TI Rounds - Lifespan?

[darwin-bass]

I seem to recall TI Rounds are pricey. Do they last longer than more common, lower priced rounds?

 

[Eddie Jones]

I have two sets on basses. One set is over 3 years old, the other is over 2 years old. Absolutely the best, easiest playing string and loses nothing over time as far as I can hear, other than mellowing the tiniest bit in that time.

 

[tindrum]

I have two sets on basses. One set is over 3 years old, the other is over 2 years old. Absolutely the best, easiest playing string and loses nothing over time as far as I can hear, other than mellowing the tiniest bit in that time.

I’m curious….how long would a “typical”, non TI set of rounds last you before notably fading?

 

[Eddie Jones]

A couple of months of daily playing. Rotosound 66 rounds tend to go dead fairly quickly. Others, not as quick. Depends on how much you play.

 

[adje]

I assume everyone's talking about TI *Jazz* Rounds. They also make Powerbass, Infeld and Acoustic Bass - those are all roundwounds. Guitar Strings Bass Guitar | Products | Thomastik-Infeld Vienna

IME they retain a fair bit of brightness far beyond what I've experienced with various DR sets I've tried, which were already better in that regard than other rounds. They do feel rather different under your fingers (supple and pliant) and I suggest you let them lead the dance for the best results.

 

[JRA]

Do they last longer than more common, lower priced rounds?

yes, IME. i've never removed a set of TI jazz rounds because they went dead (maybe for mods). they have lasted at least a couple of years.

 

[blr2]

I seem to recall TI Rounds are pricey. Do they last longer than more common, lower priced rounds?

In a word, no. I've tried dozens of different make/model rounds, and I'm still to find an uncoated round that lasts noticeably longer than the rest.
For me a set of rounds is good for about 30 hours of playing, providing there is no much sweating involved.

 

[LetItGrowTone]

I think TIJRs are one of the strings that continue to sound good as they age. At two years I changed a set only because I wanted to try something else. Only then was it clear that they had lost highs, but I didn't hear deadness. On most basses I keep those highs clamped down anyway.

I think NPS is the worst.

 

[Lugan]

How do TI jazz rounds compare to EB Slinky Cobalt rounds for tone and lifespan? Anyone have that comparison? Thanks!

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

I seem to recall TI Rounds are pricey. Do they last longer than more common, lower priced rounds?

In my experience, they last longer but not like their flats. They last 8 month to a year whereas stainless roto 66’s last me about 6-7 months.

 

[Killing Floor]

They last 4-5 times longer than traditional rounds for my taste. And acknowledging “aging” is not the same for everyone’s taste. So for me they last 4-5 times as long as I’d use a set of DR. But really I like the tension and the uniformity.

 

[biobass]

I ‘ve written this before. This is my experience, after having been a Rotosound Swing Bass 66, 105 - 45, player for 30 years or so. I would need to replace Rotosounds after about 6 months. YMMV.

I get about 6-7 years out of a set of TI Jazz Rounds, whereas other rounds, I would have to replace after 6 months to a year. That is with daily playing and routine gigging. Even at 6 - 7 years, the TIs would still intonate precisely and have much of their original character. Usually, I replace them not because the sound deteriorates, but because the wrappings, especially the g string, show fret wear that makes me worry about the possibility of breakage. That said, in going on 20 years of using TIs on multiple basses, I have only had one string break. That was an E string that came unwound at the 6 year mark. Given their long life, they are among the least expensive strings on the market when the upfront cost is amortized over the playing life.

Note that I have never cared for the sound of brand new rounds. With Rotosounds, I didn’t really like them until after a week or so of playing. The TIs are good to go for me from the start.

Also, the folks at Connolly Music, the US distributor of TI strings, are great. I once had a Jazz Round B string that was out of character with the rest of the set. I contacted them and they sent a replacement immediately. As I recall, they included a prepaid mailer to return the original B string because they wanted the engineers to troubleshoot what the problem was.

 

[erratick]

I seem to recall TI Rounds are pricey. Do they last longer than more common, lower priced rounds?

Not in my experience. The difference in rounds lasting to me is coated vs. uncoated.

Flats/chromes whatever can last a long time.

But for me the rounds give up the zing at about the same rate if they are uncoated. Depends on how much I play and sweat.

And a similar rate for coated rounds, but they last a bit longer. I don't do coated much because I don't think it's worth the extra price. Maybe if I was more of a slapper.

 

[g-dude]

I've never replaced them from going dead. Only replaced them due to either switching to flats or due to wanting a bit more of the zing to return.

 

[Paul New]

I just put a set of the Infelds on a P
Bass and hope they last a very long time. My experience with the Jazz Rounds was that they didn’t sound good after a couple of weeks.

 

[ELG60]

I have several sets on basses which were No. One 4s and 5s for several years. Still on, still sound good, still intonate fine.

 

[Paul New]

My experience with the jazz rounds was a long time ago, so the strings might be better now. I’m talking 25 years.

 

[bassrique]

I've had my TI Jazz Rounds on for ~ a year l, but after 6 months I cheated and dipped them denatured alcohol (in that PVC pipe pictured below next to the bass).

They last longer than any other rounds I've used. I only dipped him in the PVC pipe because I mostly play with flats and that's one of the few basses that has rounds and I slap on that one. That bass has a preamp for the Hi-Fi sound if I want it.

I play several bases that have the Cobalt Flats in mostly light gauge with the E being a 95. The Jazz rounds are a bit brighter and they do seem to keep that brightness longer.

That PVC pipe thing I've been hearing about here for years and I finally got around to it this year. I did it specifically for the Cobalt Flats as their price has gone way up but it really bought back whatever top end was lost on the Jazz rounds.

The thing I really like about the TI Jazz rounds is the way they feel. I guess I could say it's the opposite of roto sounds which I have on a couple other basses. They are much smoother. The tension is similar to The Jazz Flats which I love.

Forgive any errors I just put this together quickly with voice to text.

 

[Chrisk-K]

I had TI rounds on a MIG Warwick for 2 years and they sounded fine during the whole period. However, even when fresh, they didn’t have the sparkling explosiveness of SS rounds like DR Hi-Beams.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

*1000