FLat or Roundwound for Laminate Hollow Bodies

**Kuz** · 06-22-2011, 07:59 PM

I know this will be a subjective response, but I read where Sadowsky said laminate guitars sound better with mounted humbuckers vs floating pickups. He says it give a bigger warmer tone.

So on my two Heritage Golden Eagles and my Custom 575 I prefer Flatwounds.

I have a 525 that is Laminate with P-90s and I honestly haven't played it as much. It currently has 11 gauge Roundwounds.

So, I was just curious with the recent flood of laminate jazz boxes (Sadowsky, Benedetto, ect) what do you guys prefer on laminate archtops.... Flat or Round wound strings????

Thanks guys!

**Gitarguy** · 06-22-2011, 08:47 PM

I think it's up to the individual guitar and your own preferences. I have an Ibanez Artstar AF220 with flatwounds on it and it sounds great. I also have a Benedetto Bravo, and it has roundwounds on it, and it sounds great, too.

**brad4d8** · 06-22-2011, 09:30 PM

I've tried both on my X-170, lately pretty much staying with D'Addario nickel wound (EJ-22). But it really is up to individual taste and experience. I've played flat tops for so long that I feel comfortable with round wound.
Brad

**djelley** · 06-22-2011, 10:41 PM

My ES-175 arrived with roundwounds (Zakk Wylde sig strings if you can believe it) and it was really nice. I put flatwounds on and never looked back. I will only just flatwounds on a jazz box because of the sound and feel.

**M-ster** · 06-24-2011, 09:03 PM

Nice quilt, Kuz!

**Flyin' Brian** · 06-24-2011, 10:18 PM

Kuz that's spectacular! Wolfe??

**Patrick2** · 06-24-2011, 10:31 PM

Hi Kuz . . . . I think you can probably anticipate my response . . . but I'll post anyway. What are you going to be playing with that gorgeous 525??? If you're doing straight ahead jazz with no string bends. . . flat wounds. If you're gonna be doing rock a billy stuff or R&R . . . round or half round. But, at the end of the day . . . . it's your call. There is no right and wrong . . . . only what YOU prefer!! Rock on brother!!!!

**Billnc** · 06-24-2011, 11:19 PM

Flats on everything. Except a Tele but I never tried them on one. I've heard they sound good there too.

**Pierrot** · 06-25-2011, 03:34 AM

Tried yesterday at home a friend's brand new Sadowsky SS15, which came with Sadowsky alloy round wound.

Both my friend and I loved the sound of the first and second strings (the unwound ones) but didn't like that much the others.

My friend leaved with a D'Addario flatwound 12-52 set I gave him to mount them. I don't know yet his impressions but I'm sure the sound got much much better.

**Pierrot** · 06-25-2011, 07:55 AM

Confirmed. The guy called me 10 minutes ago, he is really happy now, after changing the strings of his recently bought Sadowsky.
Flatwound. That's it.

**Kuz** · 06-25-2011, 11:00 AM

Thanks everyone for the kind responses about the 525. Yes, I got it at Wolfe's. My question was really directed specificly to laminate hollow bodies for flat or round, and thanks everyone for giving your opinions on that. Keep them coming!!!

As for what I would be playing on the 525, probably leaning a little more toward bluesy-jazz stuff than straight ahead jazz standards.

What really prompted the question, was when I heard from Patrick that Lee Ritenour uses Flatwound 11s on his 335. He certainly does his share of bending and even uses his Mesa with overdrive. I don't think I will use too much if any overdrive with the 525.... but Lee Ritenour was the genesis of the question.

**Bobsynth** · 06-26-2011, 11:02 AM

I use D'Addario Chrome's Flatwound on my Dean Jazz stylist. I have tried round wounds and half rounds. Flat rounds give a better sound for jazz.

**mr. beaumont** · 06-26-2011, 11:15 AM

I pretty much use flats on anything I intend to be an electric guitar first and foremost.

By the way, that 525 is sexy.

**Kuz** · 07-15-2011, 09:23 PM

Update to my 525 and string type choice..... I went with a slightly lighter gauge of flatwounds than my bigger archtops (11-50s vs 12-53s) and like the flat wounds MUCH better than the round wounds.

I really don't know why flat wounds get some bad remarks, but to each their own.

I guess I just like the flat wound tone and feel.

**hot ford coupe** · 07-15-2011, 10:41 PM

Originally Posted by Billnc

Flats on everything. Except a Tele but I never tried them on one. I've heard they sound good there too.

I put .013 flats on a Tele and I really loved the sound. It was strong, clean and warm. I surprised a lot of folks with it. They'd look at my guitar and say "wow, I didn't know you could play that kind of music with a Tele" or they'd say something like "I thought you were playing a Gibson jazz guitar". I was able to do the same with a strat.

**Billnc** · 07-15-2011, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

I put .013 flats on a Tele and I really loved the sound. It was strong, clean and warm. I surprised a lot of folks with it. They'd look at my guitar and say "wow, I didn't know you could play that kind of music with a Tele" or they'd say something like "I thought you were playing a Gibson jazz guitar". I was able to do the same with a strat.

I had them on a Strat for a good jazz tone for a while. .013 flats on a Strat seemed to take the guitar where it didn't want to go. When I went to an unwound third it didn't feel like playing a jazz guitar. I'm sure they'd be cool on a Tele. As I get older I'm thinking Leo hit perfection with his oldest designs, Tele guitar and P Bass (split PUP contour body). Even though I've owned J Basses and Strats more often! Simple and versatile.

**jorgemg1984** · 07-16-2011, 08:14 AM

I prefer rounds. Buy a set of both and see which you like the better. Dont use flats just because you supposed to use flats to get a "jazz tone".

**Kuz** · 07-16-2011, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

I prefer rounds. Buy a set of both and see which you like the better. Dont use flats just because you supposed to use flats to get a "jazz tone".

Thanks for the input! I had rounds on it for a couple years, but now that I tried flats they are the way to go for me.

I should have done a before and after sound clip comparison, but I did not. I am not going back to rounds (just my opinion).

**jorgemg1984** · 07-16-2011, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by Kuz

Thanks for the input! I had rounds on it for a couple years, but now that I tried flats they are the way to go for me.

I should have done a before and after sound clip comparison, but I did not. I am not going back to rounds (just my opinion).

Hi Klutz. With me I used just rounds for years, then just flats for years and now just rounds again.. lets see what happens in a few years!

What brand are you using?

**marcwhy** · 07-16-2011, 09:30 AM

Round.
Lately I've been using Benedetto strings; he makes a nice set.

**jorgemg1984** · 07-16-2011, 09:57 AM

Check La Bella rounds, they make Benedetto and Sadowsky strings. I use them and they are great and I suppose they must be very similar to Benedetto (since they make Benedetto strings) and are much cheaper and come with a extra 1E and 2B which basically makes the set last much longer (usually this two strings will get "old" much faster than the others). Benedetto strings are very expensive, maybe they are great or maybe they are just good marketing on a famous name.

http://www.juststrings.com/lab-el-jm.html

**hot ford coupe** · 07-16-2011, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Billnc

I had them on a Strat for a good jazz tone for a while. .013 flats on a Strat seemed to take the guitar where it didn't want to go. When I went to an unwound third it didn't feel like playing a jazz guitar. I'm sure they'd be cool on a Tele. As I get older I'm thinking Leo hit perfection with his oldest designs, Tele guitar and P Bass (split PUP contour body). Even though I've owned J Basses and Strats more often! Simple and versatile.

That's an interesting take on the Strat. For me, the Strat was just uncomfortable. I was used to a big body Gibson that sat exactly in the right place for me to be able to negotiate the neck efficiently. The Strat just wanted to sit in a different position. Actually, it was my stomach and that "comfort cut contour" on the back falling into the position like it had a detente.

I heard an interesting comment on an old video about the Tele. The guy said "if you had to go into the US Army and just play guitar, they would issue you a Telecaster. It's got everything you'll need, no more, no less". It's easy to make, easy to repair because of it's modular design, is very durable, has a minimal amount of parts and isn't expensive. You could probably field strip and reassemble it blindfolded like the M1.

**ElijahE** · 07-19-2011, 03:50 PM

I can never really decide on Flat or round either for my archtop. Im constantly swiching between the two!

Recently I have experimented with a few brands and i think Daddario chromes are the best... i find that some of the other brands feel odd under my fingers. A light guage flatwound gets my thumbs up (11s) becuase sometimes with flatwounds i think you are a little restricted on what you play... just my thoughts anyway. With a lighter guage its great for half bends and nice little "fiddley bits"

if you know what i mean.

Nice pics btw!

**ESCC** · 07-19-2011, 04:35 PM

On my ES175CC I like either TI Swing Flatwounds 13s or D'Addarios Half-Round Wounds 12s. On my H535 I like the TI Bebop Round Wounds 11s. I find that when I back off the tone on my 535 I get a wonderful mellow jazzy sound, no need to go to flats. In my opinion, P90s briing another dynamic into it - I have a Les Paul with P90s, I use D'Addario EXL110 Round Wounds, doesn't answer your "laminate" question.

Try them all, finding the "right" strings can be inspirational for a week or four.