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Strings for archtop


bill67

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Roundwound strings are certainly going to be louder than flatwounds, but.... to me, THE sound of an archtop guitar IS the sound created in conjunction with flatwound strings.

 

That said, if all your looking for is volume, the acoustic guitar experts here are going to have your answer.

 

Another thing to understand is that an archtop electric (pickups mounted in holes cut in the soundboard) is not designed or built to be loud acoustically, nor will it have much of an acoustic voice unplugged, regardless of the strings. An "acoustic" archtop is a completely different animal.

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Roundwound strings are certainly going to be louder than flatwounds, but.... to me, THE sound of an archtop guitar IS the sound created in conjunction with flatwound strings.

 

That said, if all your looking for is volume, the acoustic guitar experts here are going to have your answer.

 

Another thing to understand is that an archtop electric (pickups mounted in holes cut in the soundboard) is not designed or built to be loud acoustically, nor will it have much of an acoustic voice unplugged, regardless of the strings. An "acoustic" archtop is a completely different animal.

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Roundwound strings are certainly going to be louder than flatwounds, but.... to me, THE sound of an archtop guitar IS the sound created in conjunction with flatwound strings.

 

That said, if all your looking for is volume, the acoustic guitar experts here are going to have your answer.

 

Another thing to understand is that an archtop electric (pickups mounted in holes cut in the soundboard) is not designed or built to be loud acoustically, nor will it have much of an acoustic voice unplugged, regardless of the strings. An "acoustic" archtop is a completely different animal.

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Try Thomastik Infeld George Benson strings. If you want loud you go with the round wound 14s. I use the 12s though, and I don't plug in most of the time and am quite happy. They're great.

 

 

Benedetto makes strings too and they are made in the USA, so exchange rates aren't in play with them as compared with the Thomastik Infelds.

 

 

Juststrings.com is the place to get either/both.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Late as usual, but the guys here have always helped me out, so...

Totally agree about heavy gauge (at least 13) roundwounds for loudness, but don't forget about action. I'm no expert, but I'm learning it counts a lot for volume on an acoustic archtop. Also agree about TI's - best string ever! Bronze will add a lot of brightness, but I'm having a hard time taking off some TI nickels.

 

I'm working on a youtube post demo'ing 3 different string sets on my '51 L-48:

TI Jazz BeBop 13-38 nickel round wound -- have those on now and sounds just like Eddie Lang - authentic and vintage!!! Wife doesn't want me to take 'em off, but I live but to serve, so next up

TI Swing 13 - 53 nickel flat wound and finally

D'Addarion Flat Top Light 12 - 53 (sorry, just can't go heavier on those without adding an external truss rod!) They're bronze round, but polished down to lose the SQUEAK!

 

Quite the undertaking, so I'll let y'all know when & where it's up for those who care.

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