faster, be 2 inches taller, and your 401(k) will probably increase by 5-10%.
Okay, maybe not ALL of that will happen...
Same gig, two different basses, one with a set that was a few months old, the other with a fresh out of the package set.
The above live recordings were played, respectively, with a July '73 4001 (stock pickups), and a March '73 4001 (stock pickups).
I just came across this version of "Mystic Jam", and also "Wuhan Incident", from a radio show we did in 2007. This is with the April '98 4001V63 (stock horseshoe pickup with a scatterwound toaster that I had installed a couple years earlier.
I just came across this version of "Mystic Jam", and also "Wuhan Incident", from a radio show we did in 2007. This is with the April '98 4001V63 (stock horseshoe pickup with a scatterwound toaster that I had installed a couple years earlier.
That's a good one, but this one, by the same guy, is my favorite example of TIJRs on YouTube.
Yes! I put a set of TI Jazz Flats (not rounds) on my Precision and was at first dismayed that my G string was noticeably weaker than the others. A full turn of the pup screws corrected it. It also took a few days of playing to stretch the strings as they were losing tune rapidly when I first put them on. Now I’m happy with them.
But.....but...... $84.00? That's not the kind of price for strings that would enable me to take a chance on whether I would like them. I'd love to try 'em but what makes them so costly?
A little cheaper at Strings and Beyond.
I don’t know why they are so costly. They are made in Europe. That is one part of it. High quality. Last for a long time.
I bought two sets back in late '19 from Amazon UK for around $40 a set plus a $5-$6 for shipping to the US. I have one set on my L1000 and another in the case should I find I need to change my strings 20 years down the road. It's been mentioned on threads about TI Flats numerous times that they are more expensive on this side of the pond just like LaBellas cost a fortune in Europe.
I should also mention that the flats on my L1000 keep sounding better and better as they age. Fourteen months on my bass and I love them more than the day I put them on.
I should also mention that the flats on my L1000 keep sounding better and better as they age. Fourteen months on my bass and I love them more than the day I put them on.
After a lot of trial and error, I found that I prefer pretty much any round core string over most hex core.
What makes TI Jazz Flat and Rounds so expensive? Well, there are a number of factors.
1. Anyone who works with metal knows alloys are not all the same and some cost more than others.....sometimes a LOT more. TI uses expensive alloys.
2. TI’s are a LOT more complex to build than other strings....take an old one apart some time. This involves more different materials to source. It also involves more machine time and more tooling to manufacture. Tooling and machine time are expensive.
3. What trade agreements does your country have with Austria? Over the last 10-15 years TI Jazz flats and rounds have been from 20-30% cheaper in Canada at L&M than anywhere in the US. Right now TI JF344 (34” flats) cost around $85US at Just Strings. Same set right now at L&M in Canada is the equivalent of $68US. This price difference has been normal for years.
4. Thomastik has a much lower manufacturing capability than say GHS or D’Addario. The more you sell the less you can afford to charge and still turn a profit. Much of their quarterly machine time is used to make the orchestral strings that keep them in business.
This is an oversimplification but it offers some real reasons for the high price of TI’s.
1. Anyone who works with metal knows alloys are not all the same and some cost more than others.....sometimes a LOT more. TI uses expensive alloys.
2. TI’s are a LOT more complex to build than other strings....take an old one apart some time. This involves more different materials to source. It also involves more machine time and more tooling to manufacture. Tooling and machine time are expensive.
3. What trade agreements does your country have with Austria? Over the last 10-15 years TI Jazz flats and rounds have been from 20-30% cheaper in Canada at L&M than anywhere in the US. Right now TI JF344 (34” flats) cost around $85US at Just Strings. Same set right now at L&M in Canada is the equivalent of $68US. This price difference has been normal for years.
4. Thomastik has a much lower manufacturing capability than say GHS or D’Addario. The more you sell the less you can afford to charge and still turn a profit. Much of their quarterly machine time is used to make the orchestral strings that keep them in business.
This is an oversimplification but it offers some real reasons for the high price of TI’s.
TI flats are my favorite set of strings, but I just put on a set of the jazz rounds. WOW, these rounds are amazing. Going to let them settle in and see what we have. I’m expecting great things. Feel and sound amazing already a week in. These might over take best strings ever. Wasn’t sure that would’ve ever happened.
I used TI flats on fretless basses for a long time and loved them.
Now all my basses have frets on them.
My very first P bass now wearing LaBella fls and I love them. THE classic 60s PBass sound. I am curious about trying the TI flats on this bass but I don’t know if I ever want to change that combo.
Tried the LaBellas and TI flats on my J and didn’t like them. Too dull sounding. It’s presently strung with somewhat dead GHS balanced nickels and it’s ok but not perfect (whatever that means). Just ordered TI rounds for the J so we’ll see.
I had previously used the TI rounds on a fretless MM Sterling. Very nice but too much bloom for the kind of music I was playing. I really wanted it to sound like a P bass with flats. Took me 40 years to figure out that I really like that sound.
I also borrowed a friend’s cheap Dano short scale strung with TI rounds. Pretty low quality bass with a piece of crap bridge and a wonky neck. The action was really high, but the strings have such low tension that it played rather nicely.
Now all my basses have frets on them.
My very first P bass now wearing LaBella fls and I love them. THE classic 60s PBass sound. I am curious about trying the TI flats on this bass but I don’t know if I ever want to change that combo.
Tried the LaBellas and TI flats on my J and didn’t like them. Too dull sounding. It’s presently strung with somewhat dead GHS balanced nickels and it’s ok but not perfect (whatever that means). Just ordered TI rounds for the J so we’ll see.
I had previously used the TI rounds on a fretless MM Sterling. Very nice but too much bloom for the kind of music I was playing. I really wanted it to sound like a P bass with flats. Took me 40 years to figure out that I really like that sound.
I also borrowed a friend’s cheap Dano short scale strung with TI rounds. Pretty low quality bass with a piece of crap bridge and a wonky neck. The action was really high, but the strings have such low tension that it played rather nicely.
