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ES-330 : what strings do you use?


anothersixstringer

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I recently got this wonderful ES-330 VOS 1959 and I am totally in love with it. According to the website, it comes with Gibson rounds 10-46 (no more specs there), and it sounds good with it. Problem is, the third one is a little 'too soft' for my particular playing style, as I usually hit the strings very hard.

In the past I used Thomastik Infelds Swings and Bops, from .011s to .013s with great results on my (now gone) ES-175, and I am thinking in doing it again with the 330.

However, I am curious to see what are other 330 owners using. I know style is a great consideration, but I hope you will feel inclined to share your experience here.

 

 

btw, I am looking for that Grant Green sound http://youtu.be/g0N_hd0drIc, and I have searched the web up and down for references. It seems that opinions are divided among flats or rounds, going as far as one guy saying that Green himself told him he used the cheapest black diamond strings, but no mention of type/gauge (just checked their website, their jazz strings are steel/chromium and start at .012)

 

side comment: I put chromes (flats) .011 on it but the second string had issues with the nut, seems that a setup will be unavoidable if I want to move to thicker strings, anyone else had this issue?

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I've always gone with 10-52s on my vintage es-330, which might be worth a try. I also just tried some DR 11-56s on my Epi Casino which I really like. They're the ones that are designed for down tuning but work great at concert pitch. I don't remember having to adjust the set up on the 330 going from 10-46 to 10-52. The Casino arrived to me set up with 9s and needed a fair bit of TLC to get it playing at its best.

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I recently got this wonderful ES-330 VOS 1959 and I am totally in love with it. According to the website, it comes with Gibson rounds 10-46 (no more specs there), and it sounds good with it. Problem is, the third one is a little 'too soft' for my particular playing style, as I usually hit the strings very hard.

In the past I used Thomastik Infelds Swings and Bops, from .011s to .013s with great results on my (now gone) ES-175, and I am thinking in doing it again with the 330.

However, I am curious to see what are other 330 owners using. I know style is a great consideration, but I hope you will feel inclined to share your experience here.

 

 

btw, I am looking for that Grant Green sound http://youtu.be/g0N_hd0drIc, and I have searched the web up and down for references. It seems that opinions are divided among flats or rounds, going as far as one guy saying that Green himself told him he used the cheapest black diamond strings, but no mention of type/gauge (just checked their website, their jazz strings are steel/chromium and start at .012)

 

side comment: I put chromes (flats) .011 on it but the second string had issues with the nut, seems that a setup will be unavoidable if I want to move to thicker strings, anyone else had this issue?

 

I'm using D'Addario Jazz Light gauge 12 to 52. They are nickel wound and they are a round wound string. i like them a lot and the ES 330 with these on it has a great arch top sound but more in the Grant Green style.

 

I think that to get that sound the amp and settings will also be important. Good luck in your quest for the right sound.

 

 

 

 

 

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Welcome to the ES 330 club !!

 

Fine guitars with many potential styles...

 

Been discussed on earlier posts with several gauges/brands used

 

I've heard of rounds, half rounds and flats used

 

Gauges from 9's(rare) through 10's and 11's, to 12's(rare)

 

Personal set-up is similar to an ES 335 with 10's

 

Another question is 'wound 3rd' or plain...as jazz players tend to favour wound for tone

 

Grant Green got the brightest, vibrant tone from his 330....mostly in the fingers, as ever :blink:

 

V

 

:-({|=

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Thanks everyone! Great contributions all!! Seems like the original 10s are popular. After reading your answers and consulting with a friend that knows setup better than me, we arrived to the conclusion that my guitar needed a good tightening of the truss road, so we did that. It increased the tension, lowered the action, increased playability and tightened up the 10s nicely! I guess i will keep this set for a while, but as it was mentioned above, I might try a wound third, thanks again!

Btw, isnt this guitar a dream! I find every setting of the knobs and volume to bring a full attitude and use to the guitar, from rock to jazz, all grounds are covered!

Cheers!

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  • 1 year later...

After the last post, one update from my side. After using 10s for a while, a switched to Gibson Vintage Reissues 11s and it sounds even better. I like that the 3rd string feels better. Next time I have a chance, I will probably get me a set of roundwound pyramids with a wound 3rd. Same, I use this guitar mostly for Jazz, or blues/rock rhythm. Sounds stellar for lead/rhythm in either case

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I'm using T-I Swing 11s on my ES-335, and I'll never put another string type on that guitar. Those strings add some punch to the bass strings and some warmth to the higher strings without sacrificing much brightness and ringing sustain. Lowering the pickups brought out the woody character of the guitar. I absolutely love the sound of that guitar. I'll scoop the settings and that adds definition while maintaining that great fullness and balance to the 57 classics. (I had considered adding some Fralin P-92s to that guitar, but it just sounds too pretty. I'm getting a used Epiphone Dot, and I'm gonna add the P-92s to it, instead.) I had been using the D'Addario nickel wound 11s with a wound third (XL-115W, I believe), but I much prefer the sound of the T-I flats, they last longer, and they don't squeak.

 

You might also want to consider the D'Addario half rounds. I've heard good things about them.

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