-
So I have an Eastman that I'm just now stringing up with flatwound Thomastik Infield 13 gauges. Great sound and the gauges across all strings are really even. I love that aspect about them. However, for both of my sets of these the Low E through G string have a coarseness to them that makes it more difficult than say D'addario Chromes. Is this inherent to the design of these strings are did I just get a bad batch. One set I ordered online and one I bought at a music store. They feel almost like roundwounds that someone tried to coat to make flat but let a bit of the round stick out, if that makes sense.
-
12-16-2021 12:37 PM
-
Been using them for a few years and have not had this problem.Probably just a bad set.For what they cost,you should contact the company and see what they say,maybe they will send you replacement strings.
-
It may just be the fairly dramatic drop in tension if you switched from a Chrome set with a 13 E1. I love the way the TIs feel, but their lower tension for their nominal size does make them seem a bit squoodgy compared to Chromes, so they do feel different. In my hands, a lighter touch is required both to get the best feel from them and to keep intonation correct, especially on the lowest strings. Remember that they also use a slightly different measurement system, so a TI labeled 0.050" is physically a tiny bit thinner than a Chrome labeled 0.050". I'd be very surprised if TI put out a "bad" set or batch of strings, although anything's possible. I'd call your dealer and ask if they'll exchange them for you - but I think it's more likely that you're responding to the strings than that you got bad ones.
I've been using TI flats since I realized that they're not that much more expensive than Chromes and I really should try a set. I put JS112 flats on my Ibanez AF207 and (despite my strong irritation and involuntary disbelief when anyone says that a minor tweak makes a huge difference) they literally transformed the sound of the guitar. It's now much more woody, and is fuller and rounder unplugged or amplified. So I put a set of them on my Tele7 and got the same transformation. Yes, I know there are only 6 strings in a TI set - I use heavy John Pearse round wound ball end strings in the 7th slot on all my guitars - 0.072 to 0.080, depending on how big I can make the string hole in the tuning peg.
I also bought two sets of TI 113 flats on a black friday sale and plan to put one each on my Eastman 810CE7 and my AF when the strings on them now need changing. To be honest, the TIs last so long that I haven't changed a string on the Tele7 in the 4 months or so since I put them on it (including E1 and B, which are the TI coated plain ones). And I practice on it daily in addition to using it for my trio's show every Thursday night.
-
Maybe twenty years ago an online dealer had the cheapest price on Thomastiks of anyone, so I ordered several sets all which, as you described, had a rough feel, including the unwound strings. I assumed they were "old" strings that sat on the shelf to long and had begun to oxidise. I've never heard of counterfeit Thomastik guitar strings but suppose that's also a possibility.
P.S.
I still use Thomastik strings and haven't run into this since.Last edited by rrbasic; 12-16-2021 at 04:04 PM.
-
The only set Ive had felt a bit rough and sort of dusty. Wiping them made no difference. I went back to chromes at the next change. I've since tried some of the much derided roto-sound top tapes and I even prefer them.
My TIs were from Amazon and were cheap. Maybe £13? Jazz swing 11s. Maybe they are cheap because they are old, as suggested above. If so, they want to stop that flow of substandard products.. My experience has put me right off.
Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
-
I’ve ok not used TI’s George benson flats, on Carol Kaye’s recommendation. I haven’t had any problems with roughness. Incredibly great strings.
-
I’ve been on TI Jazz Swing for maybe 5-6 years, 13s, before that gee 20 years of Geo Bensons. Before that Chromes.
I do recall the initial difference being notable, the GBs had a slight rougher feel. I being somewhat a cause/effect fan just figured it was going from stainless steel “chrome “ wrap to the nickel. Different metal means different feel.
Also… note the wrap on the Chromes. I gotta give DaD credit their wrap seems to me more tightly would than TI’s. (Otherwise I do not like any of their strings, sorry.) That less smooth wrap on TIs might mean something.
Questions are: does it really bother you? Do you like the tone? The playability? See I find the DaD flats way too bright when put on, and about a week,of playing before they sound right to me. Then (again to me) they go spaghetti much faster than any TI.
You know the rest…IMHO, YMMV, these opinions are not guaranteed, the opinion writer does seem to be out in left field often.
Have fun, ain’t enough time for everything on this planet.
jk
Hey BTW, speaking of opinions, I LOVE Carol, but I see her out here in left field quite often. She holds some ‘interesting’ opinions on music theory. Looking at you ‘Doh theory’! But she’s the only person with the cajones to call that egotistical axxhole Hal Blaine out for his “Wrecking Crew” lies! Love her!
-
Yes, absolutely. The set I tried it felt lik driving a car while riding brakes the whole time, much slower. I will buy a new set from someone reputable and try again because I really liked everything else about these strings
Originally Posted by jazzkritter
-
Ewww no fun that. Maybe a wipe or two with a very high number Emory cloth…
example
24PCS Sandpaper, Assorted 400/600/800/1000/1500/2500/3000/5000 Grit Sand Paper sheets, Upgraded Dry Wet Waterproof Sandpaper, for Surface Sanding of Wood and Furniture, Automotive Polishing, 9×3.6Inch
Learn more: Sorry! Something went wrong!
-
I've had no problems with the smoothness of any of the flatwounds I used for years, including TI. I have had a few set of strings over the years from various makers that were simply very old and had some oxidation, and have used 2000 grit paper to clean them up.
Rotosound Top Tapes used to have Monel wraps that were a bit rough (I still have a few sets of these, that I clean up w/ 2000 grit paper), but I haven't purchased any since Roto Top Tapes changed to steel wraps several years ago.
-
OK so I did have two sets. The other set I kinda of checked over for smoothness and while coarse I decide to ditch the old set and put these 'new' ones on. These ones are much better. I really think the first set I had was simply corroded. Just to be sure, though before I strung up this set I put on some D'Addario Chrome 12s and those are very slick. However, these new Thomastiks are so much better feeling and sounding that I will not be going back to chromes. These paired with my Pisano 880 Eastman are mwah, perfection.
-
Y'all buy the most expensive strings, and then complain about them. You don't see the rest of us complaining.
-
That’s great to hear! I don’t know how long it takes TIs to corrode like that, as I only started using them about a year ago and bought one set at a time. On Black Friday, I bought 4 sets - it will be interesting to see how long they stay fresh. Strings seem to stay free of corrosion for me once mounted and used regularly, with a wipe before putting a guitar away after each use. Originally Posted by chris32895
For many years, I had a bad habit of leaving a full set plus 2 or 3 single E1s and Bs in each case or gig bag. Before sealed packaging, strings corroded over time and I ended up throwing a lot away. D’As come in sealed pouches now, which seems to keep them fresh. Unfortunately, TIs do not come sealed.
-
I sure hope you’re drinking Thomson’s! It was one of the highlights of our trip to NZ. Originally Posted by Litterick
-
I keep my strings in a gallon zip-loc bag, along with several silica gel packets. I keep adding more packets as I get them from stuff I buy. Keeping the moisture level down helps, I think. Even sealed string packages can easily get holes poked by the string ends, and are no longer sealed. When corrosion starts, it quickly spreads to everything within reach. I haven't done any scientifically valid experiments, but it seems evident to me that keeping moisture out should at least slow the corrosion process, and that's what silica gel was invented for.
-
Now, there is a good idea for Christmas. Glad you liked it. Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit
-
You are right. This has been a quality problem off and on for years. If you do a search, you will see that I had the same problem several years ago and thomastic eventually replaced my strings and admitted there was a grinding issue on the G string thicknesses. Apparently this is not uncommon because daddario periodically has the same issue on their thinner G strings and I went through the same process of reporting the issue and eventually getting replacements. In d'addario's case, they found a quality problem with their grinder (no more details than that) and promised it wouldn't happen again but it did. Which is one reason I switched to thomastics in the first place. The problem with thomastic is that their customer support in the usa is connelly (the importer) and so you are dealing with a middle man. It took many emails and phone calls to even get the issue reported to the manufacturer.
Makes me want to switch to rounds...And I have on several instruments
Reply With Quote
Recommandations for Hollowbodies for $600 and under?
Today, 05:20 AM in Guitar, Amps & Gizmos