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playbootsy
Junior
Username: playbootsy

Post Number: 40
Registered: 1-2006
Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 7:33 pm:   Edit Post

Hello, i never use flatwoundīs with my Alembicīs(S1 and Distillate).
Somebody already use this? Please let me know.
Thanks
bsee
Senior Member
Username: bsee

Post Number: 1177
Registered: 3-2004
Posted on Friday, May 26, 2006 - 7:46 pm:   Edit Post

Possible? I think it's even common. Particulalry the TI Jazz Flats have received some good reviews here.
kungfusheriff
Senior Member
Username: kungfusheriff

Post Number: 528
Registered: 8-2003
Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 12:03 am:   Edit Post

Not sure if it's common, but my S2 with years-old TI flats sounds like God.
spose
Intermediate Member
Username: spose

Post Number: 115
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 7:16 am:   Edit Post

S1 with TI flats here...going on 4 years and wouldn't go back to rounds if you paid me.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 668
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 8:29 am:   Edit Post

I too have flats on most of my basses. Right now I have rounds on my Series 2, but some medium scale flats are on order!

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think Series electronics were designed around flat wound strings. Back in the day, Alembic shipped their basses with flatwound strings installed. They were Pyramid Gold strings.

Michael
playbootsy
Junior
Username: playbootsy

Post Number: 42
Registered: 1-2006
Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 4:48 pm:   Edit Post

Hello, Forgive-me for the delay!
I use Dadarios Flat in my Fender JBass 75 and my Fender PBass 73, and the sound is warm and unbeliveble.
I never used in my Alembics(S1 and Distillate).
In Brazil we donīt have TI and mine Alembicīs is with Elexir 4c.
I go to order a Dadario Flat for my Distillate. What they think(medium scale)?
Or, I must order to ones long scale for Series 1?
(Forgive my english)
Thankīs
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 669
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 9:23 pm:   Edit Post

I think you would need to order long scale. I am using the medium scale ones on my short scale bass. Short scale strings really don't fit an Alembic short scale bass. The bridge and tailpiece are separate which makes up for the extra 1.5 inch.

Michael
kungfusheriff
Senior Member
Username: kungfusheriff

Post Number: 531
Registered: 8-2003
Posted on Saturday, May 27, 2006 - 10:11 pm:   Edit Post

Michael is correct. Long-scale DRs barely fit on the medium-scale basses I used to own because of the tailpiece, and long-scale TIs fit just fine on my current short-scale bass.
If your bass is long-scale, I'd order strings for a 36- or 38-inch scale bass just to be safe.
adriaan
Senior Member
Username: adriaan

Post Number: 906
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, May 29, 2006 - 6:04 am:   Edit Post

In my experience ...

Never had a problem with DR strings on a 34" Alembic myself - however I can't recall if they were regular long scale, or longer. Knowing the store where I bought them, they were probably regular long scale.

What D'Addario calls 'long scale' is definitely too short for a 34" Alembic: the A string never reaches the tuner on a 2+2 peghead. I have a set of XLs which are long enough for my 32" Spoiler, with length to spare beyond what I need for the tuner, so they should be okay for a 32" Distillate too.

TI Jazz Flats for 34" are long enough for my Epic long scale. When you order a different scale, the gauges will be different - that's part of the TI philosophy.

(Message edited by adriaan on May 29, 2006)
play4zero
New
Username: play4zero

Post Number: 3
Registered: 5-2003
Posted on Monday, May 29, 2006 - 7:08 am:   Edit Post

I used TI flats on my 90 Elan and enjoyed them a great deal, but found that most of the gigs I was doing required round wounds so the Alembc languished while other inferior instruments went out to play. Finally, I threw a set of DR Lo Riders on it and it came alive. i will never have anything else on this instrument, and it is now my primary instrument.
playbootsy
Junior
Username: playbootsy

Post Number: 43
Registered: 1-2006
Posted on Monday, May 29, 2006 - 3:37 pm:   Edit Post

Ok, i will try with DR long scale on my Distillate. Soon i will post my comments.
Thankīs for the tips!
If anybody have more comments, please let me know.
dean_m
Senior Member
Username: dean_m

Post Number: 412
Registered: 7-2002
Posted on Saturday, June 03, 2006 - 8:53 am:   Edit Post

Oh yeah man!!!!
Dean Markley flats on my 91 Elan 5 string. I agree with you P4Z though.
These work for 95% of the stuff I do but I do need to carry a roundwound with me for some of the slap stuff that I do.

Peace,
Dino
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 805
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Saturday, June 03, 2006 - 9:49 am:   Edit Post

As my strings go dead quick enough, I haven't used flats in a LONG time.

However, on the roundwound front, I've recently tried the Dean Markley 'Rocco Prestia' set, the NPS Roundcore/Nickel roundwounds and am very pleased with them. I was intrigued to try a round core set (thinking the wrap to core contact had to be better with no shoulders on the core as with hex cores) and I always prefer nickel to stainless (which are too bright for me till they lose that new string edge).

Tension wise they fall between Rotos/Boomers and DRs/T-Is. Loose enough for finger bends, but still a good tightness in the E and B. Strangely enough, when I first installed them, I did the stretch/pull to get the new string looseness out, and they never crept out again. Interesting.

I'd wanted to try the Will Lees, but didn't like the contact core on the low strings. I'm getting excited about these as so far they've been very consistent. Some strings just sound different on different days to me, and these have stayed the same tonally from day one. And Markleys pass my other requirement: About the same price range as most strings and available most places cheap!

J o e y
keith_h
Senior Member
Username: keith_h

Post Number: 455
Registered: 2-2005
Posted on Saturday, June 03, 2006 - 11:08 am:   Edit Post

Joey,
Let me know how long the strings last for you when compared to your normal strings. I'm thinking of going back to nickel round wounds from GHS Brite Flats on my 5 string. I was thinking of Boomers but if these seem to have a little more life to them I'll give them a try.

Keith
bigredbass
Senior Member
Username: bigredbass

Post Number: 810
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Saturday, June 03, 2006 - 12:35 pm:   Edit Post

K H

Will do. Have used Boomers forever, despite my occasional forays to try other things, so I'm the perfect to guy to A/B strings against Boomers. But so far I'm very impressed with these NPS fives.

J o e y
palembic
Senior Member
Username: palembic

Post Number: 2398
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Sunday, June 04, 2006 - 6:29 am:   Edit Post

For Bonnie's next 5 string set I ordered SIT "Silencers" (groundwounds) with www.lordofthestrings.com (a webstore I can highly recommend for those living this side of the pond).
I will keep yo all posted.
Though I would like to have her freys grounded smaller/lower by a good luthier I know here and THAN combine it with the silencers.
Since I have the Ellio Martina with Alembic guts (and mandoline frets) I am really hooked at the feel.
ANy ...as I said ...I'll keep you posted!

Paul TBO
readyeddy
New
Username: readyeddy

Post Number: 6
Registered: 5-2003
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 2:59 am:   Edit Post

I have TI flats on one of my 2 SC basses and it sounds wonderful !!!
just my 2c
Eddy
pauldo
New
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 1
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 8:39 pm:   Edit Post

This is like mana from heaven. I was just thinking about trying flatwounds on my Ditillate, so I typed in 'flatwounds alembic' into Google and here you guys are!!!!

So these TI's are Thomastik-Infelds JF 344's yes?
What kind of pricing would one expect on these?

I just had some Elixir Nano's on and broke the D string,,,, I was NOT impressed at all by these.

I have a concern about the .043 G string, I usually prefer .045.
bob
Senior Member
Username: bob

Post Number: 662
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Saturday, June 17, 2006 - 10:28 pm:   Edit Post

Welcome, Paul!

(yeah, like we really need yet another Paul here...)

I wouldn't worry about the .043, especially compared to a .045. Flats are quite a bit more massive, and it may actually feel heavier or thicker than what you are used to in a round.

Here in the states you would probably pay about $45 for a JF-344 set, plus shipping and maybe tax. I have been pleased to deal with www.vintagebass.com, but there are others out there.

Not cheap, but if you do some further searching here, you'll find that some of us are happy to use them for years - they seem to last forever.

Just try a set and see what you think. Some people are immediately hooked for life, others... keep looking :-)
-Bob
pauldo
New
Username: pauldo

Post Number: 2
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 8:44 am:   Edit Post

Thanks Bob,

I'll order up a set and give it a try.

The prospect of going to flats after so many years of round wounds is making me feel excited and apprehensive at the same time - this is gonna be fun!
tbrannon
Member
Username: tbrannon

Post Number: 65
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 - 12:19 pm:   Edit Post

Paul,
I tried the TI's and they weren't my cup of tea. Then I put on a set of D'Addario Chromes and absolutely love them. Tons here love the TI's, but if you find you don't like them, don't give up on the flats....string up some Chromes and give them a chance as well.

A set of Flatwounds costs around $100 here in NZ, but it's worth it because they last F-O-R-E-V-E-R.
flaxattack
Senior Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 1156
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 - 8:29 pm:   Edit Post

i found the d'addario chromes to be not as smooth on the fingers as the TI flats, but i did like the sound very much especially the G string which i think is better than the TI;s. i have the s i t's sitting here waiting for direwolf to come home as well as a set of ernie ball flats that a lot of people tell me i wont like.
try ebay for the TI's and i also like www.lemur.com for pricing
if i had to make a choice i would stick with the TI's as i really love their feel and the sound is superb. the chromes are definitely worth checking out in my humble opinion, they seem a bit more rock friendly- but its all subjective
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 677
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 5:56 am:   Edit Post

Flax - I feel the same way about the feel of the TI's. I love the low tension. But, I rather the sound of the Chromes. I find the sound of the TI's a bit on the nasal side, and not as much bottom. I find the Chromes a much louder rock string too. If I can find a flat with the tension of the TI's and the sound of the Chromes, I would be in string heaven. To me they both are a compromise. It has been many years since I tried Pyramids, but I may have to try them again. I am hoping they are lower tension than the Chromes.
dela217
Senior Member
Username: dela217

Post Number: 678
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 6:03 am:   Edit Post

Flax - I tried the link for TI pricing and got more confused than I already am. Thanks.
spliffy
Member
Username: spliffy

Post Number: 80
Registered: 3-2003
Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 7:12 am:   Edit Post

I think he was refering to this site:
http://lemurmusic.com/
yggdrasil
Intermediate Member
Username: yggdrasil

Post Number: 143
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 9:09 am:   Edit Post

I have TI flat JF 324s on my Series 1 ; d"Addario medium scale half rounds on my Stanley; I tried to order Chromes, but at the time no medium scale were available (Chrome shorts are too short for most short scale basses - I know, I have a set & they don't fit either Alembic, or a Gretsch Broadkaster, or a Guild Starfire. They do fit a Rumblekat, tho).

I like all 3 strings.

I have been hankering to try LaBella Deep Talkin' Flats (not the tapewounds ). Anyone try them?
flaxattack
Senior Member
Username: flaxattack

Post Number: 1161
Registered: 4-2004
Posted on Thursday, June 22, 2006 - 7:50 pm:   Edit Post

D'OH
sorry.....
playbootsy
Junior
Username: playbootsy

Post Number: 44
Registered: 1-2006
Posted on Saturday, June 24, 2006 - 8:25 am:   Edit Post

Hello, i really love the Chrome Daddarios....the sound of my S1 make me fell in paradise.
In Brazil the TI Strings are not usual, and i found the Chromes and I very satisfy.
Thanks

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