Optimal strings for each guitar...

[Herbie]

Oh man, if I don't have flats I'll start to play rock. Really!

I know that Charlie and all the early geniuses didn't have flats. And the roundwounds produce different sound, kinda more sound. But to get the jazz in my fingers I just need flats (now TI GB .012's.) in my ES-175 VOS.

Pathetic!

[jazz.fred]

.Agreed.

I use three different strings on my archtops.

On my Peerless Monarch 16 and Ibanez AF125 I use D'Addario EPN 115 (11-48 Pure Nickel).

On My Epi Sheraton II I use DA EXL 115w (11-49 wound 3rd).

In an effort to optimize the tone, I had my new Heritage H575 Custom set up with DA "Jazz Lights" (12-51 wound 3rd Pure Nickel). Having played 11 sets for many years, the 12 set feels very heavy to me, but I hope to get used to the gauge change over time.

[m_d]

Howdy, I'm reviving this thread for your advice about both the issue of optimal strings for specific guitars and Thomastik strings. I've very eager to try that brand, starting with my semi-hollow (Ibby AM93). Those would be the Bebop strings (round wound, unwound G). I've added up the tension and gauge values of the BB11 and BB12 sets compared to my current D'Addario NYXL 11-49 and found that the BB11s add +2 kg in tension, while subtracting - 6 mm in gauge overall (difference in the sums of both sets' gauge values); in other words, thinner strings, slightly more tension. I was surprised by the extra tension as I've read many times that Thomastiks have less tension.
The BB12s on the other hand would add + 9 kg in tension compared to the NYXL set, while adding just + 4 mm in gauge overall. I haven't made comparisons for the BB12s with a 12-50 standard set such as D'Addarios. I'm tempted to try the BB12s for the slight added "beef" under the fingers but hesitate given Jack's opinion that 11s tend to work better with semi-hollows. Also, I once tried a set of Newtone 13s on that guitar when I initially got it and it didn't work at all, the 13s seemed to stifle the guitar completely, and fear a similar issue with some 12s. So should I stick to 11s, or would an exception be possible for Thomastiks as they are thinner and somewhat softer strings?

[jzucker]

i'm not sure I said .011s work better on a semihollow. That's a generalization step from the comment i made i think...

[m_d]

Well I understood 11s had your preference for semi-hollows ("Typically, .011 to .048 is about the heaviest I like on a semi") and I tend to value your opinion so...

[icr]

In my experience each guitar works best when string type, gauge, tension and pitch are optimized. For example some guitars sound better tuned down, etc.
For example this is the setup on my L50/CC. It is tuned a whole step down to achieve those tensions.
That gives the guitar a haunting tone, unlike any other guitar I own.

[Boston Joe]

It seems I'm the odd man out since I play either flat or round 12 gauge strings on my thinlines.

I have round wound .011s on everything but my archtop.

[daskren]

Just pulled out my GB-10 again and was searching for string advice - and saw this old post!. I totally agree - in recent years I've realized the truth - To each guitar may be different strings! On my Eastman t185mx (335 type) I've been using TI BeBop 12's - rounds w a plain 3rd - for years. Fits the guitar well. I had sworn off flats. But I recently got a Vestax D'Angelico New Yorker. Tried quite a few strings and now I'm actually back into flats - D'Addario Chromes, .011s - but with E and B from the .012 set (.012/.015). Best fit for that D'A!! Long story short I just put Chrome .012s on the GB-10, and so far, so good...

I was reading in another thread where someone was advising another poster to put flats on their semi-hollow.

My experience - and i'm *NOT* stating this as fact - is that each guitar has an optimal string guage/set that brings out its best qualities . Whenever I have put flats on a semi-hollow, I have always been disappointed and end up going back to medium strings. I personally believe that the higher resonant frequency of a semi-hollow is more suited for lighter round-wound strings. Typically, .011 to .048 is about the heaviest I like on a semi.

Now, this is not to say that you can't get a great sound on a semihollow or tele with flats. Ed Bickert and others have done this. But my preference is to find the optimal set of strings for a particular axe and for me, that set is thomastik JS112 for a true 16x3 or larger archtop. Something else may sound better on a smaller archtop. The JS112 set didn't sound as good to me on the 16x2.5 guitars like the holst, painter or bravo...

[Stringswinger]

Every guitar needs to have the right strings to suit it's owners taste. I don't have a semi hollow anymore (I never fully bonded with any of them, but I liked TI 12 Flats on them for jazz and roundwound 10's for rock/blues/fusion).

My solid bodies get pure nickel Roundwound 10's
My Gypsy guitars get Argentine 10's
My 24.75 electric archtops get TI 12 Flatwounds
My 25.5 Electric archtops get TI 11 Flatwounds
My 24.75 Acoustic archtops get 80/20 roundwound 12's
My 25.5 acoustic archtop gets 80/20 flatwound 11's
My 25.5 acoustic flattop gets 80/20 roundwound 11's
My classical gets low tension nylons

When I was younger, I used a lot of Flatwound 13's, but my aging fingers can no longer handle those, hence the 11's and 12's. I hope to live long enough where I can only play 8's on everything

[Alter]

I currently use

d addario 10s on fender style electrics, 11s on gibson style electrics. Have a tele with 9s for blues playing.
d addario 11s on a 335
thomastic flat 12s on archtops
elixir 12s on acoustics, the ones taylor recommends.
d addario extra hard tension on classical and flamenco

[rsclosson]

When I first got my Ibanez AF-155, I put a set of vintage Gibson L5 strings I had laying around. Normally, I immediately will put a set of flats on a guitar. I am really loving the sound of those Gibson, and they have lasted a long time. I have one set left and will be in total depression mode when I use that last set. (I hope the D'Addario pure nickels are a good alternative)