I never cared for them either. Rather disappointed, actually, which was a total surprise because they get so much love here on TB. I find out that I wasn't the only one...They do seem to be a great string for so many folks, and that's great. Just not the tone I'm going for with my P-bass. Since I've got them still sitting around, and I've got a project bass that might really like a light gauge string, I'm looking forward to trying them on this bass, once I get tuners.
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TI Jazz Flats not that great?
- Thread starter Dr Earl Funkton
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- flats jazz bass jazz flats ti
I never cared for them either. Rather disappointed, actually, which was a total surprise because they get so much love here on TB. I find out that I wasn't the only one...They do seem to be a great string for so many folks, and that's great. Just not the tone I'm going for with my P-bass. Since I've got them still sitting around, and I've got a project bass that might really like a light gauge string, I'm looking forward to trying them on this bass, once I get tuners.
D
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I have switched from Roto 77 jazz flats to the La Bella low tension flats... they are definitely lower tension than the Rotos but not so much that it affected my playing. Don't think I'd want anything looser.
TI flats are the best. It takes a while to get used to them, even years. But once you do, what you can do tonally and with speed opens up new worlds, at least for me. People say you cant dig in with them, i disagree. Its just a different kind of digging in. I find there is more range tonally than other strings because you can play them very lightly and still get a thick pudding tone, then dig in and get a brighter tone that can be just short of slappy. Yes on average there is less force needed, but a lot of force applied in the right way can expand the tonal range.
I definitely notice the floppiness especially since i have a short scale and tune down a half step, and i like the feel of more tension, but i always come back to the TIs because of the tone, playability, and speed, not to mention the longevity.
I am interested in the low tension flats, but i am weary of how they compare in tone. I tried some deep talkin flats, but they thoroughly disappoint in comparison.
I definitely notice the floppiness especially since i have a short scale and tune down a half step, and i like the feel of more tension, but i always come back to the TIs because of the tone, playability, and speed, not to mention the longevity.
I am interested in the low tension flats, but i am weary of how they compare in tone. I tried some deep talkin flats, but they thoroughly disappoint in comparison.
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
Hey brother, you peaked my interest with the short scale comment. I just picked up a vintage modified Squier Telecaster Bass that is 32 inch scale length. I'm debating which kind of flats to put on it because Flats and a Telecaster Bass are about as good as it gets, but how do you find the TI's with a short scale?
Well I have a '67 hofner (turns 50 years old this year!), so the winding length is perfect for the "short scale" of TI, which are the same as medium scale for almost all others. 32" tuned standard should be a decent amount of tension, especially with the .100 E. I only tune down a half step because of tuning issues with other instruments, and I like G# and C# at the fifth frets on the lower strings because of the harmonics. And they basically double the sustain time on the hofner.
As far as tone, i don't play solidbodies, nor have I played flats on one, so I don't know if that's what you are going for. For a 32" scale, i'd also recommend La Bella NHBB, which are light tapes made for hofner, which is medium scale with 34" winding length I think.
Tapes tend to have a darker thinner sound than TI's, but might be just what the doctor ordered for a solidbody. The TI's if you haven't used them before, take a lot of getting used to, but if you stick with them, they make playing even at high speed effortless.
I am waiting the order of JF344, but happy with the Labella LTF-4A in my Squier CV50P currently.
If you not liking with DTF tone, just skip the LTF-4A and try looking with Sadow Black Flat 40-100.
I was looking at those, but i dont think they make them in medium scale from whag i can see.
Just a bit of an update, after playing my TIs for over a week on my fretless, I decided to put my Tapewounds back on i had before... I prefer the Tapewounds hand over fist. At least on the fretless. While the TIs were incredibly midrange happy, which I enjoyed to a point, the Pedulla just seems so much more at home with a more balanced and thicker tone with the tapes. Plus, I get a bit more sustain out of the tapes. Maybe it has to do with the higher tension than the noodles, yet fun, TIs. I've got a set of Chromes on one of my fretted so maybe I'll try the TIs on it and see how my old Ibanez likes them.
Just to be fussy, they're some kind of nickel ALLOY, not pure nickel like their Bebop & Swing electric guitar strings.
I also like tapes on my fretless. A little more versatile with more 'bite' when needed, IMHO.
Agreed. I can get more pleasing tones (to my ears) out of them rather the mid happy (almost obnoxious) TIs. Played quite a bit this morning just to reaffirm what I knew after 30 second of puttin the tapes back on. They're gonna be on there for a long, long time.
Regardless of whether you like or dislike TIs, in my experience they are unique in their combination of tension, midrange character, sustain & timbre. Somehow they capture a lot of what I like about round-core round wounds (flexible, midrange presence, clarity) AND a lot of what I like about flatwounds (smooth surface, no fret noise) without sounding like anything else. I also really appreciate the fact that I can sculpt a nice OD tone with these more than with a flat which has a typical midrange scoop. I can darken the TIs at the tone pot if I need that sound, but I can't add mids or clarity to a dead, dark sounding string.
I've been experimenting a ton with flats & tapes lately, and have found some really cool strings. I just put the TIs back on my P Bass though, so I guess that's saying something.
I've been experimenting a ton with flats & tapes lately, and have found some really cool strings. I just put the TIs back on my P Bass though, so I guess that's saying something.
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I'll definitely keep them around, I might consider putting them on my P bass. As of now though they aren't really fitting my play style
We live in a great time for trying new strings... So much variety out there right now! Gotta love that
Good Luck!
UPDATE
Just got the low tension flats in the mail, slapped them on my bass, and I have to say they are pretty much perfect for me. The tension is nearly right, but feels good enough for me to keep these on for a while. The tone is great as well, not too boomy, great mid response, and just enough high sizzle to give the note definition some presence.
Just got the low tension flats in the mail, slapped them on my bass, and I have to say they are pretty much perfect for me. The tension is nearly right, but feels good enough for me to keep these on for a while. The tone is great as well, not too boomy, great mid response, and just enough high sizzle to give the note definition some presence.
The sizzle will probably go away after a while. I think TIs are so different from anything else, you really got give them time. I never thought twice about them after buying them, to tell you the truth i might have bought them just because they were expensive, and wanted my new vintage hof to sparkle. And tried a bunch of different strings, but always came back to the TIs. But i never really appreciated them until way later, about a year ago when i put them back on between strings or so i thought, and they never left since.i like the grip and tension of tapes better, but the sound and speed of the jazz flats are superior IMo.
Funny that i always thought of strings as consumables to be used and thrown away,never really thought much about them, but the TIs made me appreciate strings as much as amps, and make me want to play them as much as the bass itself.
Put the JF344 on my nice Squier CV60P and happy playing in this few days.
Tone is lacking some deep low , but the D and G is the fullest tone than other flatwound i been use. After some experiment, i move my right hand plucking position from above pickup to neck side, i get the tone i like with 80% tone value, nice round Low but still with some sweet MID range.. So, i put the chrome pickup cover back to keep the sexy look.
Tone is lacking some deep low , but the D and G is the fullest tone than other flatwound i been use. After some experiment, i move my right hand plucking position from above pickup to neck side, i get the tone i like with 80% tone value, nice round Low but still with some sweet MID range.. So, i put the chrome pickup cover back to keep the sexy look.
I am always leery of posts that start off by saying "___________ strings are the best". What is perfect for one person may not be so for another. I am a committed flats guy - have them on all three of my basses (two P's and a Turner Renaissance fretless). I tried TI flats on my P bass as well as on a Jazz that I used to own and really didn't like them at all - not just the tension but their emphasis on mids as well. And yes, I kept them on for a good while and never liked them. I found that Pyramids work the best for me on the P basses.
I was having trouble finding strings that I liked for the fretless, and at Rick Turner's suggestion I tried the TI flats on it and they work perfectly for me. My takeway from all this - there is no such thing as the perfect string (flat or otherwise) for everyone.
BTW, I love tapewounds also, but found that the Pyramids gave me the best combination of feel, playability, and tone for my tastes. Definitely more tension than the TIs but that was not the only thing that didn't work for me with the TIs - yet they are perfect for the fretless.
I was having trouble finding strings that I liked for the fretless, and at Rick Turner's suggestion I tried the TI flats on it and they work perfectly for me. My takeway from all this - there is no such thing as the perfect string (flat or otherwise) for everyone.
BTW, I love tapewounds also, but found that the Pyramids gave me the best combination of feel, playability, and tone for my tastes. Definitely more tension than the TIs but that was not the only thing that didn't work for me with the TIs - yet they are perfect for the fretless.
I agree. Tastes can be so different.
I didn't initially like TI flats as they were too floppy on my 1974 Precision 4 string and Chromes were way too stiff. I ended up putting a set of LaBella white tapes on the P and they haven't been off it for over 3 years. Great strings on that bass IMO.
I have a set of TI flats on my Squier Precision 5er and actually love them on that bass as well.
Weird as I swore off all flats and went back to SS rounds on everything. The only reason I went to the tapes is because the frets on my P are toast and I had an extra set of tapes from my old Rob Allen.