👕 Get New Ernie Ball Merch Now!
  • Ernie Ball
  • Music Man
  • Sterling by Music Man
  • Security notice: Ernie Ball staff will never send you a direct message about a prize or giveaway, and will never ask you to click a link to "claim" anything.
    If you receive a message like that - even from an account whose name looks official - do not click the link. Please report it using the Report link on the message so the moderators can act. A scam campaign impersonating admin accounts was blocked on 29 July 2026; those accounts are banned and their messages have been deleted.
Bongo 2026 Collection

TI-Flats impression

TheAntMan

TheAntMan

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
Messages
972
Location
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Well, finally put the TI-Flats on my Fretless Bongo 4HHP.

They sounded much clearer, cleaner and fatter than the slinkies that came with the bass. Now, I love Slinkies. They are the only strings I put on on my fretted EBMM basses. The TI-Flats just have a really clean sound and stronger presence on the fretless.

Ok. In a previous thread it was mentioned that my favorite strings (Fender 7120 nylon filament roundwounds) that I've used on my old fretless would not work with the Piezo pickup.

Well, my motto is "You don't get if you don't try", so, I put on the TI G and D strings then I put on the NFR D string in place of the A and tune up (EDDG). Well, I turned the Piezo/Magentic knob to Piezo only and the nylon filament roundwound worked with the Piezo!!! :)

I think this is due to the fact that the NFR is a nickel plated steel (NPS) string with a nylon filament wound over the top and sanded smooth. So the metal (nickle plated steel) is covered by only a thin layer of nylon and is allowed to interact with the Piezo.

Now comparing the two strings:

The TI has a strong presence as I mentioned and is clean. The nylon filament is much more expressive. Applying a soft vibrato on the NFR just kicks A** and has lots of smooth mmwwahh!!! The TI is a much better option from the stock strings but it is missing that expressive tone.

I took off the NF D and finished stringing up the fretless with the TIs and I will leave them on for now to give them a real chance but I think I will be switching to the NFs in the future.

Another thing is the gauge. The TIs are 43-56-70-100 and the NFR are 70-80-90-100. The thing I like with the NFR is the the feel from string to string is a lot more consistant than a drastic switch from a very thin string (43) to a fat one(100). IMHO the feel is smoother and provides for a more constant playing technique.

Anyway, hope I did not offend anyone or come across as if I am cutting down the TIs. As I said above, I have left them on to give them a fair chance.

-- Ant
 
The longer you play TI flats the better they get. don't ask me how I know.


they just do.
Imho

tk
 
Aussie Mark said:
That's some unusual gauge you got there. I like the idea.
Click to expand...

Another funny thing is that they have a very roundwound sound to them but are smooth to the touch and will not chew up you fretboard. When I slap with them on a fretted bass, they sound just like regular NPS roundwounds. I would just go nuts for a set of slinkies with this feature in this guage. :cool: :cool: :cool:
 
TI flats are never going to sound anything like roundwounds. Rounds will "glisten" in comparison. Put some TI jazz rounds on there and try that. Or HiBeams or even Bass Boomers

I had nylon coated (Deep Talkin LaBella?) strings on a Piezo SR5. They worked with the Piezo, but there were unusable differences in output from string to string. They wouldn't work. I'm not sure if it's got anything to do with metal contact, but rather tension. Can't you put pure Nylon strings on a Piezo bass? In my case the nylon interfered with the tension somehow on the Piezo. These Deep talkers were fairly low tension. Personally, I couldn't get used to the feel of the Nylon. they looked super cool though; all black.

TI flats are more like upright strings. You certainly can't accuse an upright of not having enough M'wah. There's some kind of cloth wrap or some such thing inside them. They do sound cool when they get old, but the expresiveness you speak of (some higher harmonics) will diminish if anything. They get a real nice thump going IMHO when they get old. But even when they're old, they don't sound crapped out if that makes any sense. They still sound very "expressive" for flats.

It's real hard for me to say one string is better than another, just different.
 
Father Gino said:
TI flats are never going to sound anything like roundwounds. Rounds will "glisten" in comparison. Put some TI jazz rounds on there and try that. Or HiBeams or even Bass Boomers

I had nylon coated (Deep Talkin LaBella?) strings on a Piezo SR5. They worked with the Piezo, but there were unusable differences in output from string to string. They wouldn't work. I'm not sure if it's got anything to do with metal contact, but rather tension. Can't you put pure Nylon strings on a Piezo bass? In my case the nylon interfered with the tension somehow on the Piezo. These Deep talkers were fairly low tension. Personally, I couldn't get used to the feel of the Nylon. they looked super cool though; all black.

TI flats are more like upright strings. You certainly can't accuse an upright of not having enough M'wah. There's some kind of cloth wrap or some such thing inside them. They do sound cool when they get old, but the expresiveness you speak of (some higher harmonics) will diminish if anything. They get a real nice thump going IMHO when they get old. But even when they're old, they don't sound crapped out if that makes any sense. They still sound very "expressive" for flats.

It's real hard for me to say one string is better than another, just different.
Click to expand...

I tried a set of the LaBella a while back (6 months) on my fretless and just not my cup of tea -- a bit too unresponsive. I think the difference is that the 7120s nylon is roundwound on the string instead of flatwound. They are a lot "looser" than flat wounds.

I can not say that one set is better for anyone other than myself and I was just giving my impression. As for the tension, the subtle gauge diff between stings of the 7120s I think helps keep a tonal balance from string to string.

I agree that the M'wah of the upright is unmistakable but the bass itself is not an upright. The M'wah we seek in a fretless bass guitar is different from the one on an upright.
 
smallequestrian said:
Piezo's can use any type of string. Its Magnetic pickups that you have to worry about.
Click to expand...

Not a problem with the 7120s since the center is Nickle Plated Steel with the outside being a sanded down nylon round winding (making it thin layer) the magnetic pickups work just fine and have a great tone.

Like everything else here, we share and encourage each other to try out different things in the quest for our dream tone. That is why I currently have the TI-flats on my fretless even though I love the 7120s. I wanted to give them a try based on others recommendations. After all, isn't that one reason so many of us have different basses? :)
 
Last edited:
I never forget about the pirate suit.

sterlingballbongonamm.jpg
 
Big Poppa said:
Hey guys, why dont you do to the TI forum? OR maybe their open house? Or maybe try some real flatwounds...OURS!

I put a set of TI's on a bongo 5er and was unimpressed.
Click to expand...

BP, any chance that I can get my fretless Bongo to ship out with EB flats then? Slinkys chew through my fingers for some reason, and will get removed immediately, wasting your guy's time and mine.
 
Who did you order the bass from?

What's the expected delivery date?

Probably the easiest way to do it is to contact your dealer and have them call EBMM and see if you can specify the flats.

Let me know if you need help.

Jack
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Classic Rock N Roll Slinky
Back
Top