D'Addario 1/2 wounds - barf!

[teleman3726]

I had these (13-53) on my Campellone for two weeks and almost gave up playing it. What crappy strings.
Changed into a new set of Thomastik this morning (rounds, BeBop).
Like a totally different guitar.
Never again
C

[hot ford coupe]

What was the problem? Tone or playability? I haven't tried the half rounds but according to this, I don't think I will.

[TH]

I use 1/2 rounds and nothing else. They've got the brighter sound that brings out the acoustic quality that I really like. The transients of round wound strings with a little of the edge taken off. I find them the perfect balance between the brightness of round wounds for jazz and the thunk of flatwounds that kills the acoustic transients of the attack.

Everybody has to find out what works for them. I think personal trial and error is more reliable than merely relying on someone's "barf!" comment. But for those that think that way, Roundwounds, mmmmm! Thomastik flatwounds with the anemic middle string gauge, Blaaaahcch!!! Brrrrffff!!! Ykkk!phhhhttt!!!Ptui...
Or you can just A/B a set and see what your hands, playing style, ears and personal taste says. Gee.
David

[teleman3726]

What was the problem? Tone or playability? I haven't tried the half rounds but according to this, I don't think I will.

I don't know what it was. It felt like there was a flim of dirt on them and were really unmanageable. That's the best way I can describe them. I was fighting with my Campy. The same gauge Thomastiks (rounds), by comparison, felt smoother, thinner.
Obviously, this is a personal taste, and obviously the Thoms are higher quality. But I was surprised at how quickly I wanted them off the guitar. And I love D'A's on my teles, so who knows?
C

[TH]

Whenever I put a new set of strings on, I always shoot them with that spray string stuff. I don't like the feel of new half rounds, maybe it's the grinding process that makes them into half rounds, but that is what does it for me.
David

[Peter C]

The same gauge Thomastiks (rounds), by comparison, felt smoother, thinner.

Not really surprising:

TI BB113 Medium Light
13 / 17 / 21 / 30 / 38 / 53

D'Addario EHR360 Half Rounds
13 / 17 / 26 / 36 / 46 / 56

As far as I remember, TI are the only manufacturer to offer such light gauge wound strings in a set. They do this in order to achieve tension balance across the whole set and many players seem to be more than happy with this. George Benson, for one (so I wouldn't argue).

However, most sets by most other manufacturers follow the classic:
13 / 17 / 26 / 36 / 46 / 56 or
12 / 16 / 24 / 32 / 42 / 52
and many of us are also very happy with things this way.

I've never got to the bottom of it, but sleep pretty well nonetheless

[Meggy]

I use 1/2 rounds and nothing else. They've got the brighter sound that brings out the acoustic quality that I really like. The transients of round wound strings with a little of the edge taken off. I find them the perfect balance between the brightness of round wounds for jazz and the thunk of flatwounds that kills the acoustic transients of the attack.

Everybody has to find out what works for them. I think personal trial and error is more reliable than merely relying on someone's "barf!" comment. But for those that think that way, Roundwounds, mmmmm! Thomastik flatwounds with the anemic middle string gauge, Blaaaahcch!!! Brrrrffff!!! Ykkk!phhhhttt!!!Ptui...
Or you can just A/B a set and see what your hands, playing style, ears and personal taste says. Gee.
David

For my archtop guitar (admittedly not a Campelone!) I too like the half rounds - they give an edge and brightness to the sound which I could get with roundwounds, but I just can't stand the squeek roundwounds come with. For me they are the best strings out there for my guitar - very even balance across all 6 strings too. I go for the very same 13-56 gauge set that causes the OP to barf! GHS Brite Flats (only go up to a 12-54 set though) are also nice IMO. Yes I have tried flatwounds, though not the Thomastiks - I'm sure they are nice, but expensive, and not keen on the light middle string gauges either.

I don't know what it was. It felt like there was a flim of dirt on them and were really unmanageable. That's the best way I can describe them. I was fighting with my Campy. The same gauge Thomastiks (rounds), by comparison, felt smoother, thinner.
Obviously, this is a personal taste, and obviously the Thoms are higher quality. But I was surprised at how quickly I wanted them off the guitar. And I love D'A's on my teles, so who knows?
C

Not "obviously the Thoms are higher quality"! In what way are they higher quality? How is it that they appear better made? You can legitimately prefer the sound and feel of these strings but that is a subjective judgement. Certainly they cost more I'll grant you, not a plus point in my view. Personally I'm glad that D'Addario have gone to the trouble of developing and making the half-round string type, which they produce to a very high standard.

[bluemood]

I not found a half wound ,or roller wound that is not sticky or has a drag to when you slide making my fretting hand tired .
I wish I could due to I don't like flats, so I have to use roundwounds.

[TH]

I not found a half wound ,or roller wound that is not sticky or has a drag to when you slide making my fretting hand tired .
I wish I could due to I don't like flats, so I have to use roundwounds.

Do think about Fast Fret or Fret Ease. It changes the feel of the strings, makes them nice and smooth for sliding. Make sure you put a newspaper between the strings and the fingerboard to keep the spray on the strings only.

I'll admit my fingers don't sweat much so I can't vouch for the longevity in your playing but it might be a solution.

David

[bluemood]

Do think about Fast Fret or Fret Ease. It changes the feel of the strings, makes them nice and smooth for sliding. Make sure you put a newspaper between the strings and the fingerboard to keep the spray on the strings only.

I'll admit my fingers don't sweat much so I can't vouch for the longevity in your playing but it might be a solution.

David

I use Dunlop 65 ultraglide works best for me.
Fast fret dries up where I live ,fret ease I hate the spray.

[Peter C]

I seem to be forever in the half-/roller-/flat-/round- wound quandary, and will possibly revisit the half-rounds again at some time. My next stop will be Gibson L5 and Pyramid pure nickels. There is probably no end to this, so to keep sane, I just keep on playing on whatever I've got in the meantime. The GHS Rollerwounds are the only strings to date which I've had to quickly whip off due to their cramping my style.

[jorgemg1984]

Always felt half-rounds were the "worst" of both worlds so I never tried them. Nothing feels like rounds to me.

[bluemood]

I seem to be forever in the half-/roller-/flat-/round- wound quandary, and will possibly revisit the half-rounds again at some time. My next stop will be Gibson L5 and Pyramid pure nickels. There is probably no end to this, so to keep sane, I just keep on playing on whatever I've got in the meantime. The GHS Rollerwounds are the only strings to date which I've had to quickly whip off due to their cramping my style.

I like Gibson pure nickel RI,but they stop making my gauge 11 ,14,18,28,38, 50 I didn't have much string squek with them.
Nice full warm tone.

[Flyin' Brian]

I had truble with the feel of the D'Addario 1/2 wounds too. They felt oily and dirty to me. A regular round wound or a flat would just feels better.

On another note, I have tried D'Addario "balanced tension" sets now in the lighter gauges that I use on other guitars. 10-13.5-17-24-34-46. It makes a difference and gives great credence to the way that Thomastik gauges their strings.

[Dennis D]

I've settled on the the 12-52 after having started w/13-56. My luthier suggested my '30's L-7 acoustic would be just fine with that gauge, and it'd be easier on the guitar too. So I tried them, I liked them enough that I've got them on my '89 L4-CES. FWIW Dennis

[Gitarguy]

I use the half-rounds on my bass. I like them for that, but haven't tried them on guitar.

I use the chromes on my Ibanez AF220 (.011s), where they work great.

I use Benedetto strings on my Benedetto.

[Bill C]

The Sadowsky Jimmy Bruno polished rounds are an excellent alternative to halfrounds in my experience. No "stickiness", while less squeaky than rounds and more lively than flats.