The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I'm enjoying a Gibson L-50 that is literally as old as I am.

    It's currently strung with the same strings I put on my Martin D28, but I really don't like the round-wounds on this guitar. Somehow for an archtop the "squeak" of the fingers on the strings seems wrong. I'd like to try flat-wounds on it.

    Are there flat wound strings that work particularly well on an acoustic archtop? I'd be grateful for advice and recommendations.

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  3. #2

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    TI GB 14's.

  4. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
    TI GB 14's.
    Don't you think it's a little ... sick ... that you could type this very cryptic, encoded reference, and I not only knew what it meant, i face-palmed and said "Why didn't I think of TIGB14s?"

    Thanks!

  5. #4

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    old forum wisdom

    when in doubt, go thomastik!

    haha

    cheers

  6. #5

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    GBs are great. I am using TI BeBops on my L50, however. They are round wound, but being nickel and having the same core as the GBs, they seem more tame than the Phosphor Bronze strings I had been using. I like them.

  7. #6

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    What ever TI makes is the best you can get IMO. Yea they cost a lot but so does good archtops and amps. Put the best on the best. It kills me when someone buys a L5 and plugs it into a Blues Jr. If you can only afford a Epiphone Joe Pass and a Blues Jr. more power to you but if you can afford the best......you can't put a price on good tone.
    Buying a L5 or a few packs of TI's can be painful till you play a couple songs then the price is quickly forgotten.

  8. #7

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    I've used TI strings for 20 years, guys. You're preaching to the choir. I just never thought of them for acoustic strings!


    -Lawson
    "Behavior that's admired is the path to power among peoples everywhere."-Beowulf

  9. #8

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    I thought that the PBs you have on there sound fantastic! Very authentic sound and appropriate. Your technique will adjust to minimize the "string squeak." What is not eliminated will just make it sound "real," IMO!

  10. #9

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    Are you sure you don't want TI Bebops? They don't have much squeek and a nice rich acoustic sound IMHO

  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by FrankLearns
    Are you sure you don't want TI Bebops? They don't have much squeek and a nice rich acoustic sound IMHO
    I'm not sure of wanting or not wanting anything. I'm asking for advice!


    -Lawson
    "Behavior that's admired is the path to power among peoples everywhere."-Beowulf

  12. #11

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    TIKR116 are an option - rope wound with a low tension and unique tone and very finger quiet being over wound with synthetic tape. I have them on a Godin 5th Ave acoustic and they really bring it to life

    Will

  13. #12

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    the string pioneered by john d'angelico for his acoustic archtops..was a hex core 80/20 bronze round string..with d'addario..they still make

    the phosphor bronze string is not period correct..a more recent concoction

    d'addario has just recently released a nickel wrapped bronze string...that is intriguing...but round wound as well


    another vintage correct string would be martins monel retro's..but also round


    however if you prefer flatwound..and nothing wrong with a nice set of good quality flats on an archtop acoustic...none better than thomastik

    cheers

  14. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Greentone
    GBs are great. I am using TI BeBops on my L50, however. They are round wound, but being nickel and having the same core as the GBs, they seem more tame than the Phosphor Bronze strings I had been using. I like them.
    Totally agree... I much prefer nickel strings on acoustic archtops. I keep nickel round-wounds on my late 40s Triumph. My wife has flats on a similar era Broadway. Both are acoustic, with removable DeArmonds. They're quite similar guitars (same factory, size, woods, scale etc.) but sound very different, largely due to the set-up and strings IMO.

    They both sound good, but the guitar with flats is considerably darker and has less sustain. The guitar with rounds is crisper, sharper? The action is also a little higher and the round wounds cut thru a mix and do what it's supposed to do... crank out rhythm.

    The guitar with flats sounds big and fat, rich lows and nice mids. Fabulous rhythm for a duo or small combo and nice for lead stuff but if I needed it to play acoustic rhythm with a horn band I'd want to put rounds on it for the volume (and she would say no).

    And L-S, I enjoyed your arrangement of Misty! Flats should work well for your style, but flat or round, nickel is the way to go on an acoustic archtop IMO.

  15. #14

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    just remember, there's a big difference between the common nickel plated steel roundwound strings..and pure nickel roundwound strings!...

    just for info, thomastik and pyramid are pure nickel flats!...no usa makers of pure nickel flats...all stainless steel


    cheers

  16. #15

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    On my more acoustic archtops I like either TI Bebop 13 or John Pearse pure nickel 12s for an even more acoustic tone, both rounds though. In my subjective perception one looses too much of the richness of the acoustic sound with flats. All these nice overtones.

    I happily pay the squeak price ... It can be dealt with.

    The recommendation TI Benson 14 if it has to be flatwounds would also be my first choice.

    good luck with the hunt!

  17. #16

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    D'Daddario bronze flats are a nice option--ground flat, not flat wound. Very little finger noise, mellow tone.

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    I'm enjoying a Gibson L50 that is literally as old as I am. It's currently strung with the same strings I put on my Martin D28, but I really don't like the round-wounds on this guitar. Somehow for an archtop the "squeak" of the fingers on the strings seems wrong. I'd like to try flat-wounds on it.

    Are there flat wound strings that work particularly well on an acoustic archtop? I'd be grateful for advice and recommendations.

    D'Addario Half Rounds........available in 12/52's.....all you have to so is clean them with 0000 steelwool when they're new and then you have 'Chromes' that aren't dead.....and no ' squeak ' !

  19. #18

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    I use TI Jazz swing 12's on my DA.
    I love the feel, the tension and the gauges. I think they sound great too.
    JD

  20. #19

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    La Bella black nylon tape wounds would have no string squeak and would sound either very interesting or completely dead acoustically on an archtop. 12-56 or 14-67s (like a baritone guitar :-) You gave me an interesting idea but I don't know if I want to widen my nut slots for bass strings.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by AlohaJoe
    Totally agree... I much prefer nickel strings on acoustic archtops. I keep nickel round-wounds on my late 40s Triumph. My wife has flats on a similar era Broadway. Both are acoustic, with removable DeArmonds. They're quite similar guitars (same factory, size, woods, scale etc.) but sound very different, largely due to the set-up and strings IMO.

    They both sound good, but the guitar with flats is considerably darker and has less sustain. The guitar with rounds is crisper, sharper? The action is also a little higher and the round wounds cut thru a mix and do what it's supposed to do... crank out rhythm.

    The guitar with flats sounds big and fat, rich lows and nice mids. Fabulous rhythm for a duo or small combo and nice for lead stuff but if I needed it to play acoustic rhythm with a horn band I'd want to put rounds on it for the volume (and she would say no).

    And L-S, I enjoyed your arrangement of Misty! Flats should work well for your style, but flat or round, nickel is the way to go on an acoustic archtop IMO.
    All this is very helpful. I have zero experience with an exclusively acoustic archtop. I've always had guitars with floaters, of course, but honestly, we all know those are intended to be played amplified.

    This L50 I think would eject any pickup I mounted on it. It says, "Play me unplugged, or sell me!"

    Yeah, guitars talk to me...

    Thanks for the kind words about "Misty" too. I love that tune, never tire of it, but I've tired out a few others who have to listen to me play it all the time!

  22. #21

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    I use TI 13 flats on my DA's, my 71AA and my Epis. I use TI 12s on my GBBAA.

    Bronze Roundwounds? Only on my Martin (where they belong)

  23. #22

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    Slight hijack:

    A few weeks ago my bass player asked for a string recommendation. I told him I use T-I strings on my archtops, but have no idea about their bass strings. He always loves the sound I get from my L-5's, so said he'd get a set. At our last gig he thanked me profusely for the tip, saying that his bass has never sounded better and he thought they were worth every cent of the rather high price. I have to agree with him--he's never sounded better and I've worked with him for fifteen years so far.

    Danny W.

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by FrankLearns
    ...John Pearse pure nickel 12s for an even more acoustic tone, both rounds though...

    good luck with the hunt!
    Finally, John Pearse Pure Nickel gets a mention. Try the Acoustic 12-54 or the Acoustic/Electric 12-53 or go up to 13-56. Same diff except for the gauges of the wounds. Martin Retro Monels are worth a shot.

    If they gotta be flats, T-I Bebop Rounds are the "flattest" sounding roundwounds I have heard.

    I am not against finger squeaks. In fact, I like them when done for textural effects. How about percussive chicka-chicka pick scrape? They say, Artist At Work. Blame Wyndam Hill Records. Finger Squeaks are like the guttural grunts of Glenn Gould or Keith Jarrett or the clacking of the saxophone keys and breathing of Dexter Gordon; after a while, you listen out for them.

  25. #24

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    AFAIK. these are the only flat wound strings designed specifically for acoustic guitars on the market.

    Galli Strings

  26. #25

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    T-I Plectrum AC112/AC111 are a mix of rounds and flats. AC113 is a set of rounds. Newtone double-wound Archtop strings are rounds that reduce finger squeaks. Optima Jazz Rounds.

    Not commonly available but may as well throw them out there.

    https://schneidermusik.de/shop1/prod...oducts_id/8756

    https://schneidermusik.de/shop1/prod...9872pso4n4j6s1

    https://schneidermusik.de/shop1/prod...9872pso4n4j6s1