Strings with Heavy Tops (Flatwound)?

[markesquire]

I have been playing and enjoying D'addario Chrome strings in 11 and 12 gauge. Recently, I broke the high E string while tuning up but had an extra B string sitting around so I used it instead, and MAN it is wonderful to have a really big and fat high E string!

I see a lot of strings marketed for "heavy lows and light tops," but I want something like the opposite: normal lows but heavy on the top two strings.

What sets offer such a thing?

[pingu]

TI jazz swings

[Peter C]

Off the top of my head ....
Rich Severson has a custom set of Chromes 13-48 (that's very light at the bottom)
Thomastik Infeld Swings have proportionately heavier plain strings (12-50/13-53?) (already mentioned by pingu, I see)
There's a Pat Martino set which like starts at like a 15, but is lighter at the bottom.. OTOH, just keep with the standard Chromes and buy extra plains in the gauges you like; they're inexpensive. Give the spares to someone you know. 13-52 works for me.

[AllanAllen]

Chrome 13s work for me. The low isn’t ridiculous like round wound strings for drop F or whatever the kids are doing these days.

[skiboyny]

You can get Chromes in any gauge you want. Strings and beyond strings by mail are a couple of places that come to mind.

[fretbuzzard]

La Bella Jazz Flats are gauged similarly to TIs, but built more like Chromes.

[omphalopsychos]

Yes This is very common in jazz.

I buy custom sets from Newtone. For me this is the perfect string set.

13
17
25
32
43
53

[Simon1234]

Thomastik 11 - 47 sets with the eleven swapped for a TI twelve is working for me and my Comins GCS 16-1 at the moment.
Feel and tone all very subjective, so play around and try some different options.
Enjoy the journey.

[arnie65]

Off the top of my head ....
Rich Severson has a custom set of Chromes 13-48 (that's very light at the bottom)
Thomastik Infeld Swings have proportionately heavier plain strings (12-50/13-53?) (already mentioned by pingu, I see)
There's a Pat Martino set which like starts at like a 15, but is lighter at the bottom.. OTOH, just keep with the standard Chromes and buy extra plains in the gauges you like; they're inexpensive. Give the spares to someone you know. 13-52 works for me.

I've been using Rich's custom set for over a year, and I'm very happy with it. I can play a longer set without my fingers getting fatigued; and the tone is all there too.
I just buy the regular D'Addario set (ECG23) and some 13's and 15's separately.


Cheers,
Arnie...

[JazzerEU]

I use webstring flatwounds 12s but I replace the high e with a 14 and high b with a 17. It balances the set out with flats having more tension and makes the top strings sound stronger.

I really like these web strings flats!

[StoneWaller]

I use webstring flatwounds 12s but I replace the high e with a 14 and high b with a 17. It balances the set out with flats having more tension and makes the top strings sound stronger.

I really like these web strings flats!

I've started doing the same with them there fancy pant Dogal Expressive Flats. 52-12, swapping for a 14 and 17. Feels great across the set. Almost caught the string dragon I've be chasing.