Flatwound string suggestions

**SamBooka** · 02-08-2011, 10:38 PM

Ok.. I am not going to bias this in any way (i.e. what I am looking for or what guitar they are going on or what style of music I am playing etc etc etc)

What are your favorite FLATS and why? (maybe include the guitar they sound best on)

I know what I like but am always open to suggestions (in otherwords I am placing an order at juststrings.com and might as well top it up)

Grazie

Drew

**docbop** · 02-08-2011, 11:12 PM

DAddario Chromes because they aren't as dull sounding as typical flatwounds.

**pierre richard** · 02-08-2011, 11:14 PM

I use Tomastic GB 14's....med high action..

On a 1977 Ibanez 2355 (ES-175)....through a Polytone Mini Brute...

Thats a fat sound....

Time on the instrument...Pierre

**SamBooka** · 02-08-2011, 11:19 PM

Thanks!

**kawa** · 02-08-2011, 11:34 PM

Gibson Flat Wires SEG-1040 Series (Discontinued)
Gibson Gear - Flat Wires
Really good sound as the Gibsons information.
I have used for years, and have only 6 or 7 sets left.

Old number was "E-440", and called Gibson's famous "Sonomatic".

**SamBooka** · 02-09-2011, 12:11 AM

Interesting Kawa.. I usually get strings from JustStrings (although I tried StringsAndBeyond .. much slower than JS so I am not sure I will go back. Neither have the Gibson Flats

**RonD** · 02-09-2011, 12:56 AM

I use flats for everything. My Tele has D'Addario Chromes 12's.
My Strat likes Chromes too. 11's
My Cort M600 has Thomastik Swing 11's.
My A Mano is currently strung with Thomastik Swing 13's. I tried the Chromes on her, but much prefer the sound of the Thomastik. Might have something to do with the floating pickup??

Cheers, Ron

**Stackabones** · 02-09-2011, 01:46 AM

In the past I've used Chromes, and they are great. Currently I'm trying out some Thomastik-Infeld Swing Flats on my Epi Zephry Regent. My first pack was a bit too light so I'm going with the next size up. My fav T-I are the Plectrums (all flat except the low E), which I have on a flat top Yammie. They sound fantastic. Not loud, but very expressive and lush.

**SamBooka** · 02-09-2011, 03:02 AM

Originally Posted by Stackabones

In the past I've used Chromes, and they are great. Currently I'm trying out some Thomastik-Infeld Swing Flats on my Epi Zephry Regent. My first pack was a bit too light so I'm going with the next size up. My fav T-I are the Plectrums (all flat except the low E), which I have on a flat top Yammie. They sound fantastic. Not loud, but very expressive and lush.

Interesting.. never payed attention to the plectrums before. Grazie!

**Bill C** · 02-09-2011, 06:07 AM

Sadowsky flats are very nice imo.

**merlinshepherd** · 02-09-2011, 08:35 AM

This is a whole new journey to me... I've recently bought myself a 1981 Ibanez AS100 and just put Chromes on it! Boy what a difference! Amazing...and there are better flats than these?

I sense a long and perilous quest...

**SamBooka** · 02-09-2011, 09:38 AM

I will say that for me, they are funny things. I LOVED TI GB114s on my Epi Emp Reg but they died too quickly (4 weeks or so). HATED them on my ES165. Finally went to Newtone Rounds on the Epi (a little bright but they last forever). They were waaay too bright for the Gibson 165. Finally (or should I say currently) using Chromes on the Gibson and am happy with them. I have always hated Chromes.

Judge the strings not by the guitar they are on.

**pingu** · 02-09-2011, 10:05 AM

A vote for TI Jazz swing 13s or Bensons 14s
I've found they last for ages myself ........

PS
whats that guitar in your picture Sam ?
I fancy a CC type pickup myself

**Funkwire** · 02-09-2011, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by merlinshepherd

This is a whole new journey to me... I've recently bought myself a 1981 Ibanez AS100 and just put Chromes on it! Boy what a difference! Amazing...and there are better flats than these?

I sense a long and perilous quest...

It's all a slippery slope, innit?

Chromes are very nice...I have them on my hollowbody right now.

But you're in for a treat when you try your first set of T-I strings...

**joe b** · 02-09-2011, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by SamBooka

I will say that for me, they are funny things. I LOVED TI GB114s on my Epi Emp Reg but they died too quickly (4 weeks or so). HATED them on my ES165. Finally went to Newtone Rounds on the Epi (a little bright but they last forever). They were waaay too bright for the Gibson 165. Finally (or should I say currently) using Chromes on the Gibson and am happy with them. I have always hated Chromes.

Judge the strings not by the guitar they are on.

I do judge them by the guitar they are on.

I use TI GB 14s with my current setup (Benedetto Bambino Deluxe + Fender Vibro King) and love the sound. I have tried them on other guitars / amps and not liked them so much. I tried them with this setup because (1) the Bene comes from the factory with roundwounds, which to me just made the guitar sound like a really crappy flattop with a pickup stuck in it, and (2) the TI GB's are one of the few flatwound sets that are nickel instead of stainless steel, which I thought might give a mellower sound. What I don't like about them is that they are expensive.

Through many years and many guitars, I have found that D'Addario is a good place to start if you are going exploring for strings (although, to be fair, what I eventually settled on to use on my other main guitar, a Martin D-28, is Nano Elixirs).

**SamBooka** · 02-09-2011, 12:26 PM

I think we agree Joe even if we are saying the oposite. I mean just because Chromes sound horrible (to me anyway) on my Epi EmpReg doesnt mean they are horrible strings. It is really important to understand that you have right strings for the right guitar.

**joe b** · 02-09-2011, 01:41 PM

Zackly!

**Retroman1969** · 02-09-2011, 08:02 PM

I use D'addario Chromes .12s most of the time, mainly because they're everywhere and easy to obtain in the sizes you want, but I'd like to try some different brands just to see the difference.

**Moonray** · 02-09-2011, 09:56 PM

What about La Bella flats?
I've been using [and loving]
their 20PH set...15-56 for c.15 years. [no, not the same set]
However, they do last a really long time..without going dead.
....I've found these to be the clearest,
yet fattest sounding flats I've ever had the
pleasure to play......And I tried about every brand you
folks have mentioned..and others besides!
Yeah I'm obsessive...but I finally got what I was after.
....Did I mention that the LB's also have what I can only
describe as a great "magnetic' quality...a term I'm not
using scientifically...they just are really alive when plugged in.
...in my case a latish model Howard Roberts Fusion 111 into a Rivera designed Fender Concert..
BTW I have no connection to the La Bella company...

**Moonray** · 02-09-2011, 10:04 PM

Oh yeah I for got to mention they come in
a variety of gauges....
I believe Atilla Zolla had some input into
these strings....even though legend has it that
LB's came up with the first flats for guitar...I think
that the current strings are probably a development
from the originals
I suggest anyone interested go to the La Bella website
where you'll see all their offerings.

**Norman931** · 02-09-2011, 11:02 PM

TI Jazz Swing .013 gauge are my favorites. I tried the LaBella tapewounds, but they were too bright and felt fragile. Chromes are nice, but I prefer the lower tension of the TIs. I had a set of TI Plectrums on my flattop once, and really liked them. I think Thomastik just seems like a company that tries to get it right, and their products reflect that.

**Moonray** · 02-10-2011, 12:11 AM

I'm not talking about the tapewounds...
...the La Bella's I use have a stainless steel wrap [not the tapewounds]
and never feel fragile to me...bright, yes...but I would refer to
the sound as articulate...not just 'thunk'.
I take the point that different strings bring out the inherent
sound of a given instrument..and I tend to favour semi-hollows.
BTW...among the many brands I tried...I found that the TI's
sounded great acoustically...for instance, TI swing series 12-50
were fantastic on a Heritage 575 I had a while back[partly why I
bought the guitar]...but...the TI's simply did not have a decent balance
between the wound strings to the trebles when played through an amp.
Tried all their different swing sets ..then the bebops...[back to round-wound] and still the imbalance between basses and trebles...
..then the George Bensons...same again....by now I'm getting a little
piqued....and [more] impoverished.....put on LB 20PH's...had a box of
them ...and bam!....Big fat clear sound ..no balance issues...."just
killin"...to quote the Jazz Robots...ha ha

But it's one man's meat etc etc
Good luck with your search[s]
At this point I'll try to restrain myself from banging on with this topic
...as some wit put it on another jazz guitar newsgroup...
"It is foretold by the ancient prophecies, that when the first guitarist
finds the perfect guitar, amplifier,strap,lead,strings and pick....then
the universe will end"

**frogeye** · 02-10-2011, 12:55 AM

Played 0.12 Chromes for a while but am back to TI Swing 0.13 on my archtop jazz guitar because I like the acoustic / unamplified sound better with the TI string. I'm using D'Aquisto 0.13s (sell inexpensively on eBay) on my ES-350 style guitar like 'em. Somewhat higher string tension than the TI swing string but they sound nice on that guitar.

**Flat** · 02-10-2011, 03:09 AM

Funny you mentioned the Gibson Flat Wires, Kawa!

I made a post either here or on another forum, over a year ago, bemoaning the fact that those Flat Wires were discontinued!

They were my absolute favorites on a Heritage H575.

Now I'm running Thomastik-Infelds, which are great, but not cheap (the Gibsons were quite reasonable).

I've got one set of Flat Wires stashed away so I can do a comparison after I get the sound of the TIs steeped into my ears and fingers. Maybe I won't think they're so hot anymore?

-Flat