What strings on acoustic guitar for jazz sound?

[AllanAllen]

Super 400ces, or L5ces
The ces standards for Cutaway Electric Spanish Guitar. Thus, the pickups are cut and set in the top of the guitar, as opposed an acoustic archtop with floating pickup like and old Dearmond on it or a Johnny Smith.

Isn’t cutaway describing the upper bout? Fretboard access? Not the top?

[mr. beaumont]

The silk and steel strings are not bright, not sure about the gypsy jazz strings, I have not used them.

Silk and steels are bright for the first hour of play or so. Then the basses start to sound more like those on a nylon string guitar.

[Guido_59]

I would try D'Addario Flat Tops, maybe Thomastik-Infeld Plectrums ....

Martin Silk and Steel are a bit on the bright side (troppo brillante?), and I believe only available in one (light) gauge. They're still nice, however, especially for fingerpicking.

I found this video interesting:

I have just seen this video
Nice nice nice
Daddario chromes are much easy to found and have a resonable cost.
Thomastik swing instead cost a little bit more than D’Addario almost easy to found
Dogal very difficult to found apart its very high price

So should be a right choice to try FLATWOUND string, tipically for jazz.
Try for first a set of Dogal night club should be too expensive
I look for tension chart of these string compared to other and normal set I’m using now , D’Addario XT 12-53

[StefanoGhirardo]

I would try D'Addario Flat Tops, maybe Thomastik-Infeld Plectrums ....

Martin Silk and Steel are a bit on the bright side (troppo brillante?), and I believe only available in one (light) gauge. They're still nice, however, especially for fingerpicking.

I found this video interesting:

Interesting. Regarding the sound in the video, a word of caution is in order: the guitar, if I understand correctly, is very expensive (a quick web search indicated $23,650.00), so its sound is very different from that of "normal" guitars.

[joe2758]

Interesting. Regarding the sound in the video, a word of caution is in order: the guitar, if I understand correctly, is very expensive (a quick web search indicated $23,650.00), so its sound is very different from that of "normal" guitars.

now THAT is freakin hilarious. The youtube comments were all like "that's amazing I will always get flats on my acoustics now" haha.

[Guido_59]

I’m totally according with you guy.
When watching video I imagined was an handcrafted guitar , but never I would think of ethers very high price.
So a normal guitar with the same strings will not sound like this , indipendently form strings used.
Anyway the suggest to try this strings on other acoustic guitar is valid , and I’ll try , aware the result will be different

[AllanAllen]

I have just seen this video
Nice nice nice
Daddario chromes are much easy to found and have a resonable cost.
Thomastik swing instead cost a little bit more than D’Addario almost easy to found
Dogal very difficult to found apart its very high price

So should be a right choice to try FLATWOUND string, tipically for jazz.
Try for first a set of Dogal night club should be too expensive
I look for tension chart of these string compared to other and normal set I’m using now , D’Addario XT 12-53

Sound like he recorded that within the first half hour of having flats on the guitar. It's going to dull significantly.

[Guido_59]

@AllanAllen
Do you mean that sounds of strings was not “ mature” and will be change with use ?
It will be better or not ?
Surely a little bit darker and for someone will be better for other no

[AllanAllen]

Yes, they'll get pretty dull. Flatwounds aren't that bright for very long.

Really, take a step back. Don't try to find the perfect set of strings from youtube videos. It's a time sink, it's a trap, a waste of your life.

Buy whatever flats you can afford, put them on and play the guitar like that for 3 months. A long time, then reflect and see if you like them or not. There are no short cuts and no set truths here.

[Guido_59]

Right words
in Italy when someone say something of correct ,right , we say:
Parole Sante
that I can translate
Sacrosant word

[omphalopsychos]

I think you should change your pick and that will get you closer to your ideal tone than changing strings.

[Peter C]

FWIW, I wasn't advocating the use of Chromes on an acoustic, although I did it once myself on an old Suzuki laminate top, and liked the sound. I took them off eventually mainly because it's my jam-with-anyone-anywhere guitar, so greater tonal range was needed.

A 20k guitar sounds 20 times better than a 1k instrument? I think twice as good would be a push, and depending on who's playing it.

As said, Flat Tops or TI plectrums are worth a look for a more mellow tone IMO. I have no experience of Monels (yet).

[Guido_59]

For jazz or mellow tone only
Dunlop jazz tone Products - Guitar Picks - Other - Dunlop

[Guido_59]

Dogal Dosen have tension chart of strings on web so I write they a mail
Dogal send me this info
V25 Kg 47,2 / 104,06 lbs total set
V24 Kg 51,9 / 114,42 lbs. total set

for R39 set they answer as soon as possibly
Considering gauge of these sets comparing with Thomastik equivalent Dogal have less tension
D’Addario chromes have the higher tension like Galli stringo and Pyramid stand in the middle of two
Othet thing in favour of Thomastik is its Balance diameter and then tension between Strings.
other brands have a imbalance between central String sol G amd D
Considering tension ,Price and availability The better Choice to try , probably is Thomastick Swing or Thomastik Bebop , because although are round wound are consider jazz String



‘

[Bob_Ross]

Interestingly ...or, perhaps not surprisingly? ...I find that the string type matters very little compared to simply what I play. The typical bronzewound strings on my flattop sound appropriately folky if I'm strumming folk tunes full of cowboy chords, but as soon as I start playing jazz it just sounds like jazz to me. I mean, you'll never confuse that sound with an ES-175 into a Polytone, but it seems to convey the warmth and roundness that we associate with "jazz guitar" far more easily than one would expect from bronzewound strings on a flattop acoustic.

otoh, >50 years ago when I fancied myself a budding "jazz guitarist" (but really had no business calling myself that) I strung up my flattop with Gibson Sonomatic strings and they definitely made the half-assed stuff I was playing sound more jazz-like than the bronzewound strings I had been using.

[deacon Mark]

The hands always make the sound. Best example is Joe Pass. He played a 175, Daquisto, used a classical guitar at times, acoustic Epiphone, Fender Jagaur, and even did the coolest 12 string guitar recording ever. It is about the only 12 string guitar I can handle and Joe did. In each and every case he sounded like Joe because sound is in the hands. Strings are important but foundation of sound is built in the hands of the player.

[Guido_59]

…..The typical bronzewound strings on my flattop sound appropriately folky if I'm strumming folk tunes full of cowboy chords, but as soon as I start playing jazz it just sounds like jazz to me. I mean, you'll never confuse that sound with an ES-175 into a Polytone, but it seems to convey the warmth and roundness that we associate with "jazz guitar" far more easily than one would expect from bronzewound strings on a flattop acoustic……

Do mean acoustic bronze wound string 80/20 or other strings ?
Generally 80/20 has more brilliant sound than phophore bronze , but obviously depends on string manufactur , guitar at last nut not least hands of player

[Guido_59]

you are absolutely right , but asking to other for an help may be helpful for a non expert.
Sure to play jazz I must change guitar probably, but unfortunately I can’t do this .
So I look in for the best compromise

Questions about Dogal night club :
- anyone has try to play with both V24/V25 ( more brilliant) and R 39 ( more mellow) ? differences ?
- more light gauge of Dogal night club not influence sound in volume and tone?

[ragman1]

You can't really recreate the sound of a hollow-body jazz guitar on an acoustic. All you can do is use flatwounds, a heavier pick, turn down the treble on the EQ, and hope for the best. Or use a nylon string guitar like Joe Pass.

Or play the blues, of course :-)

[Mick-7]

Here's another set of strings I intend to try on my flattop (it's an acoustic electric) - Martin Luxe Kovar Custom Strings | zZounds

[Guido_59]

@Mick-7
interesting, I know EJ21 but I don’t know Martin Luke.
Both seems on the bright side if tone.
Sure tone depends on various factor, first guitar .
instinctively I shouldn’t use a brilliant string on a brilliant guitar such as Yamaha or with spruce top.
Better with cedar or mahogany
IMHO

[Bob_Ross]

Do mean acoustic bronze wound string 80/20 or other strings ?
Generally 80/20 has more brilliant sound than phophore bronze , but obviously depends on string manufactur , guitar at last nut not least hands of player

Um... 80/20. Elixir Nanowebs ...but tbh I had to go look at the package to confirm that!
I'm so out-of-the-loop on acoustic guitar strings that I don't think I even know the difference between "80/20" and "phosphor bronze". The flattop I picked up in late 2022 is the first flattop guitar I've owned since 1980 (!)
Back then I strung it with Martin Marquis strings (which apparently aren't available anymore), any ideas whether those were "80/20" or "phosphor bronze"?

[Guido_59]

Hard or impossible to know .
Martin Marquis exist in various material and are yet available:
- 80/20
- phophore bronze
- silk & steel
if you don’t have package it’s impossible

[ragman1]

Guido -

Looking at the thread, I've had what may be a crazy idea (but my crazy ideas tend to work generally). The difference betweeen a jazz guitar and yours is that big hole in the middle.

You could try covering it over. That would contain the sound (when amplified) and make it warmer. Flatwounds would eliminate squeaking and careful adjustment of your electrics might get it somewhere nearer your desired sound.

I've had a look online. Various firms do what are called feedback busters. Like this:



They're not expensive.

It's only an idea, you understand. Probably won't be perfect but you could try it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[ragman1]

PS. I should also say one other thing, with due respect to others here. I really wouldn't spend an awful lot of time and money on different kinds of strings (except flatwounds). They won't really change the basic nature of an acoustic guitar, will they?