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Thomastik Infeld Flats


JamesBass
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[quote name='StringPing.com' timestamp='1416217397' post='2607914']
Dust and other detritus can settle on the strings and dull their tone. More-so with round wounds, where it's hard to effectively clean the tiny spaces between the winds.
[/quote]
Ultrasonic cleaner? - but you'd have to destring.

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[quote name='StringPing.com' timestamp='1416217397' post='2607914']
Dust and other detritus can settle on the strings and dull their tone. More-so with round wounds, where it's hard to effectively clean the tiny spaces between the winds.
[/quote]

I used to boil my rounds to get the grease out. This was a tip I got from Stuart Morrow, a hero of mine who I had the honour of humping his gear. The boiling certainly worked and brightened then up for a while.

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Can any of you good people do me a quick favour and measure your TI from the bridge to where the red silk starts at the nut end. This is on a long scale 34".

Reason I ask is I recently fitted a set and the E string looks different to the other strings. The red silk is about an inch or two longer than the other 3 strings. Slightly different tone and feel across the set.

Thanks :)

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[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1417171017' post='2617695']
Can any of you good people do me a quick favour and measure your TI from the bridge to where the red silk starts at the nut end. This is on a long scale 34".

Reason I ask is I recently fitted a set and the E string looks different to the other strings. The red silk is about an inch or two longer than the other 3 strings. Slightly different tone and feel across the set.

Thanks :)
[/quote]
I had a spare set handy - 37"

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[quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1417113686' post='2617247']
I used to boil my rounds to get the grease out. This was a tip I got from Stuart Morrow, a hero of mine who I had the honour of humping his gear. The boiling certainly worked and brightened then up for a while.
[/quote]

Yes, this works, but the thing about it is that the strings will only last a while after you do this. I've never done it myself, but mates of mine have, and they've said that the strings almost sounded like new, but only for a few weeks, and then they completely died, and after that, they're unsalvageable. I suppose it's worth it if it gets you a few extra weeks out of them, although I personally wouldn't want to risk playing a gig on a boiled set of strings.

[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1417113323' post='2617241']
Ultrasonic cleaner? - but you'd have to destring.
[/quote]

Yeah, that could work too. Probably the same as boiling it, though.

This image highlights just how much rubbish can get trapped in there.

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[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1416859413' post='2614454']

You are correct, every UK stockist was upwards of £45, and while I paid the €10 postage on the strings, it was still cheaper than either travelling or getting some posted from a UK supplier, I'd happily part with £40ish for a UK supplier, especially if I then got the postage free!
[/quote]

Can be done if you shop around :)

Edited by molan
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[quote name='Beer of the Bass' timestamp='1415372795' post='2599731']
It's odd that they only make them in one gauge/tension. Given that Thomastik's more popular double bass strings come in several tension and scale length options I'm surprised they haven't considered it.

[/quote]

As a Thomastik retailer I'm vaguely glad they only do one set of gauges. TI are notorious for mixing up gauges in their packaging - we have to check every single set before dispatch to make sure they isn't a rogue short scale string or two of the same gauge etc.

They always replace them but it's a bit of a pain :(

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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1416665702' post='2612462']

La Bellas are relatively higher tension to TIs relatively much lower tension.

La Bellas are thumpier, TIs are more middy.

Having said that you can get a wide range of tones from both.
[/quote]

The new La Bella low tension flats are much closer to the TI in terms of both tension and gauges (identical except for the G I think).

Personally I prefer the TI's but the shop owner, Phil really likes the La Bellas and just fitted them to his personal bass that he keeps at the shop so people can demo them.

It's difficult to have 'demo' strings but we try and do this from time to time when something new comes out just so store visitors can at least see how a new brand or design feels under their fingers actually on a bass :)

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[quote name='Dazed' timestamp='1417171017' post='2617695']
Can any of you good people do me a quick favour and measure your TI from the bridge to where the red silk starts at the nut end. This is on a long scale 34".

Reason I ask is I recently fitted a set and the E string looks different to the other strings. The red silk is about an inch or two longer than the other 3 strings. Slightly different tone and feel across the set.

Thanks :)
[/quote]

Check post #63 ? Have you any way to measure the gauge to check?

And for reference, a set under tension (JF344 long scale) on my 34" P. From bridge to silk (in new money)

E 936mm (silk all on the post, others start ~ 55mm from nut)
A 954mm
D 958mm
G 955mm

Great strings BTW, love them.

EDIT just checked my gauge, they measure correct at 43-56-70-100

Edited by pfretrock
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[quote]
Ultrasonic cleaner?
[/quote]

[quote name='StringPing.com' timestamp='1417188129' post='2618003']
Yeah, that could work too. Probably the same as boiling it, though.
[/quote]
The muck flies off, but I've not restrung the set. I think it was concluded on another thread that de-stringing and re-tensioning is the killer. Strings under tension must be close to the elastic limit of the metal (else they'd never break, but usually break at a stress or corrosion point)

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[quote name='pfretrock' timestamp='1417200319' post='2618211']
The muck flies off, but I've not restrung the set. I think it was concluded on another thread that de-stringing and re-tensioning is the killer. Strings under tension must be close to the elastic limit of the metal (else they'd never break, but usually break at a stress or corrosion point)
[/quote]

Possibly. It's hard to say whether destringing and restringing a set has any effect. I know that I've taken sets off and put them on again, and there's been no noticeable difference in tone or feel. Other times, a string has snapped when taking them off. Other times, the strings just die of their own accord, regardless of whether they've been taken off and restrung or not.

Good to know that the ultrasonic cleaning works on them, though.

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Played my first gig with the TIs at the weekend. Great tone, and felt much more "solid" on stage as well. Although I`ve got the same sound as before (took a bit of eq fiddling) it just seemed to have much more substance to it. I`m very pleased with these strings.

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[quote name='StringPing.com' timestamp='1417437313' post='2620265']
Good to know that the ultrasonic cleaning works on them, though.
[/quote]

Which I got,incidentally, from Tandy - it was on offer. The manufacturer is [url="http://www.jamesproducts.co.uk/"]http://www.jamesproducts.co.uk/[/url]
I'd avoid 'washing up' detergent as it contains salt!

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