TI Jazz Flats - A and E are super bright?

Calvin Marks

Calvin Marks

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Oct 22, 2017
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#1
Are the A and E supposed to be significantly brighter in tone than the D and G out of the packet? To me it sounds like the bottom two strings are rounds and the top two are flats....makes me wonder if the cores slipped when cutting the skills and made the strings dead or something...

Considering putting foam under my bridge for just the A and E to muffle the sound and bring some balance. For SUCH expensive strings I am a bit surprised that there are balance issues.
 
#3
piggywiddle said:
Are the A and E supposed to be significantly brighter in tone than the D and G out of the packet? To me it sounds like the bottom two strings are rounds and the top two are flats....makes me wonder if the cores slipped when cutting the skills and made the strings dead or something...

Considering putting foam under my bridge for just the A and E to muffle the sound and bring some balance. For SUCH expensive strings I am a bit surprised that there are balance issues.
Click to expand...

Give them some time. They'll even out and stay that way for many years.
 
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#4
I have no unbalance tone issue with Ti flat.
This is the most balance string to string tone flatwound string i been use. They are no .040~.045 flat G string sound as full/thick as Ti .043 G string which balance with others. And the E string sound clear and focus on my Pbass than others flat i try before.
 
#6
piggywiddle said:
Are the A and E supposed to be significantly brighter in tone than the D and G out of the packet? To me it sounds like the bottom two strings are rounds and the top two are flats....makes me wonder if the cores slipped when cutting the skills and made the strings dead or something...

Considering putting foam under my bridge for just the A and E to muffle the sound and bring some balance. For SUCH expensive strings I am a bit surprised that there are balance issues.
Click to expand...
How long have you had them on the bass, so far?
 
#8
piggywiddle said:
1 day

Probably put 5 hours playing time into them. The E is softening up a bit but the A is very very bright and quite contrasting to the rest of the set. Hopefully over the next week it will blend.
Click to expand...
Given these strings could possibly outlive you ;) give them some time and a lot more playing time to "settle" in.
 
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#10
piggywiddle said:
Are the A and E supposed to be significantly brighter in tone than the D and G out of the packet? To me it sounds like the bottom two strings are rounds and the top two are flats....makes me wonder if the cores slipped when cutting the skills and made the strings dead or something...

Considering putting foam under my bridge for just the A and E to muffle the sound and bring some balance. For SUCH expensive strings I am a bit surprised that there are balance issues.
Click to expand...
Are you sure the the string slots on your nut are cut/shaped properly ?
 
#11
Although TI flats settle in more quickly than some brands, it can take one or two weeks minimum before any flat is going to settle in and have their sound fully open up. Some brands can take a month or even longer depending upon how hard and for how many hours they’re played.

Just keep playing them and don’t put yourself through any special gyrations. In a week or two you’ll be a lot happier with the sound. One reason so many flats players dread changing their strings is having to go through that unavoidable break in period all over again.

Luck! :thumbsup:
 
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#17
Andy Daventry said:
....I just wanted to add that when I say "for ever" I don't, you know, literally mean totally "for ever". I am just about to buy my third set of JF345s in 17 years.
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Some flats go a very long time. I have one bass with flats I bought used with strings on. Lord only knows how old they were when I got it. I’ve owned and played that bass for close to twenty years now. And those strings are still going strong. The intonation is good, they hold tuning, and have a very satisfying flat string sound. With luck they’ll stay on for as long as I own it.

There was a studio cat on YT that was demoing an amp and using an early 60s PB with strings on it that also went back as far. He called them “aged to perfection.” And the tone he was pulling out of that bass was gorgeous. So you never know when it comes to a flat set’s life expectancy.

FWIW I always saw flats more as an investment compared to rounds which are definitely more like consumables. So the higher prices for flats never bothered me.

Kinda like a straight razor. Expensive to buy, and a little fiddly to get set up and comfortable with at first. But once purchased, if treated with respect and well cared for, it’ll give you many years of superior service. Contrast that with a disposable blade. Instant gratification. But far more expensive in a very short time. And you go through them like candy if you like a really close shave.

I like my rounds. But I love my flats.

(And just for the record, I absolutely adore my LaBella Copper White Nylons!)
 
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#19
I've had my new set of TI 345s on the bass now for a couple of weeks. I have also bought my first set of headphones, which has given me a new perspective on the break-in period. I have never listened to my bass through headphones before.

D and G broke in after a few hours. A has just gone. E string is still bright, but only to an audiophile. B has just gone as well.

The scale of the bass is 35", and that makes a difference, so YMMV.

A few years ago I lent my bass, equipped with TIs, to a colleague whose style is.....NOT vintage. He goes for active basses and a heavily scooped, percussive sound. He hated it. Said there was no sound in it.

Yer pays yer money and makes yer choice.
 
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