Flatwound vs. Round String

[docmeister53]

I love getting opinions. Replacing strings. I have heard flatwound strings are easier to play. Any validity? Recommendations?

[ksdaddy]

They're a lot smoother on the fingers but are also much softer in tone. Kinda like rolling off your tone pot.

 

Best advice is to try a set. You'll know immediately if they're your cup of tea.

[Whitmore Willy]

I love getting opinions.

 

My opinions:

They are quieter than round wound coming through an amp.

I don't like them. Never liked them....they sound dull to me.

You should try them once and decide for yourself. (not being a wise guy)

 

If I asked you the difference between chocolate ice cream as opposed to vanilla. I'm not sure that your best description would mean much to me if I had never tasted them for myself. Take a taste....You might like them both!

 

Willy

[Gunner]

I have read somewhere that the key to Beatles tone is Pyramid flatwound strings. I assume the person was referring to early Beatles tone. I plan to try a set on my Casino one of these days for grins, but they are quite pricey (about $30).

[Parabar]

The key to "Beatles tone" is the Beatles' fingers. I've heard other players get similar sound from a variety of equipment.

 

There are less expensive flatwound strings that will give you a good sense of whether you like them. I use D'Addario Chromes on my guitars that use flatwounds, and have been very happy with them.

 

Many jazz players like flatwounds, because they use heavier strings and tend to slide between notes more than they bend strings. Flatwounds have MUCH less finger noise. In general, they have a darker tone than roundwounds. I use flatwound .011's on my Epiphone Broadway and Joe Pass to get that warm, fat jazz tone from the neck pickup. The bridge pickups are still plenty bright.

 

Players who like a very bright twangy clean tone or who want to maintain note definition with overdriven sounds often prefer roundwounds. Some players like flatwounds with single coil pickups and roundwounds with humbuckers for greater tonal balance. But as several others have said, these are only guidelines, and the only way to really know is to try 'em yourself.

[bonzoboy]

Flatwounds are easier on the fingers when it comes to barre chords especially and much quieter when sliding your fingers along the string-hence their popularity with jazz players.They also aren't as bright in the highs as roundwounds-as evidenced on the Beatles earlier albums.

Due to the number of wraps of metal tape on flatwounds they are much harder to bend than roundwounds unless you opt for the plain 3rd which would make it easier.Flatwounds also have a much longer life and don't require changing as frequently as roundwounds.I have a '66 Vox Astro IV Bass and it has what I believe are the original Rotosound Flatwounds as I haven't changed them for the 30 years I've owned her and the guy I bought it off had never changed the strings either and she still sounds funky with these relics on her.

[Aymara]

I use D'Addario Chromes on my guitars that use flatwounds, ...

 

I'd like to test the .010 set on my LP Tribute ... will they fit in the nut? The wound strings are a bit thicker as the 10-46 sets I used so far.

[driver8]

Flatwounds are good for jazz, and easier on the fingers in some respects. Much harder to bend though, especially with a wound G. Flats sound duller, too, which helps give a great jazz tone. I love them on my semihollow for those kinds of sounds, and like bonzoboy said you hardly ever need to change them. These have been on for about four or five years I think, and they still sound great. But for 99% of rock music I would just stick with round wounds. Definitely don't use flats if you're going for any kind of jangly sound, imho. (Or if you need to do any pick scrapes. :lol)

[The_Buffalo]

Tried them years ago (mid '70's) on a Gretsch G6117. didn't like them at all. Recently put a set of D'Addario Chromes on my ES 175 & my EJ160-E. Plan to keep using them. Use regular roundwond strings on my other guitars.