Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I am sure there is a post somewhere about this but...

How are they? Are they nice and loose like the TI Jazz flats are for the bass?

My fear is that they'd be tighter than the rickenbacker set... I tried pyramids and hated them...

So who has tried these, and how are they?

John, there have been a number of posts. Pick of the Ricks has them I believe. You can also find one of a number of discussions here. My experience with Thomastik sets is that they are not of higher tension than the stock RIC strings. I have only played the 6 string sets, however.

Thanks!

Go here:

http://www.pickofthericks.com/

And click of\n the Thomastik Infeld Viennea tab. Scroll to the bottom of the page.

My twelves needed very little, if any, adjustment when I switched from RIC strings to the TI's. The flats feel a little slicker and do have a somewhat different sound from the compressed rounds, but it's nothing compared to the tension increase that Pyramids generate. It was very nice to find a string that had the same sort of sound as the Pyramids without worrying about all that tension. The biggest adjustment seemed to be pickup heights. The flatwound strings are quite a bit duller sounding (less ringy) than the rounds. This is part of the plan and tends to bring out the octaves for more (or at least a different sort of) chime. I found that I needed to adjust the pickups a bit closer to the low strings and/or a bit farther away from the high strings in order to maintain more even volume across the entire range. No biggie, just something you may want to play with. Truss-rod-wise, if the guitar needs adjustment, it shouldn't be more than 1/4-1/2 turn. Put the strings on, and try it for a day or two before deciding to make any adjustments. It may not need it at all.

Timely. Just an hour ago, I finished restringing my newly-acquired CW 12 with these. I tuned it, set it up, and plugged it into a variety of amps I've got sitting around. I agree with Todd that there's a bit of pickup height adjustment to bring out the lower wound strings, but overdo it and the octaves will overpower them, so--a bit at a time.

But, I only have to dial in about half the compression that I normally use with my other Rick 12s. And, the G/B/E strings just shimmer...

You got a CW 12!!!!! Awesome!

So is the tension the same as the rick set?

The best thing I ever did to my 360/12 CW was to string it with the TI Jazz Flats. Incredible sound, playability and lower tension. I think that the lower tension will be especially beneficial as the guitar gets older - not having to set the bridge all the way down to the bridge plate...

+1 on these strings

When I told a few people at the DCM confluence that I'd replaced the Pyramids with a Thomastik Infeld JS 110 set for the root strings, and RIC's set for the octaves, they looked at me as if I had come from Mars.
It's good that complete sets are available.

jingle_jangle wrote:Timely. Just an hour ago, I finished restringing my newly-acquired CW 12 with these. I tuned it, set it up, and plugged it into a variety of amps I've got sitting around. I agree with Todd that there's a bit of pickup height adjustment to bring out the lower wound strings, but overdo it and the octaves will overpower them, so--a bit at a time.

But, I only have to dial in about half the compression that I normally use with my other Rick 12s. And, the G/B/E strings just shimmer...

Congrats on the new CW 12, Paul. What compression do you use? Have you ever A-B'd them with a set of D'Addario 10s for 12-strings? If I get a good comparison, I might be giving the 660/12 the TI treatment.

johnashfield wrote:You got a CW 12!!!!! Awesome!

So is the tension the same as the rick set?

Can't judge, since the guitar came to me sans strings. But if the neck was dead flat with its former string set, it's got a bit of relief now that I will adjust out.

However, they feel like low tension flats, not like the D'Addario chromes.

JakeK wrote:

jingle_jangle wrote:Timely. Just an hour ago, I finished restringing my newly-acquired CW 12 with these. I tuned it, set it up, and plugged it into a variety of amps I've got sitting around. I agree with Todd that there's a bit of pickup height adjustment to bring out the lower wound strings, but overdo it and the octaves will overpower them, so--a bit at a time.

But, I only have to dial in about half the compression that I normally use with my other Rick 12s. And, the G/B/E strings just shimmer...

Congrats on the new CW 12, Paul. What compression do you use? Have you ever A-B'd them with a set of D'Addario 10s for 12-strings? If I get a good comparison, I might be giving the 660/12 the TI treatment.

Jake, I just got the CW...The only strings I've ever used on my Rick 12s until now have been Rick standard 12 strings--I do like them. I've got several sets of Pyramids of different vintages, but haven't fitted them to anything.


I have a number of rack and stomp compressors. These TIs require less compression, at least with the CW.

Chris Clayton at POTR set up and strung my 360/12 with TI's - it is absolutely the smoothest playing RIC 12-string guitar I have EVER played. Get them - you won't be sorry.

I like 'em too.