String gauge on your archtop?

**Eagle2x** · 10-24-2015, 12:18 AM

For my 7 string archtops - TI BEBOP 14s with a .77 low A. Love it.

**barrymclark** · 10-25-2015, 10:24 PM

I'm considering a drop down in strong gauge. Just one of those steps in figuring out what you want to ultimately go with.

**JazzNote** · 12-28-2015, 05:32 PM

I have been playing TI Swing 0.13 sets on all my guitars for long. Just recently i tried replacing the high E with a 0.14 and this definitely feels great for me.

**icr** · 12-28-2015, 07:06 PM

My string gauge selection on each guitar depends on a number of things including:

Action
Fret Height
Intonation (if non-adjustable vintage bridge)
Round vs Flat
Tone
Tension

**Gregc57** · 12-30-2015, 10:49 AM

TI Swings, 12 gauge, on my Koll New Rose model. Surprisingly bright for flats; brighter than I expected; feel good; last long. I'll likely stick with these and probably try them on my Gretsch Setzer model soon~

**coolvinny** · 12-30-2015, 01:16 PM

Recently went back to 13/17 for my high E/B from 14/18. The rest are/were TI Swing 13's. With a floating pickup I liked the extra fatness of 14/18 but all my guitars have mounted pickups now and the 13/17 is easier to play cleanly at tempo.

**mad dog** · 12-30-2015, 02:13 PM

Custom sets for my archtops, as recommended by my luthier buddy. Roundwounds:

.012
.015
.019
.030
.040
.050

MD

**JazzNote** · 12-30-2015, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by Irez87

I said that many Gibsons have a thicker top. Eastmans are extremely thin. That means a lot of acoustic presence.... and a lot of feedback

. Still love my guitar, though

My friend who had eastman build a 7-string to his own specs stopped taking it to gigs because when replacing the pickup he realized how "scary" thin the top was. He hadn't specified the thickness of the top - so that was probably eastman standard.

**vinlander** · 12-31-2015, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by neatomic

gibson strings were monel..mona-steel...

12-56 was medium!!

closest current string would be rotosound "monel" flatwound..12-52..but a beefy 12-52…try it

pyramid and martin have also recently (re) introduced monel to their string lines, but i believe roundwounds only

cheers

I am curious to try these Monel flats but I like so much the TI JS112 tone and tension on my Tal.
I became sceptic of my heavier is better mindset I had after years of playing 13, 14 and even 15 gauge on my cheap thick topped Epis...
Even the JS113 were not making it sound as good to me, loss of woodyness and percussive attack.
Those Rotosound Top Tape 12-52 any idea what the tension is on those?

**nikotro** · 12-31-2015, 10:59 AM

I use a set of Thomastik Infeld JS112, but I am experimenting with a .047 sixth string and a .014 first string. The thinner sixth string is for tameing the bass, and the ticker first string is for getting less of the high and thin treble.

**nikotro** · 12-31-2015, 11:01 AM

By the way, I play a Ibanez PM120. It is bassy when played electric.

**Dylanfan424** · 12-31-2015, 12:34 PM

I use TI Swing 12's because I like the 50 up top I would love if they made a hybrid set with the B and high E strings in the 11 size.

**JazzNote** · 12-31-2015, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by Dylanfan424

I use TI Swing 12's because I like the 50 up top I would love if they made a hybrid set with the B and high E strings in the 11 size.

Here one can buy the individual strings and design the sets of his own choice, i believe that this is possible in other shops too
Saiten für E-Gitarre - Thomastik Einzelsaiten - Saiten Online Shop www.websaiten.ch

**DanielleOM** · 01-09-2016, 12:30 PM

I find I am struggling here a little trying to figure out what works best for me on a Benedetto Bravo. When I play this guitar out, everyone tells me it's a great guitar and it's the best sounding guitar I have ever owned. I have been playing it with Thomastik Infeld 12 Swing and just tried the Pyramid flatwound round core 12 set. Both of those have a 16 gauge 2nd string.

Even though people love that guitar and I am quite fond of it in many respects, I am finding there is something irritating about the acoustic sound of many of the 2nd string notes that I hear at home at low volumes. I just swapped out the 2nd string 16 gauge for a 15 gauge. (Maybe I should also try a 17?)

Right now I am thinking that I may just prefer the sound of the 2nd string on that guitar when less energy is put into it.

Really do not know if I could get used to the 15. I have been playing for many years and although I have experimented with 15 and 11 for 2nd and 1st strings on acoustic flat and archtop guitars I seem to always go back to 16 and 12.

At the moment I am thinking I should view the Bravo as an electric guitar rather than acoustic.

Danielle

**John Link** · 01-09-2016, 12:57 PM

I too play a Bravo, (an early one made in Calif.) and I have it strung with TI 12 Swings also. I run through either a Acoustic Image Corus or a Fender Deluxe Reverb amp.

I tried almost every type of string on it. The TI Swings are my favorite, but I also really like GHS Compound round rounds on it.

**travisty** · 01-10-2016, 01:45 AM

I am looking for something good for roundwounds or half wounds on a Gibson Johnny Smith pup.

I am also looking for something to suit an old German acoustic archtop onto which I would like to mount a Guild replica Dearmond 1100.

Am desperate for suggestions.

**DanielleOM** · 01-10-2016, 09:40 AM

For the 2nd string I tried a 16, 15, and 17, and really was not able to eliminate the sound that's bothers me. It does seem to be inherent to the guitar. I think the lighter 15 may have worked the best mainly because it puts less energy into the top. Somehow seems counter intuitive to me because normally I think you want to put energy into an archtop guitar.

For the notes that bother me I find I hear a faster attack, higher peak, and very fast decay of high harmonics. Kind of reminds of a honking goose now that my ear has latched onto the sound.

**oldane** · 01-10-2016, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by DanielleOM

Kind of reminds of a honking goose now that my ear has latched onto the sound.

"A honking goose" is actually a pretty good description of the sound from the old big band rhythm guitarists. Archtops back then was supposed to "honk" in order to be heard. Just listen to the sound of Freddie Greens Stromberg guitar on the Basie records from the 1950s. Not at all an elegant and smooth kind of sound but certainly projecting and with a good amount of a rough metallic edge - very audible.

**abelljo** · 01-10-2016, 01:54 PM

My favorite
Attachment 26920
.015-.058

**Greentone** · 07-19-2016, 07:15 PM

Heavier than on my solid-body guitars. .13-.53 T-I Jazz Swing sets generally on all my archtops. The exception is my Unity, which was plek'd with T-I George Benson .12-.53, so I keep those on there.

My Strat has T-I .11-.47 Jazz Swing flat wound strings. My Tele has .10-.48 round wound strings. I do country and rock work with that guitar, as well as jazz, so I keep an unwound third set on that guitar--and a more bendable gauge, generally. First time in a year to have a Tele, again, and to have skinny strings. Hard not to sit and play Roy Nichols all the time...think I'll just stay here and drink.

**Dennis D** · 07-19-2016, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by JazzNote

Here one can buy the individual strings and design the sets of his own choice, i believe that this is possible in other shops too
Saiten für E-Gitarre - Thomastik Einzelsaiten - Saiten Online Shop www.websaiten.ch

It does have a place to translate into French, but not English, or did I miss something ?

**Dennis D** · 07-20-2016, 12:33 AM

I've been experimenting with different sets on 2 L-7 acoustics....

I used and liked D'Add. half rounds - sure wish those were nickel. Those were 12/52's on the long scale L-7.

Then I tried flats - -Pyramids and TI's.

On the long scale L-7 I may have confirmed my understanding that long scales like thinner gauge string sets.

Also, I agree that nickel does make that Chrome ' chimey' feature go away, which is nice !!

So, that again got me to Pyramids and TI's.

I like the more gradual gauges on the Pyramids, as opposed to those skinny TI 3 & 4 strings. I find the sound quality is close - 'til I get to the Pyramid 6th, which sounds dead. The short scale L-7 has Pyramid 13/52's and aside from the 6th string it's ok, but I may go back to 12/52's.

I put the 13/52 Jazz Swings on the long scale and for sure that's a better 6 th string - -the others are close. But, because TI likes those thinner 3 & 4 strings I fell like there's some action I'm losing because the action has to be higher to accommodate those middle strings. I'd rather not get into truss rod adjustments.

So, I'm guessing - so far - for me an ideal set would be TI's 12/50's but with 24, 32, & 42 3rd, 4th, & 5th, strings respectively.

Does this make sense, and / or am I missing anything ?

Thx !

**sgosnell** · 08-21-2016, 06:58 PM

Juststrings.com sells individual strings from most manufacturers.

Why does the new post feature say that I posted this earlier today? I haven't even seen this thread since I originally posted.

**artdecade** · 10-08-2016, 10:28 AM

TI Benson 12 set. They last a long time and sound fantastic. I have a few spare E and B strings just in case they begin to lose intonation before I decide to replace the entire set.

**FredH** · 10-08-2016, 04:41 PM

Depends on the archtop. For my 175, Heritage 575, and Broadway, I used 10s - Gibson Vintage. Even though the Broadway is a heavier instrument, the 10s work - tried 12s but couldn't get used to them. My L7C is a work in progress - currently 11s - D'Arrios phos. bronze,but am still experimenting. Usually, when I find something that works for me, I stick with it. Just got a Heritage JS that came with flatwounds, look and feel like 12s. Not sure what to replace them yet at this point.