Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

If you want low tension and nice tone, the TI jazz flats should do the trick.

Hi Brian: I too put Ti JF344s on one of my basses and absolutely love them. Highly recommended by Chris at POTR for their low tension.

Well that is good enough for me... I shall order a set ASAP.

Just reading the chat on Talk bass about them.

They all seem to be about $60 bucks...

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:Well that is good enough for me... I shall order a set ASAP.

Just reading the chat on Talk bass about them.

They all seem to be about $60 bucks...

But they last forever....

johnallg wrote:But they last forever....

Yup. They're just gonna keep getting better. No need to ever change them.

Ontario_RIC_fan wrote:Well that is good enough for me... I shall order a set ASAP.

Just reading the chat on Talk bass about them.

They all seem to be about $60 bucks...

Flats get better as they age. Smoother sounding and just ideal.
If he ever broke a string, James Jamerson used to rub chicken grease on a new string to get it to sound old. He never changed strings.

I got a set of TI JFs on my Laredo, put them on as soon as I got the bass (I did try the stock RIC strings for an evening practice before swapping them out); they are perfect for that great vintage (the other one) sound from a Rick bass.

You might also consider the optima flatwound set. It is a bit cheaper,and according to our "chef of the future",are fairly close in feel and tension to the old RIC/maxima strings. (The best flats i've ever encountered.)
I personally did not care much for the (too) low tension feel of the TI's. if you play more with a pick than fingerstyle,they may be ok,but i find myself having to really hold back when playing fingerstyle with them,and i think i have a pretty light touch.....

What I find interesting is that when I first tried the TI JFs 10 years ago or so ( on a Jazz Bass) I too thought they were almost too low in tension.....not anymore. They feel just right, so either the new ones (on my Laredo) are a bit higher in actual tension or I got used to them and my playing technique is all the better for it.

Congrats on the JetGlo 4000, Brian !
Now you have to get that Ontario Confluence moving ahead, to give this a proper Ric Jam session initiation.

8mileshigher wrote:Congrats on the JetGlo 4000, Brian !
Now you have to get that Ontario Confluence moving ahead, to give this a proper Ric Jam session initiation.

Thanks!

I posted some thoughts tonight on having another ORAC in February.. Hamilton this time perhaps?

Spent yesterday afternoon changing the strings on my 4000 over to TI Jazz flats... I can't believe how easy to play the bass is now... A very good decision! I am slowly learning bass stuff after 30 years of playing guitar.

Worked out a cool arrangement of OH COME ALL YE FAITHFUL for bass to celebrate!

A few pics of my RIC basses.
Merry Christmas to everyone on the RRF!

Glad those strings worked out for ya,Brian! Your 4000 is the inverse of mine,color-wise. I used mine for a gig this past Saturday and was just amazed at the way it cuts through.

woodyng wrote:Glad those strings worked out for ya,Brian! Your 4000 is the inverse of mine,color-wise. I used mine for a gig this past Saturday and was just amazed at the way it cuts through.

Yes it is a tone monster... I bet yours is a lovely cream colour now.

Bananna cream,yes.
I had my first ever gig accident with it this past weekend too,which has led me to order a set of straplocks from MF. Fortunately it wasn't damaged,the cord took the trauma,and was demolished,but it opened my eyes...the 4000 already has quite an assortment of vintage nicks,which were there when i bought it,but my 4004's are both pristine,so i am still in the "fear of scratching" phase with them......