Thomastik Infeld String Problems

[Burrellesque]

Yes the brass feels stickier than the tin plating to me. Like you say, it wears off pretty quickly and everything is fine after it does.
The tin plated singles are great straight out of the pack.

[rio]

I prefer the tin ones but don't have serious problems with the brass. I do, however, wish that there were a set of .012 Bebops that had a wound third string. I know that I could order strings individually, and I have been, but for the price I am basically getting three strings every pack of Bebops I order. They last long and sound good so I deal with it but it is just the principle of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Danny W.]

I've been using T-I Benson round .012" for a dozen years. I've never had a problem with the plain strings. If they do get a bit sticky I just wipe them down with a plain cotton cloth. If they've been sitting for awhile I use a Blitz string cloth that I bought for $4 at Amazon years ago. Ultra-fine Scotchbrite works well too. I think they sound fine and well-balanced on all my archtops, and I love the low tension.

As for changing strings, "never" is my usual answer. When I do change them I write the date on the wrapper and put it in the case pocket. Last year during my band's summer break I checked the dates on my five gigging archtops and found that they'd been replaced in 2007! Guilt made me change them all, but they still sound too new to me :-)

I do have replacement singles and it's possible I've replaced some over the years, but not many.

Danny W.

[Burrellesque]

I've been using T-I Benson round .012" for a dozen years. I've never had a problem with the plain strings. If they do get a bit sticky I just wipe them down with a plain cotton cloth. If they've been sitting for awhile I use a Blitz string cloth that I bought for $4 at Amazon years ago. Ultra-fine Scotchbrite works well too. I think they sound fine and well-balanced on all my archtops, and I love the low tension.

As for changing strings, "never" is my usual answer. When I do change them I write the date on the wrapper and put it in the case pocket. Last year during my band's summer break I checked the dates on my five gigging archtops and found that they'd been replaced in 2007! Guilt made me change them all, but they still sound too new to me :-)

I do have replacement singles and it's possible I've replaced some over the years, but not many.

Danny W.

10 years is good going!

Go on any other guitar forum and changing them every week or every gig is the norm. It seems to have some kind of bragging status attached to it like your amp going up to 11.
They probably think just broken in strings are dead?

I'm thinking that I change mine way too often now. I think its about once a year or so.

[Alter]

As for changing strings, "never" is my usual answer

my motto from now on! i have Thomastic on my archtops but not long enough to have an opinion on the matter. I like the low tension though, helps with heavier sets

[JazzNote]

I think most of the string wear happens when playing them. Therefore owners of many guitars are likely not to experience the same deterioration as someone who regularly plays the same guitar for a few hours every day.

I myself have a hard time playing TI plains once they sound dead. Depending on the frequency, length of playing and season (in summer usually they deteriorate faster) this might happen as soon as a couple of weeks after putting them on, but on some of my guitars, which i rarely play they have stayed for over a year, maybe even several years.

[silverfoxx]

Hi everyone , an update on the thread, my email to
The CEO of Thomastiks has fallen on deaf ears ,no
surprise as I'm a private individual. But upon
Jabberwocky,s reminder of Strings Direct (UK) I
spoke to them today , and they confirm that they
can obtain JS112T and JS113T Ti swing flats if
required and will order them in if they have orders
by phone or on line from customers. Prices unknown
thid is of little use to members in the USA but I
recommend contacting your own suppliers/ importers
to acquire supplies , if enough players want them
I expect they will bow to greater numbers I suggest.
Or revert to the present system of discarding the E &
B strings , replacing with Elixirs.

[oldane]

I haven't noticed any difference whatsoever between the "gold" and the tin plated E and B strings. Neither in feel nor in tone, amplified or acoustic. I may be insensitive though.

[Greentone]

Yeah! I don't change 'em, either. (My hands don't perspire.) Over time, the strings dull some, but I just don't roll off the tone knob as much.

When the tone knob gets to 10...time for a new set. That takes a heck of a long time.

[Max405]

Hi,
I play with low action. I think the E and B strings fail prematurely when using low action.
And the B string isn't as bad as the E. In fact I don't change the B. Only the E. My issue is not tone. It is buzzing.

I am changing the Strings on my GJS tonight. The hi E will be an Elixir. Then, I will be loving the GJS once again I am sure.

Joe D.

[Greentone]

Joe,

My action is normal-to-high. That probably accounts for the difference. In fact, I keep the action normal on the bass side and a bit high on the treble side. That's probably why I have never noticed the buzz.

GT

[Danny W.]

I have my strings set to .040" bass & treble--they don't buzz when new, they don't buzz when old. Buzzing usually indicates a setup problem, either bridge height or truss rod relief. If those are okay, check carefully for a high fret on the treble side.

Danny W.

[Greentone]

Danny,

I think a lot of guitarists--including technicians--set up a guitar with a ruler flat neck. I don't, and I suspect that you don't, either. As a boy, I learned about relief from the luthier Candelario Delgado, who did a repair on one of my Yairi classical guitars. He claimed that all guitars should have a very subtle "relief," not quite a forward bow, but a perceptible gap between the string and the fret at the 5th-to-7th fret, in order to play correctly. On a guitar with a truss rod, set the neck flat--then back off on the truss rod a bit to put a bit of relief in when the strings are tuned at pitch. (My Yairi, of course, didn't have a truss rod, but Mr. Delgado showed me that there was appropriate relief in the neck. Not much...just a bit.)

Who was I to disagree with a fellow like Mr. Delgado. He built guitars for people like Jose Feliciano and Chet Atkins. I have always set up my guitars to resemble what he showed me, ever since. No buzz.

[silverfoxx]

After consideration, and discussion with other members. I have come to the conclusion
that the existing method of discarding and replacing the 1st and second strings from a
new set of TI swing flats is a better method than deferring to the Tin alternative TI's
As I understand that both the "gold" and tin strings are prone to rust, as opposed to
Elixirs which have Anti Rust properties plus the same longevity as the four remaining
TI's of a set. IMHO the existing method is preferable and less expensive if one shops
around.

[Greentone]

Dry hands are not the cat's whiskers in all circumstances, but when it comes to not corroding guitar strings dry hands are a blessing. I guess every cloud does have a silver (or tin or bronze) lining.

[neatomic]

just about all electric guitar strings are carbon/swedish steel core..tin is the common plating of unwound strings...has been for years...thomastik and maybe a couple others also use brass plating...maxima/optima may use gold....but the plating is thin compared to the steel inner core

there's absolutely nothing wrong with tin plating..which is why every manufacturer uses it


elixirs are a goretex plastic coating applied to the string..on top of the plating!...non metallic..something else altogether...purposely applied to resist corrosion, not develop tone

not for me

cheers

[Max405]

I'm gonna try something ( because I'm not too stupid to try and learn something new). When I came home I loosened my truss rods a quarter turn. That will put a little relief back in the necks and I will try it for a while. Maybe I went went over board with the straightness of my necks. A little relief might help my Johnny because I get a tiny bit of buzz on the 1st fret. Let's see..
Joe D

edit..
ok putting more relief in the neck stopped the buzzing (duh..) And in my case, the f note buzz is just about gone now too. I will play with this the next couple of days and report back.
I didn't change strings. Intonation is dead on. I can see a slight bow but I think that might be normal.
JD

[ptchristopher3]

With extreme respect to all views here, the whole business of plating and string buzz seems a complete pant-load to me.

"Get your setup optimized" is my opinion, vs. hearing deamon footsteps in the dark based on the color of the microscopic coating on plain steel strings.

A truly flat neck works for some, but this is a very rare case vs. the overwhelming majority of players who benefit from a bit of relief in the neck.

"A bit" means fret each string at the first and 14th fret (or wherever the neck joins the body), then observe the clearance over the 7th fret. About as much as the diameter of the B string is good for many. Slightly less is great for most, and slightly more is good for a minority of heavy hitting chord choppers.

In my opinion. With much due respect to (all but two) alternate views.

Chris

[Max405]

Hey Chris, I was under the impression that the strings were brass, not brass coated steel.
more testing on the way.
Until then, I retract my judgement of the goldish colored strings.
i can always count on you to point out when I'm wrong. What a guy..
Joe D

[Danny W.]

Danny,

I think a lot of guitarists--including technicians--set up a guitar with a ruler flat neck. I don't, and I suspect that you don't, either. As a boy, I learned about relief from the luthier Candelario Delgado, who did a repair on one of my Yairi classical guitars. He claimed that all guitars should have a very subtle "relief," not quite a forward bow, but a perceptible gap between the string and the fret at the 5th-to-7th fret, in order to play correctly. On a guitar with a truss rod, set the neck flat--then back off on the truss rod a bit to put a bit of relief in when the strings are tuned at pitch. (My Yairi, of course, didn't have a truss rod, but Mr. Delgado showed me that there was appropriate relief in the neck. Not much...just a bit.)

Who was I to disagree with a fellow like Mr. Delgado. He built guitars for people like Jose Feliciano and Chet Atkins. I have always set up my guitars to resemble what he showed me, ever since. No buzz.

With extreme respect to all views here, the whole business of plating and string buzz seems a complete pant-load to me.

"Get your setup optimized" is my opinion, vs. hearing deamon footsteps in the dark based on the color of the microscopic coating on plain steel strings.

A truly flat neck works for some, but this is a very rare case vs. the overwhelming majority of players who benefit from a bit of relief in the neck.

"A bit" means fret each string at the first and 14th fret (or wherever the neck joins the body), then observe the clearance over the 7th fret. About as much as the diameter of the B string is good for many. Slightly less is great for most, and slightly more is good for a minority of heavy hitting chord choppers.

In my opinion. With much due respect to (all but two) alternate views.

Chris

I depress the 1st fret with my left thumb, the 12th fret with my right pinky and use my right thumb to press around the 6th fret. I just want to see a bit of deflection there. I do this for the 1st & 6th strings and adjust the truss rod according to the string that deflects the least. On a semi I move the right pinky to a higher fret, but otherwise it's the same

Hey Chris, I was under the impression that the strings were brass, not brass coated steel.
more testing on the way.
Until then, I retract my judgement of the goldish colored strings.
i can always count on you to point out when I'm wrong. What a guy..
Joe D

Earlier I mentioned ultra-fine ScotchBrite--you can easily remove the plating with it if you care to.

Danny W.

[silverfoxx]

I have received a reply from Heinz Kovacs of Thomastiks
he asked some questions , and I have replied setting out
some of the issues members here raised in particular the
brass coated 1st & 2nd strings which to some, produce a
less than desirable tone.
i suggested that plain stainless strings might be a good
alternative( also that the tin plated strings tarnish quickly
When I receive Thomastik's reply I will advise their
intentions here.

[Greentone]

Danny,

Same procedure here to test for relief. Just want to detect a bit of deflection at the 5th/6th fret area when the first and last frets are depressed. (I use the last fret.)

[Max405]

I'm gonna try something ( because I'm not too stupid to try and learn something new). When I came home I loosened my truss rods a quarter turn. That will put a little relief back in the necks and I will try it for a while. Maybe I went went over board with the straightness of my necks. A little relief might help my Johnny because I get a tiny bit of buzz on the 1st fret. Let's see..
Joe D

edit..
ok putting more relief in the neck stopped the buzzing (duh..) And in my case, the f note buzz is just about gone now too. I will play with this the next couple of days and report back.
I didn't change strings. Intonation is dead on. I can see a slight bow but I think that might be normal.
JD

Update, the little extra relief made the GJS a better guitar to play.
It made zero difference in the e string buzz on the 165. I tried a quarter turn. I think the relief is just right, but I'll try another half turn. I guarantee if I put an elixir on, the buzz will go away.
JD

[neatomic]

joe D..try lifting the string out of the nut and putting a bit of pencil lead in the nut slot...

that kind of buzz is usually either 2 things..the neck is too flat/not enough bow...or the nut slot is slightly worn too deep...

since you already added some bow, try the nut

a majority of the time a too flat neck, will give you buzzing problems within the first 5 frets..sometimes just on one string, but within the first 5 frets

nut slot problem will usually buzz on the first fret

and of course the thickness of the string can make a difference, since it sits in the nut slot differently


cheers

[Max405]

Neatomic,
The buzz is in the high e string 9th or 10th fret.
I will try to add more relief. But the elixir would not buzz at this setup, which I like a lot. I don't like looking down at the neck with such a bow in it.
JD