Bigger Strings?

**bfol** · 03-07-2009, 06:10 PM

hi to all!

I have been playing 20+ years and have always used .10 - .46 strings. i do practice on an acoustic with thicker strings (not sure guage but has wound G) and i want to go bigger - even as thick as on my acoustic

any suggestions on what gauge and even the brand? i have always liked ernie ball for some reason but will always try a set of something different. i am going to bring the guitar into a shop and have it set up with the strings (so the intonation and neck is all good for the thicker strings)

any help is always appreciated !

thanks Brian

**Gabe2099** · 03-07-2009, 07:54 PM

if you want to go bigger, you could use 0.12s or 0.13s. it depends on what feels comfortable for you, but i think bigger strings on an electric feel different than big strings on an acoustic.

as for brands... you could go with some D'Addarios (if only they paid me for recommending them, i'd be loaded...) and i hear Thomastiks, or something like that, are pretty good. i use D'Addarios religiously but i've never tried the other ones (i don't even think they sell those here where i live) but a lot of regulars here in the forum say they're awesome, so you might wanna check those out.

**bfol** · 03-07-2009, 08:46 PM

thanks!

**Jake Hanlon** · 03-07-2009, 08:53 PM

Thomastik is the brand to go for in terms of a good jazz string. They are very even across the neck, have a long life and sound excellent. They are however pricey.

I've used .13 rounds on my guitars for the last 4 years. I switched briefly to another brand and hated it. I went back right away.

**derek** · 03-07-2009, 10:14 PM

I use .11's (D'Addario round) on my tele and strat, and .12's (Thomastik Infeld flats) on my 175 and Ergo.

**trtjazz** · 03-08-2009, 05:26 PM

2nd vote for Thomastik-Infelds try the George Benson's

**pierre richard** · 03-09-2009, 09:18 AM

another Tomastik user here...more than 10 years I think....

time on the instrument is rewarding to all....pierre

**mangotango** · 03-09-2009, 12:11 PM

and another here.

Have TI Swing 12's (flats) on my D'Angelico NYL and Epi JP, and Be-Bop 12's (rounds) on my Ibanez semi. Both feel great, stay in tune but most of all, sound full and solid.

When I bought the New Yorker, it had D'Addario Chrome 11's on there. Sounded good, but about an hour or so after I got it home, I put on the TI Swings. THEN it started to sound like me.

**bfol** · 03-09-2009, 09:47 PM

Thanks for all the tips! this is why i love this site -lot of excellent feedback and quickly too.

now i practice - working on the walking bass lesson

**X-500** · 03-10-2009, 03:54 PM

Brian,

My vote too for Thomastik-Infelds;

I use the George Benson (012, .016, .020w, .028, .039, .053) on my Kay
acoustic archtop.

Jazz Swing light set (011, .015, .019, .025, .035, .047) for my Guild X-500

My other Guilds, X-150 and X-170 get the D'Addario Chromes treatment (011, .015, .022, .030, .040, .050)

Though I will probably change all of the Guilds to TI 12's in the near future.

BTW, here's a great site for buying strings. They have the best prices and the service was outstanding!: Strings By Mail - strings for classical guitar, flamenco guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, banjo, lute and much more!

All the best,

**franco6719** · 03-17-2009, 06:51 AM

The bigger (i.e. thicker) the better, IMO, as far as sound quality and tone is concerned. But you have to consider other things obviously: the type of guitar, the action, how it feels to you and so on.

**prestigeatlanticimpulse** · 03-17-2009, 10:35 AM

I like heavier gauge (13's) La Bella strings on my '51 Epiphone Triumph Regent...gives a nice, old school swing tone.

For a more modern sound on my ES-335 I prefer to use any nice set of flatwound 11's. Tried experimenting with 12's but they never seem to work as well as 11's do on the 335.

**MagnusTorfi** · 03-17-2009, 12:56 PM

I switched from d´addario to thomastiks about two years ago, cant see myself switching back.

**franco6719** · 03-17-2009, 03:52 PM

"My other Guilds, X-150 and X-170 get the"

Ah hah!! Another Guild man on here. I didn't even notice before. Do you have the X-175 as well? I have had mine for over 20 years now. When I first bought it, people used to say "that guitar is bigger than you" because I was very small and skinny back then. Now I have grown into it (or, at least, my belly). (;

**X-500** · 03-17-2009, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by franco6719

"My other Guilds, X-150 and X-170 get the"

Ah hah!! Another Guild man on here. I didn't even notice before. Do you have the X-175 as well? I have had mine for over 20 years now

Good to be in Guild Company! No X-175, but, I'm looking for an X-700! I have, however, looked at some really nice 175s' lately. There is a gorgeous 66 in E-Bay that I was looking at

Alex

**philmayo** · 03-18-2009, 03:02 AM

Hi all I bought (well ordered) my first hollowbody yesterday and I was just wondering if anyone could point out the benefits of flatwound string's over roundwound? Normally I play Ernie Ball .11 - .46 on my Les Paul and .12's on my acoustic.
I have ordered a Hagstrom HJ-800 for my first foray into the world of Jazz and I've asked them to set the guitar up with a set of .12's flatwound as someone told me ages ago that 'Jazz' strings are flatwound.

Any advice in general would be much appreciated. I'm excited about getting into lessons.

**X-500** · 03-18-2009, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by philmayo

I was just wondering if anyone could point out the benefits of flatwound string's over roundwound? ... I've asked them to set the guitar up with a set of .12's flatwound as someone told me ages ago that 'Jazz' strings are flatwound.

Hi Phil,

Yes, it's a popular notion that flatwounds are the traditional choice for a jazz sound. I went in that direction and have not looked back. I did notice that there is less "brilliance" with the flatwounds. However, a softer tone seems to be the prefered sound in most jazz guitar styles. The other benefit is that you don't get that anoying (well, anoying for me anyway) squeeking of the roundwound strings. I recently played my Stratocaster that is set up with E.B Slinkys and it was like running my fingers through a round file.
Many times you hear that a guitar plays like butter. I believe that the flatwounds contribute to that feel.

Ultimately it comes down to personal preference.

Enjoy playing your Hagstrom!

**guitarbard** · 03-28-2016, 01:58 PM

The GHS 'roller wound' aka 'oval round' aka the Nickel Rockers will do away with much, if not all, of the annoying finger noise. The thicker core needed for them also produces a greater tension for the gauge used, so, say, a set of 10's will feel like 11's on the bottom. Not sure if the bigger sets also give you a wound G or not. One thing to consider is the wrap itself, and pure nickel, which these are, is rather far down on the scale of brightness. I love pure nickel wrap, tho I use round wounds, generally. If it doesn't say 'pure nickel wrap' (and they are a tad more expensive), but, instead, Nickel, only, they will be nickel plated steel, and much brighter, by themselves. With regard to the plain strings,,the same metal, as far as I know, is used on pretty much all strings,,so there's less choice of an endemic quality to the sound,,,,,I'll be happy to stand corrected here. PS I checked and the Roller Wound do NOT use a wound G in any of their sets. They do go to 11 thru 50, tho, but those 50's will feel like 52's, I'm sure.