Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I've been having a great deal of pain in the large joint of my middle finger of my plucking hand, which seemed to have started when I made the switch to heavy guage Labella flats. This, naturally enough, has scared the heck out of me so I decided to go in the opposite direction altogether and get super light low tension strings to see if it would help. Based on recommendations from user after user on this forum, I ordered a set of TI flats for $45. (That's in U.S. dollars so only about $10 Canadian I think. Sorry, I've been waiting for decades to make that joke! Revenge is sweet! )

I must say, these came exactly as advertised. Super floppy (but in a 'good' way, if that's possible!), a bit of a wimpy yet pleasant tone, that reminds me of what you might expect from a 'boutique' 6 string bass. They feel fantastic and don't seem to aggravate my finger at all. They are by far the most comfortable strings I've ever played. I, of course, had to re-setup the bass for them, but I would imagine these are the perfect strings for those older 4001s with neck issues.

I have only one concern--they are extremely bright and everything I've read about them suggests that this will fade in time. Right now they have that trebley overtone that reminds me of my least favourite strings: the dreaded d'Addario Chromes. I found for the month or so that I used Chromes they did not fade and instead sounded like something designed by a roundwound fanatic who was forced to come up with some flats by his evil boss. I like my flats to sound like flats and my roundwounds to be super bright (I use Dean Markley Fretmasters--amazing!)

So can anyone with some experience with the TIs give me an idea of how they will change and how long it took them to 'settle down'. I've got an important audition coming up and I'm not sure if I should go back to the wonderful-sounding, yet pain-inducing, Labellas. Thanks!

You could try removing and installing the TIs several times (10) to break them in . This has worked for me with Labellas .

In my experience, the TIs mellowed nicely after about a month of daily playing. At first they were a bit bright sounding and were nearly identicle in tone to the RWs that I'd replaced. However, the more you play them, the mellower they'll become - I have friends that have been using the same set on their basses for 3 years or more and they sound great. I currently have a set on a Lakland Skyline Joe Osborn 4 string and these are taking a little longer to reach that point than the set that were on my c64. I guess it varies from set to set, much like another other string.

Have you tried breaking them in fret by fret? That's what I do.

I have some TIs that must be seven , eight years old and still sound great . It will all depend on how much time you put on your bass and how much your hands sweat . I have found that a fresh set of TIs will mellow out after a couple of weeks . They are only going to sound better .

enjoy

Give them a month. They'll settle in nicely. And they'll stay that way then. I've got a few sets installed ,on a Hofner and my '60 P, and they're on there 7 years and are still great.

3 of my 4 gigging basses are strung with TI flats. Give them about a month. There are very old school, funky, jazzy, but maybe not full on rock. I love the mid range of the TI's. I would be a bit lost without them now.

In my experience they take a good three or four months to mellow out and always have a middy tone although they will lose all the treble top. if you want that good old solid thump, they are probably not the best string for you.