Thomastik BeBop 11's with a plain G? WTH?

[Woody Sound]

Ordered a set of TI Round BeBop 11's, to try a lighter gauge jazz string. Came with a friggin plain G, WTF? I'm not looking for twang. Most other sets starting with 11 have a wound G, even the more pop/rock oriented brands like D'A adn EB. This set is called BEBOB. My wood saddle is comp'd for a wound G. This friggin string is so out of tune it's horrible. Really pissed me off.

[ptchristopher3]

The Bebop .012 set also comes with a plain G.

It is a remarkably ill-conceived aspect of both sets of strings in my opinion.

Chris

[rio]

Haha I remember years back ordering 12's and getting a plain G and being so confused that I was mad about it. It makes absolutely no sense.


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[Jabberwocky]

T-I BB21 for €2,79, Alex.

Thomastik BB21 Jazz BeBop, Nickel Round Wound jetzt online kaufen bei SchneiderMusik.de

Somebody's gotta like these: Optima 1947 EL Jazz Swing CHROME Roundwound Strings, extra light jetzt online kaufen bei SchneiderMusik.de ?

[Marty Grass]

Ordered a set of TI Round BeBob 11's, to try a lighter gauge jazz string. Came with a friggin plain G, WTF? I'm not looking for twang. Most other sets starting with 11 have a wound G, even the more pop/rock oriented brands like D'A adn EB. This set is called BEBOB. My wood saddle is comp'd for a wound G. This friggin string is so out of tune it's horrible. Really pissed me off.

Aside from the intonation, the cheapness of the unwound G, and the difference in feel, what did you think? In other words, was there an obvious difference in sound going from G to D strings?

The point of transition from wound to unwound occurs with every set and can sometimes be stark.

[ptchristopher3]

The point of transition from wound to unwound occurs with every set and can sometimes be stark.

Indeed. And if I may suggest an unusual idea:

If you want a great G string for the T-I Bebop .011 set get a T-I FLATWOUND .019 string.

No, really.

If you play chomp-chomp comp chords the G will not ring like a mission bell. If you play chord-melody you will find that there are no "alarming" chord voicings, so you can freely make the song work. And if you insist on scales played as emotive solos, there will be a far smoother transition as you move horizontally on the FB.

In my opinion. But seriously, try it.

Chris

[Cunamara]

Well, Jim Hall and Ed Bickert both used string sets with plain Gs. Neither of them are really noted for twang in their sound, so it's not inevitable. However, I prefer a wound G myself. I use the BB113 set and that comes with a wound G; I vaguely recall having bought the BB112s and can't recall whether the G was wound or plain. I've used a Pyramid set that came with both a wound G and a plain G, now that I think about it. That was handy.

[sgcim]

Ordered a set of TI Round BeBob 11's, to try a lighter gauge jazz string. Came with a friggin plain G, WTF? I'm not looking for twang. Most other sets starting with 11 have a wound G, even the more pop/rock oriented brands like D'A adn EB. This set is called BEBOB. My wood saddle is comp'd for a wound G. This friggin string is so out of tune it's horrible. Really pissed me off.

I've been using TI Bebop 11s for so long that I've got a huge collection of plain Gs that I've never used.

When I bought my B-222 recently, I had Roger Borys switch off the POS metal bridge the guy I bought it from had on it for the original ebony bridge, and then comp it for a plain G.

Sounds great, no twang, and perfectly in tune.

[Woody Sound]

OP here. It feels strange under my fingers, it sounds strange to my ears.

[rio]

Wound G's have a very different sound and not particularly twangy but different. The tension throws me off though and it is much louder as a plain string vs. wound - I use a plain 3rd string with 11's so I can bend it but that is only on my Ibanez 2630 which I keep strung like that in case I get called for a theater gig that has rock stuff or if I am teaching a lesson that needs it. I definitely prefer the feel and sound of a wound 3rd string even though the sound isn't "bad" with the plain. The thing that gets me though, like the OP said, is that this is a set called "Bebop" and I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a wound 3rd in a set of strings meant for jazz musicians.


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[Jabberwocky]

Indeed. And if I may suggest an unusual idea:

If you want a great G string for the T-I Bebop .011 set get a T-I FLATWOUND .019 string.

....snip...

In my opinion. But seriously, try it.

Chris

Not unusual; it is a great suggestion. Makes for a balanced sounding set tonally.

Thomastik JS19 Jazz Swing, Nickel Flat Wound jetzt online kaufen bei SchneiderMusik.de

[Woody Sound]

OP here. It feels strange under my fingers, it sounds strange to my ears.

And it won't intonate.

[Woody Sound]

Indeed. And if I may suggest an unusual idea:

If you want a great G string for the T-I Bebop .011 set get a T-I FLATWOUND .019 string.

No, really.

If you play chomp-chomp comp chords the G will not ring like a mission bell. If you play chord-melody you will find that there are no "alarming" chord voicings, so you can freely make the song work. And if you insist on scales played as emotive solos, there will be a far smoother transition as you move horizontally on the FB.

In my opinion. But seriously, try it.

Chris

Do you mean to incorporate the flatwound G into the roundwound set?

[ptchristopher3]

Do you mean to incorporate the flatwound G into the roundwound set?

Yes, it makes for a remarkably smooth transition.

[ptchristopher3]

in my opinion really light wound G strings tend to clang or ring a bit too much. So a flatwound .019 sounds great to me with the Bebop round .011 set. Nice continuum across the FB. If you are buying a wound G anyway, then I suggest trying this.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

I always thought the idea to this set was to induce you to use the flatwound Swings.

[DRS]

I bought one set of the Bebop 11's and was also choked that the G was unwound. I never bought another set. I use D'Addario Pure Nickel 11-48 now for my electric jazz guitar strings.

[ptchristopher3]

I bought one set of the Bebop 11's and was also choked that the G was unwound. I never bought another set. I use D'Addario Pure Nickel 11-48 now for my electric jazz guitar strings.

I thought that set had a plain G also?