What flatwound string do you use/prefer?

**broturtel** · 05-28-2020, 05:38 AM

Originally Posted by Ray175

Maybe consider moving your strings one position across the fretboard. Your low E becomes an A etc......
I’m not sure where you could get a flatwound at say 0.060 for the low E but It should be possible.... perhaps a bass guitar string?

PS the Pyramid Gold True Vintage are great strings that last - the current set on my ES-175D have been there nearly 2 years and still deliver the “thunk” I want

This is a great idea! I guess I'm not looking for much bigger strings, though. Just strings with more tension.

And yes the True Vintage strings are pretty great! I might go back to those honestly. They worked, they stay in tune, and they have a wonderful sound!

**marvinvv** · 05-28-2020, 07:19 AM

i think Chromes are the heaviest tension in the 13-56 you could always replace 13 & 17 put a 17 & 19,

pyramids are lower tension like Ti's round core , i think you should look for hex core, they tend to be heavy.

broturtel.......................curious as to what action you like? lo med high etc

**arielcee** · 05-28-2020, 11:17 AM

+1 for chromes, even the 12s and 11s are high.

**broturtel** · 05-28-2020, 01:47 PM

Originally Posted by marvinvv

i think Chromes are the heaviest tension in the 13-56 you could always replace 13 & 17 put a 17 & 19,

pyramids are lower tension like Ti's round core , i think you should look for hex core, they tend to be heavy.

broturtel.......................curious as to what action you like? lo med high etc

yes pyramids are round core but they play very well. Therefore if I can’t find any high tension strings I’ll just keep buying those. They have a very good balance. They’re neither too top nor too bottom heavy.

also I don’t really like chromes. I didn’t feel like they were very high tension last time I tried them but I will try them again.

I usually play low action but lately I’ve been wanting a tougher feel so I raise it a little to medium. I definitely feel like that increased the tension a little.

**marvinvv** · 05-29-2020, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by broturtel

yes pyramids are round core but they play very well. Therefore if I can’t find any high tension strings I’ll just keep buying those. They have a very good balance. They’re neither too top nor too bottom heavy. also I don’t really like chromes. I didn’t feel like they were very high tension last time I tried them but I will try them again. I usually play low action but lately I’ve been wanting a tougher feel so I raise it a little to medium. I definitely feel like that increased the tension a little.

ok i get it now

i play with pyramid flats 13s they are kind of looser cant describe, good strings harmonically and feel/texture.

it s weird because on different guitars the same brand does different things, i can never quite work ikt out, but know immediately what i like.

i like the stiffness but not the tension, but that you cant get.......................

**broturtel** · 06-01-2020, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by marvinvv

ok i get it now

i play with pyramid flats 13s they are kind of looser cant describe, good strings harmonically and feel/texture.

it s weird because on different guitars the same brand does different things, i can never quite work ikt out, but know immediately what i like.

i like the stiffness but not the tension, but that you cant get.......................

I actually ordered another set of Pyramid Golds, a set of D'addario Chromes, and a set of La Bella Nylon Tapes. And after spending all this money...I honestly think I'm just gonna stick to the Golds. There's nothing like them. They are the perfect strings for me.

**patshep** · 07-10-2020, 10:13 AM

I have typically not used flats, I"ve bought them many times, and after a while, I decide it's easier to get more tones from roundwounds... however, I have an ES339 studio, that is really a nice guitar... i put flats on it for the first time, and I really am enjoying the sound and feel... they may actually stay on this one
Chromes .12

**jazzuki** · 07-10-2020, 10:47 AM

The flats are never as bright as the round wounds and the es339 will produce it's it's own tonal acoustic imprint as not made as an acoustic instrument. I have a Peerless Monarch and the difference between the flats and rounds are very different acoustically and through an amp. So a wise choice for your es339.

**jazzbow** · 07-11-2020, 05:10 PM

My oh my, even more legs and still running!

Marathon thread.

In honour of this topic I have written a Haiku.

Flatwound nickel strings
What's your preference, D'Adds? Thomms?
Thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk.

The La Bellas on the Epi Emp Reg are now 4 and a half years old.

Might be time for a change.

**neatomic** · 07-11-2020, 05:22 PM

afraid i'm gonna have to bash(o) you a bit on that haiku, jazzbow

d'addario issa stainless steel string!!

pyramids and thoms! pure nickel!

haha

cheers

**jazzbow** · 07-11-2020, 05:37 PM

New Haiku for Neato

Stainless string go twanng
Nickel wrap flatwound strings go
Thunk thunk thunk thunk thunk

Or in the style of Matsuo Basho

Old thread
Newbies jump in
sound of thunk

Ha ha ha ha ha
Ha ha hee hee hee ha ha
Tee hee hee, hahaa

:-D

**mr. beaumont** · 03-24-2021, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

I'm a D'Addairo man for flats.

I've tried a bunch of the others, but I haven't noticed enough difference to warrant ordering strings online and paying more...I can get Chromes down the street from me anytime I need them, so I stick with it.

Still this.

**JazzmanLehmann** · 03-26-2021, 03:38 PM

I once read a interview of Johnny Smith where he mentioned that in his days the flatwounds were so bad that he had to take the edge off them by using a waterglas! After telling that story he stated that today there are many good flatwounds around. I think he would have liked Thomastiks too! What im trying to say is, we can all be grateful having those nice strings around. Cheers

**mr quick** · 03-29-2021, 05:10 PM

I just tried La Bellas for the first time. Wow, is all I can say. These are mind-blowing. I'm anxious to see them over time, as they are considerably more pricey than other strings. After a few days though, I have to say I am more inspired than I have been in the last 3 years or so. Fantastic strings.

**2bornot2bop** · 08-21-2022, 08:50 PM

253, and the highest vote for the TI’s. I would have thought so many here frowned upon them because of their cost.

I tried DA’s twice, and have been a TI Bebop and GB buyer ever since. I recently got 2 sets of Bebop’s for $11 on eBay, and 5 set’s of GB .014’s for $80. It pays to check eBay.

**maxsmith** · 08-27-2022, 12:01 AM

I like the Pyramid Gold 11-48 set but substitute a 12 and a 15 for the 11 and 14. I’ve had sets last a couple of years.

I was fortunate in the ‘80s/‘90s to have a ‘50s ES—125 and several sets of old Gibson “orange box” Monel flatwounds. I had one set on for 7 years, just wiped them down after playing.

**guavajelly** · 08-27-2022, 05:32 AM

I'm between D'Addario Chromes and Thomastik Infeld Jazz Swings. I like them both. Currently have .013 TI on the Ibanez GB10, .012 on the GB200 and .012 Chromes (with a plain G-string) on the ES-330 (which I use most of the time).
Note that a typical set of Jazz swings uses lighter gauges for the bass strings than most competitors. Depending on the guitar that can be better or worse.

**spencer096** · 08-27-2022, 07:43 AM

Dogal expressive flats

**lammie200** · 08-27-2022, 12:25 PM

I voted for TI Swings a while ago but I am now liking Pyramid Golds more. Right away they seem less stiff and more responsive than TIs. My 2 cents. Also, I tried Pyramid Fusions and didn't like them. Not really flats. More like half flats as oppose to half rounds. Also more stiff and less responsive than the Golds IMHO. Also, years ago I used to use DAD Chromes but since I tried TIs and now Pyramids I never went back to DADs. I think they might have a hex core and I like round cores better.

**Filmosound 621** · 08-29-2022, 12:24 AM

compaired to the TI's, the D'Ads feel like ordinary wire, especially playing fingerstyle.

Ti's in comparison feel like velvet.

I could get used to the sound of both, though.

no Pyramid golds for me so far, have not seen them in a shop yet.

**Litterick** · 08-30-2022, 03:58 AM

But Pyramids are German. I thought they would be everywhere.

**docsteve** · 08-30-2022, 04:50 AM

Originally Posted by Litterick

But Pyramids are German. I thought they would be everywhere.

They are not, in fact. I stumbled across them in a smallish shop last year and am now trying out various sets. The vendor recommended them, or else I would never have known. To me they had a fifties image, and not in a good way.

I am a convert now, fortunately, and quite happy with the misnamed fusion flats at the moment.

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**Filmosound 621** · 08-30-2022, 02:43 PM

I have never seem them .... but Thomastik JazzSwing have been sold at a discount prize at our local music shop for a very long time.

12 or 15 bucks, can't remember at this time.