I always end up back at TIs and they're the ones I always without fail get compliments either from the engineer or members of the public on their tone, or more correctly how I sounded in the mix. Funnily enough, the only strings I currently have across my basses are TIs, Rotosound SS, and Dunlop Super Bright Nickel 40-120. What do they all share in common? A massive mid-range character that most others don't. And by mid-range I'm not talking the standard low mids that 90% of brands nail. I'm talking about nailing that, plus keeping those high mids available if needed. These strings are the only ones that I've found do that. Special mention to the La Bella deep talking flatwounds in their lightest gauge 39-96 I think. It's the one labeled FX. These thump like their thicker brothers but hold their mid-range much clearer.
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TI Flats vs the world...
- Thread starter Elder Rynok
- Start date
Yep, same here I try others and then the feel and tone of TI's brings me back to them.
When I use them live they sound ok from where I am on stage, its when I listen to the recordings that there magic becomes apparent, I hate muddy boomy bass tone and TI's have a raspy character and articulation that is missing from most flatwounds, I can hear every note clearly and with definition.
TI's are probably my favourite string over anything else including roundwounds. They sound great on a P Bass and have a definite midrange quality to them. Yes they are a bit looser than other Flats but you will get used to them, and in return they will deliver a great tone that will turn heads.
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Okay, time to resurrect a dead thread. 2 months later since I checked in, and almost all my basses are strung with TIs, and the rest will be soon. My favourites for old school tone: DR Legends and LaBella LTF-4a. My favourite for a roundwound tone are Cobalts flats or GHS Roundcore boomers (but only the first month). But my favourite all-arounder that will stay on my basses out side indiviual need are the TIs.
However, coming in a week or 2, I've recorded quick sound bites of almost every flatwound I've tried. Sadly I did not record any of the DR Legends, but that is because I played them on someone else's bass and knew they'd stand, but I didn't need them currently. I will upload videos to YouTube in a week or 2 and update this thread. Sadly they are all recorded after only 2 hours of gig use and recorded with simple bass lines to make sure I could get a consistent feel. I hope these videos will be informative and beneficial to someone searching for the perfect flatwound, fresh or not.
However, coming in a week or 2, I've recorded quick sound bites of almost every flatwound I've tried. Sadly I did not record any of the DR Legends, but that is because I played them on someone else's bass and knew they'd stand, but I didn't need them currently. I will upload videos to YouTube in a week or 2 and update this thread. Sadly they are all recorded after only 2 hours of gig use and recorded with simple bass lines to make sure I could get a consistent feel. I hope these videos will be informative and beneficial to someone searching for the perfect flatwound, fresh or not.
To me TIs are sneaky bastids! From where I am on stage they sound OK, as another poster mentioned. In fact other band members on the stage comment when I use rounds that they can “hear me better” or something like that, and I have to agree...from the stage the rounds give me much more of a “feel good”. However, when I use TIs, this is the only time I get positive comments from *audience members* or *band members who go out with wireless to check sound*. They say things such as the the bass sounds verry good in the FOH mix. We all know that what you hear on stage is rarely what the audience hears (notwithstanding the impact of the sound guy), but I have to say...TI flats are IMO, one of the most different sounding strings in terms of stage vs FOH that I have ever known. If you dont hear them in the audience, you may be lulled into thinking from your perspective on the bandstand that they are so very plain vanilla uninspiring strings, when in fact, they sound pretty darn luscious.
When you change your strings the strings aren't the only change.
Couldn’t agree more. I use a PBass, TIs, Ampeg SVT-CL on a SVT 115 Cab. In my 20 yrs of playing I’ve NEVER been happier with my tone and playing. Get love from FOH, Fans, Bandmates and the like. What’s crazy is this tone has been avail for years and years and I just was hard headed because I didn’t want a “basic” rig. So I chased rack units and pedals and active basses and on and on and on. When all long there it was...