More Acoustic Volume: Stainless Steel Roundwound vs. Nickel Plated Steel

[JazzerEU]

Hey everyone,

I have an Ibanez AF71F strung with flat wounds and the acoustic tone leaves a lot to be desired. It's difficult finding bulk custom strings in the EU like I was able to find on just strings back in the US. If I was back in the US, I'd straight up order a set of 13 gauge NPS and 13 gauge stainless steel and AB test them. I'll have to search the far edges of the web to find jazz gauge stainless steel strings where I live.

Does anyone have any insights as to whether stainless steel round wounds have more acoustic volume than nickel plated steel rounds? It's been a very very long time since I had stainless steel round wounds strings on this guitar, but I do remember liking the increased resistance and brightness at the time (I think January 2021). For me, I don't care about the increased fret wear. The plain strings apparently wear into the frets faster than the wound strings. From what I've gathered watching some videos on Stringjoy's youtube channel, the stainless steel rounds and plain strings would wear a more equal pace for better or for worse.

I sort of want to convert this Ibanez AF71F as best I can into an acoustic guitar with a floating pickup instead of a hollow body guitar that has acoustic resonance if you guys know what I mean. (like most coaches want a quarterback who can run instead of running back who can throw). This guitar has twice the acoustic volume as my D'Angelico Premier EXL I have back home in the states.

I haven't ruled out just stringing this sucker up with 80/20 bronze strings and finding a cheap transducer pickup and using my EQ pedal to boost its low microphone level (if such a pickup doesn't have instrument level volume).

[Woody Sound]

I just posted about these in another topic. I like them. At less than $10 a crack it's worth a shot.

[JazzerEU]

I just posted about these in another topic. I like them. At less than $10 a crack it's worth a shot.

oof I wish they were heavier, at least 13-56, preferably 14-58s! I’ll look to see if they had them in higher gauges. My teacher from university uses D’Addadario Nickel Bronze on one of his more acoustic arch tops. These strings look more similar.

[sgosnell]

I have no specific recommendations, just some observations. Heavier strings don't automatically mean louder volume. It depends on the guitar, and how the top is carved. I've seen some lightly built guitars on which .013 sets were a little too heavy, and muffled the sound a little. Lighter strings were actually louder on them, and sounded better. The only way to know if this is the case is to try different strings. I'm not convinced that there is an audible difference in volume between nickel-plated steel and stainless steel round-wound strings. Again, it depends on the guitar and the strings. I don't find that brass or bronze strings are louder than steel-wrapped, but there is a definite difference in sound, and the brass/bronze strings are much brighter. I'm not a fan. But it's a matter of taste, and it's just my preference. I like Monel strings, but not everyone does.

[JazzerEU]

Hmm that’s a very good point about the string gauge not necessarily being perceived as louder. Thicker strings definitely sound darker and thinner strings sound brighter. Not too thick but not too thin strings might strike a balance between the two so the guitar can both cut through and terms of brightness and have enough oomph to drive the top. I’ll order what I can find on Amazon in Spain.

[docsteve]

Europe is actually full of custom shops that sell niche products. You shouldn’t have to resort to Amazon shipping cheap Chinese products. Just saying…


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[Woody Sound]

oof I wish they were heavier, at least 13-56, preferably 14-58s! I’ll look to see if they had them in higher gauges. My teacher from university uses D’Addadario Nickel Bronze on one of his more acoustic arch tops. These strings look more similar.