Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Ya ... my 4004 has humbuckers as well ... Ric humbuckers have some personality ... their single coils still sound better ...

I have an AV '62 Jazz Bass that sounds and plays quite nice, especially with TI flats on it. If you were to get a Jazz check these out. I was going to get an America Series JB but the extra dough for the AV Jazz is worth it.

Whats the AV stand for?

American Vintage.

Cheers

Thanks Steve, I like the Jazzes and P basses.
I am really starting to like those TI flats by the way, I have a set on a 4001 which I initially put on because the neck was bowed and Truss rods screwed up, those problems are gone now but I'm liking the strings more and more, they have a very nice feel and are very even sounding up and down the neck. The were too light for me at first. They remind me of the original equipment strings that were on my first Ric, a 77 I bought brand new. They are real smooth feeling almost slippery feeling.

The TI flats are my favorite!
Lively sounding and no less bright than most roundwounds, just in another treble range. Quite a "modern flats" sound, if I may say so. They feel very nice to the fingers too.
Bob, I find the TI flats' windings are even more smooth than the Pyramids.

Hey Paul...My favorites also...but I've only got em on two of my bass babes at this time..I still want to get a pair for the 4005 but haven't gotten around to it yet... how is the sound compared to the Pyramids? I really do like that spongy/springy feel that they have...they are a pleasure to play when you get used to them.

I have Pyramids on a newer 4003, so I can't give you a direct comparison (my 4001 is more trebly than my 4003) but they sound nice too, maybe a little more meat to the sound, they have less output than most other strings I have used, and I don't think are as trebly as TI's but I like them because they have more tension than the TI's, you can dig in with them without bottoming out. They are both great strings, the TI's are cheaper. They have a different sound that TI's. I think that the Pyramids have a more old type of sound, lots of thump, if you like the Jamerson or Duck Dunn sound (I do) you can get it with 4003's and Pyramids. I don't know if you could with TI's, they are a more delicate string, not that they won't last long, but that I can't thump them like Pyramids. With Pyramids I put the treble pickup close to the strings to get that slightly dirty sound when I really pull the strings. You can beat on them I guess is what I am trying to say.

Hey David,
Bob has just described the different feels and sounds from these 2 brands of flats.
My feeling is that the Pyramids on my Epiphone Viola bass feel stiffer and are vintage sounding while the TI's on Annie and Sophie ('98 and '86 4003) are springier and sound brighter with quite an elastic bottom. The TI's may need a little higher action (1/64" maybe) to avoid fret buzz due to their greater vibration space. Which is totally fine with me.
I've yet to try a set on my Rickenbacker babes...

yeah Paul, the Pyramids are stiffer and more vintage sounding, and I do raise my action a little with the TI's compared to stiffer strings also as you do. Try them on your 4001 you will probably love them, I want to try them on the fretless next, they seem to be the perfect tension for 4001's, the neck truss rod nuts can be a little looser, the whole bass has a looser feel to it like it is resonating better, and it may well be as most of my notes ring loud and clear with a lot of sustain, I still have a dead A 7th fret on the D string but it too greatly diminished with these strings