Thomastik flat wounds

[ksdaddy]

Back in 2000 or so I had a '79 Guild X-500. Cadillac guitar. I always bounce around with archtop strings, going from 10s to 13s, round to flat, never really finding the perfect ones...as if there IS such a thing. I'm just fickle when it comes to strings I guess. I kept going back to Thomastik flats, as I was convinced there was no others that would match the tone. Since dumping that Guild I've had many other jazzers and usually had D'Addario flats on them, but often wondered about splurging on the Austrian strings at $30 a pop.

 

Not saying I've changed that opinion but....

 

Back in April or May I bought a guitar that has been haunting me since 1989, a 1985 Fender D'Aquisto. I immediately removed the NINES or whatever they had on it, and installed a set of Thomastik 11-50 flats. I noticed after about 15 minutes of playing my left fingertips were SORE. I mean almost like they were burning sore. I shrugged and figured I'd discover the problem somehow. With the aid of a jeweler's loupe I found the tops of the frets to be a little flatter than I'm used to. I took the guitar out at least once a week and every time I got the same results. About 25 years ago a guy taught me a trick to do a super shaping job on frets that is labor intensive but with a nice payoff. I sighed and contemplated it...and played a little longer. As my fingers slid up and down the neck I discovered...these strings are NOT as smooth as they should be. In fact, they're not smooth at all. They look like flats but they are rough to the touch. GHS made a set of ground round wounds that I absolutely HATED for the same reason.

 

It's not the frets, it's the strings!

 

$30 for flats and they hurt my fingers. Nope.

 

I'll put something else on tonight.

 

Not really hip on going to D'Addario flats. They're cheap and indestructible but they aren't very lively.

 

I have a feeling I'm going to end up with $5.95 D'Addario 11-49 round wounds and leave the snooty strings to the snoots.

[charlie brown]

Interesting! I currently have a set of D'Addario "Chromes" on my '66 Gretch Country Gentleman!

I Really LIKE the tone, and liveliness, I get with them. At least, on that particular guitar!

But, part of that is probably the old stock Filtertron pickups! They're pretty "lively" themselves!

So, the "Chromes" may be a perfect match, for that particular set up?

 

I've even contemplated putting them on my Gretsch '57 Duo-Jet Reissue, as well. But, haven't done that, yet.

I like the "Twang" on the Duo-Jet, with the current round wounds. But, who knows???

 

CB

[jdgm]

I've had a set of Thomastik flats on one of my archtops for over a year now.

Don't have any problem; I think they're very good strings, but you can find flats cheaper......

Half-wounds or ground round wounds do not work for me at all though.

[Tman]

I surelike Thomastik round wounds, power brights, The best in my opinion. Will try flats.

[merciful-evans]

 

 

Not really hip on going to D'Addario flats. They're cheap and indestructible but they aren't very lively.

 

 

 

These are expensive in the uk. About £14 last time I got some.

[zigzag]

I've been using T-I Swings (flat wounds) on all my hollow and semi-hollow electrics for over four years. I've never had the problem you describe. They feel very slick to me, and they sound better than any other string I've ever used. Plus, they last forever. I have been getting them more recently for about $26/set. Just put a set of 10s on my Tele. Gibson makes a string conditioner. I'm wondering if that might help.

[L5Larry]

Most of the archtop enthusiasts around here already know I'm a big fan of LaBella strings, handmade in the U.S.A. After 45 years of playing I have settled in on using LaBella brand strings, of one flavor or another, exclusively on all my guitars, archtop, semi, solid, classical.

 

A little pricey, and generally not available at your local big box store, I feel they are well worth the cost and effort to obtain, and the www makes this as easy as a mouse click.

 

Of course the strings I use on my archtops would be the oddest of all available "jazzbox" strings, the black nylon tape wounds, LaBella also has a great selection of more traditional flats (and others). I was playing "Chromes" when jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli recommended I try the LaBellas, and I've never looked back.

 

The secret of what makes these strings so unique (besides the black nylon tape outer winding), is that the core is a stainless steel ROUND wound string. This gives you the brightness of rounds, smoothed out by the nylon wrap.

 

Anyway, as we all like to experiment with different strings to find those that are JUST RIGHT, try some LaBellas.

 

https://www.stringsbymail.com/pages/la-bella-strings-33.html

[stein]

Sometimes something "smooth" will have more friction than a rough surface. And some guys fingers are more prone to feel very small sharp corners, and some not feel it at all. Who am I to say?

 

I only have one arch-top, and I almost always use D'Addario rounds on it, in that 11-52 gauge. It's a good match for the guitar, and does everything well on it.

 

It's been a long time since I experimented, and while I remember using TI strings at one point, don't remember anything about the sound or feel.

 

One thing I do remember, is this particular guitar is more sensitive to string tension right around that 10 to 11 gauge, and that has an impact on what works well as much as the type and brand of string.

 

Had a set of GHS "Brite Flats" in 10 gauge on it briefly, and they worked REAL good. Also, always wanted to try some Rotosound flats on it, but here in America.....

[ksdaddy]

And some guys fingers are more prone to feel very small sharp corners, and some not feel it at all.

 

That may be it. After I posted last night I studied the TI strings as best I could before removing them and the problem seems to mostly be with the G string. Not saying the others weren't a problem, but the G string just seemed to have a raspy quality when I ran my fingertips up and down it. Much more so that I would have expected out of a flat at any price. I did put a set of D'Addario 11-49 round wounds on it and no finger burn thus far.

 

I'm intrigued by the LaBella tape wounds. I may just try a set!

 

I do like D'Addario Chromes, don't get me wrong, they just seemed to have more of a 'thud' compared to the TIs. D'Addarios in general make me and my wallet very happy.

[Mike_L]

I use flat wounds on my -335 and -355. I've tried STI and D'Addario and wasn't impressed with either set. Roaming around juststrings.com I stumbled upon Pyramid and D'Angelico. Both of these string brands are great, long life and smooth to the touch, and very playable. Unfortunately, the Pyramid's are obscenely expensive ($25) so I won't be using those on a regular basis. But my -355 loves them.

[fromnabulax]

I know that D'Addario Chromes flat wound tend have a bed reputation but I like 'em just fine. I've considered the Thomastik, and I do like LaBella, but I go through so many sets that if it weren't for D'Addario I would be broke.

 

I understand why some seem to think they don't sound very bright, but I am not of that opinion. The .011s sound very nice and warm on any of my electric archtops, but then I am going for a smooth mellow sound with those guitars. Y'know, Wes Montgomery style.

 

But then I like their roundwounds too, and in boxes of ten they come in for well under $4.00 (U.S.) a set and also sound great on any electric, arched or flat...

[zigzag]

 

The secret of what makes these strings so unique (besides the black nylon tape outer winding), is that the core is a stainless steel ROUND wound string. This gives you the brightness of rounds, smoothed out by the nylon wrap.

 

 

I might give the LaBella a try. But after researching them, the LaBellas are stainless steal wrapped and plain stainless steel unwrapped. T-Is are nickel wound and the unwrapped strings are stainless steel coated with tin or brass. My understanding is that stainless steel is rougher on nickel frets. Not necessarily a deal breaker for me, but something worth considering.

 

Also, many (esp. those seeking a traditional jazz sound) use flat wounds because they don't want a bright sound. T-Is tend to be brighter and livelier than DAddario Chromes, but what I like is the punch and roundness they give to the wound strings. They just have a certain timbre that I like.