The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary

View Poll Results: What FLATWOUND strings do you use/prefer?

Voters
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  • D'Addario

    189 36.42%
  • D'Angelico

    2 0.39%
  • DR Strings

    7 1.35%
  • Galli

    3 0.58%
  • GHS

    14 2.70%
  • Pyramid

    21 4.05%
  • Rotosound

    5 0.96%
  • Thomastic

    278 53.56%
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Posts 26 to 50 of 177
  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by hot ford coupe
    I picked the D'Addarios. They sound good and last a good amount of time. I used to use only GHS steel flats in .013 gauge but the lower strings were really dull and lifeless especially the low E. It almost sounded like a tuned thud. I tried some TI strings once but I didn't like them not because they weren't good but because I didn't know what decent strings were supposed to sound like. They were a lot brighter than the GHS strings. Now, I regret that decision not to use them. The only way I can get them now is mail order.

    i love the TI Benson's, round or flat.

    i have never had a problem ordering through juststrings.com , BTW. i always order at least 2-3 sets.

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  3. #27

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    I voted for Thomastiks, because I use GB flats on my archtop; I really like the sound and the way they feel. But if possible I would have voted for both, because I use D'Addarios on my thinline Epi, which I use for both jazz and blues.

    Haven't tried Sadowskys, but I'd be interested to hear from someone who does what they think of them. Also haven't tried Benedetto strings, which I understand are made by La Bella.

  4. #28

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    PS - If you think TI Bensons are expensive in the US, try buying them in Europe; the 'regular' price is around € 26 (about 37)!

  5. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by fumblefingers
    i love the TI Benson's, round or flat.

    i have never had a problem ordering through juststrings.com , BTW. i always order at least 2-3 sets.
    Thanks for the heads up. The set I'm using now is actually the Chromes .010s I throw away the .010 and use the .014 as the E. For the low E I use a .056 out of a set of Chromes .013. The sound is really incredible but I haver to buy 2 sets of strings. That's actually more expensive than buying one set of the Benson TIs which is really kind of wasteful.

  6. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzbow
    Hi fellas.
    This is a bit of fun and probably help newbies decide what f/wound to choose.


    When you've made your choice explain whether you go by feel, quality or price?
    My favorite is La Bella Tape Wound (which are flat wounds, they just use black nylon tape outer wrap rather than metal). The 14 gage strings feel like 12's. The sound is dark with very little overtones when the tone control is only slightly rolled back and they yield a very percussive sound. Each note stands out more clearly when playing a chord. They give you extra E & B strings in the set and they also last way longer than any other strings I have used. My second choice would be Newtone Archtop strings.

  7. #31

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    Looks like the TIs are gaining some ground. That makes me want to try them even more.

  8. #32

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    Thomastic...the best jazz strings...i think...:-)

  9. #33

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    I have experience with only two sets of flatwound strings, TI Jazz Swing 12-50 and Pyramid 11-48.

    Although the TI set is supposed to be thicker, both thickness are identical and possibly slightly bigger on the Pyramid. But the tension of the TI Swing 12 is much looser and going up to the 13-53 should be easy for most hands, while using Pyramid 12 would be more challenging.

    But apart from gauge, these are very different strings. The TI set has much more sustain, feels lighter, and sounds thinner and brighter. I don't think the TI swing 12-50 sounds like old retro jazz guitar sound (think Grant Green, Jim Hall,…) compared to the Pyramid, but would be very adapted to the guitar sound of surf, pop, twang,… and today's jazz. It's a very versatile sound and feel.
    The Pyramid 11-48 (and above probably even more) sound like the strings I once found on a big 1963 Hofner archtop that had stayed in its case since the 60's. Strings with low sustain, a thick dark sound, with a very silky, almost slippery, texture. The 5th and 6th strings especially have that dark, quiet, deader tone with poor sustain, that's almost caricatural of that old 50's-60's jazz guitar sound.

    For a more universal modern sound I prefer the TI, but for an old school bebop sound the Pyramid flats are much better I think.


    What flatwound string do you use/prefer?-pyramid-flat-wound-strings-jpg
    Last edited by cyberprimate; 05-06-2011 at 12:49 AM.

  10. #34

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    TIJF on all my archtop, fretted and fretless basses. The only strings I haven't tried are Pyramids.

  11. #35

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    I appreciate kris detailed answer regarding the difference between Thomastiks and Pyramids. I myself was excited to try Pyramids, but the one time I did was disappointed as they seemed rather dull.

    Its interesting how strong the majority is for either TIs or D'Addarios. Without steering the thread off course, one thing that would be really useful is if those who use or have liked other strings besides these two would chime in and say what they like about the other kinds. Any users of Pyramids, Newtones, Reds, or others want to add what they like or how they see these as different/better?

  12. #36

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    Quote Originally Posted by cmajor9
    I myself was excited to try Pyramids, but the one time I did was disappointed as they seemed rather dull.

    Any users of Pyramids, Newtones, Reds, or others want to add what they like or how they see these as different/better?
    As I said the TI are objectively better strings. Longer sustain, more alive, louder, nicely brighter, and more resonant… But I've always loved that old 50's/60's jazz guitar sound that the Pyramid have. It's thick, smooth, sweet and the lesser sustain is not a problem in jazz otherwise we'd all be using a Les Paul. The other quality of Pyramids is the 5th and 6th strings because of their discreet and slightly dead response are less likely to cause feedback and require something like a string damper. If they stopped producing them I would miss them for jazz. By the way, if anyone has got an NOS set of Gibson "Hi-Fi" flatwound strings (the ones every jazzers used in the old days), I'd love to buy one from him/her.

  13. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by cmajor9
    Its interesting how strong the majority is for either TIs or D'Addarios. Without steering the thread off course, one thing that would be really useful is if those who use or have liked other strings besides these two would chime in and say what they like about the other kinds. Any users of Pyramids, Newtones, Reds, or others want to add what they like or how they see these as different/better?
    I don't think Newtone currently offer a flatwound string. Their archtop strings are very nice if you like roundwound strings. Sadowsky flats are very nice if you like flats. (I prefer polished roundwounds or halfrounds and currently use the Sadowsky Jimmy Bruno set).

  14. #38

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    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.

  15. #39

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    D'Addario ECG24 Chromes Jazz Light 11 15 22 30 40 50. Easy to get and they work for me.

  16. #40

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    Not sure I will ever need to change. No string noise, good response - -full frequency, and consistent quality.
    I use them on :

    Gibson Les Paul
    L-4 Elec. Archtop
    1930's L-7 Acoustic And
    '60's Harmony Acoustic.

  17. #41

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    D'Addario 360 Half Round Wound 12s on my ES175CC, perfect compliment to the CC pick-up, flats tend to be "muddy" w/that pick-up - IMO. Love the playability of the strings

    TI BeBop 11s on my Heritage 535, IMO they are more like half round than round.

    D'Addario Chromes 11s on my Tele w/BL pick-ups

  18. #42

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    Thomastic's for me. I find the Daddarios a little bright and I like the string guages Thomastic uses when using a set of 12's. Also, I can get them locally

  19. #43

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    1) Thomastik Swing / Benson
    2) D'addario chromes
    65536) D'addario Half-rounds (too rough)

  20. #44

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    For a half-round, I like the Sadowsky Jimmy Bruno strings - they feel smoother to me than the D'Addarios.


    What flatwound string do you use/prefer?-sadowsky-jimmy-bruno-strings-jpg

  21. #45

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    i was thinking of trying the polished rounds or even the coated rounds. To me, the thomastik strings just have the vibe of a '60s archtop and stay that way and are very consistent. D'Addarios are great too but are a little brighter and more modern. The Half sounds grind nasty edges into my picks which causes friction and scraping tones.

  22. #46

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    I use D'Addarios chromes... mainly because they last , I dig Thomastikes... but have to change strings every week, they don't last long enough. Reg

  23. #47

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    I'm using TI's right now. IMO the chromes feel,play, and sound great, but they're a little too rough on the nickel frets.

  24. #48

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    I seem to get along better with the D'Addarios than anything else I've tried, but I'm still looking for the perfect flatwound set. I didn't care for the TI strings at all. I've got a set of Sadowskys on my Epi 175 copy right now; they're pretty nice but (to my fingers) not all that different from the D'Addarios. I would like to check out some Pyramid flats - I use their strings on one of my basses and like those a lot.

  25. #49

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    Quote Originally Posted by thenoviceguitarist
    I'm using TI's right now. IMO the chromes feel,play, and sound great, but they're a little too rough on the nickel frets.
    That's a good point... I basically play all the time, On my work guitar, 94 Guild artist... I've re-fretted twice and it's almost time again.

  26. #50

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    Quote Originally Posted by Reg
    I use D'Addarios chromes... mainly because they last , I dig Thomastikes... but have to change strings every week, they don't last long enough. Reg
    Mine are a year and a half old!

    But different people seem to have issues with different string brands. I seem to rot through Daddairo rounds, but not Ernie Ball rounds. Flats of all brands seem to last me quite a while.