Help me compare D'Addario NYXL and TI Jazz Flats from a tension perspective

Dan_reeves

Dan_reeves

Jun 14, 2013
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#1
Hi everyone, hope you day is going great.

About a year or so ago I bought a Fender MIM Jazz Bass. I got it for a great price, with the caveat that it needed a little work. I decided to use it as a test subject for some mods that I have been wanting to try. Most of what I did was entirely unnecessary - I just did it for the fun. I did the following:
  • Replaced the stock bridge with a HipShot KickAss Bridge
  • Replaced the stock tuners with drop-in HipShots (this was sort of necessary - one of the stock tuners was broken)
  • Replaced the stock pickups with Model Js
  • Replaced the stock electronics with an Audere
I have, admittedly, not settled on the tonal goals for this bass. I have only tried two sets of strings on this configuration: Fender 7050m's and D'Addario NYXL's, both in 45-105. Currently it has the NYXL's. With the electronics I am running, I have found that I can dial in whatever I have needed without really any issue.

I have always wanted to try TI Jazz Flats, but have not because I am afraid of how much it'll cost me if I don't end up liking them. The one thing I don't like about the NYXL's is the tension - I prefer a little more tension than this particular set of NYXL's has to offer. I probably would not bother buying a set of TI's if I knew they would have less tension than the D'Addarios. Have any of you folks tried both? How would you compare the two, tension-wise?

Thanks for any help you can give me - appreciate you. Have a great weekend!
 
#2
I couldn't see what's really you're after here...

First you introduced what might be the problem of not settled on the tonal goals. But soon after you said that you have found that you can dial in whatever you have needed without really any issue with your current electronics. Then you added another issue of wanting to try TI Jazz Flats but afraid of what may seem too loose of tension.

So, do you or do you not have any problem with you current tonality?

or are you having problem that you need to change your current electronics so you're afraid the new one will need other kind of strings to get to your tonal goal?

or it's just your current NYXL string tensions that has become the problem?

I have to admit, I've never tried any TI strings though I've tried may others, so I wouldn't comment of TI's tonality. But if the tension thing that is really the problem with your current setup, shouldn't you just try the "regular" XL Nickel 45-105 as these have little more tension and cost quite cheap (in terms of NYXL or even TI's) while some say that the NYXL sound just the same as the XL Nickel?

If there's no really a problem with your current setup and you just GASsing for TI... then the cure is only to buy the TI and put them on your well upgraded bass.
 
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#3
I don't really have a tonal issue. I have just wanted to try TI's, but have heard they are super low tension for flats. I really just want the TI's compared to NYXL's tension-wise. That's it.

I should have just asked that without going into all the other details - can see now how that it confusing. My fault there, sorry about that.
 
#4
then there's no cure of GASsing for any particular set of strings than trying them yourself...

This is why despite of having satisfied with my current setup with the Flex Steels on my gigging bass, Nylon Tape on my fretless 5 string and Chromes on my fretless 6 string, Pressurewound and Compressors on my home practice basses, and Elixirs on my rarely used basses, still I've bought a 5 string set of EBM Cobalt rounds and also a 5 string set of Dunlop Super Bright Steels out of curiosity, though I haven't put any of them on yet (which led me to think that I need new bass(es) for these... :banghead::banghead::banghead:).
 
#5
Don't know what it says on the tension charts but my hands say that 40-100 NYXLs are in the vicinity of TI flats, tension-wise.

I think the NYXLs are good strings -- if you are happy with them, keep them!

But the TI's are truly special/unique and worth trying. One person's super low tension is another person's soft and supple and musical. They last for a long long time compared to rounds. Factor in some time for them to mellow and break in, their tone improves as they age (to a certain point... after a few years they can lose intonation)
 
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#6
Derek DiFilippo said:
But the TI's are truly special/unique and worth trying. One person's super low tension is another person's soft and supple and musical. They last for a long long time compared to rounds. Factor in some time for them to mellow and break in, their tone improves as they age (to a certain point... after a few years they can lose intonation)
Click to expand...
^^^All True^^^ My set lasted five years before the E & A strings went wonky and lost intonation at the 8th and 9th frets even though they were tuned to pitch and well adjusted at the 12th fret. They are a bit on the loose/floppy side, and as they aged I had to continually raise the string height in order to keep a clean action. Towards the end it became unacceptable, and off they came. I never bought another set.

If the NYXL's are bit too low in tension to suit you, then you would hate the T-I Jazz Flats.
 
#7
I'm not a fan of mid-centric strings on a jazz bass. I've had TIJF's on my jazz and they sound a bit thin when favoring the bridge pup, and when you have both pups full. Unless you play all the time favoring the neck pup, I think they are not the best string for that bass.

I think the Sadowsky Black Labels sound great on a jazz bass. They have a bit more going on outside of the mids, and sound great when both pups are up full, or when favoring either pup.
 
#11
michael_t said:
Another vote for the La Bella 760FL (43-60-82-104), which feels like a typical 45-65-85-105 set of hex-core rounds in terms of overall stiffness.
Click to expand...

Boy, I don't know. The 760FL's that I had on my P were real tight. After several weeks I went back to Pressurewounds before finally landing on LaBella Low Tension Flexible Flats. Not exactly what the OP's looking though... ;)
 
#12
howlin said:
Boy, I don't know. The 760FL's that I had on my P were real tight. After several weeks I went back to Pressurewounds before finally landing on LaBella Low Tension Flexible Flats. Not exactly what the OP's looking though... ;)
Click to expand...

I do understand the OP's point is having the insatiable urge to try the TI flats just because they're TI's half the crowd around here absolutely rave about.

Ultimately, the only way to find out for himself is to try them.
 
#15
howlin said:
Yeah, forget the TIs. Get some heavy-a$$ LaBellas if you're thinking about flats. The place to start are the FL-760's I believe (what Duck Dunn suppossedly used). Good Luck!
Click to expand...

I thought he used the 0760m set as that's all they had back then.

I have TIs on a bass with a weak neck. I would change them out if the neck didn't suck. Way to low tension for me, but sound ok. My favorite string are La Bella 760FMs because of the high tension. I want to try the Jamerson set, but a little scared. Plus I've heard La Bella Deep Talken flats are maybe a little more modern sounding.
 
#17
TI flats are extremely low tension. They would be way less that the NYXL's. They are even lower than some nylon wound strings.

I'll save you the trouble. For old school, get Labella, and go one gauge lower than your favorite rounds. They are smooth as glass and stay that way. They break in quick and stay consistent For years.

For more sustain and round-like tone, get Chromes. Same rule with the gauge. But those may start out a little tacky feeling but They smooth out just fine after a few hours of play time. They will both re-sell for a decent amount if you don't like them.
 
#19
I clean all FW strings with alcohol to get rid of the residual stuff from the manufacturing process. It gets rid of the stickiness.
Chromes are a good all-purpose FW and the tension is roughly comparable to RWs of the same gauge. T-Is are a thing all their own; to me they feel more like double bass strings, with a sort of "boingy" quality you either like or you don't. The only way to know is to try them.
If you want to get adventurous, try the Labella Fender Originals (.052-.110)-I just put a set on my Lakland short scale hollow body. They're a little intimidating at first, and the E is really thumpy at first, but after it stretches and settles in, the sustain improves. You can also get the neck really straight and the string height low, so they're quite easy on the left hand.
 
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